Conference on Spirituality and Mental Health 2007

3rd International Conference on Spirituality & Mental Health

Invitation

The Department of Psychiatry of the University of Ottawa, the Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care and St-Paul University invite you to the 3rd International Conference on Spirituality and Mental Health, to be held in Ottawa (Ontario) in Canada on May 3 and 4, 2007.

The 1st Conference in 2002 demonstrated that caregivers are increasingly exploring the link between spirituality and mental health. The 2nd Conference in 2004 offered more by delving into the creative dynamics between spirituality and depression.

Critical moments of our lives may bring those who suffer and those who offer support into a collaborative Quest for Meaning. Both are challenged to find new ways of understanding the world and to discover the opportunity for choices, for growth, and for spiritual transformation. When facing mental illness, loss, or uncertainty, this quest brings people towards very personal questions of a spiritual nature. Diverse cultural interpretations and religious and spiritual practices have emerged to try to help individuals, to comprehend these experiences and to share a better level of awareness. How can divergent cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs converge in the healing of the spirit? How does this quest affect the sufferers and the helpers?

This 3rd International Conference on Spirituality and Mental Health will encourage the exploration of these varied perspectives, welcoming the focus on the collaborative quest for meaning for the families, the faith communities and the healthcare system.

Conference Themes

The influence of family, community, tradition & culture within the helping relationship.
Synergy of ingredients & attitudes to create meaning making processes.
Holistic approaches (meditation, art, music, rituals, dances, etc).
Practical tools to help facilitate spiritual growth & recovery in mental health.
Evidence-based approaches for integrating spirituality & mental health.

Conference Objectives

Our 4 educational objectives are that participants will be able to:

Raise their awareness about the interplay of spirituality & mental health.
Acquire personal & professional knowledge, skills & attitudes about spirituality & mental health.
Promote the development of inter-professional models of practice.
Access opportunities for networking & to become familiar with resources.

Conference Secretariat

Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa c/o
2007 Spirituality and Mental Health Conference
1145 Carling Avenue, Suite 2404, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Z 7K4, Canada

Contact: Carmen Lefebvre