Activities & Events

Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of patients of all ages and their families who are facing problems related to a serious and progressive, even terminal, illness.

This care focuses on preventing and alleviating suffering through a comprehensive approach (physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects) and is provided by a multidisciplinary team. This conference aims to shed light on the world of palliative care.

Objectives :

• This conference aims to demystify palliative
  care as a whole. Participants will first be
  invited to explore the various foundations and
  basic concepts, such as the provisions of the
  law concerning end-of-life care, death, pain,
  suffering, etc.
• Finally, participants will be able to recognize
  the specificities of the reality of the patient
  and their loved ones that influence support
  and care plans.

Speakers:

SOPHIE LATOUR, M.SC., T.S.: Sophie Latour is a social worker
at La Source Bleue palliative care home in Montérégie for 10 years.
She also provides training and specializes in grief, loss, and transitions.

LYNE DUGUAY: Lyne Duguay has been a nurse for
29 years and has worked for nearly 10 years at La Source Bleue palliative care home in Montérégie. In 2016, she
completed a graduate microprogram in palliative and
end-of-life care at the University of Sherbrooke.

When talking about suicide, words matter. The media has a direct influence on how people perceive and experience this reality. Unfortunately, some reports can have a contagious effect, known as the “Werther effect.”

But the opposite is also true: stories of resilience and support highlighted by the media can offer hope; this is known as the “Papageno effect.” This conference explores how responsible media coverage can help save lives.

Objectives :

• This conference aims to raise public awareness of the role of the media in suicide prevention. Participants will learn to recognize the risks associated with certain forms of media coverage and understand how positive stories can promote hope and encourage people to seek help.
• The goal is to promote a responsible approach to communication so that journalists, professionals, and citizens can help save lives through the power of words

Speakers:

DR. MASSIMILIANO ORRI: Assistant professor at McGill University and a researcher at the Douglas Research Center.

Holder of the Canada Research Chair in Suicide Prevention, he studies suicide risk factors. As a clinician, he practices psychotherapy with people suffering from depression and at risk of suicide at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (DMHUI).

SANNI AYININ: Doctoral student in public health at the University of Montreal.

He was an intern at the WHO Collaborating Center for Mental Health at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute under the direction of Dr. Massimiliano Orri and under the academic supervision of Ms. Annabelle Martin, where he developed a framework for evaluating media coverage of suicide.

The ECHO model is a virtual learning method designed to strengthen the skills of healthcare professionals through the sharing of best practices among peers and experts, using educational capsules and real case studies.

The Douglas Mental Health University Institute has been mandated by the MSSS to coordinate ECHO telementoring in mental health, addictions, and homelessness across the province.

This project aims to broaden access to expertise for practitioners in Québec. This presentation outlines the benefits of the approach and explains how practitioners can access and contribute to the development of ECHO telementoring.

Objectives :

• Understand the ECHO model, its principles, goals, and how it works;
• Explore the learning opportunities offered and how to access them;
• Discover how to actively contribute to practitioner learning in Québec.

Speakers:

VALÉRIE NOËL: is a Senior Advisor specializing in the implementation and evaluation of mental health services at the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

She has research experience, particularly with youth and individuals living with severe mental disorders.

MARIE-EVE ARSENAULT: Marie-Eve is a Planning, Programming,
and Research Officer within the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Service at the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-’Île-de-Montréal since July 2022.

She is a nurse and master’s candidate in communication.

This interactive presentation, based on real-world clinical cases, will offer practical tools to enhance clinical interventions.

By stepping away from a purely clinical lens, you will explore the lived experiences of young people, their families, and professional teams. You will identify strategies, grounded in the latest evidence-based recommendations, to strengthen therapeutic alliances, foster emotional regulation, and tailor interventions to real needs.

Objectives :

• Identify practical tools to support young
  people experiencing a suicidal crisis;
• Adopt a decentered approach by integrating
  the perspectives of young people, families, and
  professionals into intervention planning;
• Apply best-practice strategies to reduce
  young people’s suffering and prevent suicide.

Speakers:

MICHEL SPODENKIEWICZ, MD, PHD: is a child psychiatrist at the CIUSSS
de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal and an associate researcher at the CEYMH
and INSERM (France).

Trained in Paris, Montreal, and San Francisco, he specializes in suicide prevention and trauma-related disorders in young people. He develops an integrative approach centered on the experiences of young people,
families, and teams.

He is also a reviewer for several international psychiatry journals and an active member of various research networks.

CHELSEA CUFFARO, BA.: is a Master’s student in Counselling Psychology at McGill University and a Lived Experience Coordinator at the Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health (CEYMH) at the Douglas Research Centre.

