Meet Deanna Palmer: Supporting better health through everyday change at the Community Health Teams

Deanna Palmer has always been driven by a desire to make a difference.  

After graduating from the Dalhousie School of Social Work in 2021, she began her career in the non-profit sector where she provided frontline support to people as they navigate major life transitions, complex mental health challenges, chronic conditions and disabilities.

Today, as a wellness navigator with Nova Scotia Health’s Community Health Teams, her focus has shifted.

“Before, a lot of the work I did was reactionary. I was responding to community needs as they came up,” she said. “Now, I get to focus more on prevention through the Community Health Team’s proactive approach to health and wellness.”

Palmer first learned about the Community Health Teams during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were offering online programs. She was drawn to their community-driven, preventative approach, which closely aligns with her background in social work.

Community Health Teams offer free programs and services in the Greater Halifax Area designed to support health and well-being, including group sessions on topics like mental wellness, healthy eating, physical activity and parenting, as well as one-on-one wellness navigation. “Our goal is to make health support and education accessible and help people manage their own health,” she said.

In her role, Palmer focuses on three main areas: facilitating programs, supporting people through one-on-one appointments and connecting with community organizations.  

She helps develop and deliver mental wellness programs that build resilience, support stress management and promote overall well-being. Through wellness navigation, she meets with individuals to help them identify their needs and connect with resources, whether related to chronic conditions or broader social factors like housing, employment or finances. She also maintains strong connections with community groups to ensure participants are linked to current and relevant supports.

“Staying connected helps us make sure people are getting the most up-to-date information and resources,” she said.

Palmer believes knowledge is power. “When people have clear, accessible information, they can make informed decisions about their health,” she said. Just as important, she helps people turn that knowledge into action by supporting realistic, sustainable behaviour changes.

Palmer is particularly passionate about programs like How to Speak Assertively and Boundaries for Better Living, which help participants communicate their needs and set healthy limits.  

“These are skills that apply to so many areas of life,” she said. “Learning when to say no, or how to say yes with limits, can make a big difference.”  

She also enjoys facilitating Free Time and You: Try Something New, where participants explore the benefits of leisure and take part in activities like walking, crafting or visiting local attractions. “I remember thinking during one session, ‘I can’t believe this is my job,’” she said. “We were out walking together, chatting. It was such a great experience.”

While social work is often associated with large-scale change, Palmer has learned to appreciate the power of smaller, individual moments.  

Those moments often come when something clicks for someone. When they learn a new skill, gain confidence or apply something from a program in their own life. In her assertiveness program, for example, participants often bring real-life situations to the group, work through them and return the following week having put their new skills into practice. “They’ll say, ‘I tried it, and it worked,’” she said. “Seeing that shift is really rewarding.”

For those who may feel unsure about signing up for a program, Palmer offers reassurance. “It’s okay to feel unsure about trying something new,” she said. “Chances are, others feel the same way.” She describes Community Health Teams programs as supportive, judgment-free, and low-pressure, where participants can engage at their own comfort level. “You can take what works for you and leave the rest,” she said.

Looking back, Palmer sees her role on the Community Health Teams as an extension of the values that first led her to social work: supporting others and advocating for their well-being. “If you make a difference for even one person, that matters,” she said. “Those small changes add up.”

To learn more about the Community Health Teams and register for a program, visit communityhealthteams.ca.  

Photo of Deanna Palmer.