Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division is committed to bringing you mental health support for you and your family during these challenging times. Living Life to the Full courses are available to support older adults 55+, seniors 65+, caregivers and people in need of mental health support, people living on the Autism spectrum, and adults during and post-COVID-19.
We’re working in close collaboration with our community partners to assure rewarding, fun and supportive learning. Our goal is to offer you an experience that will support you in your challenges and assist you in the successful change necessary to create your journey of self-discovery, self-mastery and self-care.
About Living Life to the Full
Living Life to the Full is a fun and engaging eight-week course that provides people from all walks of life with effective tools to maximize their ability to manage life’s challenges. The group-oriented course is based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which focuses on understanding how thoughts, feelings and behaviours work together to impact well-being.
The Living Life to the Full course is based on the five areas CBT model developed by Dr. Chris Williams, an expert and trainer in CBT and professor of psychosocial psychiatry at the University of Glasgow.
Find a course near you
Virtual course
Date and Time: Orientation Oct 12, 11-12:30 pm; Course Thursdays Oct 20 to Dec 8, 11-12:30 pm
To register: Marisa Gutta, mgutta@chats.on.ca, 905-713-3373 ex. 6527
Virtual course
Date and Time: Sept 7 – October 28 2022, 1-2:30
To register: contact Leanne Oke at leanne.oke@cmhatv.ca
Virtual course
Date and Time: Sept 29 – Nove 17 2022, 10-11:30
To register: contact Sarah Kruk sarah.kruk@cmhatv.ca
Carea Community Health Centre
Wednesdays, April 20, 2022 to June 8, 2022 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM (In person)
Location: Rotary Room; 55 Harwood Ave S, Ajax, ON
Please call 905-683-4000 or visit: https://www.ajaxlibrary.ca/events to register.
Target groups: For youth living in Durham Region
Kerry’s Place
Weekly from April 19th – June 14th. 2022
1 to 2:30 p.m. (Online)
Contact: Thomas Luxemburger (thomas.luxemburger@kerrysplace.org or 905-713-6808) to register
Language: English
Target groups: Caregivers of people living on the autism spectrum
CAREA Community Health Centre
Weekly from April 25th to June 29th 2022 – 11:00 am -12:30 pm (in person)
Contact Mitchelle Strickland – mstrickland@careachc.ca to register
Language: English
Target groups: 18+ – resident of Durham region
CMHA Durham
Weekly from January 20 to March 10, 2022 – 10:00 to 11:30 am
Online through Zoom
Contact: Mireille Huneault – Mireilleh@cmhadurham.org (905-436-8760 x137) to register
Language: French
Target groups: Province of Ontario – Francophones older adults 55+ and seniors 65+
CMHA Toronto
Weekly from Feb. 3 to March 31, 2022
12:30-2 p.m. (Online)
Contact: Calista Rajalariar (416-789-7957, ext. 3299 or crajakariar@cmhato.org)
Language: Tamil
Target groups: people living with mental health concerns
CMHA Thames Valley Mental Health and Addictions Services
Weekly from Jan. 12 to March 12, 2022
1-2:30 p.m. (Online)
Contact: l.Oke@cmhamiddlesex.ca
Language: English
Target groups: adults, people living with mental health concerns, caregivers and seniors
CHATS
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 – Orientation – Noon to 1:30 pm
Course – Weekly on Wednesdays, April 13 to June 1, 2022
Noon to 1:30 pm (Online through Zoom)
Registration: mgutta@chats.on.ca
Language: English
This course is for caregivers of all ages
Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre
Tuesday, May 31-July 26 from 10:30 am-12:00 pm
No class on July 5
In person course: This course is for older adults 55+ and seniors
Language: English
Registration: Sasha Whiting – swhiting@kdchc.org
CAREA Community Health Centre
Weekly from Feb. 9 to April 6, 2022
10-11:30 a.m. (Online)
Contact: Mitchelle Strickland (mstrickland@careachc.ca)
Language: English
Target groups: 18 year old and older
Carepoint Health
Weekly from March 1 to April 18, 2022
5-6:30 p.m. (Online)
Contact: Karen Slonim (karen.slonim@carepointhealth.ca)
Language: English
Target groups: 18 year old and older
Kerry’s Place
Weekly from Jan. 27 to March 24, 2022
1-2:30 p.m. (Online)
Contact: Thomas Luxemburger (thomas.luxemburger@kerrysplace.org or 905-713-6808)
Language: English
Target groups: Adults living on the autism spectrum
Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre
Weekly from Feb.1, March 22, 2022 – 1:30 to 3:00 pm (Online)
Contact: Sasha – swhiting@kdchc.org or 519-745-4404 ext 234
Language: English
Target groups: Older Adults 55+ and seniors
Warden Woods Community Centre (Scarborough)
Weekly from February 7th to April 4th. ( off on Feb 21st for Family Day) 10:30 to 12:00 pm
Orientation: January 24, 2022 – 10:30 to 12:00 pm (Online)
Contact: registration deadline January 26, 2022 – Annie Smith – asmith@schcontario.ca
Language: English
Target group: Older Adults 55+ – Seniors
Testimonial videos
View testimonials about our French course below.
