Self-management means being able to manage the daily tasks to live well with one or more chronic conditions. It means having the skills and confidence to take charge of your medical needs, your everyday roles & responsibilities, and your emotions. You are able to live a healthy live with your chronic health condition.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSMP) workshop develops self-management skills among people in a small group setting. You will learn a process for setting goals each week and solving some of the problems you experience. The workshop allows you to “tailor” the program to your own needs. Participants take an active role in learning self-management. They try new ideas, listen to others and share their progress with the group.

You will also learn new tools and strategies to break the “cycle of symptoms” such as fatigue, pain, depression, stress and anxiety that can result from a having chronic conditions. Some of these tools include:

  • physical activity
  • healthy eating
  • managing pain and fatigue
  • managing stress
  • understanding emotions
  • communication skills
  • working effectively with health care professionals

People who have participated in the CDSMP workshop got more active and reported better health, less fatigue, and better communication with their doctors. They even spent less time in hospital compared to those who did not take the workshop! CDSMP, developed by Stanford University, is widely considered a best practice in chronic disease prevention & management and has been adopted in many parts of Canada and around the world through the Self-Management Resource Center.

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