May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Owning a business can be stressful, overwhelming and lonely. It’s important to prioritize self-care and care for your mental health when you need to. Here are some resources to help you do that. Remember, we all struggle, and you are not alone. Reach out for help if you need it.
If you are in crisis or worried about harm to yourself or others in any way, we urge you to contact immediate support services.
If you are in distress, you can call or text 988 anytime. If it is an emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to your local emergency department.
Adults: Text WELLNESS to 741741
Indigenous people can also reach out to Hope for Wellness at 1-855-242-3310
Thinking of suicide? Call 1-833-456-4566 for immediate, 24/7 support
Signs and Symptoms – Identify the signs
- Entrepreneurship & Mental Health | Techstars Entrepreneur’s Toolkit
- 10 Mental Health Resilience Questions for Entrepreneurs | Business Link
- How to look after your mental wellbeing as a business owner | FSB
- Entrepreneurs, Stress & Depression | Harvard Business School
Resources:
- CAMH’s Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders
- 21 Mental Health Resources & Tools for Entrepreneurs | Dan Siepen
- Mental health and well-being resources for entrepreneurs | BDC
- Mental health resources for entrepreneurs | Justin Jackson
- Tools4Founders Project | Conscious Ambition
- Strategies to Support Your Mental Health as a Small Business Owner: Part 1 | UBC
- Mental Health, Anxiety & Stress Management Resources For Women Entrepreneurs | Shulamit Berlevtov
- Mental health resources for entrepreneurs | Superscript
- Behavioral Health Resources for Entrepreneurs | The Venture Center
- Wellness & Self-care – EDGE & Entrepreneurship | All Guides at Sheridan Library & Learning Services
- Mental Health Resources for Entrepreneurs | Mindframe Connect
- Working Towards Mental Wellness: A Toolkit for Employers | OCC
- Mental Health Tools and Resources for Entrepreneurs | Future Founders
- Mental Health and Wellness | Canada.ca
Read – Self Care:
- Entrepreneur Mental Health: 7 Challenges of Business Ownership & How to Overcome Them | Shulamit Berlevtov
- How Small Business Owners Can Take Care of Their Mental Health | The Hartford Small Business Ahead
- 5 mental health tips for small business owners | Ripl
- Let’s get real about mental health and owning a business. | Ruby Blog
- 15 Tips for Entrepreneurs New to Practicing Mindfulness | Thrive Global
- You Snooze, You Win: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Healthy Sleep Habits | Foundr
- 12 Ways to Eat Healthy No Matter How Busy You Are | Entrepreneur
Watch – Mental Health Training Modules and Videos:
- Boost Your Business with a Mental Health Plan | Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation
- Health + Wellbeing Training Modules | Kinaway Chamber of Commerce
- English Mental Health Services & Resources | YES Employment and Entrepreneurship
Listen – Wellness Podcasts:
- The Entrepreneurs’ Therapist Podcast | Shulamit Berlevtov
- 11 Health and Wellness Podcasts to Help Keep You Calm and Inspired | Entrepreneur
- Women Entrepreneur Podcasts for Business & Mental Health Support | Shulamit Berlevtov
Research:
- Going it Alone: The mental health and well-being of Canada’s entrepreneurs | Canadian Mental Health Association
- Small business owners nearing a breaking point while struggling to support their employees’ mental health | CFIB
- Knowledge Hub Archive | United for Global Mental Health
- Making entrepreneurs’ mental health and well-being a priority | BDC.ca
Organizations:
- Entrepreneur Mental Health Association
- Mental Health Support for Entrepreneurs | BDC
- Rise Asset Development
- Canadian Mental Health Association | CAMH
- Business Leaders for Mental Health Action | CAMH
- The Mindset Project
- Think Mental Health
- Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Mental Health Resources | Conscious Ambition
You’re not alone – Stories from Other Entrepreneurs
- Entrepreneurship & Mental Health | Techstars Entrepreneur’s Toolkit
- Making entrepreneurs’ mental health and well-being a priority | BDC.ca
Note: This resource list has been curated by the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce for educational purposes in order to support entrepreneurs and business owners in Canada. We are not affiliated with these groups and are not responsible for any changes in availability, outdated information or broken links on these websites.
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About CanWCC
The Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) is the only chamber of commerce in Canada that advocates explicitly for diverse women-identified and non-binary entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners. Launched in 2018, CanWCC is a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to create equal opportunities for women-identified and non-binary entrepreneurs to thrive in business.
CanWCC is a nationally incorporated, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocacy, advancement, and connection for and on behalf of its members. CanWCC’s membership consists of women-identified entrepreneurs and organizations that are at least 50% woman(en)-owned and led.