Hot Topics: live, online Q&As
Our popular Hot Topics are live, online Q&As held on Facebook where you can use your computer or smartphone to interact with experts discussing trends in mental health. This season our Hot Topics will be spontaneous and unscheduled with surprise guests and breaking news from the mental health world. Our live, online presentations feature specialists in various fields, including AMI staff, doctors, community workers, and more. The hosts interact with you–you can send in live questions and comments while watching. Registration is not necessary, and you do not have to have a Facebook account to watch the presentation. Videos can be watched here at a later date if you miss the live event.
Recordings of past events
Hot Topics: Psychedelic Drugs & Mental Health
There have been recent changes in the laws around psychedelic drugs, which has caused a lot of questions to pop up. People are going to use both legal and illegal drugs–it’s important to make informed decisions about how it will affect your (or your loved one’s) mental health.
Hot Topics: Managing Emotions
There are times when our emotions get the better of us. We often focus on ways to calm down anger and frustration, but manic episodes can also be challenging to negotiate. In this hot topics event we talked about managing our emotions, and how to cope when a loved one’s emotions are more than we can handle.
Hot Topics: Community Organizations in Montreal
Montreal is chock full of community organizations that help with all kinds of things that relate to mental health. Join us as we talk about different community organizations in Montreal and their services.
Hot Topics: Does My Loved One Have Mental Illness?
Has your loved one changed recently? Have they been affected by something that happened in their life and you don’t know how best to support them? Do you suspect they have a mental illness but don’t know how to approach the subject? Want to find out how you can help them? Join us as we talk about mental illness and how it may affect our loved ones.
Hot Topics: Losing Relationships Through Mental Illness
Mental illness not only affects the person living with it, but their friends and family as well. Have you had a parting of ways with a friend? Has one of your family members withdrawn from you? In this Hot Topics event, we talked about how we can cope with losing relationships through mental illness and ways to bridge those strained relationships.
Hot Topics: Seasonal Affective Disorder
Winter can be longer for some of us. The days are shorter, the sun isn’t as high in the sky, it’s dark and cold–all these things can negatively affect our mental health. Watch our talk on Seasonal Affective Disorder and get some tips to help you get through the colder months of the year.
Women’s Mental Health
In this Hot Topics event, our experts talked all about women’s mental health. Did you know that women have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders? Find out more by watching the recording.
Men’s Mental Health
There is a culture in our society that men have to be tough, have to be strong. This can lead to men not reaching out for help when a mental health issue may be present. Watch the recording to discover how to find help or encourage someone to get help.
Borderline Personality Disorder
On October 20th our resident expert Sylvie Bouchard talked about BPD—what it is, common challenges, and what can be done to reduce conflicts.
AMI’s Fall Calendar
On September 8th our program coordinator Marc Griffin talked about our fall programs. Our new programs include a Young Family & Friends support group, a three-part Aging Well With Mental Illness workshop, and a three-part Caregivers 55+ workshop.
LGBTQ & Mental Health
Mental Health & Post Pandemic Realities
We are all going to have varying levels of comfort and discomfort with our new realities as Covid wanes. In this hot Topic event we talked about how to manage expectations, anxieties, and changing health restrictions and how this all affects our mental health.
AMI Spotlight: Kaleidoscope (living with mental illness)
Our Kaleidoscope support group is open to anyone living with any mental illness (depression, bipolar, anxiety, OCD, hoarding, schizophrenia, etc.) Learn all about it in the recording of this AMI Spotlight event.
Calming Techniques
Stress. Anxiety. Anger. Fear. Excitement. Mania. Panic Attacks. Now imagine being able to bring yourself back to your baseline. Let’s talk about some calming techniques and learn some new ways to relax. We want to hear what works for you!
AMI Spotlight: Depression
Depression can be debilitating, can appear at any age, and is one of the most common and treatable mental illnesses. Join us to learn about depression and get your questions answered. We will also talk about how to get help. For example, our depression support group is open to family, friends, and people living with depression–find out if it is the right group for you.
Rural Settings & Mental Health
Living outside an urban area brings challenges when it comes to accessing services. In addition, isolation can have serious mental health implications, and this has been amplified during Covid. Join us as we discuss the various pros and cons of living in a rural setting, how that can affect mental health, and how you can find the mental health help you or a loved one needs.
AMI Spotlight: Family & Friends
What does it mean to be a family caregiver? How can you best support a loved one who is struggling with their mental health? Have you tried our Family & Friends support group? Join us to learn about helping a loved one, and how our services for Family & Friends can help YOU.
Indigenous Realities & Mental Health
Indigenous people in Canada experience an above-average level of mental health challenges. There are many historical, geographical, and societal reasons for this. We will talk about how you can find help for yourself, or learn how to help someone else who is dealing with the realities many Indigenous people face when it comes to mental health.
