April 21, 2026: Following on the success of our two previous events in 2024 and 2025, Prepared & Positive 2026, organized in partnership with Parents Lifeline of Eastern Ontario, attracted parents and caregivers looking for information and support to help them address the mental health issues experienced by their children. Upon arrival at Saint Paul University, parents were heard saying that they had attended this event last year and were so glad to know that it was happening again!
Presentations were very personal, in many cases, and engaged parents in discussion and information sharing so that they left the event knowing they were not alone, that others shared their experience, and that they could find help from many of the organizations represented at the information fair.
Caitlin Morrison, Executive Director of Matthew Perry House, opened the event with a very personal talk which she entitled ‘Shameless Love’ where she described her brother, Matthew’s struggle with addiction from a very young age and how their mother loved him shamelessly through it all. The session touched on how language like ‘enabling’ can create guilt and shame and emphasized that acting out of love should always be honoured. She described her own struggles with all of the attention given to Matthew but how she came to understand her mother’s love when she became a mother herself.
Two breakout sessions followed where parents could select one presentation to attend in each session. Topics included an introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving where Carol Jager from Crossroads described this approach which helps kids to do well when barriers to them doing so are removed. Pascale Hough from the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre described how parents and caregivers can support someone through mental health and addictions and the roller coaster of emotions that accompany this journey. Dr. Kristin Schaub of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board described to parents how to recognize and respond to stress and anxiety in their children and youth. Beth O’Halloran from Living Works advised on how to support youth and those who care for them by creating spaces for honest and meaningful conversations about mental health and suicide. Elizabeth Snyder from Queer Connection Lanark engaged parents at her session with a caring conversation on how parents can positively react to their child’s ‘coming out’ to them. Dr. Emily Ellwood from The Second Nature School advised parents on how to advocate for their neurodiverse child.
The morning ended with an inspirational talk by Angele Lamothe, a TEDx speaker, author, and empowerment coach who described her personal experience with a life challenge and encouraged parents to turn these challenges into breakthroughs and develop resilience through expressing gratitude daily for the good things in one’s life.
When asked how they enjoyed their morning, parents and caregivers responded very positively and expressed hope that it would happen again next year. Plans are in the works!
Published on April 21, 2026.
Prepared by Marcia Armstrong.