JUNE 2021
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Co-owners of Scholars Etobicoke-Lakeshore creating a safe space for students to learn and grow during the COVID-19 pandemic. page 16
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MASTHEAD EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS KELLY FARRELL Founder and Director at Oak Learners; Private Alternative School in Mimico
MIKE WIXSON Producer of the Etobicoke Lakeshore Podcast & Owner of The Pod Plant
BRAD JONES HILIARY BREADNER Production Manager & Graphic Design; President & Owner of Ridley Funeral Home in New Toronto Owner of Hiliary Breadner Graphics DEREK STOCKLEY BILL ZUFELT Principal, Lakeshore Campus; Dean, Long Branch Resident and Chair of the Faculty of Social & Community Services History & Culture Committee, LBNA AMANDA KIRKLAND Long Branch Resident and Personal Development Coach
JAMES MENZIES Life-long Etobicoke Resident & Owner of JEM Window Cleaning
JONATHAN NHAN Pharmacist & Associate Owner at Shoppers Drug Mart in Long Branch
JAMES MALONEY Member of Parliamen for the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore
DR. TIMOTHY KODSI Etobicoke Resident & Medical Lead at Mimico Medical
LIZ MARTINO-DURBANO Teacher, Certified Fitness Instructor & Wellness Guide
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
Stay up-to-date on when you can get your COVID-19 Vaccination ROGER TUMMINIERI
Publisher, Etobicoke Lakeshore Press
etobicokelakeshorepress@gmail.com www.EtobicokeLakeshorePress.com @etobicokelakeshorepress Welcome to our June edition. This month, we’re endeavouring to keep the conversation alive - that is, in support of Mental Health Awareness. My desire to focus on this topic was inspired by two recent conversations. One that I had with Jennifer Hartley who works for James Maloney, MP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. The other was with Brad Jones, Funeral Director at Ridley Funeral Home. Both of whom are exposed to mental health on a daily basis but in two very different ways. After watching James Maloney’s Mental Health discussion on Facebook Live, I wanted to do more. More to shine a light on mental health in general and more to draw attention to youth mental health. I’m not a professional anything, let alone a psychologist or social worker. I just think we should keep talking about mental health on an ongoing basis until it becomes as common as talking about our physical health.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS JUNE 2021 PUBLISHER’S NOTE...p6
HOMEFRONT...p26
KEEP THE CONVERSATION ALIVE...p9
HUMBER COLLEGE...p28
Inspired by conversations with clients, Roger Tumminieri is dedicating this edition to mental health awareness.
JEM Window Cleaning & Gibsons Cleaners team up to raise funds for Covenant House.
Mental Health is Health. Let’s keep talking about it until it’s commonplace to do so.
Derek Stockley explains what Humber College Lakeshore Campus is doing in support of mental health awareness.
COMMUNITY...p10
YOUR HEALTH...p30
ITEX Barter Exchange Canada spearheads an international effort to help COVID-stricken India.
LIFE’S UNDERTAKINGS...p14 Brad Jones confronts his inner John Wayne in this month’s feature, entitled: “Tears, Fears, and Jeers.”
COVER STORY...p16 Scholars Education opens a new franchise in Aldwerwood. Meet the owners and read their story. .GEMS OF ETOBICOKE-LAKESHORE..p18
James Maloney hosted the annual GEMS Awards. Here are the winners for the best of EtobicokeLakeshore.
FAMILY LIFE...p20
Kelly Farrell from Oak Learners speaks candidly about youth mental health and how her school supports students.
Jonathan Nhan encourages us all to “Pay Attention” in this month’s Your Health feature.
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS is the only
free, monthly magazine that’s focused on life in South Etobicoke. It is mailed to houses in Long Branch, New Toronto & Mimico by Canada Post. Additional copies are available for pick-up at Shoppers Drug Mart in Long Branch and Espresso Bar Namaste in Alderwood. We capture life in South Etobicoke by highlighting the many positive contributions to our community by local business owners, elected officials, and residents. No part of this publication in any of its forms may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. 146 Thirtieth St, Suite 100, Unit 25, Etobicoke, ON M8W 3C4 Follow Us on Instagram @etobicokelakeshorepress #I EL www.etobicokelakeshorepress.com
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS...p24 Dr. Timothy Kodsi of Mimico Medical says it’s never too late to seek help for mental health.