After struggling with mental health issues for years, she decided to transform her pain into power to help others through her story.

In 2018, Canada ranked 3rd among 20 countries with the highest number of reported online fraud cases – though only 5-10 % of victims came forward. By December 31, 2024, nearly 35,000 victims were reported, with 49,438 reports processed and losses totaling $638 million.

This interactive webinar features different perspectives: one will explore the hidden world of virtual fraud through real-life cases, while the other highlights victim profiles. With a better understanding of these issues, the participants will leave with tools to protect themselves and help raise awareness among family and friends.

Objectives :

• Learn about six major types of cyber frauds
• Demystify victim profiles
• Understand how to support fraud victims
• Know who to contact in the event of fraud

Speakers:

JO-ANNE M. WEMMERS: Professor at the School of Criminology of the University of Montreal, Jo-Anne Wemmers is a specialist in victimology. She heads the Victims, Rights and Society research team at the International Centre for Comparative Criminology. She also co-directs the Centre de justice pour les victimes d’actes criminels (www.cjvac.ca) at the Université de Montréal. Ms. Wemmers is vicepresident of the World Society of Victimology and editor of the International Review of Victimology.

SERGEANT-INVESTIGATOR: member of the Integrated Financial Crime Team of the Specialized Cyber and Financial Crime Investigation Department of the Sûreté du Québec

New guidelines from the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) include strategies for reducing exacerbations. For the first time, they also include reducing the risk of mortality as part of managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

They are also innovative in that they consider the climate impact of treatment options available to patients. These guidelines also address the connection between COPD exacerbations and cardiovascular risks, which often lead to complications and premature death.

Objectives :

• Recognizing how the risk of future exacerbations, mortality, and cardiopulmonary complications highlights the need for urgent action in COPD patients;
• Identify the best approaches and eco-friendly treatment options for COPD patients;
• Promote and integrate adoption of the new 2023 guidelines for better management in primary care from the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS).

Speaker:

STÉPHANIE ALEXANDRE: has been an AstraZeneca Medical Sciences Liaison—Primary Respiratory Care since 2024.

Stéphanie has more than 25 years’ experience as a respiratory therapist at the Lakeshore General Hospital of the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-
Montréal, including 18 years as the coordinator for systematic COPD follow-up.

Is humanization in management an abstract ideal? In this webinar, we’ll explore humanization strategies in management, using storytelling and the audience’s own experience.

Objectives :

• Understand humanization in healthcare management and the impact of dehumanization;
• Identify humanist practices applicable in a context of change;
• Illustrate the application of the Zhang et al. (2022) humanist leadership model using concrete examples

Speakers:

MARIE-PIERRE AVOINE, RN. M. Sc.: Assistant Director of Nursing Care at the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

CATHERINE HUPÉ, inf. M. Sc. Ph. D.: Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at the Université du Québec à Rimouski.

March 11, 2025: Valuing Food Services for Optimal Care: Nourish, Prevent and Heal

Why shouldn’t nutrition be a clinical priority? During a stay in a healthcare centre, nutrition should be emphasized to help prevent deterioration in nutritional and health status, and to treat certain pathologies. The presentation will demonstrate how enhancing the value of food services could improve the quality of care, while also enabling potential cost savings.

Objectives: 

• Demonstrate the importance of food services in the therapeutic management of users:
  • What we can do to ensure the positive impact of food services on the therapeutic management of users;
  • Identify possible solutions;
  • Find the steps involved;
  • Recognize the benefits;
  • Become familiar with opportunities for future improvement.

Speakers: 

Marie-Hélène Cyr, RD.:is a nutritionist advisor at the CIUSSS ODIM with a wide range of experience in various clinical settings and food service management. She is passionate about the importance of promoting and implementing best practices in nutritional care

Debby Berteau, RD : y is a nutritionist in a consulting role with the Food Services Management team at the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-deMontréal. She oversees the development and implementation of rigorous criteria for the menu management system.

February 25, 2025: Chronic pain:
understanding the mechanisms
to adjust treatment

Pain is a complex phenomenon involving various neurophysiological mechanisms. Dysregulation of endogenous modulation systems can lead to centrally generated pain, which is often resistant to conventional treatments. Differentiating neuropathic pain from nociceptive pain is crucial to adapting therapeutic approaches.

This presentation explores identification of underlying mechanisms and adjustment of treatments according to pain type. It also highlights the influence of psychological factors on these mechanisms and their impact on treatment efficacy.

