A local initiative to take on the mental health crisis is expanding its impact through rural Alberta.
Together Talk is a free-of-charge service that provides access to mental health and addiction support in rural communities. Created in 2020 to offset the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have grown not just in services but in clients as well. The organization originally was for the Barrhead community but expanded over the last five years to include Athabasca, Westlock, and most recently, Swan Hills. They now serve these areas with online and walk-in appointments available.
The initiative started during the COVID-19 pandemic when mental health and addictions issues were at a high due to the severe social isolation world wide. A study conducted by the government of Canada saw an increase in health disorders like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. This led more young people to utilizing outpatient care facilities and mental health resources. Despite the seeming return to normalcy, loneliness in youths is still at an all time high with these initiatives still being a central part of mental health care.
Dale Clarke, the board chair at Together Talk, says that the biggest issue many of the counsellors are seeing is substance abuse but "that underneath the drug abuse and the destructive use of it, it often, if not always is trauma." Most of the trained counsellors use a combination of talk therapy and narrative therapy to work on the issues affecting them. They have also seen a major increase in clients using their services for family counselling and relationships.
Their expansion is a needed resource for youths and seniors in rural areas as their clientele has grown with word of mouth and community awareness, says Clarke ". . . whatever the reason is, a lot of people [are] using the services right now." especially when it comes to Barrhead and Westlock where they see a lot of clients.
Don McGillivray is the lead psychologist at Together Talk and the founder of the organization says that other organizations like FCSS, Healthy Families Healthy Futures, Childrens Services and Penn Hills School District have been assets in spreading their message.
Counsellors are on site for both appointments and walk-ins every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Westlock Alliance Church.
