It’s Mental Health Week in Canada, a time for our country to reflect on the elephant in the room—mental health. Mental health affects every Canadian, whether directly or indirectly; 20 per cent of Canadians will experience mental illness first-hand in their lives. This means that we all know someone who is living with a mental illness. What we hope for, is a world where they can live with that mental illness without stigma and with the help they need to live a happy and healthy life. How many people are affected by mental illness in Canada?

• Nearly 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their live

• 1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental illness at some point in life

• Mood and anxiety disorders impact an estimated 22% of the Canadian population

• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age

• Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds

• 3 million Canadians are currently suffering from depression

It’s a big problem, so how are we doing with it?

• Only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them

• On any given week, more than 500,000 Canadians will not go to work because of mental illness

• Two-thirds of homeless people using urban shelters suffer from some form of mental illness

The reality is, we need to do better, and we can always do better. Many Canadians are without mental healthcare benefits, meaning they are left to pay for therapy sessions out-of-pocket, which can add up quickly when the average psychologist is $120/hour. Even Canadians who have health benefits, many must seek therapy through a work-approved therapist, which may not be the right person for their specific needs.

This is why we created the Breaking Free Foundation Therapy Grant Program. Our program allows Albertans to apply for high-quality therapy services with vetted trauma specialized psychologists, at no cost to them. Through fundraising and sponsors, we are able to pay for therapy for our clients, and ensure that they are receiving the specialized care they need to begin healing.

Right now, our program is available in Alberta only, but we will be expanding nationwide eventually. For information on how to apply for our Therapy Grants, please see here.

*Statistics via Canadian Mental Health Association, Mental Health Commission of Canada