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LOCAL TORONTO TEA COMPANY IS ON A QUEST TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER Multiverse VitaminTea is a vitamin-enriched tea that is on a quest to bring people together through a shared positive mindset and some of the best-grown teas in the world. Five years ago, Multiverse Founder, Jorge Calderon set out to find the best teas on the planet. His travels took him from South America to Europe and all the way to South East Asia. It was there, in Sri Lanka, visiting the Ceylon tea farms where everything started. Sri Lanka’s high elevation gardens and constant heat create the perfect climate to produce the world’s best teas and Jorge knew that he was onto something. Tea has been around for thousands of years and, worldwide, is already the second most consumed substance after water. That is when Jorge made the decision to take a drink that was already perceived as healthy and decided to infuse it with vitamins. Jorge then spent the next two and a half years developing the product and working with the Canadian government to get it approved, and Multiverse VitaminTea was born. Beyond having a vitamin-enriched tea, Jorge was
dead set on ensuring that the company did their part to better society. Their slogan, “Be Better” is a mantra and reminder for everyone that life is short and that we should continuously push ourselves to “be better” in every aspect of our lives. Consequently, the company donates 5% of each product sale to “Water is Life” to get clean drinking water to people in developing nations. As for the pandemic, there have definitely been challenges. According to Jorge. “The lockdown really hurt our growth initially, because everyone was just trying to survive,” he says. “Our production facilities were delayed and consumer confidence was just not there. That being said, with the growing importance, education and awareness of health and wellness in society, people are noticing the lasting effects and benefits that vitamins have on the immune system.” Jorge is hopeful that this is just the beginning for Multiverse VitaminTea and will translate to job growth and an overall positive outlook for the GTA community. GET 10% OFF VITAMINTEA at SHOPVITAMINTEA.CO by using code: BeBetter2021
COMMUNITY LOCAL HELP FOR A FARAWAY LAND What happens when a global pandemic impacts a country that starts to have runaway case counts and escalating daily death totals with little help from their own government? Canadians take notice. While some look on in shock and with sadness, others jump up to help with donations and assistance. So a local business owner, Tom Gottlieb, whose company sells PPE, came to me with an idea. The idea was that Tom would make KN95 masks available on a barter basis via the ITEX Barter Exchange. I would then ask ITEX member clients to purchase the masks and then Tom would put it together with a larger donation of goods in a shipping container headed for India. The response from ITEX barter clients was, putting it mildly, very impressive!
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ITEX members stepped up in a huge way and the hearts of the individuals who have donated were very apparent. In the end, 10,000 KN95 masks were purchased by ITEX members to send to India – in just 1 day! A huge response for a great cause! Thank you to all those who took part in the campaign. We had mostly donors from Canada, but others in the US as far as Los Angeles and Houston, came to the rescue, too! It’s always a great feeling when you see humanity rise to the occasion and step up to help others.
MICHAEL MUZZIN
President of ITEX Barter Exchange in Canada 416.898.5604
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
COMMUNITY PINE POWER 101 When it comes to an abundance of natural remedies for medical and mental health issues, your close encounter with a pine tree becomes a living and working pharmaceutical wonder. Well over a century ago, land speculator, Colonel Fredrick Burton Robins, captured the urban Toronto land-seekers with the “A Healthy Home is a Happy Home” sales campaign in the Toronto Star. “Get off at STOP 26 and before you do anything else, take in and smell the fresh air,” the advertisements happily instructed, referring to what is now 28th St & Lake Shore Blvd West. At the time, South Etobicoke was flush with Oak, Maple, Ash, Spruce, and especially Eastern White Pine. Although Col. Robins wasn’t the world-renowned botanist that Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger is, he was quick to recognize how people immediately felt better in disposition, energy, and wellbeing when they took in the (Christmas Tree scent) fragrances and aromas of the trees, especially the Pines of Long Branch. Indeed, the myriad of medicinal, food, essential oils, lumber, and incense sciences afforded by the Pine tree go back millennia in cultures and habitats.
Having brain or COVID fog? Go sit or walk amongst some pine trees for 15 minutes. Psychological benefits notwithstanding, physiological benefits of the pine’s aerosol particulates, include the lowering of blood pressure, renewed energy, and improved immunity and healing. Dr. Kroeger even stated that a ‘pine tree bathing’ would give one a better chance of surviving and a speedier recovery from a COVID attack. If you are not in proximity to a natural green space you can always bring the pine’s healing scent powers indoors. A study by Japanese researcher Dr. Qing Li involved diffusing the essential pine oils in a controlled indoor environment. The results were that there was a significant increase in the study participants’ anti-cancer proteins and white blood cells which attack and kill viruses and tumors. The participants also slept better and had decreased levels of stress hormones. In more recent studies in the United States, D-limonene air particulates were introduced into workplaces to lift moods and stimulate a more positive workplace environment.
Last month at the 2021 Toronto Storytelling Festival Webinar, Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger addressed the bounty of Pine Tree therapeutic benefits.
If you can’t take a breather to sit by the pine trees, treat yourself to a diffuser, sprinkle a few drops of pine essential oil, and let nature’s air-purifier help keep your immune system running strong.
“Even before we medicinally blend pine trees’ physical elements such as needles, sap, and bark, we automatically sense that psychological ailments of anxiety, depression, loneliness start to wane when near the pine tree,” she claimed.
You’ll be happier you did and your body will thank you, too.
What is happening, Kroeger says, “is that the pine tree emits clusters of aerosols which contain phytoncides. Scientifically speaking, these phytoncide substances naturally occur in pines to ward off insects, invasive plants, diseases, and other threats.” For humans, these phytoncides are inhaled and our body receptors trigger us with antibacterial and antiviral immune production, proteins, and cell defenders. Even more, the alpha-pinene and D-limonene (pine and citrus scents) help us slow down, get quiet, inhale and exhale, and just chill out. Feeling anxious or wound-up? Go sit or walk amongst some pine trees for 15 minutes. Feeling low or lonely? Go sit or walk amongst some pine trees for 15 minutes.