Elliette
Mireille
Pierre
Young adults testimonials
Wishing I had the benefit of Living Life To The Full during high school
By: Ashley Roy
Peer LLTTF Facilitator – Youth Project – CMHA Ontario and CMHA Champlain East
My name is Ashley. I am a young adult in recovery who has struggled with mental illness throughout my high school years. As part of my peer support volunteering at CMHA Champlain East, I had the amazing opportunity to support the Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) youth project, implemented in various schools of Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry counties.
My mental health issues have brought me to several therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), mental health group support and various medication prescriptions.
Since the beginning of my involvement in the youth project, I couldn’t stop thinking: “if only the LLTTF course had been offered to me during my high school years.” It might have helped prevent my life leading down a long dark tunnel. I have experienced the pressure of growing up, struggling alone with my mental health and bottling it all in until one day it became too much and almost cost me my life. Looking back, had I been more aware and had strategies to help me cope in distressing moments, my suffering would have not been as intense during my high school years.
During teenage years, reaching out is so hard, finding resources, having a place to open up about our difficulties in a safe environment, sharing with others about mental health in a safe manner with trusted adults and realizing that we’re not the only one struggling is what a program such as LLTTF at school can accomplish.
Never in all the therapies I have experienced, have I had such clarity about my issues. With LLTTF I was taught easy to understand strategies that had a life transforming impact on me. It serves as a behavioural change mental health toolbox that, when applied sooner in life, provides us with great skillsets to learn how to tackle large obstacles. For me, it has really improved my capacity for setting realistic goals and also helped me attain academic success. Overall, it has propelled me towards a brighter, happier and productive future. Today I am working on my Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology degree. I am more aware of my talents, my intelligence and I have a renewed confidence in myself and my academic capacities.
LLTTF taught me to react differently when life is a mess. I can take a step back to remind myself of what I learned from the course and I can refer to the course booklets to help me implement the solutions. The booklets and worksheets content are relevant. It is easy to understand and to implement stress free.
I’ve never found anything in life to be simple other than doing nothing and staying stuck. LLTTF taught me that we only need to change one part of our life to kick start a chain reaction in breaking the vicious cycle we are in when we struggle. Helping me get unstuck, tackling emotional stress, leading me back on track to enjoying life’s beautiful moments – these are the impacts that the LLTTF course had on my life. It was a refreshing learning experience and such a great reminder and reset for when we get lost in the chaos of life. This course is practical, transformational and very important.
How what I learned in the Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) course Helped with my studies…
By: Tvisha Ijner
Peer LLTTF Facilitator – Youth Pilot Project – CMHA Ontario and CMHA Champlain East
Preparing for my residency exam
I have been preparing for my residency exam for a while now. This was a new addition to my routine and I really enjoyed it. However, over time, it got monotonous. I only did things that I absolutely had to, like studying or eating, neglecting things that make me happy like painting and exercising which I hadn’t done for months.
