As we sat together as a team and reflected on last year’s conference, while still riding the high of this year’s, we recognized that while we did our best to represent and relay the power of peer support last year, it was only the beginning of our journey to increase our visibility in the broader mental health community. This year, we were not only visible but also felt truly represented in ways that were both meaningful and lasting. As caregivers, our roles are often defined by what happens behind the scenes: the quiet coordination, the constant advocacy, the emotional labour that rarely finds its way into formal conversations. Too often, our perspectives are treated as secondary—acknowledged, perhaps, but not fully integrated. This year felt different.
You provided us with an opportunity not only to speak, but to be heard. You created space for us to share our stories honestly and openly, and to speak from the heart about the realities of caregiving. Through that platform, we were able to name the fears, the small victories, the frustrations, and the enduring hope that shapes our daily lives. Speaking about systemic gaps and the complexities of supporting loved ones with mental health challenges was not only cathartic—it was a powerful act of advocacy in and of itself.
You gave us more than a stage and a microphone. You provided a meaningful platform to talk about what matters to us, why it matters, and why our voices must continue to be represented at every table where decisions are being made about our loved ones’ mental health journeys. Caregivers are knowledgeable partners with lived expertise, and that is invaluable, necessary input. When our perspectives are meaningfully included, conversations shift. They become more grounded, more practical, and more capable of driving real change.
Throughout this year’s conference, we sincerely heard one message loud and clear: family engagement matters. Not as an afterthought, and not as a checkbox, but as a non-negotiable element of effective mental health care. Our perspectives must be embedded in policy development, in the design of interventions, and in the systems that shape care delivery. When families are included, outcomes improve—not just for individuals, but for entire communities.
Thank you for allowing us to show up fully, seated loud and proud at the table at the front of the room, not the back. Our visibility mattered. It signalled that our voices belong at the center of these conversations, not at the margins.
This year, we were also reminded of the power of connection. After our presentations, many attendees approached us to share that they saw themselves in our stories. Some thanked us for making it feel “okay” to speak openly about their own experiences—experiences they had often carried quietly and privately. Those conversations were some of the most impactful moments of the conference. They were honest, human, and deeply affirming. In those exchanges, we were reminded that none of us are alone and that creating space for lived experience invites others to step forward and do the same—highlighting the power of peer support in real time.
To the CMHO team who made this possible: your support went far beyond logistics. Your actions sent a clear and powerful message: we see you, we hear you, and we stand with you. Because of that, it made it easy to step into our roles as volunteer Peer Support Facilitators. It was evident that we were there not only because we wanted to be, but also because YOU wanted us there. That mutual commitment created a sense of belonging that cannot be overstated. In addition, you gave us something equally important: respite. Space to step away from our day-to-day responsibilities, space to share, to learn, to laugh, to cry, and to get to know one another better. Those moments of connection strengthened not only our individual resolve but our collective voice.
As we reflect on this experience, we leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a deep sense of gratitude. We are hopeful for what comes next—deeper collaboration, stronger partnerships, and tangible actions that reflect the value of lived experience. We look forward to continuing this work together, ensuring that caregivers remain visible, heard, and meaningfully included in shaping the future of mental health care.
Thank you, CMHO team, for seeing us, listening, and most importantly, being our “Backstage Crew.”
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