A Kelowna charity is giving thanks to community members who support mental health workers, by creating a new annual award.

Third Space Charity says there is growing recognition in the mental health field that providers need to be taken care of themselves in order to do their own vital work. The new 香蕉视频直播淐aring for the Carers香蕉视频直播� award recognizes a local person or organization that has provided that care.

Announced for the first time at Third Space Charity香蕉视频直播檚 benefit concert last month, the inaugural award was presented to Melissa Berry Appleton. Appleton is a Buddhist chaplain, who specializes in meditation and movement. She is also a masters of clinical counselling candidate and has worked with Third Space Charity香蕉视频直播檚 counselling interns for years.

香蕉视频直播淢elissa is a practitioner who lives and breathes the work of supporting frontline workers. She teaches a model that allows our team to make space for other香蕉视频直播檚 suffering without making it their own. Her impact is powerful, and we are grateful to have her caring for our interns,香蕉视频直播� Third Space Charity Executive Director Megan Woodruff said in a news release.

Woodruff said the need to integrate supports for mental health providers became especially evident to them when one of their student counselling interns, Scott Stephen, took his own life.

香蕉视频直播淭hey are this community香蕉视频直播檚 clinical counsellors of tomorrow, and we need to arm them with the tools and skills they need to stay well and sustain healthy careers,香蕉视频直播� Woodruff said.

The new 香蕉视频直播淐aring for the Carers香蕉视频直播� award comes with an annual $500 bursary provided by Stephen香蕉视频直播檚 mother, Dianne Stephen.

Berry Appleton said she plans to use that money to support LGBTQ+ and IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and other people of color) front-line workers.

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