Kentville/Halifax: The Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia (APNS) and the Town of Kentville are reviving the old saying: “sit and chat a while”.
APNS has been donating park benches to raise awareness of the value of personal interaction as a way to enhance mental and physical health. We kicked off the initiative in Yarmouth in 2017, followed by Stewiacke in 2018 and Blockhouse in 2019. This event in Kentville is the first since our shutdown for the pandemic.
The unveiling will take place at the Kentville Visitor Information Centre at 125 Park Street on Friday, June 2nd, 2023 at 2 pm.
Mayor Sandra Snow hopes people will attend the unveiling and says, “The connections we make and nurture are so important to our quality of life. This bench represents our commitment to making the connections and taking time to be present.”
Parks in towns throughout Nova Scotia are the perfect setting to enjoy the natural environment and where it is easy to engage with other people, to chat with neighbours and get to know other members of the community. This, of course, is good for our mental health and psychological well-being, as we have come to realize just how important since the pandemic.
“Research demonstrates the importance of face-to-face interactions for psychological health and overall well-being including reduced risk of depression and anxiety, improvement in social skills and empathy, and strengthened mental and memory functioning,” says APNS President Jacqueline Milner, R.Psych.
Whether you are from Kentville and area or are just visiting, you are invited to the Kentville Visitor Information Centre at 125 Park Street on Friday, June 2nd. Refreshments will be served.
APNS hopes this idea will be taken up by other towns in Nova Scotia. In this busy world everyone deserves a little time out to have a nice chat. For more information contact apns@apns.ca.