DCO Discourse...

In today's epsiode, we are celebrating Youth Empowering Youth Day by speaking with Abigail Lee, a soon-to-be Grade 12 student in Ontario who founded The Peer Power Project, a youth-led non-profit organization dedicated to supporting local communities since August of 2024. Through the organization, she has led a variety of initiatives, including senior social events, community donation drives, and volunteer service projects. We discuss her passion to support her communities, her thoughts on the resiliency of youth, and the need for connection among all individuals. In this episode, you'll learn about The Peer Power Project and the savvy students who are behind this growing organization. You can find more information about The Peer Power Project on their Instagram @the.peer.power.project To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you'll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this episode of DCO Discourse, Lexie sits down with DCO's Executive Director, Dr. Neta Gear, and Board Vice Treasurer, Diwa Satkunanathan, for a conversation about leadership, governance, and the future of Distress and Crisis Ontario. Together, they discuss what inspired their involvement in the distress and crisis sector, the important role DCO's Board of Directors plays in supporting the organization, and what makes DCO's work unique across Ontario. They also provide an inside look at the development of DCO's newly adopted 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, exploring the collaborative planning process, the priorities that will guide the organization over the next five years, and their vision for strengthening support for DCO's member centres and the communities they serve. To learn more about DCO's 2026–2031 Strategic Plan, visit: https://www.dcontario.org To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you'll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this special edition, we sit down with Lev Goldberg, best known on social media platforms as Lev Swims Lakes, to discuss his journey to marathon swimming across the Great Lakes in an effort to raise money for LGBT YouthLine. We bring you a deeper conversation where we discuss how his identity as a trans man shaped his dive into the pool and more. How can someone swim for 24 hours straight? Listen to this episode to hear Lev's harrowing adventure of how he swam across Lake Ontario last September and his plans to swim across Lake Huron this coming week. If you want to support his swim and donate to LGBT YouthLine, please visit his website www.levswimslakes.ca or visit https://www.youthline.ca/ to donate directly to LGBT YouthLine. To connect with support related to this episode or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest distress and crisis centre. Many of our member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you'll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/9SKMz5RT6wqV4vY88

In today's epsiode, we're changing things up! After months of interviewing incredible guests, we realized we never properly introduced ourselves. So this week, Caitlin and Lexie sit down for a relaxed conversation to share more about who they are, what they do at DCO, and the experiences that have shaped their work. In honour of International Self-Care Day (July 24), they also explore what self-care really means. Inspired by a Psychology Today article, they discuss the difference between "true" and "false" self-care, challenge common myths, reflect on the five pillars of self-care, play a fun "True, False, or It Depends?" game, and share their own experiences navigating self-care in everyday life. Article discussed in this episode: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/202312/what-is-the-essence-of-true-self-care To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you'll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this episode, we connect with Sheila Levy, Executive Director of one of our member centres, the Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut Help Line. We discuss Sheila's role in building the Help Line from the beginning and her tenure as leader of this evolving organization. From starting out with 14 volunteers to managing 60, Sheila's leadership has led them to expand their services to provide a 24/7 crisis line in collaboration with Distress Centre Ottawa Region. Her story is truly inspiring and with Nunavut Day happening on July 9, you'll hear about the natural beauty and celebrations happening in Nunavut. To learn more, visit their website at Home - Kamatsiaqtut Nunavut Helpline | 867.979.3333. To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

On today's episode, we sit down with Lauren Pragg, the Executive Director of LGBT YouthLine. Lauren (they/them) is a second-generation Indo-Trinidadian settler who has worked extensively in community engagement, research, and communications positions until joining LGBT YouthLine as Executive Director in 2023. LGBT YouthLine is one of our beloved member centres and they provide confidential, anonymous, and free peer-support through their Ontario-wide peer-support line for 2SLGBTQ+ youth (age 29 and under).  In our conversation, we discuss LGBT YouthLine's services, Lauren's journey to becoming Executive Director, the realities of 2SLGBTQ+ youth in schools and in this political climate, the need for adequate funding, the meaning of Pride, and the need for substantive action to support 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Please visit LGBT YouthLine's website here where you can find more information/resources as well as their call for fundraising.  To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this special edition, we sit down with Alina Avram, an Ottawa-based public servant and speaker who brings a lived experience perspective shaped by navigating significant physical health challenges and grief. We discuss her resilience, loneliness in sickness, and how able-bodied individuals can promote meaningful accessibility and inclusion practices in their lives. Alina is vulnerable and shares her story with us to instill those facing challenges to hold onto hope. To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this episode, Caitlin and Lexie sit down with Heather Lacey, Executive Director of Able2, to reflect on National Accessibility Week and explore the importance of accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful connection. Heather shares an overview of Able2's work supporting people living with disabilities and discusses how the organization's unique matching program helps foster lasting relationships, reduce isolation, and create a greater sense of belonging. The conversation explores the barriers that people living with disabilities continue to face, the impact that connection and inclusion can have on well-being, and why conversations about accessibility need to continue beyond a single week of awareness. Together, they also discuss what meaningful allyship looks like in practice, the role volunteers play in building stronger communities, and the actions individuals, organizations, and community leaders can take to create more accessible and inclusive spaces for everyone. To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

May is Sexual Violence Prevention awareness month, and in light of this important topic, Caitlin and Lexie sit down with The Learning Network and The Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC). In our conversation with The Learning Network, we discuss their work and how it contributes to promoting gender equity through gender-based violence prevention, the intersection of gender-based violence and sexual violence prevention efforts, and the importance of community-based prevention when tackling gender-based and/or sexual violence. Learn more by visiting their website at Learning Network - LN - Western University. Then, we discuss with the OCRCC their role in sexual violence intervention and prevention, the importance of survivor-centred approaches, how increased funding is necessary to implement substantive change, and alternative approaches to justice in cases of sexual assault. Check out their website at Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres for more information/resources. To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.

In this episode, Caitlin and Lexie sit down with Lauren Smith, Registered Psychotherapist, to explore the connection between mental health, movement, and spending time in nature. As the weather gets warmer, they discuss how being outdoors and in motion can support emotional well-being. Drawing on over 16 years of clinical experience, Lauren shares insights from her work supporting individuals, couples, and families through anxiety, trauma, life transitions, and relationship challenges. She also highlights walk-and-talk and wilderness-based therapy, approaches that combine traditional therapy with outdoor settings to support emotional processing, mindfulness, and regulation. The conversation covers what these approaches can look like, why they may feel more accessible than traditional therapy, and how listeners can incorporate movement, nature, and mindfulness into daily life. It also connects to the work of distress and crisis centres across Ontario, highlighting simple grounding techniques that may help in moments of distress. To connect with support related to this episode, or for anything else going on in your life, please visit www.dcontario.org/locations to find your nearest Member centre. Many of our Member centres operate 24/7. Thank you for listening and we hope you’ll join us again next time. If you would like to provide feedback on this episode, past episodes, or request future content, you can do so using the following link: https://forms.gle/o8yUPMss6wo8dP1X8.