Objectives: 

• Distinguish between the clinical features of nociceptive, neuropathic and neuroplastic pain;
• Explore the role of central pain mechanisms in the development and persistence of chronic pain;
• Develop strategies for defining collaborative treatment goals with the patient.

Speaker: 

DR. Serge Marchand.: is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke and a researcher at CRCHUS.

He has served as Scientific Director of CRCHUS, the Fonds de recherche du Québec—Santé (FRQS) and Lucine, a digital therapy start-up in Bordeaux. He was also Scientific Vice-President at Génome Québec.

He is the author of several articles and books on pain. His research explores the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in the development, persistence and treatment of chronic pain, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and treatments in this field.

January 28, 2025: Stress, regulation, and adaptation:
A trauma-sensitive approach
to dysregulation and aggression

We all experience stress daily and are continually regulating our physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses to stress in our environments. Experiences of extreme stress and adversity can overwhelm people’s response systems, leading to dysregulation in a high-stress moment. Dysregulation can manifest as withdrawal, aggression, or violence.

In trauma-informed approaches, changes to physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses to high-stress experiences are viewed as adaptive. Because these responses are adaptive, they are candidates for change through interventions that increase regulation capacity and reduce dysregulation, aggression, and violence.

We will share examples from our research on such interventions and how they work.

Objectives: 

• Increase understanding of the adaptive nature of our physiological, emotional, and cognitive responses to stress;
• Increase understanding of the relationship between dysregulation and responses that are withdrawn, aggressive, or violent;
• Demonstrate interventions that can be used inmoments of dysregulation to support regulation and inhibit withdrawal, aggression, or violence;
• Explore interventions that can be used to change behaviour and develop new adaptive responses to stress and adversity to remain regulated during experiences of high stress.

Speakers: 

• Katherine Maurer, PHD; LSMW RSW.: is an Associate Professor in the McGill School of Social Work and obtained a PhD in Clinical Social Work at New York University Silver School of Social Work. Katherine practiced in New York City as a trauma therapist and clinical social worker with diverse marginalised populations.

November 26, 2024: Male caregivers, including ethno cultural communities and other specific populations

This rapid literature review explores the needs and challenges faced by male caregivers, identifying the available support services. Generally, these men encounter emotional, physical, social, economic, and legal challenges. The needs vary among populations, including men in general, those from ethnocultural communities, the LGBTQ2A+ community, rural areas, and senior men.

This review highlights the necessity of developing targeted interventions, tailored and inclusive support programs, as well as holistic and flexible approaches to address their diverse needs.

Objectives: 

• To determine the needs, issues, and best practices of male caregiving.
• To identify the various support services used by male caregivers.

Speakers: 

• Bertine Sandra Akouamba, PHD; LSSGB.: Scientific Advisor at the Health and Social Services Technology and Intervention Assessment Unit of the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal since 2018. Holding a doctorate in microbiology and immunology and a Lean Six Sigma certification, she has been developing evidence-based decision support tools since 2012.
• Sophie Audette-Chapdelaine: Scientific advisor at the Health and Social Services Technology and Intervention Assessment Unit of the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de Montréal, she has nearly 20 years of experience in research and scientific knowledge dissemination, particularly in health, law, and anthropology.

October 22, 2024: Cyberaddiction among young people: Identifying, understanding and taking action

Presentation of research results from the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and clinical experience from the Grand Chemin.

The Internet and new technologies occupy a central place in our personal and professional lives. Young people, born into this digital environment, are daily users. However, for some, this use becomes excessive, leading to psychological, social and professional impacts as well as feelings of distress: this is what is known as cyberaddiction.

This webinar will offer an overview of current research into cyberaddiction among young people, while proposing concrete solutions to encourage healthy use of technology. It will also include a testimonial and a presentation by the Grand Chemin organization.

Objectives: 

• Recognizing the impact of cyberaddiction on the brain and hippocampus;
• Showing the complex profile of young people with problematic Internet use (UPI);
• Identifying solutions: everything is reversible.

Speakers: 

• DR. Véronique Bohbot, PHD.: Dr. Bohbot is an expert in the field of spatial memory. She uses virtual reality and neuroimaging to study the impact of technologies such as video games on the hippocampus and their consequences for healthy cognition, as well as stimulating memory and the hippocampus, thereby reducing the risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
• Marie-Josée Michaud: Ms. Michaud is a Coordinator of prevention services, consultant in addiction, screen and substance use disorders. With an exceptional ability to make complex ideas accessible and captivating, she transforms abstract concepts into tangible knowledge. She excels at creating a stimulating learning environment. She draws on her experience as a youth worker.