For some clients at The Royal, volleyball is more than a sport; it's part of their recovery.
Justine Brophy, a recreation therapist at The Royal, facilitates a weekly volleyball group as part of her work with clients in the Integrated Schizophrenia Program.
One of the longest-running therapeutic groups at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the volleyball group includes participants from both inpatient and outpatient programs — a unique aspect among most therapeutic groups. (Brophy notes that this mix gives inpatients a valuable glimpse of what recovery can look like.)
Ultimately, volleyball group is about much more than the game itself. For the participants, it's an important reminder that schizophrenia does not have to define their lives.
"Being part of something like this gives them hope, and it shows them what they're capable of," says Brophy.
Programs like the volleyball group go a long way to fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride.
As is now their tradition, the volleyball group participated in the annual HOPE Volleyball SummerFest earlier this year.
She believes the group's participation in the tournament helps break down the stigma surrounding schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that affects about one per cent of Canadians. In the Ottawa region alone, an estimated 12,000 people live with schizophrenia.
It's a chronic disease that typically appears during late teenage years or early adulthood.
People who have schizophrenia often face challenges that affect their ability to function in the community. Symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking, which can make it difficult for individuals to connect with others.
Stigma has a profound effect on people living with schizophrenia, shaping not only how others see them but also how they view themselves. Many internalize negative stereotypes, which can destroy their self-esteem and sabotage their willingness to engage in social activities.
"Schizophrenia is very misunderstood, and although the illness has a spectrum of symptomology difficult to understand sometimes, providing leisure opportunities to help one develop a sense of leisure identity is where recovery can really begin to flourish,” says Brophy.
Brophy says people with schizophrenia want and deserve the same opportunities as everyone else to engage in their community, establish social relationships and lead a life that is full of their own independent leisure pursuits. She says the best thing about the volleyball group is how it creates a feeling of belonging.
No one predicted the volleyball group would become such a strong community of support in its own right.
"Schizophrenia is a very isolating illness," describes Brophy. "The volleyball group provides an opportunity to meet other people, work on building different skills – physical exercise, mental wellness, emotion regulation – and it serves as a space where individuality can really shine through."
"What I admire about this group of folks is that as close as they are here, they're just as close, if not closer, outside of the hospital. They're like a family. The support they have for one another is what you hope to see all clients experience."
Tom joined the volleyball group in 2015 while he was an inpatient at The Royal, never having played the sport before. Stepping onto the court for the first time, he found a fun new activity and a way to connect with people who quickly became close friends.
"We love to poke fun at each other. We are always teasing each other on the court," describes Tom. "It's a fun environment, a very safe, judgment-free environment, and we are very supportive of one another."
"It helped my mental health a lot. If it wasn't for volleyball, I would be bored and lonely."
Tom and his volleyball friends (including Louisa, fondly known as "the social glue" that holds them all together) often get together to share a meal and play cards. Louisa organizes outings and makes a point of celebrating everyone's birthday.
Through the volleyball group, Tom has found friends who make him feel less alone. Still, more than anything, he wants people to know that anyone can build a fulfilling social life by finding activities they love.
"There is hope for people with mental health issues or mental illness," says Tom.