YMCA launches teen program for mental health

The Mind Fit program, a research study started in 2015 by the Mood Disorders Association of BC and the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, has been continously expanding its mental health program across the province. After seeing positive results with adult participants, the program was adopted by the YMCA for the Greater Vancouver area, and since has expanded to Victoria and Prince George last fall. Most recently, the YMCA of Okanagan has introduced this new youth program fostering the strong ties between mental and phsycial well-being. This program will start on April 5th to teens suffering from mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety. A small group up to 12 teens will meet once a week for a total of 10 weeks, splitting the two hour session equally bewteen mental health education and physical activity. No formal diagnosis is required, and the program will be free of charge. This program will hopefully inform and help a lot of teens who have never had the opportunity or courage to talk about mental health. "There's all this research showing that physical activity is really useful and can be great way to treat mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, but there isn't actually a whole lot of programs there to support people in doing that," says Virginia Wallace, the coordinator of the original Mind Fit program in Vancouver. 

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