"A Cruel Confusion"

All this past week, Sounds Like Canada on CBC Radio One ran a series on mental illness.

"A Cruel Confusion" - our series on mental illness begins, Monday, September 17th, with the personal portrait on one family's 30 year struggle with schizophrenia. Our producer Phillip Ditchburn tells Shelagh Rogers about trying to find his way through the often frustrating mental health system - and how he finds where he finds support to keep going.

To hear the audio from the September 17th show, click here (starts RealPlayer streaming audio).

Tuesday, September 18th:
Our understanding of mental illness can be shaped by many things - including our cultural roots. In part two of our series "A Cruel Confusion" - we'll meet two people who are trying to bring a new understanding about mental health in Canada's Chinese and Korean communities.

To hear the audio from the September 18th show, click here (starts RealPlayer streaming audio).

Wednesday, September 19th:
Toronto's main mental health treatment centre is completely rebuilding to get the public onto the grounds, mingling with patients. It's supposed to break down the stigma of mental illness and make it easier for those getting treated to get back to a normal life. Will it work?

To hear the audio from the September 19th show, click here (starts RealPlayer streaming audio).

Thursday, September 20th:
Following a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and psychosis in the early 1990's, Victoria Maxwell took steps to control her condition, and eventually turned her medical problems into a career. Today, she is one of the most well-known educators and consultants in North America on the 'lived' experience of mental illness and recovery, and earlier this month she performed one of her solo shows for the new Mental Health Commission of Canada.

To hear the audio from the September 20th show, click here (starts RealPlayer streaming audio).

Victoria Maxwell's website.

Friday, September 21st:
We conclude our mental health series "A Cruel Confusion" with a feature interview with Senator Michael Kirby, the Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

To hear the audio from the September 21st show, click here (starts RealPlayer streaming audio).

We hear from the people who moved Senator Kirby so much - those who are coping with mental illness and those who are helping someone they love cope.

To listen, click here.

Shelagh reads your letters about our series "A Cruel Confusion". To listen, click here and here.

Thanks go to Jan H. of the Lunenburg County Chapter of the SSNS for informing me of this radio series.

Photograph of Shelagh Rogers courtesy of cbc.ca.