Dr. Cynthia Ticao (Performance Director, Research & Advocacy) came to McGill University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) to attend two courses (Research Methods in Social/Cultural Psychiatry and Cultural Psychiatry) and one workshop (the McGill Illness Narrative/MINI) at the McGill Summer Program ran by the Institute of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry. The MINI workshop ended on the second week of May, while the two courses were completed on May 26 and May 27, 2016.

Both courses were very enriching. Cultural Psychiatry, under Dr. Laurence Kirmayer, provided an overview of approaches, theories, and historical background related to the role, influence, and relevance of cultural diversity on one’s understanding of mental illness. The course on Research Methods, led by Prof. Rob Whitley, exposed the participants to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods that researchers currently use to explore issues, and formulate different perspectives and interventions that can alleviate mental health problems. The class discussions were engaging—what with participants coming from different parts of the world (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, and Portugal – to name a few!).

Dr. Ticao will also attend the workshop on Global Mental Health Research from June 2-7, 2016. Watch out for her next blog.