The Chicago Wolves announced Tuesday they have joined forces with #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement founder Eric Kussin to launch Project Thrive — a multi-faceted plan designed to change the conversation about mental health in Chicago and provide opportunities for people everywhere to learn from national experts in integrative health.
Kussin, the #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement and the Wolves believe it’s past time to change how people assess and discuss their mental health — and how they take measures to improve it. Whether dealing with daily routines, daily headlines or anything else that affects someone’s mental health, it’s important to understand no one is in the minority; everyone’s in the majority.
While the #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement helps people in all walks of life, Stanley Cup champion Theo Fleury and Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner are among the many hockey players who have shared their stories and their support for the #SameHere Global movement.
“We believe stressful and traumatic life experiences, physical injuries, genetics, and lifestyle are all factors that contribute to one’s mental health,” said Kussin, a longtime professional sports executive who was inspired to found #SameHere Global after unresolved personal-life traumas left him essentially bedridden for more than two-and-a-half years.
“As such, we all live on a mental health continuum. We’re not only the ‘1-in-5 with illness’ we so often hear about; it’s something that’s relevant for ‘5-in-5’ of us every day. Communicating this ‘5-in-5’ reality helps us make it socially acceptable among friends, family, and coworkers to talk freely about our mental health concerns and battles — and to applaud those who share those concerns and ask for help.”
Project Thrive provides multiple paths to help make such a world a reality. The first step is by taking the #SameHere Social Media Challenge as everyone should feel comfortable discussing their mental health and wellness. Visit the comprehensive Project Thrive webpage, download the #SameHere Challenge sign, and then share your challenge along with how you thrive in order to spread the word, raise awareness and make a difference.
In February, Project Thrive launches its series of biweekly Zoom sessions that are available for everyone. Each hour-long session will be led by a national expert in integrative health, which is a 360-degree, patient-focused approach to health care and wellness.
The topics (and dates) for the first six sessions are set:
1. #SameHere Movement (Feb. 4)
2. Sleep 101 (Feb. 18)
3. Benefits of Connecting with Nature (March 4)
4. How Stress, Diet and Inflammation Can Be Major Causes of Mental Health Issues (March 18)
5. Moving Your Body to Strengthen the Mind: The Power of Being Active (April 1)
6. #SameHere Self-Awareness (April 8)
The sessions are designed for easy learning that enable everyone to come away with a better understanding how to manage their mental well-being. There’s a nominal $10 fee for each session to defray costs. To encourage people to join Project Thrive for multiple sessions, the Wolves are giving away one game-ticket voucher for each three sessions attended. All vouchers are good through the 2021-22 season. To learn more about the experts hosting these sessions and to indicate interest in registering for one or more sessions, click here. Space is limited.
The Wolves, founded in 1994, are partners with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and compete in the American Hockey League, which launches its 2020-21 season on Friday, Feb. 5.
