Issues and Experts

SFU Experts on Canadian Mental Health Week

April 29, 2021
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As COVID-19 continues its global impact, the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA) Mental Health Week May 3-9 will focus on how people are faring in these challenging times. The CMHA recently reported that 40 per cent of Canadians say they’ve experienced a mental health decline since the pandemic began. This year, marking Mental Health Week’s 70th anniversary, the theme is to understand, recognize and deal with our emotions, while raising awareness of mental health and breaking the stigma around mental illness.

The following SFU experts are available to speak on topics related to mental health.

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERTS

Paola Ardiles, senior lecturer, health sciences, pardiles@sfu.capaola@bridgeforhealth.org

Topic: Prevention of mental health issues for post-secondary students and immigrant and refugee communities 

Faranak Farzan, chair, Technology Innovation for Youth Addiction Recovery and Mental Health, mechatronic systems engineering, ffarzan@sfu.ca

Topic: Creating new tools to predict patient response to treatment for depression, and how this can significantly reduce the burden of illness. Leads SFU’s e-Brain Lab (in Surrey’s Health Technology District). See earlier feature on Innovation.ca

Neha Shivhare, professor, education, neha_shivhare@sfu.ca

Topic: Role of mindfulness practices and games in enhancing mental health and creating empathetic communities 

Charlotte Waddell, professor, health sciences, charlotte_waddell@sfu.ca

Topic: Child and youth mental health. Waddell can also speak to National Child and Youth Mental Health Day (May 7).

CONTACT

MATT KIELTYKA,  SFU Communications & Marketing 
236.880.2187 | matt_kieltyka@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University 
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory 
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

As Canada’s engaged university, SFU works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—SFU has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 127 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 165,000 alumni residing in 143 countries.