Building your Resilience Toolbox during Uncertain Times

In recognition of mental health week, the Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton is hosting a community wellness session. Today, many of us are facing challenging circumstances and uncertainty, not only in our personal lives, but in our global community as well. How do we better navigate the edgy thoughts and emotions that often accompany these experiences? Drawing on wisdom from various disciplines, including Positive Psychology, we will explore a variety of topics including mindfulness, self-compassion, and talking back to

The Feelings Wheel

Finding exactly the right word to describe how you feel can be hard. The Feelings Wheel can help you better describe your emotions. A special thanks to the Waterloo Suicide Prevention Council for their work in creating this useful tool. Click here to download your copy today >

An Invitation to Sponsor – RUNNING for RACHAEL

Together we have made significant progress in advancing the work of suicide prevention in Hamilton, but there is more to do!  Running for Rachael plays a vital role in supporting the city-wide work of suicide prevention by bringing the community together to promote hope (prevention), help (intervention) and healing (postvention) through crisis support information, training, education and support groups.  Help us make a difference in our community by considering sponsorship!  

Language Matters in Preventing Suicide!

Language Matters in Preventing Suicide! Any suicide is a tragedy. We know that language matters, and that using helpful and respectful language reduces stigma, making it easier to talk more openly and safely about suicide and its prevention. Suicide is a public health issue, but it’s often discussed in whispers, as if a death by suicide brings shame to a family or to a person who has died. Our society needs to talk more about suicide, especially suicide prevention, but

We Could All use a Little More Joy

The Big Joy Project Who couldn’t use a little more joy these days?  University of California Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, Greater Good in Action has created a BIG JOY project. Happiness, resilience, connection, and kindness are skills that can be taught and practiced.  In only 7 minutes a day for 7 days, discover which micro-acts of JOY work best for you. Each day you will be given an opportunity to tell us how you’re feeling in the morning, and

A Guide for People and Families Struggling with Suicide

  If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts and/or behaviours, you may feel like you need additional support or resources. That’s why, in partnership with experts and affected families, St. Joe’s developed the guide below.   DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE HERE:   A Guide for People and Families Struggling with Suicide  What’s in the guide? The guide includes practical strategies to reduce suicide risk while at home including a safety plan template, and information on why people struggle

Be Safe for HAMILTON

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Be Safe is a free mobile app that offers information and links to mental health, addiction and suicide prevention resources in Hamilton.

Be Safe is unique because it was developed in full partnership with both youth and professionals. It is a systems navigation tool that helps people find help when they need it, and supports them through the process of reaching out when life feels overwhelming.

By using information from a vast network of partners, Be Safe makes the process of finding the right help quick and easy.

Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training – May 28th

This new seminar has been developed in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the American Association of Suicidology (AAS).  It is designed specifically for mental health professionals who provide grief therapy or counselling to suicide loss survivors.

The training focuses on individual therapy, and includes information about suicide bereavement, the tasks of loss integration for survivors, and discussion of case examples and specific techniques that may be helpful in working with survivors.

For more information and to register

safeTALK Training – Suicide Prevention for Everyone

Join us on November 2nd for a community sponsored event at a discounted rate of $10.00 per person (Sponsored by Suicide Prevention)!


safeTALK is a half-day alertness training for everyone 15 and older to learn how to recognize a person with thoughts of suicide and how to connect them with resources who can help them in choosing to live.

CMHA Mental Health Week May 7-13, 2018

I feel like I’m reaching MY POTENTIAL.

I feel like I BELONG.

I make the world a BETTER PLACE.

I DON’T WORRY about what others think of me.

I ENJOY my life.

Knock me down and I’ll GET BACK UP again.

#GetLoud

About what mental health really is.

Check out what’s happening in Hamilton for Mental Health Week.

Peace of Minds Yoga

Bringing people together to raise awareness for mental illness and support vital programs & services provided by the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO).

The Peace of Minds Yoga is open to everyone. Enjoy a day of yoga & meditation classes. Refreshments provided.

