Guide to Local Mental Health Resources

Hello everyone,

I want to make my second post about the resources available for everyone should they need professional help.  I started this project to provide guidance and suggestions that we can all try out and learn from. However, sometimes, we need more help from those who have professional experience.  This is just a reminder that seeking help for physical or mental health is a strength. One of the most significant advantages of seeking help from a professional is that you will receive confidentiality, and a person with a third perspective may offer a less biased perspective as they are less emotionally involved in your situation.

And let’s start with our list:

1. Your family doctor

The fantastic thing about family doctors is that they are your lifelong physicians, so they know you and your situation very well. Most family doctors have the experience needed to diagnose mental illnesses and give treatment and suggestions. As family doctors, they can be more easily seen, and should you be put on medications, they can observe and assess you more closely. If the family doctor perceives you need more specialized care, they will refer you for psychiatry or therapy. 

1. Easecare

Website: https://www.easecare.ca/

Description: 

This online service is provided in Alberta to bypass the long waiting time for referrals to mental health services. You can access psychiatrists, therapists, etc.; the nice thing is that it is online. This way, you don’t need to request a referral from your family doctor and can directly access a mental health service. 

2. 24-hour access

Website: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/Service.aspx?id=1077952&serviceAtFacility

Description: 

This is a service for urgent and non-urgent matters. It is available 24 hours a week. Generally, you will get a phone call for intake, and depending on the information provided, you will be referred to a therapist or psychiatrist. 

These are some of the most important available resources available in Edmonton, Alberta. In the future, I will add more services and resources either to this article or a secondary article. However, I also want to have a post for anyone needing urgent and quicker help without spending time deciding what resource to pursue.  

Another thing I want to address is the fact that you have to have patience with seeking help. Sometimes, you will access help; the first few times, you may not feel like you are clicking with the health provider. That’s ok. Don’t give up; find a provider you will feel comfortable with. Sometimes, in the first session, you cannot always tell your comfort level with a therapist, and generally, not giving up is the best treatment for mental health.  I will go further into such topics later on.   

Now I know there are so many things tied to mental health and so much stigma. And sometimes, we want to suppress the thought of accessing professional treatment and try to do it on our own. However, Allah(SWT) created all of us to depend on each other.  Furthermore, recognizing our weaknesses and seeking help is a strength that will reward you your whole lifetime.