What started as a personal project to navigate mental wellness has become a resource to help others.
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) has announced that a mental health support activity book will be provided to every patient admitted to the Inpatient Mental Health Unit.
The book was created by Chatham resident Andrea LaForce, who said she drew on her own hospitalization and experiences with bipolar disorder.
"I wanted to build a physical resource that offers a gentle structure to lean on," LaForce shared. "When a person is in crisis, their ability to process information goes way down, which is something that is hard to understand unless you have experienced it. So, I created this resource as a guide for those who need help getting through the next five minutes."
The activity book is intentionally designed to take up very little mental energy. At the same time, it provides step-by-step activities and prompts to help focus on the present moment, reduce overwhelming feelings, and provide structure when it may be difficult to process information or make decisions.
"In a lot of ways, creating [this book] was part of how I got better," LaForce explained. "I was organizing what I felt I couldn't control, my thoughts, and eventually that became something I could share with other people."
LaForce partnered with a social worker in the CKHA Inpatient Mental Health Unit to make the book available to other patients, something she calls a huge milestone.
Dan Saunders, CKHA's Manager of Mental Health and Addictions Programs, said the hospital is grateful that LaForce was able to draw on her own experiences to help make a difference for others.
"This resource is a great example of how we are continuing to enhance services focused on mental health and addictions, one of the priorities identified in our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan," he said. "Having this activity book available to every Inpatient Mental Health patient is another practical tool to support them during their hospital stay and as they navigate their mental health journey."
LaForce hopes to continue expanding the resource to other settings so that people experiencing mental health challenges can have access to support wherever they may need it.
"I have actually developed several other versions of the activity book," she said, adding that a version designed for the workplace has already been implemented at her own job. "The goal is to expand into schools, community centres, workplaces and youth organizations... anywhere people might need immediate, compassionate mental health support."
Any organizations interested in partnering with LaForce or learning more about her book can connect with her through CKHA.
