Supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) has become essential for businesses across Canada. As one of the most diverse countries in the world, our greatest opportunity lies in representing what a country with diverse gender and sexual identities, religions, physical and mental disabilities, mental health needs, immigrant statuses, ethnicities, cultures, and racialized populations (and more) should reflect. An article by the Scientific American states that “mental illnesses are so common that almost everyone will develop at least one diagnosable mental disorder at some point in their life.” This proves that we all need access mental health support that is effective, accessible, and affordable, to cope with the day-to-day challenges we face no matter who we are.
MindBeacon works daily to educate Canadians on mental health issues and provides them with the tools to cope and succeed in their daily lives. We also help a diverse range of people, from a wide variety of backgrounds and offer them the resources to get the help they need if we cannot be the ones to support them. Through our efforts to destigmatize mental health, we strive to create a culture where people are understood and accepted even with their personal mental health challenges. Within this world and culture, people also have privacy and choice, and affordable mental health is available to all, wherever they are, in a way that works for them. We continuously work on enhancing our offerings to answer the needs of all Canadians and on being even more inclusive.
While mental health issues are usually invisible to others, they are very real for those who experience them. A lot of us have experienced some form of anxiety, loneliness, and depression throughout the pandemic - maybe for the first time. This has provided us with a perspective on what a lot of people in Canada have been experiencing for years. For some, having gone through similar experiences has led to empathy, and this shared experience has brought us together.
On this path forward, one thing for certain is that the recovery process is not going to be immediate. And people will need more help and support than ever.
So how does MindBeacon support DE&I in the workplace?
For us, the first step as an organization is to walk the walk. MindBeacon does this by:
Provider Diversity:
- Being an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace.
- Employing therapists who focus their practice on areas that cater to different needs including LGBTQ+, corrections, Indigenous, first responders and health care workers.
Flexibility:
- Creating remote and rural availability to make therapy more accessible for those living in remote communities.
- Providing different options for therapy including Guided iCBT Programs, Live Therapy as well as Peer-to-Peer support. This way, individuals can choose the way they would like to engage on their terms.
- Making therapy accessible 24/7 so individuals are not constrained to weekly appointments and can fit therapy into their lifestyles.
Inclusivity:
- Providing representation through work with diverse client names, images, experiences as well as cultural references.
- Offering content in English and French.
- Supporting visually and hearing-impaired individuals within the platform.
- Collaborating with patient advisory groups including student and BPOC organizations.
- Implementing culturally specific programs and supplementary content to meet unique needs.
Education & Destigmatizing Mental Health:
- Providing training and resources for therapists to better address a diverse set of needs.
- Destigmatizing mental health by protecting privacy, providing education, and normalizing mental health challenges.
Effectiveness:
- Using evidence-based therapies with measurable outcomes.
- Having shorter than industry average wait times (1-2 weeks)
If any of your employees are struggling with mental health, no matter where they come from - refer them to the supports available to them through the workplace. Our therapists are ready to assist and help them through their challenges.