By: Bill Zufelt
NEW VIDEO TIPS Hi, I’m Liz! I’m new around here and so excited to be a part of your journey. Join me as I share my passion for fitness, wellbeing and mental health. Over the coming warm months, I will help you find connection with nature as I guide you through an experience of personal discovery and empowerment through fitness and the outdoors. Thanks and Check out my video tips at www.etobicokelakeshorepress.com. Liz Martino-Durbano, M.Ed. Teacher, Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor & Wellness Guide www.align-fitness.ca @align.soul.fitness
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LIFE’S UNDERTAKINGS TEARS, FEARS, AND Shortly after my mom died, I remember my father giving away the funeral flowers and freezing the funeral casseroles so he could travel to Florida. Alone. Despite the initial outpouring of grief and support from family and friends, my dad was soon left alone in his marital home and forced to navigate his grief as a solo traveller. Dad’s strongand-silent approach to loss was common in men then and today is still popular as “big boys don’t cry” parenting. Right now we’re in a whole new age of loss and isolation. In a sense, we’re all acting like men as we face the catastrophic impact of grieving a loved one’s death under health orders that prevent us from gathering and grieving. Funerals are as emotionally powerful as they are because they hold a safe and non-judgmental space for crying, laughing, storytelling, eating, loving, and hugging. My mom died more than 20 years ago (aka preCovid) and despite my father’s assurances that he was fine, he was not. And neither were my sister and I. A funeral is ultimately a dark kick-off into taking care of men, women, and children devastated by loss. Yet so often when we’re suffering, we slink away like wounded animals; we want to be alone because we feel alone. Men are doubly cursed when they are grieving because they’re afflicted with feelings of shame about looking or feeling “weak.” Male grief is unapologetically observed, and sometimes harshly judged, when visible tears and fears are out of character. My dad went on to bury two wives, my mother and decades later his secondmwife, and both times he channelled his inner John Wayne. At the time, as a much younger (slimmer) son, I was complicit in the male myth that strong men are solo men despite my early years in funeral service. Looking back I realize the depth of my father’s grief scared me. I had been devastated by my mother’s Christmastime death (and in some ways I still am) and I could not fathom losing my father, too. None of us gave my dad the space to spin off his axis, grieve fully and loudly, because that would mean he couldn’t fulfill the role of rock and lighthouse to me, my sister, and his young grandchildren. Grief always feels like fear and we all feel frightened and powerless in the shadow of death and heartbreak.
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My dad, forever unflappable, deeply insightful, and passionately dedicated to his family’s wellbeing, likely knew his grief triggered and deepened our own. As a family, we gathered and mourned at a powerful and beautiful funeral. But as a family, we grieved separately and alone. I will not model that lone wolf approach to my four boys. Part of being a man is being a human being, and all 8 billion of us laugh, love, cry and grieve. When it comes to loss and letting go of those we love and cherish, we really are all in this together. No one escapes pain in this lifetime not even John Wayne Florida-loving cowboys like my dad. Of course, not all men are created in the eyes of public opinion. When Premier Ford broke down and cried at a press conference this spring, his tears were met with scorn, shame, and outcry. Few Canadians, whether they consider Ford a servant or a scoundrel, were sympathetic toward the premier as he recounted stories about constituents dying alone and families devastated by separation and loss. Doug Ford cried as if this source of suffering was new; the cold hard reality is that millions of Ontarians for more than 15 months have been forced to say goodbye from afar and then mourn and grieve with little or no support. Forgive me but I will say it again about this pandemic: we are not all in this together. We’re all in the same ocean of suffering but some of us are drowning in dark, lonesome, turbulent waters while others drink champagne on yachts and chum the waters for sharks. If you have been bereaved since March 2020, you are suffering deeply and silently, and I shudder at the emotional cost that will be charged against each of us for our lack of political humanity toward the most vulnerable and devastated. I actually shed tears of sorrow, overwhelm and outrage as I write that. And it’s not just one specific political ruling class that’s oblivious to the pandemic-induced trauma of the bereaved. Being tone-deaf to more than 15 months of national and global suffering inflicts all levels of government and media. Recently Canadian politicians and media outlets moaned and wailed about how a photo of the Queen, dressed in black, masked, and sitting alone as she mourned her husband, was an iconic visual of the global pandemic. They claimed the Queen’s suffering was representative of all our suffering. Nope. The Queen’s sorrow in no way represents the pain
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
JEERS of the bereaved in Ontario or across Canada. She is fully 100% vaccinated, receives the best healthcare on the planet, has access to her entire extended family (including a US-based grandson who travelled across the pond without restriction or quarantine), and is one of the richest women in the galaxy. The Queen’s pandemic experience does not mirror my own and I doubt she represents your lived experience either. What I do appreciate is that the Queen’s grief shines light on the spiritual struggles of the bereaved, especially when we’re instructed to stay away from one another irrespective of the suffering around us. The number of times this past year alone that I have watched grown children bury one parent while refusing to hug their remaining parent breaks my heart each and every time. Then there are all the elderly frail widows I’ve driven home after our time together at the funeral home. I know those grieving wives are going into an empty house that will stay empty. For months. Despite the emerging focus on the catastrophic impact of lockdowns on our mental health, the special needs (and hell) of the bereaved have so far been overlooked and ignored. Our premier grieved on film and his tears were made suspect. Let us show more patience and compassion for our own tears and the sadness of others. So, what is to be done for the bereaved during these strange and sad days? We show up as much as we can. We don’t go “male” and alone. Instead, we actively participate in healing the brokenhearted, not further alienating them in the name of public health policy. Just like our kids, the bereaved are not alright. Grieving men, women, and children need our strength, support, and companionship. When in doubt, drop off a tuna casserole. Mow their lawn. Invite them out for a walk. Tell a funny story about the deceased. Help them plant their garden. Drop off donuts. Sit down and listen without interruption or the intention to “cheer up” or problem-solve.
