Military Family Resource Centre offers programs to help families prepare for deployments

To reduce the stress caused by deployments on military families, the Edmonton Military Family Resource Centre has hosted a range of Deployment Programs and Road to Mental Readiness Sessions throughout the month of January and February.

On Jan. 31, the Edmonton MFRC hosted a Deployment Program entitled: “What you need to know, before they go.”

“It’s just an opportunity to discuss the paperwork required to protect the family and loved ones while the member is deployed,” said Jenny Greyling, Deployment Support Coordinator for the Edmonton MFRC.

The MFRC brought in military and family law expert Catherine Christensen of Valour Law to discuss topics like Power of Attorney, Temporary Guardianship, Will, Personal Directive and more.

“Pre-deployment can be a very stressful time for a family. So, by attending a program like this, families can be better informed to make those decisions to protect their families,” added Greyling.

Another session is also planned for the end of February.

Additionally, the MFRC will also be hosting Phase 3 of the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program. This session “Supporting Families Through the Deployment Cycle,” is a workshop geared to offering families information and resources to prepare for a deployment.

The MFRC is also offering Phase 5 of the R2MR: “Family Post-Deployment Brief.” This information session is aimed at equipping families with the tools to understand common transitional phase challenges during reintegration.

“Programs like ‘know before they go’ and our Road to Mental Readiness, they promote positive mental health skills and strategies to decrease the pre-deployment stress,” noted Greyling.

Phase 3 will be held March 25 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration is required by March 22.

Phase 5 will be held on March 25 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is required by March 22.

Call (780) 973-4011 ext. 6300 for more information.