Mental Health Promotion

Mental health is an essential element of wellness for individuals across the lifespan and the communities they live in and belong to. The Public Health Agency of Canada defines positive mental health as "the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity."

Mental Health Promotion is about creating environments that promote and sustain positive mental health for everyone. Activities and interventions are designed to enhance protective factors and minimize risk factors (individual, family related, environmental and economic in nature).

Mental Health Promotion includes actions that

  • promote mental well-being for the whole population
  • prevent mental health problems or illnesses
  • improve quality of life and support recovery for people living with a mental illness

Life is complex, and many factors impact an individual's mental health and wellness. Mental Health Promotion recognizes that there are both protective factors and risk factors present in everyone's lives and that these factors influence individuals, families and communities. Building upon strengths, Mental Health Promotion practice collaborates with a variety of community partners to build capacity; enhancing protective factors and reducing risk factors to support the development and maintenance of mentally healthy individuals and communities.

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