Canadian Men’s Health Month (June 1-30, 2021)
Move For Your Mental Health
Move for Your Mental Health was the theme of Canadian Men’s Health Month, a series of virtual events, fitness classes, and movement pledges to encourage Canadian men and their families to get active while raising funds supporting men’s mental health.
Thank You for Making Men’s Health Month a Big Success!
Thanks to our incredible participants, partners, and each of you, we reached more Canadians than ever before.
Our Impact numbers. Here's what we achieved:
Canadians and people around the world reached
Digital interactions with our health messages
Video views for our speaker series and workouts
To have this kind of positive impact, it takes countless people to believe in the power of helping others. We sincerely hope you’ll join us again next year!
Why is getting active important?
We all know it’s good for us. The uncertainty, the health safety concerns, and the lockdowns have been challenging for everyone. Stress and anxiety levels have increased while Canadians are learning to cope with our new reality. Getting active is a healthy outlet. Now you can make your move pledge all year round.
How can I participate in the events?
Join one or more virtual events at no cost to you!
Gain valuable information, free tools, and inspiration for you and your family to manage stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Events will feature stories from star athletes, sportscasters, influential bloggers, and other fired-up folks, coping strategies from Anxiety Canada psychologists, and workouts for all fitness levels. No running shoes? No problem!
Discover ways to improve your well-being with:
- Live and recorded access to 8 virtual events
- Insights from the stories of well-known Canadians
- Expert advice from health and fitness professionals
- Additional premium content from event speakers
We hope to see you for some meaningful conversations and sort-of-sweaty workouts! Let’s do this!
Thank you to everyone who attended the live events. Our fantastic speaker series and sort-of-sweaty workout videos are now available on demand from the video and audio links below.
Recap of events
How to Start A Conversation About Mental Health
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
What do you do when someone you care about confides in you about their stress and anxieties? In this 45-minute virtual speaker series, we dive into how to start a conversation about mental health, and how to support someone who confides in you about their mental health challenges.
Moderated by Sportsnet & HNIC Broadcaster and co-author of Journeyman Dan Murphy, our panel will feature:
- Kevin Bieksa, CMHF Champion, HNIC Studio Analyst, former NHL defenseman, and mental health advocate
- Dr. Melanie Badali, Anxiety Canada Expert, Anxiety Canada Board Director, and Registered Psychologist
Back to the basics
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
Whether you’re getting back into a workout routine or just starting out, biting off more than you can chew can lead to injury. This bodyweight-only starter session is all about getting you moving, plain and simple.
- Session duration: 30 minutes
- Equipment required: Couch/chair, towel, water bottle
- Led by: Tommy Europe, CMHF Champion, Award-winning Fitness Coach, CFL All-Star
The Power of Movement
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
We know about the physical benefits of exercise, such as reducing our risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, but how does it benefit our mental health? In this 45-minute virtual speaker series, we look at the scientific research and recommendations on how physical activity can be used as a tool to manage stress and anxiety.
Moderated by sports broadcaster and voice of EA Sports’ NHL 21 James Cybulski, our panel will feature:
- Trevor Linden, CMHF Champion, former NHL player and executive, co-owner: Club 16, She’s Fit!, and Orangetheory Fitness
- Simon Whitfield, CMHF Champion, four-time Olympian, co-founder Relentless Pursuit Partners
- Dr. Gordon Asmundson, Anxiety Canada Scientific Advisory Committee Member, and Registered Doctoral Psychologist
Suns and Sets
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
The sun is shining, so why not take your workout outside? This functional full-body workout features sets of exercises that can be done outdoors or adapted for indoors if the weather outside is frightful. Designed for all fitness levels, you can even bring your kids along.
- Session duration: 30 minutes
- Equipment required: Bench, nature, water, towel, dumbbells, or filled milk jugs
- Led by: Tommy Europe, CMHF Champion, Award-winning Fitness Coach, CFL All-Star
Parenting With Anxiety
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
What do you do when your child starts to show signs of anxiety or opens up to you about their anxiety? How do you support them, while managing your own stress and anxiety? In this 35-minute virtual speaker series, we dive into the recommendations and resources available for parenting a child with anxiety, and how to parent with your own anxiety.
Moderated by CMHF Champion, radio host, dad blogger, and Diabetes Canada advocate Buzz Bishop, our panel will feature:
- Kelly Hrudey, Anxiety Canada Champion, Sportsnet & HNIC Broadcaster, former NHL goaltender, and mental health advocate
- Kaitlin Jones, Kelly Hrudey’s daughter, mental health advocate
- Dr. Robert Selles, Anxiety Canada Expert, Anxiety Canada Scientific Committee Member, and Registered Psychologist
Father Knows Best
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
This Father’s Day family session has dads calling the shots in a bootcamp-style workout featuring partner challenges, games, and bodyweight exercises. Designed for the whole family to do together, the focus here is on getting fit while having fun.
- Session duration: 30 minutes
- Equipment required: Towel, water bottle, skipping rope, medicine ball (or add some heavy items to a backpack like books or soup cans)
- Led by: Tommy Europe, CMHF Champion, Award-winning Fitness Coach, CFL All-Star
How to Be Together While Apart
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
As we do our part to keep our families and communities safe, how do we manage the isolation that comes with being away from our buddies, extended families, fellow sports fans and regular get-togethers? In this 35-minute virtual speaker series, we dive into the recommendations and resources available for those struggling during isolation, and explore how to stay connected to friends and family during this time.
Moderated by Vancouver correspondent and senior reporter of TSN SportsCentre Farhan Lalji, our panel will feature:
- Shea Emry, CMHF Champion, former CFL player, founder of The Wellmen Project, and mental health advocate
- Dr. Maureen Whittal, Anxiety Canada Expert, Anxiety Canada Scientific Committee co-chair, and Registered Psychologist
Arms and Abs Blast
Watch the Video on Demand | Listen to the Audio on Demand
With shirtsleeves getting shorter on sunny summer days, it’s time to bust out those biceps! This challenging and fun home-based intervals session focuses on your arms and core. The ultimate goal? Being able to carry all the grocery bags (or kiddos) inside in one trip!
- Session duration: 30 minutes
- Equipment required: Couch, full milk jug, chair, resistance band (optional)
- Led by: Tommy Europe, CMHF Champion, Award-winning Fitness Coach, CFL All-Star
All times listed are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
Donate for Men’s Mental Health
Help fund online mental health programming and services to support Canadian men and their families. All proceeds go to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation and Anxiety Canada.
The ToolKit
#MOVEMentalHealth
Let’s get Canadian men moving. We’ve created a toolkit of cool shareables for you to show your support to friends, family, colleagues, and community, and inspire men to move for their mental health.
Our Partners
We are proud to be supported by the following partners and sponsors aiding in our mission to inspire Canadian men to live healthier.