BRAD JONES
Owner, Ridley Funeral Home
Brad Jones is president of locally-owned, commission-free Ridley Funeral Home (3080 Lake Shore Blvd West) in Etobicoke. He can often be found boycotting social media, chasing after his kids, and dreaming about summertime BBQs with family and friends. You’re always welcome to reach out to Brad with questions or comments by calling 416-259-3705 or emailing him at bradjones@ridleyfuneralhome.com
And if you’re a man helping another man grieve, you do you. Show up and go from there. What’s better than one lone wolf in the wilderness? Another, stronger wolf acting as a reminder that wolves are pack animals. We need family, assigned and chosen, and we need support and love. My dad loved wolves and how their collective howls could mean celebration or lonesomeness. Grief is the ultimate call of the wild. When you hear that howl, please answer.
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COVER STORY CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR As we endeavour to shine a light on mental health, I was pleased to be put in contact with Aaron Tabasum; co-owner of Scholars Education’s Etobicoke Lakeshore franchise in Alderwood. He and his fiancee, Kareen Ratnam, opened the education centre in November 2020 in the Farm Boy plaza on Brown’s Line at Evans. So why open a business in the throes of a pandemic? “Living near Rexdale my whole life, I have always had the Alderwood neighbourhood as my goto spot for nearly everything,” says Tabasum. “Whether it is to work, shop or meet with friends, it has always been a hub. Alderwood is a diverse area, we wanted to help a growing yet established community since there are not enough resources in the area for parents of all types. We came here to make a difference, one student at a time.” It goes without saying, this has been a tough year for kids. The stresses of in-class learning during a pandemic, along with the pressures of at-home virtual learning and/or homeschooling have taken their toll on students as well as their families. Mental health has become a prevalent issue, perhaps more so now than ever. Not just among parents, but among youth, as well. “Given the current circumstances and the stayat-home order, children are suffering more than most adults.” States Tabasum Not everyone in the community is in a financial position to afford private tutoring, though. Especially given today’s economic uncertainties. “We are working hard by giving back to students who are less unfortunate through donations made from businesses, families, and our own contributions,” says Tabasum. “Between food, clothes, toys, etc.; a lot of children need the human connection. This is our way of making them aware that we know they exist and that someone is looking out for them.” Tabasum and Ratnam, both community-minded individuals, come together to offer value to the South Etobicoke community by creating a safe environment for children to learn and excel. “We add value by going above and beyond with each student,” says Tabasum. “We create a family environment, so students feel like they are cared for. If students are eager and happy to continue with us without making it feel like a chore, they will not only learn better but reach their potential sooner. By setting goals and expectations with parents and teachers, the students get tools and resources that are endless. “Scholars Education has a well-equipped, Ontario-based curriculum working alongside
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the student’s school and teachers. We can individualize the student’s program to a ‘T’. This enables us to get the results both parents and students want to have success, both academically and personally.” In speaking with Aaron Tabasum, I could tell even over the phone that he’s a kind man; compassionate and patient, as well. I applaud his and Ratnam’s efforts in bringing a new business focused on supporting youth - their education and mental health - to the neighbourhood.
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
STUDENTS TO LEARN & GROW
By: Roger Tumminieri
KAREEN RATNAM & AARON TABASUM
Co-owners of Scholars Etobicoke Lakeshore etobicokelakeshore@scholarsed.com 827 Brown’s Line 416.252.5177
“We prioritize the family first,” Tabasum explains. “Families and education for the children are far more important than generating an overflow of income. Your child’s education and mental health are our top priority.” Scholars Etobicoke Lakeshore offers complimentary assessments for all students to see where their skill gaps are. Bookings are available by phone, Whatsapp, email, or in-person.
Check out their impressive Google reviews as part of your research. Tabasum and Ratnam are available from 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM every day.
