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It was named the “Best Pixar Movie in Years” (Forbes.com) and currently has a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes (Rottentomatoes.com). Malinda Hirvilammi says there are a lot of great connections in “Inside Out 2” and dealing with mental health.

Hirvilammi is the Health Promotion Coordinator at the Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District (CMHA NBD). She recently appeared as a guest on an episode of “To North Bay with Love” with Lisa Boivin and discussed how “Inside Out 2” brings the discussion about mental health to the forefront.

“It was a really interesting way to encourage discussion about mental health awareness, reducing stigma and acknowledging our own emotions and how they impact our lives,” Hirvilammi said. She explained how the film, which is about Riley, a young girl going through puberty, presents emotions in a relatable way that makes the subject more accessible to people of all ages.

Hirvilammi noted how “Inside Out” and its sequel illustrate the importance of understanding and recognizing emotions at a young age. “I saw it with my children and it was a very positive, powerful experience,” she said, praising how the films can help families start conversations about emotions. “Introducing these emotions and their impact on our well-being is important for building mental health awareness and understanding.”

Although the films primarily follow Riley’s journey through childhood and adolescence, Hirvilammi emphasizes their relevance to adults as well. “What happens in the film can be applied to any life event for anyone, regardless of their age. Whether you’re selling your home, moving to a new place, starting a new job, or losing a loved one, we all experience moments when emotions guide us.”

One of the key additions to Inside Out 2 is the introduction of more complex emotions, including fear, jealousy, embarrassment and nostalgia, which Hirvilammi finds extremely relevant. “These emotions, especially fear, are often viewed as negative, but they serve a purpose. Fear is there to protect us, to warn us, to keep our eyes open or to plan for the future. It’s part of our daily lives, and if handled correctly, it can propel us in a positive direction.”

Hirvilammi emphasized that one of the biggest challenges in mental health is the stigma that still exists, although she hopes for progress. “We all come from different backgrounds and some of us are embarrassed, in denial or afraid to share that this could happen to us.” But the fact is, it’s something we all share. We are all mentally healthy. Some of us may be living with mental illness, but you can live with mental illness and have positive mental health. And similarly, negative mental health can occur without being diagnosed with an illness.”

Hirvilammi says that making someone feel heard and not alone often has a positive impact on a person’s mental health and well-being. A good example that connects to the film is how quickly when you feel something going wrong, the negative feelings and symptoms that result from it persist

Snow to the point where you start to feel depressed. Often, recognizing “I need to do something about this” and taking a simple self-care measure like talking to a friend can help alleviate the problem.

She shares that talking openly about mental health is crucial to fostering resilient and mental health positive communities. It also makes it less of a stigmatized topic. In the past, people haven’t had the support to process their trauma and feel safe to talk about their mental health. These days there are more opportunities to be open and share our experiences, which is a big part of mental health awareness. When people talk about their feelings, their struggles, and the things they’ve been through, it helps others feel more confident about getting help for their mental health.

At CMHA NBD, Hirvilammi and her team work to provide this support through various services. “Our local programs are focused on the needs of the community,” she said, explaining that the organization has four main pillars of programming: peer support, addiction treatment, supportive and specialized housing, and mental health support services.

Since housing is one of the main programs, CMHA NBD often receives inquiries from people seeking housing. Hirvilammi explains, “We get a lot of questions about it and the demand for housing is great, the need is great, it’s not affordable and it’s getting worse.” In terms of the services we provide, CMHA North Bay and District owns and operates various supportive housing buildings within the community, aimed at people already receiving support services and living with a mental illness. Through our Housing Success Program, they receive additional support to ensure that not only their health needs are met, but other risks that could impact their housing arrangements are also mitigated.”

Hirvilammi has been with the organization for 15 years and says what she loves about her job is that she gets to do something that’s important to her every day.

“Mental health has always been important to me. I describe myself as someone with lived experience. I have family members who have been diagnosed with mental illness. Statistically, one in five Canadians lives with a mental illness, and I always say that if you don’t live with it, there’s a good chance you’re caring for someone who does. So it’s just something that I’ve always had a passion about, and when I started in this field, the passion for helping people was just a very rewarding experience.”

Hirvilammi says people interested in using their services can call the main line at 705-476-4088. She says, “You will be directed to our Central Access department and they can talk to you about your needs and possibly conduct an entrance exam to see if we offer services that are right for you.” And if not, it is It’s helpful that they have the expertise to direct you to programs within the community. Alternatively, there are now many regional and national programs that you can access from home and are available virtually or over the phone. It’s a really good starting point for anyone who thinks they may need support with their mental health and doesn’t know where to start.”

A great question that Hirvilammi often hears and asks people about is how people know when they need help with their mental health. She answers: “Our perception of ourselves and our journey to mental health and wellbeing for each individual is unique.

If you experience symptoms that affect your daily life or your ability to go to work, if you may isolate yourself from your friends, if you experience increased symptoms of anxiety that do not go away, or if you lash out. You’re just not yourself. I think that would be a good indicator that maybe it would be a good opportunity to reach out and see where you can go from there.”

If you have a story idea for Rooted, email Matt at (email protected)