Location
Surrey, BC V4N 1G3
Date and Time
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
About this Event
Mental health is more and more “on the radar” in our culture as both awareness of the topic and the challenges many people experienced increase. The media gives more attention to this topic and our schools are often spaces where mental health takes a prominence. However, sometimes as a Church or parish there can be uncertainty about how to engage well with this topic. And the need is increasing.
According to Stats Canada, 1 out of 5 Canadians will personally experience a mental health problem or illness each year*. Anxiety and depression have increased significantly (doubling and tripling) in the last 10 years for those aged 15 and older, especially among the younger demographics**. For youth and young adults (age 15 – 34), suicide is the second leading cause of death.***
How do we as Christians bridge the gap that many can experience between the reality of mental health challenges and their faith? Is a Christian understanding of the human person compatible with that of modern psychology? What does a Church look like that actively acknowledges and supports the mental health needs of her members?
In light of this growing need, and in seeking answers to these questions, the Archdiocese of Vancouver recognizes that mental health challenges exist within our parishes and community, not just “out there”, and that we need to better equip our parishes to respond effectively. This can include education, providing resources, accompaniment, and working to reduce stigma around mental health. During the recent synodal process, the subject of mental health was also identified as a top concern for the local Church to address.
If you’d like to be a part of the movement towards a Church culture that has a healthy response towards mental health challenges and appropriately understands and bridges the gap between faith and mental health, please join us on October 12th as we take a deeper dive into the topic and invite you to consider how you could be a part of moving the needle forward within your own parish.
This event is aimed at professionals, ministry leaders, family members of loved ones with mental health challenges, and anyone passionate about being a part of the first presentation on bridging the gap between mental health and faith in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
*1 in 5 statistic taken from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) website and Stats Canada.
**Stats on the increase in diagnoses for mood and anxiety disorders from 2012 – 2022 taken from Stats Canada.
***Public Health Services Canada Statistics
Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, researcher, and podcaster, with expertise that includes working with trauma and trauma therapies, embodiment, at the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her first book, Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are, was published in 2017; she was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018. Her bestselling book, The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Wholeness, Healing and Connection Through Embodied Living came out in the fall of 2021, and in January she released Practices for Embodied Living. Her next book, Holy Hurt: Understanding and Healing From Spiritual Trauma, comes out April 2025. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at Trinity Western University and the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award-winning podcast “Other People's Problems”. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.
Fr. Bryan Duggan was ordained to the priesthood in 2011 for the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He first served as assistant pastor at St. Mary’s in Chilliwack and later as Vocations Director. He received his master’s in clinical psychology (M. Psy) in 2019 and his doctorate (Psy. D.) in 2021. He worked in outpatient settings with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, and a group practice in Frederick, MD, which serves the seminarians of Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary. He completed his predoctoral internship at St. Raphael’s Counseling in Denver, CO. Fr. Bryan is a registered psychologist in BC and currently serves as the Director of Psychological Services for Priests and Seminarians at the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
For more information about this event, please contact:
Megan Mulder
604-682-0281 ext. 234
[email protected]