Workshop: Mental Wellness Mental Health Way of Life

In partnership with the Richmond Mental Health Consumer and Friends Society, the Patient and Community Voices Workshop series presented Mental Wellness on April 12, 2024. This workshop introduced healthcare students to an overview of mental health from the profound personal stories and reflections of mental health peer support workers.

Students received information about support and advocacy resources available within Vancouver-based community organizations serving persons living with and recovering from mental illness. Eleven students from four disciplines (Occupational Therapy, Audiology, Pharmacy, Speech Language Pathology) attended the workshop. Students rated the workshop 4.4 out of 5 as one of the best educational experiences they’ve had in working with vulnerable populations.

“I learned that empowerment of individuals navigating the healthcare system means respecting, listening, and hearing their side of the story and questioning ‘non-compliance’ as a statement in someone’s health file,” said an Occupational Therapy Student.

“I feel like I learned a lot about the individuals who experience medical conditions in relation to their mental well-being. Additionally, it gave me a better perspective about how I can be a better clinician in the future for these individuals,” said an Audiology Student.

This was the last workshop in the 2023-24 series of 8 patient and community voices workshops. Stay tuned for next year!