Living Life to the Full – 8-week workshop April 28th to June 23 for 8 sessions

In December 2018 Medical Wing SSIO Canada partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association as a National Partner to deliver a Cognitive Therapy Based Workshop for Mental Health. Canada’s National Sai Medical Coordinator was trained as a facilitator to deliver the course ” Living Life to the Full “. This evidence-based program is a “mental health promotion course designed to help people deal with everyday life challenges and learn self-management skills using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles. Course content and materials are practical and easily applied to everyday life situations. The course is suitable for people of all ages – from youth to seniors.”

There was a very strong interest in the course in the Sai community in Vancouver, and the National Medical Coordinators ran the first pilot Workshop in the Spring of 2019 to a maximum of 20 eager participants. The small group interactive course helped participants understand the connection between their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors as well as learn how to manage emotions, negative thinking, stress, destructive behaviors, and how to get out of the vicious cycle.

The course is consistent with Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s message and the facilitators adapted the course to integrate Swami’s teachings throughout the sessions. Feedback was very positive and all participants felt that the course was very helpful and would be beneficial to run again for other Sai members as well as the youth.

The Medical Wing hopes to train more facilitators, and with its partnership with The Canadian Mental Health Living Life to the Full program, to use this course in outreach initiatives in addition to serving our own Sai community.