Programs & Courses

Program, Course Dates 
For more information, please call us at 973-4011, local 6146 or come visit the Strengthening the Forces Office in Bldg 181A, located between ASU HQ and 742 Sig Sqn. 

For programs/workshops marked with an *, please see your Training Officer or Designate.
For more information or to register, please call local 6146 or email Lea.Mollison@forces.gc.ca

Course Descriptions

Stress: Take Charge-
• Skills based approach to managing stress.
• Designed and tested specifically for the Canadian Forces to improve the health and well-being of the serving member.
• Is not a treatment program – the focus is on managing personal stressors in a positive manner.Offered in two formats: 3 days in a row or 1 day per week over 3 consecutive weeks.
• Uses facilitated and self-directed approaches to stress management.
• Emphasizes:
Self-awareness
Behaviour change
Skill building
• Supports participants in identification of strategies that can be improved or implemented to help them optimize their ability to manage stress.
• Homework is a valuable component of the program.Participants must attend all 3 days of the workshop to receive a completion certificate.

MENTAL FITNESS & SUICIDE AWARENESS

MFSA replaced ASIST suicide awareness training effective February 2011 in order to provide a CF specific mental fitness and suicide awareness training course.

Purpose
To prepare personnel in leadership positions to promote mental fitness and to mitigate the incidence of mental health injuries including deliberate self-harm and suicide within the military community. The course material is designed to promote both awareness and skill building to maximize mental fitness both individually, and in team settings for both individual and operational effectiveness. This 1 day workshop covers 6 modules:
MODULE 1: Mental Fitness and Leadership
MODULE 2: Mental Fitness Exercises
MODULE 3: Suicide Awareness and Leadership
MODULE 4: The ACE Model in Action
MODULE 5: Stigma, Leadership and the Continuum Model
MODULE 6: Mental Fitness: Helping Yourself is Helping Others

Managing Angry Moments (MAM)
• 8 half-day sessions (Fridays from 0900 - 1200 hrs)
• Learn and practice new knowledge, tools and skills to apply to anger generating situations
• Identify and apply successful coping strategies to anger generating situations
• Includes topic areas:
• Understanding Anger
• Defining Anger
• Relationships to Anger
• Beliefs and Trigger Thoughts
• Self Management
• Managing Conflicts with Others
• Prevention 
 
Weight Wellness
 
Delivered continuously  with one hour of class & group discussion and 1/2 hour of walking.
• Delivered by trained facilitators in a group setting over 8 weeks.
• Develop a lifestyle plan for weight management.
• Learn skills to manage their eating habits and physical activity for a lifetime – with no gimmicks, potions or powders.
• Homework is a significant component and essential to the success of the program.
• Participants must attend both class and walking portion of 8 sessions in order to get their certificate of completion.
• Offered only when sufficient interest in program.
 
Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Modules
• This program is designed to provide education and increased awareness
• Units may choose one or more modules. Each module is approx 1 -2 hours long
• Some modules may be more specific to members in supervisory roles
• Topics are as follows:
• Module 1 - Substance Use 101
• Module 2- Alcohol: Staying Within the Guidelines
• Module 3- DWI- Driving While Impaired
• Module 4- Keeping Your Parties Safe
• Module 5- Illegal Drugs & Zero Tolerance
• Module 6- Prescription & Over-the-Counter Medication
• Module 7- Problem Gambling
• Module 8- Helping Family, Friends & Co-Workers
• Module 9- Recognizing the Early Warning Signs
• Module 10- Developing Effective Intervention Skills
• Module 11- Promoting a Healthy Organization
• Module 12- Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle

Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Gambling for Supervisors 
Supervisor's Days are meant to provide an opportunity for military (and civilian) supervisors (Sgt's (and equivalent) and up) to participate in an educational session (generally 1/2 to 1 day) on topics of interest to those who are responsible for subordinate staff. Topics include Stress Management, Suicide Awareness, Drug and Alcohol Awareness and Family Violence Prevention. The issues discussed range from Stress Management and the role of the supervisor in recognizing signs of stress in their subordinates and working to mitigate any workplace related causes of the stress, to being able to discuss issues around substance use/abuse or suspected family violence in a non punitive/non-disciplinary fashion wherever possible.

Basic Relationship Training
• This program is a two day workshop emphasizing education, awareness and skill development to prevent issues from having a negative impact on the relationship.
• The target audience is anyone who is "about to make a commitment to their partner, living common-law, happily married, or experiencing a major life transition that impacts their relationship". BRT is NOT Marriage Counseling.
• It is supported through partnerships with the Chaplains, the MFRC and in some bases/wings, the Social Workers.
• Adapted for the CF with permission from PREP Inc. (Preventive Relationship Enhancement Program) by the Director General Health Services, Director, Force Health Protection.
• Topics include:
• Foundations & Danger Signs
• Talking Safely Without Fighting
• When What You Heard is Not What I Said
• Handling Issues and Events Well
• Unravelling the Mysteries of Expectations
• New Perspectives on Problem Solving
• Preserving & Protecting Friendship
• Keeping Conflict Under Control
• Core Beliefs & Spiritual Intimacy
• Sense & Sensuality
• Forgiveness
• Path to Commitment

Top Fuel for Top Performance
2-day workshop designed for active men & women who want to maximize their performance that covers:
• Everyday Eating
• Nutrition for Physical Activity
• Body Composition/Weight Issues
• Dietary Issues and Supplements
• Fine Tuning Your Eating and Activity