SCHOLARS ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE etobicokelakeshore@scholarsed.com 827 Brown’s Line 416.252.5177
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GEMS OF ETOBICOKE-LAKESHORE
Now you do! Best Restaurant/Cafe Best Professional Service Business
A.F. Home Bakery 5168 Dundas St W Tita’s Mexican Food 7-2491 Lake Shore Blvd W
Best Retail Business – Food
Oak Learners 394 Royal York Rd Hound and Purr Pet Spa & Lounge 1181 The Queensway
The Bread Essential 406 Royal York Rd
Best New Business Your Neighbourhood Barbershop 2858 Lake Shore Blvd W
Mai Bistro 4906 Dundas St W
Best Retail Business – Merchandise
Empire Market Café 5126 Dundas St W
Best Arts & Culture
Mimico Home Hardware 2404 Lake Shore Blvd W
New Toronto Public Library 110 Eleventh St
Seniors Store 4974 Dundas St W
Mabelle Arts 5005 Dundas St W
Best Personal Service Business
Best Social/Entertainment Venue
Specs & Spines 2398 Lake Shore Blvd W Umana Health 700 Kipling Ave 18
The Galway Arms Irish Pub and Restaurant 838 The Queensway
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR WINNERS T.J. O’Shea’s Irish Snug 3481 Lake Shore Blvd W
Michael O’Connor Thompson Award Oxygen Bike Company 3267 Lake Shore Blvd W
Favourite Frontline Worker Jessica Smitheram, frontline paramedic with the city of Toronto Dino Ari (Dino’s Wood Burning Oven) 820 The Queensway
Favourite Frontline Business Tibetan Canadian Community Centre 40 Titan Rd. Furniture Bank 25 Connell Ct
COVID-19 Compassionate Community Member Daily Bread Food Bank 191 New Toronto St. Food For Now 96 Fourth St Franklin Horner Community Centre 432 Horner Ave. Graham Rowlands/South Etobicoke Community Group Sharon Hamilton Congratulations to all the winners! During the past year, that has been unlike any other, it has been so heart warming to see our community come together to support one another. Thank you for being such integral parts of our Etobicoke-Lakeshore Community
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FAMILY LIFE PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH Promoting Mental Health in Children Mental Health isn’t something we only need to talk about when there’s a problem or a crisis - it needs to be something we talk about as frequently as we discuss our physical health. We teach children to eat “healthy foods” for their physical wellness and growth, but what about their minds? Promoting mental clarity, peace and calm should be as much a focus of dinner table conversation as food. Begin with setting reasonable expectations. The daily recognition that all days have ups and downs - that’s a natural flow. A Yin and Yang, per se. There is hardly such a thing as a “perfect day” or a “bad day”. At Oak Learners, we take 15 minutes at the end of each school day to reflect with our students on some great things that happened that day and some things they would like to have gone better in the future. This realistic reflection and goal setting helps our students understand that they are in control of how they view their day and promotes resilience by recognizing that we can always find the “good” in every day and every situation. Listen. Acknowledge. Reflect. When things do go poorly and our children are feeling sad, discouraged, hurt, or self-blame, it’s important to take time to listen to and validate their feelings. It’s okay to feel these emotions, they are natural reactions. But the more important discussion comes with what to DO with these emotions and how we act on them. At Oak Learners, we demonstrate these choices by modelling appropriate “self-talk” and how to choose a coping strategy for dealing with the current situation. For example, many of us are dealing with
KELLY FARRELL
Director at Oak Learners; a private alternative school in Mimico located at 394 Royal York Rd. / 416-820-5233 www.oaklearners.ca
loneliness these days. A conversation with a crying child who misses their friends might go as follows: “Let’s talk. I can see you’re very upset/ discouraged/disappointed at not being able to see your friends right now. That’s a very natural reaction to this situation. It’s very hard to be away from people we love. Sometimes, I also feel sad and I miss my friends, too. When I feel that way, I like to <insert strategy>. What do you think might help you feel happier right now?” Connection and resilience come from seeing the people around us have healthy ways of processing and coping with difficult emotions. Don’t think you have to be a superhero in front of your child - show them your emotions and show them healthy ways of coping and moving forward. Promoting positive mental health is one of the greatest skills we can ever teach our children. To learn more about how Oak Learners promotes confidence and resilience in children, visit our website at www.oaklearners.ca.
Happy F er’s Day from your friends at
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ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT GRATITUDE IS KEY you see things, the things you see change! It is invigorating. Change how you hold and respond to your emotions and you will find that you have more options than you thought you had. Take time to relax. Relaxing is one of the little joys of life. We can learn to take time from our busy day to chat with a friend, take a hot bath, or spend a few moments sitting alone under a tree. The busier we are, the more we need to take time to relax.
