Rooted is all about the people and the places we are proud to call our community home.

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It has been called the “Best Pixar Movie in Years” (Forbes.com) and currently has a fresh 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (Rottentomatoes.com) and Malinda Hirvilammi says there are a lot of good correlations in “Inside Out 2” . ‘ and dealing with mental health.

Hirvilammi is a health promotion coordinator at the Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District (CMHA NBD). She recently guested on an episode of “To North Bay with Love” with Lisa Boivin and talked about how “Inside Out 2” is bringing the conversation about mental health to the forefront.

“It’s been a really interesting tool to move the conversation around mental health forward, reduce stigma and acknowledge our own emotions and how they can impact our lives,” Hirvilammi said. She explained how the film, which centers on Riley, a young girl entering adolescence, presents emotions in a relatable way that makes the subject more accessible to people of all ages.

Hirvilammi noted how Inside Out and its sequel introduce the importance of understanding and recognizing emotions at a young age. “I watched it with my children and it was a very positive, impactful experience,” she said, praising how the films can help families start conversations about emotions. “Introducing these emotions and how they affect our well-being is important in building mental health. awareness and understanding.”

Although the films primarily follow Riley’s journey through childhood and adolescence, Hirvilammi also emphasizes its relevance for adults. “What happens in the film can be transposed to any life event for anyone, regardless of their age. Whether you are selling your home, moving to a new location, starting a new job or losing a loved one, we all face moments when emotions guide us.”

One of the key additions in Inside Out 2 is the introduction of more complex emotions, including fear, jealousy, shame and nostalgia, which Hirvilammi believes are highly relevant. “These emotions, especially fear, are often seen as negative, but they serve a purpose. Fear is there to protect us, to warn us that we need to keep an eye on things or make plans for the future. It is part of our daily lives and if managed properly it can push us in a positive direction.”

Hirvilammi emphasized that one of the biggest challenges in mental health care is the stigma that still exists, although she is hopeful for progress. “We all come from different backgrounds, and some of us carry shame, denial or fear about sharing that this is something that is happening to us. But the fact is that it is something we all share. We all have mental health. Some of us may live with a mental illness, but you can live with a mental illness and have positive mental health. And similarly, you can experience negative mental health without having a diagnosed illness.”

Hirvilammi says that often helping someone feel heard and not alone makes a positive contribution to their mental health and well-being. A good example that ties into the film is how quickly things feel like they are going wrong and the negative feelings and symptoms continue as a result.

to snowball to the point where you start to feel down. Recognizing “I need to do something about this” often and taking a simple self-care move, such as talking to a friend, can help alleviate this.

She shares that talking openly about mental health is critical to fostering resilient and positive mental health communities. It also makes it less of a stigmatized subject. In the past, people did not have the support to process their trauma and feel safe talking about their mental health. Today there are more opportunities to be open and share our experiences, which is a big part of mental health awareness. When people talk about how they’re feeling, their struggles, and the things they’ve been through, it makes others feel safer getting help for their mental health.

At CMHA NBD, Hirvilammi and her team work to provide that support through a variety of services. “Our local programs are focused on what the community needs,” she said, explaining that the organization has four main pillars of programming: peer support, addiction services, supportive and specialized housing, and mental health support services.

Because housing is one of its most important programs, CMHA NBD often receives questions from people looking for housing. Hirvilammi explains: “We get a lot of questions about this, and there is so much demand for housing, they are so needed, they are not affordable and they are getting worse. In connection with the services we provide, CMHA North Bay and District owns and operates several supportive housing buildings within the community that serve individuals already receiving supportive services and living with mental illness. They will receive additional support through our Housing Success Program to ensure that not only are their health needs met, but other risks that could impact their housing are also mitigated.”

Hirvilammi has been with the organization for 15 years and she says what she loves about her job is that she gets to do something that is important to her every day.

“Mental health has always been important to me. I describe myself as someone with lived experience. I have family members who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. Statistically, one in five Canadians suffer from a mental illness and I always say, if you don’t live with it, chances are you care about someone who does, so it’s something I’ve always been passionate about, and once I started In this field, that passion to help people was just a very rewarding experience.”

Hirvilammi says people interested in using their services can call the main line at 705-476-4088. She says: “You will be referred to our Central Access department and they can discuss your wishes with you and possibly do an intake screening to determine whether we have services that suit you. And if not, it’s helpful that they have the expertise to refer you to programs within the community. Alternatively, there are many provincial and national programs today that you can access from home and are available virtually or over the phone. It’s a really good starting point for anyone who thinks they might need some support with their mental health and doesn’t know where to start.”

A great question that Hirvilammi often hears and asks people is how people know when they need help with their mental health. She answers: “Our perception of ourselves and our journey towards what mental health and wellbeing looks like for each individual is unique.

If you are experiencing symptoms that are affecting your daily life, your ability to go to work, you may be isolating from your friends, having increased symptoms of anxiety that won’t go away, or lashing out. You’re just not yourself. I think this would be a good indication that it might be a good opportunity to reach out and see where you can go.”

If you have a story idea for “Rooted” email Matt at (email protected)