Affordable Mental Health Services
Accessing mental health services can be complicated and costly. Join the AMI staff as we guide you through various affordable mental health services that are available in Montreal. We will also be live to answer any questions you may have!
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder can be an intimidating diagnosis. Both mania and depression carry their own challenges. On February 18, 2021, we talked about how to manage the symptoms of bipolar and where to get help, and answered your questions about bipolar disorder.
Addiction & Mental Health
Addiction is often seen as a personal choice despite being classified as a mental illness. On January 21, 2021 we talked about addiction to break the stigma and try to get a better understanding of how it affects our mental health. We shared resources and coping mechanisms, and answered your questions.
Managing Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal and natural response to difficult or stressful situations. But how can you manage anxiety when it begins to affect your daily life? On December 10, 2020 we talked about different scenarios, learned some tips, and shared how to manage anxiety.
Eating Disorders
Under eating, purging, over eating, hiding when you eat. Young or old, men or women, anyone can suffer from an eating disorder. Oftentimes it stems from issues with control and it’s not actually about food. On November 19, 2020, we talked about eating disorders and how they affect people, how to spot it in loved ones, how to help them get help, and so much more.
Racism & Mental Health
Racism in any form can have a strong impact on mental health. On October 15th, join us to discover how you can be an ally or stand up to help people who are struggling, or what to do if racism is affecting your mental health.
Young Carers
Young carers* can struggle with school, friends, or their own mental health. Many young people don’t even realize they are caregivers and don’t know where to go for help. Learn about the struggles faced by young carers, how to support them, and ask questions about being one!
*Young people who provide care and support to family members or other loved ones are considered young carers. Their loved ones can live with a chronic illness, disability, mental health or substance use issue and/or problems related to old age.
Parents Supporting Adolescents
Adolescence can be rough for youth and parents alike! Certain mental illnesses can start to manifest themselves during puberty, but what’s the difference between regular mood swings and the onset of mental illness? On August 13, 2020, we talked about how parents can best support adolescents through these trying times.
Mental Health in the Workplace
On July 16, 2020, AMI staff talked about Mental Health in the Workplace. Discover coping strategies within the workplace, how an employer can best support their staff, good business practices to implement, how to talk to your employer about mental health and so much more.
Borderline Personality Disorder
On June 18, 2020 our Borderline Personality Disorder experts Carl and Sylvie talked about living with and caring for a loved one with BPD. Check out our 2 part recording for their answers to your questions!
Nutrition & Exercise and Mental Health
On May 14, 2020 we explored the connection between what you eat, how much you move, and your mental health. You may be surprised to discover that small changes can add up to make a big difference in your life, no matter what shape you are in right now!
Relationships and Mental Health
Managing relationships is tough enough, but what about when mental illness plays a role? On April 16, 2020, we talked about having a partner who lives with mental illness, disclosing your mental illness to a partner, maintaining relationships during this pandemic, and much more.
Technology: Helping Mental Health
We’ve all heard the negative things about technology and mental health. On March 20, 2020 we learned about all the ways that technology is helping medical professionals diagnose, treat, and help people suffering from mental illness in their recovery process, including how it can help with the current Coronavirus crisis.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
On January 24, 2020 we spoke to Sgt (ret) Hugh Lawson, CD and Dr. Rameeshay Mubasher about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Trauma can affect anyone! Watch the recording to learn what it looks like, what can cause it or trigger an episode, and how to support a loved one suffering from PTSD.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia affects mental processes such as thinking and judgment, sensory perception, and the ability to appropriately interpret and respond to situations. On October 24, 2019, we asked all your questions and got all the answers about schizophrenia from Dr. David Benrimoh and author Susan Doherty.
Effective Communication with Healthcare Professionals
On September 5, 2019, we held our first Facebook Hot Topic Q&A of the season. We spoke with Dr. Carole-Anne Tremblay and Peer Support Worker Lynn Harris about the the basics of speaking to your doctor.
Recovery
In this video, we discuss recovery and living with mental illness but also good mental health. Is it possible to recover from mental illness, or to live a fulfilling life even with mental illness? Yes. How can families help their loved ones while balancing their own needs? This was a live, online event that took place May 29, 2019.
LGBTQ, Gender, and Mental Illness
Canadian Disability Tax Credit
Alternative Treatments for Mental Illness
Beyond medication and therapy there are alternative treatments available for mental illness. AMI-Quebec was joined by Sara Cohen-Fournier, a doctor from McGill University, and An-Phuong Nguyen, Acupuncturist, to discuss such things as exercise, mindfulness, diet, marijuana etc. This was a live online event that took place February 27, 2019.
Marijuana & Mental Illness
Social Media/Internet Addiction
You may also be interested in our other workshops. Click HERE for details.
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