This talk will be presented by Associate Professor Cheryl Harasymchuk, from the Department of Psychology.

Relationships are fundamental for our health and well-being. Indeed, people with higher quality relationships tend to have greater life satisfaction and lower mortality rates. Although romantic relationships usually take the spotlight, scholars have argued that friendships are an important source of social connection and well-being. In this talk, Dr. Harasymchuk will first define friendship and include a discussion about differences as a function of gender, culture, and online context. In the second part of the talk, Dr. Harasymchuk will answer the question, ‘What makes for a satisfying friendship?’ and describe evidence linking friendship with physical and psychological well-being.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2021/2022. Find out more.

The post Recording: The Importance of Relationships for Mental Health appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session will be presented by Associate Professor Michael Hildebrand, from the Department of Neuroscience.

Chronic pain represents a highly prevalent and debilitating healthcare crisis, with direct connections to mental health challenges. The ongoing opioid epidemic illustrates the urgent need to develop new therapeutic approaches for pain that are both safe and effective. In this session, Dr. Mike Hildebrand will define what pain is, with a discussion on what factors shape our experiences of pain and how changes in neurobiological mechanisms of pain processing can lead to chronic pain. This includes highlighting the discrepancies in sex and species between pain patients and typical preclinical pain models, and Dr. Hildebrand’s work aimed at addressing some of these translational divides.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2021/2022. Find out more.

The post Recording: Chronic Pain and Mental Health appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session is presented by Professor Shawn Hayley from the Department of Neuroscience. Stressors may take many forms, ranging from psychological upsets to chemical toxins to immunological infections. Regardless of the type of stressor (and severity), they all take a toll on the body. The immune system and brain and the major body systems that are most impacted and in fact, neuro-immune communication is the primary means through which stressors are dealt with. Not surprisingly, disturbances in neuro-immune communication can consequently contribute to the development of various mental illnesses, which can involve emotional, cognitive and other symptoms. In fact, emerging evidence suggests that antidepressant drugs may act in part, by modulating neuroinflammatory processes and a better understanding of the brain’s own specialized immune cells, the microglia, may help with the development of novel therapies.

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2021/2022. Find out more.

The post How Stressors Impact Upon Neuro-immune Communication to Promote Emotional & Behavioural Disturbances appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session was presented by Assistant Professor Chad Danyluck, from the Department of Psychology.

There is a preponderance of research examining the benefits of meditation for personal health. Surprisingly, the literature has been relatively silent about how meditation might change society via changes to the individual. This talk will present evidence from three cross-sectional studies, each demonstrating potential societal benefits of engaging in a meditative practice, as elicited through changes to the individual. Specifically, we will consider the relationship between meditation and (1) the development of character strengths that can enhance interpersonal relationships, (2) neurophysiological effects linked to the inhibition of racial biases, and (3) collective physiological processes that may enhance personal and relational well-being. After the presentation, we will engage in a brief guided meditation.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher

Professor Chad Danyluck is a social psychophysiologist who studies interpersonal interactions. His primary research interests focus on understanding the interpersonal processes that promote and detract from the health and wellbeing of underrepresented groups, with an emphasis on Indigenous people. To target these goals, he uses ecologically valid methods (e.g., community-based research, field studies, as well as psychophysiological, dyadic, and group-based designs), advanced statistics (e.g., structural equation modeling, multilevel modelling), and open science practices (e.g., pre-registrations, pre-print, data and code sharing). His aim is to understand the combination of subjective, behavioral, physiological, and social factors that support harmonious interpersonal relationships in diverse societies and to help underrepresented groups live safer, healthier, and happier lives.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021. Find out more.

The post Recording: Scientific Evidence for Some of the Social, Personal, and Health Benefits of Meditation appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session will be presented by Assistant Professor Robyn McQuaid, from the Department of Neuroscience.

Despite the prevalence and burden of depression, effective treatments lag behind that of many physical conditions owing, in part, to the complexity of this disorder. Depressive symptoms can be very different from one individual to the next and often present together with other disorders such as anxiety and PTSD. In order to develop more effective and personalized treatments for complex disorders such as depression, we need to take a comprehensive approach. This includes looking not just at biological mechanisms but also how social determinants, such as trauma histories and social relationships, impact our biology and in turn, depression. This talk will focus on applying a biopsychosocial approach to understanding the complexity of depression.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher

Dr. Robyn McQuaid completed her PhD in Neuroscience at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Afterwards, she worked outside of academia as a Research & Policy Analyst at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use (CCSA), where she gained experience in research that informs policy and knowledge translation expertise. Then she worked at the Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, receiving this position through an international research competition called the Emerging Research Innovators in Mental Health. The McQuaid Lab aims to understand the impacts of stressors and early-life trauma on mental health, specifically depression and other stress-related disorders. This includes a strong emphasis on considering the role of both peripheral biomarkers (genetic, epigenetics, or inflammation) and psychosocial determinants in the stress-depression link. To conduct their research, they work with different populations, such as university students in distress, clinical populations, and marginalized groups in Canada.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021. Find out more.

The post Recording: Taking a biopsychosocial approach to understanding mental health: A focus on stress and trauma appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

The purpose of this one-hour virtual event is to provide education around substance use and addiction, as well as to create awareness of resources such as the All People All Pathways weekly group for faculty and staff.  This event will provide education as to the neural basis of addiction and how stress and trauma can render individuals more vulnerable to addiction, discuss trends in substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effectiveness of peer support. It will also highlight mental health resources and supports for faculty and staff.

