Mental health Speaker Series Shatters Stigma Around Mental Illness
Me Too Conversations is a free speaker series that aims to tear down the stigma surrounding mental health through storytelling. Launched in October 2015, it highlights some of the misconceptions around mental illness. The words Me Too tells us that we are not alone. It means there are others who empathize, sympathize, support and care for us. With one in every five Canadians affected by mental illness, Me Too creates an opportunity for members of our community to share stories of resilience in a supportive environment.
Passionate about this cause is philanthropist Andy Szocs, whose generous donation funded the Me Too platform to help empower those impacted by mental illness. Me Too Conversations is a collaboration between Andy Szocs, the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation, Vancouver Coastal Health, and VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation.
“I feel one of our strongest areas where we can all make a difference is reducing the stigma of mental illness. Hearing another person’s story is a powerful way to show that life with mental illness can be full of joy and success.” —Andy Szocs, Philanthropist
Me Too Conversations Vol. 5 Speakers
Join us at the fifth volume of the Me Too Conversations on Friday, Sept 16. We have an incredible lineup of speakers for this event and we have seen how much a true, heartfelt story can touch people. If we are to truly fight back against stigma then we have to expand the conversation to include everyone.
You will hear stories from…
VICTORIA MAXWELL
After her diagnosis of bipolar disorder, anxiety & psychosis, Victoria Maxwell became extremely proactive in her recovery. She combines her theatre background, personal experience of psychiatric illness, and professional knowledge as a group facilitator and mental health worker, to give a unique and powerful ‘insider’s’ perspective on dealing with depression and other mental illnesses. Victoria will be performing excerpts from her critically acclaimed play Crazy for Life.
Steven Barnes
Dr. Steven Barnes is co-deputy lead of the CREST.BD network, a faculty member in UBC’s Department of Psychology, and has lived experience with Bipolar Disorder (BD). His neuroscientific expertise lies in the areas of psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, learning and memory, and neuroplasticity. He is also a talented web programmer and designer, having worked both in industry and as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Interactive Art and Design.
Dr. Erin Michalak
Dr. Erin Michalak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She is the founder and leader of the ‘Collaborative Research Team for the study of psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder’ (CREST.BD), a CIHR-funded Canadian network dedicated to collaborative research and knowledge exchange in bipolar disorder. She will share impactful stories of the effects of social stigma in the community.
Dr. Barbara Harris
An intergenerational residential school survivor, Dr. Barbara Harris ran away from home at 13, living on the streets of Vancouver, in between failed foster placements. Barbara developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to childhood trauma, as well as depression, anxiety and addiction. Ten years after sobering up, Barbara returned to school at age 40, in spite of her grade 8 education and completed a BSW, MSW, and PhD, working her way through school without any support, and working to overcome mental health issues through counselling.