AMANDA KIRKLAND
Personal Development Coach amanda@amandakirkland.com “You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.” - Wayne Dyer Many of us are struggling to maintain our mental well-being during this coronavirus pandemic. You should have gotten up an hour ago when the alarm went off, but you instead stayed in bed and turned to your laptop. You did not seem to be able to get out from under the covers, much less face the dark cloud you have again awoken to. This mood was triggered by the anxiety of the looming possibility of yet another announcement this afternoon that the “Stay at Home” order had been extended once again. Some days, you need to give yourself grace. Some days, it is okay to just check out and take the day off, just for yourself. I will say this to you. Nothing is going to happen to you today that you can not handle.
When we rest, we stop fussing about the outside world. We find out how we are doing inside. Our minds calm down. We put busy thoughts aside. So, wherever you are today, know it is okay to “take a day off” and give yourself a break when you need it. Life is far from perfect so why should you have to be. Hang in there! Pause. Breathe. Reflect. Connect with others and keep to a healthy routine. Be kind to yourself and others and reach out for help if you need it. For now, signing off from a place of calm, joy and love.
AMANDA KIRKLAND
Personal Development Coach www.amandakirkland.com I am a Personal Development Coach. I help A Type women break through their sh*t without hundreds of hours of therapy. I will guide and support you in creating a healthy mindset and habits that will bring a positive impact to your life, often using my own experiences as a reference point. If you would like to hop on a call to hear more, please reach out to me at amanda@amandakirkland.com or visit www.amandakirkland.com.
These past 15 months we have lost a lot of things/ people/dreams. We have had enough already. At any moment you can choose joy, love, and gratitude. Or you can choose anger, resentment, and powerlessness. When you move to gratitude, you instantly move things into your energy that you will become more grateful for. This alone will lift your spirits, giving you new focus through a clearer lens making you see things through fresh eyes. You will be grateful for where you live and the people in your life. When you change the way
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FINANCE FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER? What to Know If You’re a First-time Homebuyer Shopping for a first home can be fun and exciting, but it can also feel like a daunting discovery process, with crucial issues and important steps cropping up around each new corner. To help educate those who haven’t had much exposure to the home-buying process, here are a few tips and ideas that are sure to benefit first-time buyers. Start by surveying your financial well-being. Begin with your savings. Have you been able to stash away an emergency fund equivalent to three or even six months’ worth of salary? Do you have enough left over to put towards a down payment? Second, take a look at your spending. Build a detailed budget that includes your income, all your monthly costs, and any debts you may have. The goal is to find out how much you can reasonably put towards a mortgage each month, as well as other house-related costs. Once you know the precise state of your financial well-being, it is time to figure out how much house you can afford. You’ll also want to check your credit score, as this will affect the interest rate you’ll be able to get from mortgage lenders. If your credit score is low as a result of outstanding credit issues, it’s best to deal with these before househunting. Consider borrowing from your RRSP. Depending on the state of your finances and the urgency of your housing needs, you may choose to borrow from your retirement savings to put towards a down payment. The Home Buyers’ Plan lets first-time buyers withdraw up to $35,000 from their RRSP to contribute to the purchase or construction of a home. There’s no tax penalty on the money you withdraw, and you’re required to pay it back to yourself within 15 years, starting two years after the withdrawal.
provide certainty because neither the interest rate nor the size of your payment will change for the entirety of the term, usually five years. With variable-rate mortgages, your rate and payment might grow or shrink based on external factors beyond your control. Variablerate mortgages tend to be lower than fixedrate mortgages but come with potential risks. Ideally, you’ll find a lender who pre-approves you before you go house hunting. Basically, this means you agree to the terms of a mortgage before finding a property to use it on. Sellers prefer buyers who are pre-approved because it reduces the risk of a deal falling apart. Ask where you see yourself in 5-10 years, and how you’re going to get there. Moving is time-consuming and costly so the less of it you have to do, the better off you’ll be. Before you purchase a property, think about how well it fits your lifestyle now, and how it fits the life you envision in the years ahead. If you’re buying a fixer-upper, or perhaps a place where the kitchen or bathrooms need modernizing, do you have a plan to save for the cost of a renovation? How happy will you be living in the existing home until you can afford to upgrade it? This article is not intended to provide financial or financial planning advice, please call or email Moya Financial and they will be more than happy to chat with you.
If both you and your spouse qualify as firsttime buyers, you can each make a withdrawal and contribute a maximum of $70,000 from your RRSPs towards a home build or purchase.
Finding the right home takes time and effort. Finding the right mortgage doesn’t.
Look for a lender. Shop around between different financial institutions and mortgage brokers in your area to see who can offer you the best interest rate
725 Brown’s Line, Toronto ON M8W 3V7
There are two main types of mortgages: fixedrate and variable-rate. Fixed-rate mortgages
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Contact Moya Financial today!