Alternatives for Youth – Parent Education, Support and Skills Development Program (PEP)

Alternatives for Youth (AY) is committed to providing substance use treatment services for youth aged 12 to 22 years and those who care for them. Research has shown that engaging parents/care-givers in substance use education and counseling programs improves treatment outcomes for youth with substance use and concurrent mental health problems. The feedback we have received from parents that have attended this program indicates that information covered is helpful and the group experience is positive. Parents have noted improvement in

Cycling C2C in the News

Jim Zvonar is a Hamilton Teacher who is riding across Canada this summer to generate awareness about mental health and mental illness. Jim intends to help generate funds for mental health training programs, stigma reduction, suicide prevention and foster help seeking. Funds raised from his national ride will be used to support youth based mental health initiatives in Hamilton. Find out more at www.cyclingc2c.ca In the News Stoney Creek Native Cycling Coast to Coast for Mental Health Hamiltonnews.com – Jun

safeTALK training at a subsidized rate

In recognition of Mental Health Week the Canadian Mental Health Association Hamilton is pleased to offer safeTALK training at a subsidized rate of only $10 per person safeTALK is a half-day alertness workshop that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help

72 Hours for Life

Dates: September 7 – 10, 2015 Why 72 Hours for Life?  It represents a reclaiming of “Suicide Watch” (72 hours) Reflection and awareness related to coping and wellness, knowing the signs and symptoms and effectively supporting youth.  72 hours of “reflection and training” leading up to World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th.

Bell Let’s Talk: Thank You, Canada

Celebrate the first anniversary of Clara’s Big Ride by viewing this video featuring highlights from this epic adventure. Let’s make sure that we continue to carry on this conversation together and let’s put an end to the stigma around mental illness. Read More  

Youth Wellness Centre

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Youth Wellness Centre is a unique service that provides expert mental health care by appointment including counselling, support and navigation services for young people aged 17 to 25. This service is covered by OHIP and confidential. One thing that is different about the centre is that young people and the people who care about them can reach out to Youth Wellness Centre to find out if this is the right place for care. Read More

THE BLARNEY 6.93 KM WALK/RUN – presented by The Runners Den and The Blarney Committee

Saturday, April 11, 2015 Location: Coronation Arena – 81 Macklin Rd N., Hamilton, Ontario Time: 9am 6.93 k – $40.00 NEW 10.4 K $45.00 Race Day – $50.00 Registration closes March 17, 2015 Registration Pick up – April 8 & 9, between 6-8pm at “Runners Den” 860 King St. W. Hamilton, Ontario Race Day – Registration Opens 7:30 – 8:45am All Runners guaranteed a Technical Race Shirt if registered before CLOSING (March 17, 2015). Extra shirts available for order at time of online registration and a limited amount on

Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund donates $25,000 to the Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton to support the rollout of SafeTALK training

Hamilton, February 10, 2015 – The Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton (SPCCH) is pleased to receive a $25,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund to support evidence-based suicide prevention education and training for 750 first responders in the police, paramedic and fire services in Hamilton. First interveners, such as police officers, firefighters and paramedic services are often a first line resource for people who have significant mental health, emotional or substance abuse issues that may be suicidal.

BR’s Celtic Circle earns provincial award

Members of the Bishop Ryan Celtic Circle Student Leaders were recognized for their exemplary peer helping program at the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association (OSCA) Gala Dinner on November 9th where they were presented with the association’s prestigious Daryl L. Cook Peer Helping Award.

The award, which honours Daryl Cook’s outstanding contribution to guidance counselling in Ontario and acknowledges her strong support of peer helping programs in Ontario schools, is presented to one school in Ontario annually.

World Health Organization Suicide Prevention Report

Over 800 000 people die by suicide every year – that’s one person every 40 seconds. Yet these deaths are preventable.

In WHO’s first suicide report “Preventing suicide: a global imperative” information is included on what is known about suicide across the world, groups at particular risk of suicide, and what can be done at both societal and individual level to reduce the number of deaths from suicide.

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day can change your life. It’s the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather around the world at events in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope.

To learn more and find an event near you, visit www.survivorday.org

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The theme for 2014 is “Living with schizophrenia”. The focus of the World Health Organization will be living a healthy life with schizophrenia.

Help us to Fundraise

The SPCCH is a charitable non-profit volunteer organization, funded by private donations from individuals and organizations. All donations are directed towards educational materials, training or community opportunities to help us work towards our vision of creating a suicide safer community.

Stigma Hurts Launch

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are co-sponsoring World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. The theme of this 11th anniversary event is “Stigma: A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention.”