During this session, Professor Kim Hellemans, Chair of ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Department of Neuroscience, will explore the topic of the Neuroscience of Addiction, as well as substance use during COVID-19. Rick Blute, member of the Board of Directors for the Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA), will discuss the effectiveness of peer support.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021. Find out more.

The post Recording: Substance Use, Peer Support, and Wellness during COVID-19 appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session is presented by Dr. Argel Aguilar-Valles, an Assistant Professor with the Department of Neuroscience. More than 1/3 of patients diagnosed with major depression do not respond to traditional antidepressant treatments, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Recently, ketamine was approved for the treatment of those patients that did not improve after other antidepressant treatments. Despite its clinical promise, we are still trying to understand how ketamine works. We have demonstrated that ketamine activates the protein factory of the brain, especially in neurons. This knowledge can be used for the design of safer and equally effective drugs for the treatment of depression.

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher: Dr. Argel Aguilar-Valles is an Assistant Professor with ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s Department of Neuroscience. The Aguilar-Valles Lab is interested in the molecular mechanisms that underlie psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. They use a combination of biochemistry, molecular biology, neuronal culture, and animal models to understand how genetic risk factors contribute to mental illness. Here are some of the research questions they are investigating:

• How genetic mutations affect brain development and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) pathophysiology
• How antidepressant activation of the mTORC1 pathway contributes to major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment

The post Recording: The Mechanisms of Action of Novel Antidepressant Pharmacotherapies with Dr. Argel Aguilar-Valles appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session was led by Professor Rachel Burns, from ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Department of Psychology, as part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021.

Compared to the general population, adults with diabetes are at increased risk of some mental health problems, including depression. Evidence suggests that the association between diabetes and depression is bidirectional; individuals with diabetes are more likely to subsequently develop depression and individuals with depression are more likely to subsequently develop diabetes. This talk will first review the empirical evidence supporting this bidirectional association. Next, new research, including recent work by Dr. Burns and her colleagues, that explores the conditions under which comorbid depression and diabetes is most likely to occur, and links between spousal health and risk of developing diabetes.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher: Rachel Burns is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on health behaviour change and health outcomes. She leverages theory to identify the social and cognitive processes that shape how people manage their health behaviour and examine how these processes unfold over time. This information is used to inform, implement, and/or evaluate interventions, which, in turn, provide an evidence base to inform theory. She has a particular interest in the associations between mental health, health behaviours, and health outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes, though her interests are not limited to this population. Currently, her work examines habits for self-management behaviour, the influence of close others on health behaviour, and the application of theory to existing health behaviour change interventions.

The post Recording: Diabetes and Wellbeing Session appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ 10-20% of children and youth are diagnosed with a mental disorder and many more experience subclinical symptoms of mental disorders. With increasing prevalence rates, researchers are attempting to identify modifiable behaviours that can prevent symptoms related to mental disorders. Promoting physical activity and reducing screen time have been identified as important targets that can enhance psychological health. In this presentation, ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Professor Katie Gunnell reviews the literature on the independent relationships between physical activity, screen time, and psychological health and findings from my own research. She also outlines one of the difficulties of studying screen time over time given changes in technology. Finally, she outlines her ongoing program of research that focuses on understanding the quality of screen time rather than solely focusing on the quantity of screen time. This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher: Katie Gunnell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. She is interested in understanding the psychological correlates and mechanisms of psychological health and behaviour across various populations including youth, adults, and individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis. Her research examines all aspects of the psychological health continuum including ill-being (e.g., symptoms of depression), hedonic well-being (e.g., positive affect), and eudaimonic well-being (e.g., vitality). The behaviours she is interested in understanding include physical activity and recreational screen time (e.g., watching TV, playing video games). In an effort to better understand how to enhance psychological health and physical activity and decrease screen time, Katie is particularly interested in psychological needs (e.g., competence, autonomy, and relatedness) and motivation as mechanisms for change. In a secondary line of research, she is interested in psychometrics and quantitative statistics.

The post Recording: Physical Activity, Screen Time and Mental Health in Adolescents appeared first on Healthy Workplace.

This session was offered as part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021. Find out more.

Session Description

Often when we talk about resilience, we look to the factors that protect us against the negative impacts of stressful experiences. Less attention is paid to what is needed after a traumatic stressor appears to have been dealt with. The question becomes one of how individuals can thrive when it is understood that the world is not necessarily a safe place, uncertainties abound, and feelings of control are often illusory. This talk will consider how resilience, in light of such challenges to our assumptions, might come about through our relationships with others, finding spiritual meaning or connections, and creating a space where one feels ‘at home’.

ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Researcher

Kim Matheson is the joint Research Chair in Culture and Gender Mental Health at The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research and ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Her research concerns the unique experiences of various social and ethnoracial groups that are a source of both vulnerability and resilience in relation to mental health outcomes. She is the project co-lead of the Indigenous Youth Futures Partnership that works with First Nations organizations and communities in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation to co-develop and evaluate approaches to promoting community and youth resilience. She is founding director of The Canadian Health Adaptations, Innovations, and Mobilization (CHAIM) Centre at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University.

Mental Health Speaker Series

This session is part of the Healthy Workplace Mental Health Speaker Series 2020/2021. Find out more.

The post Recording – Resilience: How to Thrive in the Aftermath of Stressful Experiences appeared first on Healthy Workplace.