By: Anne Stairs
Dunham House and Mental Health Estrie Team Up for Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and to mark the occasion, Dunham House is partnering with Mental Health Estrie to offer a full day of information sessions focused on English-language mental health services in the Eastern Townships.
📅 Thursday, May 8
🕘 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
📍 Amédée-Beaudoin Community Centre, Lennoxville
The event will feature:
- Guest speakers
- Information kiosks
- Wellness activities
- A free lunch
Major mental health service networks will be represented.
A Rising Need for Services
Anthony Berger, head clinician at Dunham House, notes that demand for services — particularly among young people — is growing rapidly.
While the average age of Dunham House clients is mid-30s to early 40s, more and more people in their late teens and twenties are seeking help for substance abuse and mental health challenges.
Dunham House stands out because it treats addiction and mental health issues concurrently.
“If you just treat one side of the coin without addressing the other, you risk a flare-up with the outstanding unresolved issues,”
— Anthony Berger
Understanding Addiction
Berger emphasizes that addiction affects men and women of all ages, social status, intelligence, talent, and wealth.
This illness, like many others, does not discriminate.
He points out that while smoking a first joint may be a conscious decision, the subsequent slide into mental instability, joblessness, or abusive relationships is often beyond the individual’s control.
Support and guidance are crucial as people work to reshape their lives.
Supporting Dunham House
Dunham House relies on private donations to supplement government funding and to sustain its unique programs, including a six-month residential program for its 40 residents.
The organization also welcomes volunteers to interact with residents through a variety of activities, offering meaningful support during their recovery journeys.
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