The new school year is an exciting time for kids. However, adjusting to so many new changes can be stressful, and it’s crucial that parents help their kids manage their mental health as they enter the new school season. Here is some insight into the challenges children face and how parents can help their kids overcome them.

For many, the price of a single counselling session—often ranging from $120 to $200—is simply out of reach. For this reason, many people forgo professional mental health care in favour of less effective methods that don’t get to the root of their problems. Step Forward Health Society seeks to change this, and our supporters are crucial to that mission.

Affordable counselling services are absolutely essential. Too often, the financial cost of seeking help causes people to forgo it, leading to worsened symptoms, less effective therapy down the line, and greater risk of crisis events. By contrast, low financial barriers motivate early treatment and a host of associated benefits.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is everywhere, and it’s killing women. Current responses only react to the tragedy instead of preventing it. Step Forward wants to break the trend. Our programs, MenTOR and When Love Hurts, work together to address the before and after of IPV.

Meg Neufeld’s artwork, “Under One Sun”, reminds us that no matter our age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, diagnosis, religion, or socio-economic status—when we lead with kindness and empathy, we are stronger together.

Mental well-being is like a lifelong walk. Every day is another step requiring constant discipline, therapy, and self-awareness, and one bad day can ruin everything. The mental health walk is challenging for people with access to every resource and harder still for those without. That’s why people who walk beside those struggling with mental health are invaluable.

This isn’t just another charity walk for me. It’s personal. Deeply personal. I know what it’s like to suffer without support. I’ve seen the pain of those who didn’t get the help they needed. I’ve experienced the unbearable weight of believing your life might not be worth living.

At Step Forward Health Society, we believe that every woman deserves safety, dignity, and a life free from abuse. That’s why we’re delighted to announce the launch of our latest program cohort called When Love Hurts. This online program provides vital support and education for women who have experienced abuse in their intimate relationships, helping them understand past pain, connect with other women who share their experiences, and build a path forward.

Mental health challenges disproportionately affect 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, who face significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation than their peers. Recognizing this critical need, the Step Forward Health Society recently launched a dedicated mental health support group for queer youth in Delta.