Understanding Depression 2024: CAN-BIND’s Return to In-Person Public Education Events
In November 2024, CAN-BIND hosted its first in-person public education event since the pandemic, Understanding Depression: Bridging Research and Clinical Care, in collaboration with St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH). Organized by the CAN-BIND Knowledge Translation Team, this event marked a return to face-to-face engagement, bringing together community members, mental health experts, and peer support advocates. It offered a unique opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest developments in depression care and research, fostering meaningful conversations between the public and professionals.
The evening began with opening remarks from Dr. Benicio Frey, Director of CAN-BIND, and Dr. Maxine Lewis, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at SJHH. Dr. Frey introduced CAN-BIND’s mission to advance depression care through innovative research and community partnerships, stressing the importance of public education events in connecting research with those affected by mental health challenges. Dr. Lewis then spoke about the alignment between SJHH’s mission and CAN-BIND’s goals, emphasizing the significance of SJHH serving as CAN-BIND’s headquarters. She also discussed the organization’s pioneering work in biomarker research, highlighting its potential to transform depression treatment by enabling personalized care.
Following the opening remarks, the evening featured four brief presentations from experts in mental health care. Dr. Fabiano Gomes, Assistant Professor at McMaster University and Academic Psychiatrist at SJHH, started with an overview of the updated CANMAT clinical depression guidelines, offering practical, evidence-based strategies for clinicians and individuals facing depression. Dr. Adile Nexha, Clinical Coordinator at McMaster University, then presented on the impact of sleep and circadian rhythms on mental health, sharing tips for improving sleep hygiene to support overall well-being. Dr. Danielle Rice, Assistant Professor at McMaster University and Health Psychologist at SJHH, spoke about the importance of psychotherapy in depression treatment, explaining how therapy can foster lasting recovery and improve mental health. Lastly, Tara Richardson and Angela Jaspan, Peer Support Providers at SJHH, discussed the crucial role of peer support programs in recovery. They highlighted how lived experience is vital for providing support and connection, and shared valuable resources and information about the peer support programs at SJHH, offering attendees practical ways to access these services and strengthen their support networks.
More excitement came from the speakers’ compelling insights, which energized a lively question-and-answer session. The audience eagerly engaged with the speakers, asking insightful questions and sparking dynamic discussions. Topics ranged from access to mental health care, the growing interest in psychedelics as a treatment for depression, to the challenges people face when seeking support for mental health. The conversation was so engaging and the questions so numerous that the event actually ran an hour longer than planned. Attendees were excited to dive deeper into these topics, reflecting the strong interest in mental health issues and the community’s desire for more open, informed dialogue. After the formal Q&A, speakers stayed to engage with attendees informally, further strengthening the connections made during the evening.
The overwhelming success of the event has inspired CAN-BIND to plan more public education evenings in the future. Building on the positive feedback and meaningful conversations, we are eager to bring this model to other sites in the new year, expanding our reach and fostering collaboration across communities. The event also emphasized the crucial role of community-driven initiatives in advancing mental health research and care, and the excitement generated assures us that future events will continue to provide valuable opportunities for knowledge-sharing and connection in the mental health field.
To watch the full video of this talk, or to explore more resources, visit the CAN-BIND YouTube page for additional content and updates.