I felt stuck
Despite giving up things that I enjoy, I was going nowhere with my preparation, I felt stuck. I started unhealthy binge eating in response to stress and resented going out. Eventually, I spent less time studying, and more time watching TV. A few weeks into this routine created an unhealthy habit. I just couldn’t get myself to do anything, and this made me feel worse.
Breaking my unproductive and unhealthy cycle
My LLTTF lessons came to my rescue. What I learned in LLTTF was so many practical ways to overcome unhealthy habits. I opened the booklets “I can’t be bothered doing anything” and remembered the importance of balancing our days to rebuild our healthy routine with three key components “Pleasure”, “Achievement”, and “Closeness”. I started reflecting on my day and breaking it down to the activities that helped me versus those that made things worse for me. I gradually introduced things that I had stopped entirely. It hit me that what helped me cope with stress (like eating or watching TV) was now messing me up more. It gave me an opportunity to review what I had learned in the lesson “The things you do that mess you up”. Planning out my daily routine, gave me the courage to get out of my comfort zone. I started focussing on my health, along with my studies making small and realistic changes such as eating healthy, walking and working out on alternate days. I didn’t do anything drastic because I didn’t want to fall back into my previous state. One step at a time. Another important lesson I have learned from LLTTF.
Selfcare and enjoyment without guilt
Because these changes made me feel happier, it was easier to anchor the habits. I am now able to focus better on my studies and enjoy my hobbies without feeling guilty. I won’t lie, there are days where I need my comfort food and I want to stay in and rest. I have accepted these to be normal in my journey towards a changing lifestyle, as long as, it doesn’t hamper my productivity. I am still working on trying to include painting in my schedule, but I know, the power of the one step at a time. I try to remember the key lessons I learned in LLTTF because it keeps myself aware of my unhealthy pattern. Each time, I am aware of them, I feel like there is always something new to learn and integrate in my life…and learning is certainly something that make me feel very happy.
“I’d rate the relevance of my learning in the Living Life To The Full program a solid 9 out of 10”
By: Tom Hickey
Peer LLTTF Facilitator – Youth Pilot Project – CMHA Ontario and CMHA Champlain East
“Understanding the power of the vicious cycle has changed my attitude towards learning”
What made the LLTTF program so relevant to my life was the lesson about the vicious cycle. In the program we are made aware of the relationship between our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. We learn how we can manage that vicious cycle so that we are often able to better support our life improvement.
I have struggled a lot with my thoughts in the past, to the point where it was often leading to a downward spiral. Learning about managing the vicious cycle was something that I embraced, and it was life changing.
I wish I would have known about it back when I had my first job. I now realize the dynamic I was in regarding my job performance, my lack of motivation and how much I just wanted to go. If only I had had the Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) training back then, I would have been able to recognize the altered thinking that was affecting my performance and stopped the cycle from spinning before I lost my job. I’m currently in training for a future job and the LLTTF program is helping me with improving my confidence and beliefs in myself to overcome doubts about my capacity. I replaced my negative thinking with thoughts and emotions conducive to creating the behaviour and resilience I need to attain my goals.
“Meaningful, Life-changing and Insightful”
When was the last time you experienced something in life that was meaningful, life-changing and insightful?
LLTTF is a program that allows us the opportunity to not only become aware of our difficulties but also understand how to change our behaviours and change our reality for the better. The lessons taught in LLTTF are easy to apply and I plan to continue changing things in my life. Now that I know how to respond to altered thoughts and behaviours, I plan on trying to stop the vicious cycle from spinning at the earliest possible moment instead of letting it impact my life. I am also applying the lessons to manage my frustrations and anger. The 1, 2, 3 breathe approach to keep our temper is wonderful and an easy and insightful lesson for me. When we struggle with frustrations and anger it is very impactful to master knowledge on how to deal with it in a balanced and healthier manner.
LLTTF was life changing for me and I look forward to new challenges and experiences now because I feel I have the capacity to handle them in a way that can create success for myself.
For more information
For more information about Living Life to the Full in Ontario, contact Hélène Roussel
at 416-977-5580 ext. 4135 or hroussel@ontario.cmha.ca.