Call: 416 252 6527 Email: loans@moyafinancial.ca
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
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WELLNESS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS As we grow older, our bodies are guaranteed to age in a relatively predictable way. The state of our mind is the most rapidly fluctuating and the least under our immediate control, insomuch that reptilian emotions are constantly influencing the frontal cortex, that is, the part of the brain that separates humans from other animals. Mental health is often the point of discussion during patient encounters, and rightfully so, it is one-third of the holistic health triad. Campaigns like Bell’s “Let’s Talk” and a growing interest in the topic on other forms of media, exemplifies how mental health has been destigmatized and even embraced as a primary initiative within our culture. The hope is that with time, the overall message will manifest itself as proactive engagement and management of mental health issues by patients and healthcare workers. From my experience, compared to prior generations, patients are more transparent about their mental health struggles and take more initiative to seek professional help. By the same token, physicians and other healthcare providers are delegating more time in their education and practice to better embrace, understand, assess and manage the mental health of their clients. This positive momentum is undoubtedly pivotal for the ongoing health of our society as a whole. To further our common goal for widespread mental health, I find it useful to take a moment to focus on the most basic of questions. That is, what is the tangible approach we should take to managing mental health issues? Surely, if you asked a hundred people to provide their take, you would have a very large unpredictability in their answers. My approach has always been to simplify, and to understand how we should treat mental health, one must first grasp the fundamental elements of health in general. The definition in the dictionary, which is “to be free of disease or illness,” is too simplistic for the purpose of this mental exercise. However, if we frame our definition within the lens of
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DR. TIMOTHY KODSI Medical Lead Mimico Medical prevention, the picture becomes much clearer. In medicine, preventative medicine is categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary. Primary prevention is preventing the problem from starting in the first place. In this case, by living the lifestyle of someone who has established mental strength devoid of emotional dysregulation. That is, a life free of significant trauma, addictions, sedentation, poor habits, risky behaviours, and toxic relationships, among other things, but also with a strong element of mental awareness and prioritization of the psyche. Of course, we can only control so much, but these principles should guide our everyday decisions, interactions, and behaviours. Secondary prevention entails the early identification and management of disease. Every patient-doctor relationship should make the discussion about overall feelings and mood a regular occurrence. Patients should feel comfortable approaching their doctors for care at the earliest stages of emotional dysregulation. Physicians and their teams should compassionately address and actively manage these cases, both promptly
ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
and thoroughly. To that point, employers and educators must be equally accommodating when the mental health of their employees/students is cast in doubt. Tertiary prevention specifically involves patients who have already been functionally debilitated by a disease. The harsh reality is that many people go years, or even decades, suffering with psychiatric illness and experiencing grave ramifications of their disability before seeking help. In many cases, irreparable damage has already been done to their lives. Tertiary care represents the notion that it is never too late to pick up the pieces and build a new foundation. Time and time again, I have seen clients of mine regroup, reflect, take action, and ultimately thrive with a newfound mental fortitude. The hardest part is bringing a patient and doctor together to recognize the need and understanding the importance of a targeted mental health plan. Through a determined, collaborative, and evidence-based approach, it is ever possible to restore function, improve quality of life, minimize disability and prevent or limit complications. The guiding principles for managing mental health can be reduced to a few basic elements. Firstly, treatment begins early and often, in the form of preventative measures before challenges have even presented themselves. Secondly, successful mood regulation requires early identification by the patient and prompt engagement by the physician to improve the chance of ultimate success. Finally, as long as the patient and physician work as a team grounded in evidence-based principles, it is never too late to engage, assess, act and heal. Your body and soul will thank you.
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ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS FAMILY DOCTORS PHYSIOTHERAPY PSYCHOLOGY & PSYCHIATRY COSMETIC MEDICINE WWW.MIMICOMEDICAL.COM 398 ROYAL YORK RD. 416 ∙ 201 ∙ 0836
DR. TIMOTHY KODSI
Medical Lead, Mimico Medical 398 Royal York Rd 416.201.0836 www.mimicomedical.com
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HOMEFRONT GOOD NEWS STORY
JAMES MENZIES
JEM Window Cleaning 3045 Southcreek Rd #11 (427 & Dundas) 416.410.5131 www.jemwindowcleaning.com I wanted to share a good news story that I believe is a great fit for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Since the beginning, our team has been passionate about giving back to our local community. After all, without our community, JEM would not exist! Each spring I organize a Charity Lawn Sign Campaign in support of Covenant House where JEM donates a dollar amount on behalf of every customer who agrees to a two-week sign run. This year, I’m thrilled to share that another westend family business, Gibson’s Cleaners, will be joining the initiative. For every committed sign, we’ll donate $30 to Covenant House. Of course, we’d love to spread the word amongst the South Etobicoke community and invite more households than those of our customers to participate. We would very much like it if you could lend your hand to help support our launch.
there, too. We expect members of government, media, and prominent west-end business owners to attend. We anticipate 200+ signs throughout Etobicoke. Feel free to reach out directly to me or to Linley McConnell from Gibsons Cleaners.
LINLEY MCCONNELL
Gibsons Cleaners An Authorized CANADA GOOSE Dry Cleaner www.gibsoncleaners.com 647.202.0046
JAMES E. MENZIES
JEM Window Cleaning www.jemwindowcleaning.com 416.410.5131 Celebrating 34 years in Etobicoke Since 1987! Award Winning, locally owned profession residential cleaning company specializing in consistent home maintenance.
