HALIFAX: As youth head back to school and university, they’re dealing with added stress and anxiety to their already full plate.
That’s where Togetherall, an online mental health support platform, can help to alleviate some of that through its resources at the tap of ones fingertips.
The platform is a safe and anonymous online peer-to-peer community moderated by licensed clinicians. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is a platform students can use to not only deal with their stress and anxiety for back-to-school, but for any of their mental health struggles.
Theo Woehrle, a Senior Analyst with N.S. Health Mental Health, and Addictions program, said Togetherall members have access to resources including wellness courses, and can share their thoughts and experiences by writing community posts, supporting others’ stories, or creating art.
“It can be accessed at any time of the day or night as long as they have a connection to the Internet and have a device,” said Woehrle in an interview with The Laker News on Aug. 30. “I would say that that’s a very convenience factor for seeking help.
“The other benefit would be the anonymity and privacy. The platform is very safe. It meets a very strict privacy and data security standards, and it is completely anonymous.”
ADVERTISEMENT:
Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program, in partnership with the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, the Department of Advanced Education, and IWK Health, announced Aug. 30 it has extended its contract with Togetherall.
Since the service launched in April 2022, more than 18,000 Nova Scotians 16 and older have accessed Togetherall.
Woehrle said another benefit is the diversity of perspectives.
“If a student from a rural community is underrepresented or maybe have a unique experience and they struggle to find other peers to support them through their experience,” he said. “They are going to be able to access more diverse perspectives and communities available to them through the online support platform.”
Nova Scotians 16 and older can access Togetherall by visiting https://togetherall.com/en-ca/accessing-mental-health-support/nova-scotia-referrals/ and entering their postal code, or using a student email address.
The service is also available in French.
ADVERTISEMENT:
He was asked if there was anything that surprised him from Togetherall after people started using it.
“I think the thing that surprised me the most was when just looking at some of the testimonials we’ve received and looking at the uptake and engagement data, how just going on the platform and seeing other people’s experiences, how helpful that is,” he said.
“I think that would probably be the biggest benefit surprise that I had when looking at some of the data that we’re receiving from users of the platform.”
Togetherall is an evidence-based service that has proven to help Nova Scotians take control of their mental health, get support, and feel better. The service is for anyone struggling with every day life stressors and/or mental health challenges and looking for additional online support/resources.
The platform includes discussion topics focused on student life, health care workers, parents and caregivers, the military community, work-life balance, and health and lifestyle tips.
ADVERTISEMENT:
In announcing the extension, Brian Comer, minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health said the need for mental health support can come at any time of day.
Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank MLA and Advanced Education Minister Brian Wong said students deserve timely, reliable mental health services.
“Students told us that having access to mental health support services was key to helping them manage and overcome mental health challenges while they were attending school and during this transitional time in their life,” said Wong.
Woehrle shared a few testimonials from those who have used the program. One of those testimonials stood out amongst them all.
“I was surprised that there were people experiencing similar things to me,” said one user of Togetherall, who wished to remain anonymous. “It validated my experiences and made me feel that I wasn’t alone,”
To learn more about Togetherall, visit: https://togetherall.com/en-ca/.
