Elizabeth Fry Kingston and AWEC Canada champion women's mental health for International Women's Day celebration

 AWEC Consultant Julia Woito, MACP, Founder and Clinical Director of  Life + Hope Wellness, conducting a talk on mental wellbeing.

Empowerment is intricately connected to mental well-being. When women feel mentally strong, they can achieve more—they can break barriers. Picture a world where every woman feels empowered to prioritize her mental health. While this is an ambitious vision, progress can be made gradually. Many women encounter daily mental health struggles that affect their overall well-being. Recognizing this, Elizabeth Fry Kingston, a non-profit charitable organization providing social services to women in the greater Kingston region, and AWEC Canada teamed up for a vital cause to host a Mental Health and Wellbeing event in honour of International Women’s Day on 8th March  at Elizabeth Fry’s Women’s Empowerment Hub.

"The All Women Entrepreneurship Circuit (AWEC) Canada choosing the Women’s Empowerment Hub at Elizabeth Fry Kingston as the venue for their International Women’s Day event brought our agency’s mission of "empowering women through community outreach" to life in a powerful way. The W.E. Hub is a welcoming space where women from all walks of life come together to share, connect, and grow. AWEC’s presence in the W.E. Hub offered our community not only hope and inspiration, but also practical tools to help women recognize their strengths and confidently take the next steps in their journeys”, said Taylor Ward, W. E.  Hub Programme Coordinator & Student placement Supervisor. The Elizabeth Fry Kingston is dedicated to uplifting the community. Their mission focuses on supporting the well-being of women.

The event addressed the crucial topic of women's mental health. The participants involved women who were at various stages of their mental health recovery journey.

Julia Woito, MACP, Founder and Clinical Director of  Life + Hope Wellness, a Brockville-based organization dedicated to supporting various mental health conditions, guided participants in exploring insightful ways to nurture their inner strengths and combat negative emotions that affect mental well-being. Julia is a specialist in mental health for both youth and adults, and trauma treatment. Her therapeutic methods are grounded in evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy. She has a distinctive expertise in mental optimization and performance. This comprehensive background equips her to effectively address the varied needs of her clients.

The participants joined group activities and shared their stories. This created a space to connect and support each other. Taylor recounted that, “After the event, I sat down with one of the women who participated, and she shared how impactful the experience was. She said the information presented helped her grow in self-awareness, particularly around her mental wellness, and she appreciated leaving with tangible tips she could begin using right away. The combination of PowerPoint slides and printed booklets made the material easy to follow and accessible.”

Kathleen Lizotte, owner of Painted Palette Artworks based in Kingston, facilitated the watercolor painting session.

Kathleen Lizotte, owner of Painted Palette Artworks based in Kingston, facilitated the watercolor painting session, providing a soothing therapeutic experience for the participants. She showed how art can be a form of therapy, providing a relaxing and expressive outlet for attendees. Her gentle approach made everyone feel at ease. Everyone had a chance to create something unique and beautiful.

Reflecting on the art activity, a participant shared that the watercolour painting pushed her outside of her comfort zone. It challenged her to "let go of control," which sparked a meaningful moment of self-reflection. Sitting with that discomfort became a gentle reminder that growth often lies just beyond what feels familiar.

Participants learned new techniques that they can use in the future when creating watercolour paintings.

In concluding her remarks about this successful event, Taylor emphasized that, “Events like this one not only uplift individual women but also amplify our ongoing advocacy work—making real change visible and achievable."

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AWEC holds various workshops, lunch & learn sessions, and retail events throughout the year. Check out our Events page  to stay updated on upcoming programs.