We will begin our launch outdoors at Gibson’s Kingsway facility and would love for you to be
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ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
HUMBER COLLEGE COMMUNITY UPDATE
This month, we’re focusing on mental health, just as the winter blues have thawed and summer is almost here. I have provided many updates over the past year to fill you in on what Humber Lakeshore does to support the mental health and wellness of students, staff and the community. This month, I’d like to spotlight our students’ efforts. Community Development degree student Nisha Haroon just graduated, but her capstone project will help inform future wellness initiatives at the college. In September 2020, the President’s Office launched a series of monthly wellness sessions for Humber employees. Nisha’s research explored the positive impact of these sessions on employees in isolation and how to improve the sessions. She found that over 80 percent of participants consistently reported an improved mood and energy after participating in the sessions and that sessions that required physical activity were especially effective. Work like Nisha’s has lasting impacts on our Humber community.
In this last class, learners complete a research assignment exploring family issues as they relate to crisis intervention and trauma. They’ll be challenged to think about who is impacted, the resources they can access, and how the family might process their experience. They will also identify therapeutic approaches and local resources, right here in the community. In addition to new courses and initiatives to improve our community’s wellness, we’re trying to push the conversation forward. The Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre continues to offer programming around the virtual exhibition, “The Aesthetics of Mental Health.” The Interpretive Centre recently released a video series that features the exhibition’s artists in conversation with hosts from Humber Lakeshore. They discuss how their work relates to the larger conversations around mental health today and reflect on the history of the Lakeshore Grounds. You can find the videos at the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre’s website.
The first cohort of graduates from a new Humber certificate will soon be on the ground doing the same thing. Humber College launched the Crisis Intervention and Trauma Supports certificate in September 2020 and the students complete the last of their six courses this month. There were 25 students in the program’s first course but this summer, 62 students enrolled in the “Supporting Families in Crisis” course – that’s a 250 percent increase!
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ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
If you’re looking for more ways to improve your mental well-being, get outside if you can. Here’s the perfect opportunity: Our annual GARDENS program in collaboration with the GARDENS Advisory Council and LAMP Community Health Centre is back. This year, LAMP CHC secured funding from the City of Toronto’s Live Green, Waste Management department. The funding will expand the GARDENS education program, offering workshops in person and online. The year-long program will focus on food waste diversion, emphasizing how to save money, change behaviour, and take action. If you’re interested in learning more about how to reduce food waste and want to share your knowledge about ways to conserve, you may be interested in a Train the Trainer program for residents who want to advance their knowledge and become community leaders on the subject. The group will meet monthly.
For more information, contact Sandra Van at 416-252-6471 ext.239. or at sandrav@lampchc.org.
Best wishes, Derek Stockley
DEREK STOCKLEY
Principal, Lakeshore Campus Senior Dean, Faculty of Social and Community Services Follow on Twitter: @derek_stockley
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YOUR HEALTH PAY ATTENTION the right car. The resultant experience is that you notice other cars of the same make and model more easily. There aren’t necessarily more people driving the same model car, your attention has been paid towards collecting this experience. Of course, this all happens unconsciously, without you having to think about it. Now let’s look at the pandemic and see how we are spending our attention. You may have paid attention towards news stories and the media how has this informed your experience? Take a moment and step out of your current experience and ask yourself, are there other things that I could pay my attention towards to receive a better experience? If your attention were like dollars in your wallet and you had to pay for your experiences, would that change what you spend it on?
JONATHAN NHAN, RPh, CDE Pharmacist / @nhanjonathan903
Your attention may be more valuable than you realize. This pandemic drags on and on, and there have been so many starts and stops. This rollercoaster definitely affects our mental health, sometimes in ways that we don’t even realize. There are many components to effectively manage our mental health, and it’s possible to take back control, even in situations where it feels like we have none. A great place to start is thinking about attention. You’ve likely heard and used the phrase “Pay attention” without a second thought. Consider this short phrase and its meaning. If you are paying with attention, then it must have an intrinsic value that is being exchanged for something in return. I’ll offer you an interpretation: you are paying with your attention in exchange for an experience of the world around you. Where you focus your attention will inform your experience.
You control your attention. When you direct your attention and choose your focus, you change your experience. One of the most practical ways of directing your attention is to ask yourself better questions. Rather than “why” questions, ask yourself “what” or “how” questions. You’ll find these are much more empowering. What is one thing that you could put your attention towards now that would make you feel appreciative or grateful? I have found that focusing on appreciation and gratitude is a great way to rebalance and re-centre. We’re thrown off centre by stress and events that pull our attention. When we choose to pay attention to moments of appreciation or gratitude, we can balance off that stress. Much like physical momentum, our thoughts and moods carry their own momentum. Start small and begin to invest your attention wisely into the experiences that you want to have more of. Life is like the rhythmic swing of the pendulum; there will always be ups and downs but we can take comfort in knowing that we can exert control over this swing by spending our attention wisely.
Think about the car that you drive. You place your attention on the make and model of your car because you need to know you are stepping into
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ETOBICOKE LAKESHORE PRESS
Demystifying the Sports of Hunting & Fishing
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