Association of Spirituality and Mental Health, Ottawa, Ontario

The intent of the journal club is to foster discussion about a range of topics and research related to the field of spirituality and mental health. In keeping with the spirit of the international conferences, we want to continue the stimulating dialogue and cross fertilization that results when people with different backgrounds, gifts and insights share with one another.

Meetings of the Journal Club take place in the Spirituality Centre on the 2nd floor of the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, 1145 Carling Avenue and are usually held every second month on the third Thursday of the month from 7 - 8:30 pm.

Next Meeting: Thursday, May 27th. Walking the Camino de Santiago - Musings while Meandering. Slide show and presentation by Keith Busby, PhD. of his recent pilgrimage.

September 2009: Can the existence of God be demonstrated by logic?
Presenter : Tim Lau, MD, FRCPC.
Recommended background reading : The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.

November 2009: The Power of Forgiveness, a film by Martin Doblmeier. Discussion facilitated by Margaret DeCorte, Ph.D and Tom Fournier, Ph.D.

January 2010: Finding meaning and enhancing treatment: spiritual considerations in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis. Presented by Nicola Wright, Ph.D, CPsych.

March 2010: Hope and the religious imagination. Chapter 4 in Creativity, spirituality and mental health: exploring connections by Kelley Raab-Mayo, Ashgate Publishing, 2009. Presented by Kelley Raab-Mayo, PhD.

Journal Club Meetings 2008-2009:

March 2008: Henry Clarke, MA, led an interesting and lively discussion on spiritual struggles based on an article by Kenneth Pargament et al.

May 2008 : Beata Wiatrowska, MD, FRCPC and Colin Cameron, MDCM, FRCPC led a discussion on Sudarshan Dria Yoga in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression, based on the following papers:

Brown RP, Gerbarg PL. Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: part I-neurophysiologic model. J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Feb;11(1):189-201. ReviewXML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />

Brown RP, Gerbarg PL. Sudarshan Kriya Yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression. Part II--clinical applications and guidelines. J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Aug (4): 711-717. Review

They also provided instruction in some basic yogic breathing techniques, and reviewed data from a pilot yoga program recently run at the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional & Treatment Centre.

September 2008: Kelley Raab, PhD. discussed a paper looking at psychological, neurological and spiritual interpretations in a case study of dissociation. (Lester, RJ. Anxious bliss: a case study of dissociation in a Mexican nun. Transcultural Spychiatry. 2008: 45(1): 56-78).

November 2008: Discussion of a video featuring neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor, who describes her experience of having a stroke and her subsequent shift in consciousness (spiritual awakening).

January 2009: Dominique Larocque, MA, led a discussion of the video "Towards Ecopsychiatry", featuring Theodore Roszak and Jeffrey Mishlove.

March 2009: Nancy Brookes, RN. PhD. led a discussion about a book chapter entitled "Spirituality and mental health" by Dr Phil Barker and Poppy Buchanan-Barker from the book "Critical issues in mental health" by Robert Tumney and Tim Turner (2008).

June 2009: Dr Carlos Miura spoke on the topic of "Forgiveness: healing the spirit group". You can find a copy of Dr Miura's overview of his talk here .

The Fourth International Conference on Spirituality and Mental Health was held on April 23 and 24, 2009, at Saint Paul University , Ottawa . The conference was sponsored by the University of Ottawa Department of Psychiatry, the Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care, and Saint Paul University. This Fourth International Conference on Spirituality and Mental Health focused on a variety of perspectives on the theme "In Relation" as they relate to spirituality and mental health.

Dr. Barker, PhD RN FRCN, author of The Philosophy and Practice of Psychiatric Nursing: Selected Writings (Churchill Livingstone, 1999), is a psychotherapist in private practice, a Director of Clan Unity Mental Health Recovery Consultancy and Visiting Professor at Trinity College , Dublin and an Honorary Professor in the Medical School, University of Dundee. Dr. Barker was the UK’s first Professor of Psychiatric Nursing Practice at the University of Newcastle, England from1993 - 2002. He has published 18 books, over fifty book chapters and over 150 academic papers. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in 1995, was awarded the Red Gate Award for Distinguished Professors at the University of Tokyo in 2000 and was inducted as Doctor of the University at Oxford Brookes University, in 2001. He has been Visiting Professor at several international universities: Barcelona, Tokyo, Auckland, Adelaide and Sydney .
Dr. Barker and Poppy Buchanan-Barker are known for the tidal model of nursing:

For more information see Brookes N (2006) "Phil Barker: Tidal Model of Mental Health Recovery" Ch 32 in AM Tomey and MR Alligood (Eds) Nursing Theorists and Their Work (6th Edition) St Louis , MI : Mosby Elsevier.

Dr. Zock, Ph.D., is Professor of Spiritual Care on the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her research interests include: identity, meaning, and imagination and spiritual care in a secularized context. She is a member of the board of the Study Centre for Religion and Mental Health since 1998 and a member of the steering committee of the Person, Culture and Religion group of the American Academy of Religion since 2005. She has published a number of books in Dutch. In English Dr. Zock has published A Psychology of Ultimate Concern. Erik H. Erikson’s Contribution to the Psychology of Religion (Rodopi, 1990).

"Farther Shores: Exploring How Near Death, Kundalini and Mystical Experiences Can Transform Ordinary Lives" has just been reprinted by iUniverse Publishers. Order copies of the 2008 edition now through

Topics include:

Highlights from the Association for Spirituality and Mental Health Fall Newsletter

If you are new to ASMH, welcome! We send out several newsletters each year, with updates on Association news and an invitation to members to share research, advocacy, and educational work. Our aim is to provide our members with regular news from the Executive Committee and to draw attention to relevant and interesting conferences, symposia, lectures, research, and publications.

We welcome two new members to our Executive Committee: Dr. Thomas Fournier as Treasurer and Dr. Margaret DeCorte as Vice President. Dr. Fournier, a psychologist in private practice, has a research background in neuropsychology and cyberpsychology. He teaches part-time at the University of Ottawa and Université du Québec en Outaouais. Dr. DeCorte works as a psychologist at the ROMHC and also has a private practice. Her research interests include anxiety, trauma, therapeutic environments, and neuropsychology. Dr. DeCorte’s recent papers include “Sacred Spaces and Healing Places” and “Neuroarchitecture & Health.” Welcome, Thomas and Margaret!

We are happy to hear from our members and encourage you to get in touch with us. A large part of the ASMH mandate is networking and collaborative projects. As we continue to grow, we hope the newsletter will reflect the experiences, research, publications, and day to day work of members in this field of practice and study. We are still looking individuals to help us with public relations, the newsletter, and fundraising. Feel free to contact me or other members of the Executive Committee at info@spiritualityandmentalhealth.org

Association for Spirituality & Mental Health Wiki
To facilitate discussion among members, ASMH now has a wiki. We invite you to join by contacting info@spiritualityandmentalhealth.org Members are invited to join the wiki, http://asmhjournalclub.pbwiki.com, in order to participate in an online discussion of the articles for the next journal club meeting.