When Margherita learned about the GreenShield Cares Women’s Mental Health program, she signed up out of curiosity rather than necessity.
At the time, she was newly married with a newborn. “I wasn't feeling like I needed it because I was in a very good moment of my life,” she says. “But even if you don't think you have something to talk about, there will always be something you will have to talk about.”
When she arrived in Nova Scotia from Sicily three years ago, Margherita only expected to stay for six months. A primary and junior high school educator in Italy, she took a job cleaning military office buildings to make ends meet in Canada. To her surprise, she fell in love with a military clerk who used to work at one of the bases she was working on. They married seven months later and are now the parents of a 19-month-old.
Margherita found the GreenShield Cares Women’s Mental Program through NPower Canada, a national non-profit dedicated to providing free digital and professional skills training to underserved Canadians. Through wraparound support and career guidance, NPower Canada equips participants with the tools they need to launch meaningful, lasting careers with top employers.
Through GreenShield’s partnership with NPower Canada, clients like Margherita have access to five hours of virtual therapy with a registered therapist and one year of internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Digital CBT) to support their mental health journey.
Margherita graduated from NPower Canada’s Junior Data Analyst program last fall with new analytical skills and the ability to interpret complex data. After talking to her therapist, she decided to explore a unique career path that combined her bilingualism and educational background with her newly acquired skills.
“I was telling her about my life and my background, and she suggested I look into becoming an interpreter,” says Margherita. “I hadn’t thought about it until she mentioned it, but it made a lot of sense and I'm actually enjoying it.”
Mental health is personal
With GreenShield’s personalized therapist matching tool, and customized and culturally appropriate mental health programs, community partners like NPower Canada can help their clients can find a therapist who understands their lived experience.
And while it typically takes more than a month to find and see a registered therapist,1 with GreenShield+ most appointments are scheduled within four days from confirmation to the first virtual therapy session.
Margherita was able to schedule therapy sessions when it was convenient for her. And because she didn’t drive at the time and had a young baby at home, virtual therapy removed the barriers, allowing her to care for her daughter and herself at the same time.
A toolkit for mental health and well-being
Immigrating to a new country, leaving family and forgoing the ease of a familiar routine can be stressful. So is navigating parenthood, a new marriage and career. It hasn’t been easy for Margherita. But prioritizing her well-being has helped.
Through therapy, she’s learning the importance of taking time for herself, managing stress, and staying present during difficult moments. It helped her better understand her emotions, her relationship, and how to handle conflict.
“You deal with your feelings with the people around you. It lets you understand without judgment and shows you how you can improve the way you act with loved ones,” she says.
Margherita came to Canada with her former partner, a romantic relationship she describes as unhealthy and dysfunctional. Pointing out that therapy is a way of learning about yourself, she says therapy has helped her explore and heal from that relationship.
Better mental health for all
Since joining the GreenShield Cares Women’s Mental Health program, she’s become an advocate for therapy, encouraging her family members in Sicily to consider getting mental health support, especially her aunt, who is grieving her father’s death. “I know it will be great for her because she really needs something that can give her a better understanding and some tools to manage that kind of grief.”
Margherita says her own journey has been incredible. “I can finally breathe, I can express myself and be creative,” she says. “If you want to go to therapy, start when things are going well, because it can always get better.”
Start your journey to better mental health
Talking to someone who understands your unique needs can be extremely helpful on your mental health journey. When you sign up for the GreenShield Cares Women’s Mental Health program, you’ll receive free culturally sensitive, trauma-informed virtual therapy and a complimentary one-year subscription to Digital CBT. Our personalized therapist matching tool prioritizes intersectionality, acknowledging the various factors influencing individuals’ well-being. With 50+ selection options, such as culture, race/ethnicity, language, gender, sexuality, and religion, you can connect with a registered therapist who understands and relates to your identity and lived experience.
Disclaimer
This article contains guidelines or advice not intended to self-diagnose or treat. No content should be used as a substitute for direct advice from a qualified professional such as your doctor or mental health professional. Please reach out for support from a certified professional related to the symptoms you may be experiencing.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and requires immediate support, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Alternatively, please call or text 9-8-8. Through the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Or call Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566. For residents of Québec, call 1-866 APPELLE (1-866-277-3553).
Please know you are not alone. Support is available.
