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In a study published in MDPI Journal, a team of researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute have shown that the use of technology may assist in better outcomes for those living with both mental health and physical disorders.
 

Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, Assistant Scientific Director at Lawson, and her team embarked on a pilot study that used smart home monitoring solutions to assist those living with both a mental health disorder and other health challenges. The purpose of this pilot study was to see if technology could improve overall lifestyle and wellbeing.
 
“We began our research by using hospital prototype apartments – apartment style care spaces within hospital settings – that were equipped with smart home technology solutions such as a screen device, activity trackers, weigh scales and medication dispensers,” says Dr. Forchuk who is also the Beryl and Richard Ivey Research Chair in Aging, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Recovery at St. Joseph’s Health care London. “Once we tested it in a hospital setting, we wanted to find a way to take this idea out into the community in different kinds of housing and living situations to see if it would be beneficial.”

The research team partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the London and Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) to work together to retrofit the homes of the 13 study participants.

“We worked together with the participants and their care providers to choose what combination of technology they felt would be best for them,” says Dr. Forchuk. “No matter their health condition each participant wanted to be more active and independent, with the goal of staying out of hospital.”

All smart devices were connected to the Lawson Integrated Database, which is a database that can securely collect data from multiple sources such as health devices. This allowed care providers to send reminders to participants, while also tracking usage and results.

“The key benefits we noted was that study participants started to live healthier lives,” says Jonathan Serrato, Lawson Research Associate. “Participants logged going for walks and exercising more often, as well as making healthier food choices. Those who used the medication dispensers did not miss a single dose. The touch screen devices also allowed participants to easily communicate with care providers and support networks, and access more resources.”

Following the pilot study, the research team also published a subsequent paper, as a ‘how-to guide’ for utilizing smart home technology interventions as a health care tool.

“This paper is a helpful resource that outlines implications and considerations when it comes to smart home technologies,” adds Serrato. “There are many areas we touch upon such as security, privacy and feasibility as well as hardware and software information for those who would like to take on their own similar type of smart home technology project.”


 

Dr. Kristin Clemens has been selected as the new Site Director for ICES Western, the London, Ontario division of a province-wide non-profit focused on using health-related data to evaluate outcomes. ICES Western is a collaborative initiative between Lawson Health Research Institute, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London.

Dr. Clemens is a Scientist at Lawson and an Endocrinologist at St. Joseph’s. She is also an Assistant Professor in epidemiology and biostatistics at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. Dr. Clemens recently sat down to discuss the impact of the work being done through ICES Western and her hopes for the future.

1.    What are you most excited for as ICES Western’s new site director?

I get to continue to work closely with an amazing group of ICES Western staff and scientists. ICES Western is already a well-oiled machine and home to scientific hubs of research in neurological health, homelessness and socioeconomic disparities, surgery, mental health, kidney disease and more. As a leader, I will not only be able to help harness some of our existing strengths, but have a chance to continue to move our institution forward. For example, Dr. Amit Garg (outgoing Site Director) will be advancing new and innovative randomized controlled trials in London, and ICES Western's going to continue to play a major role in that. There is so much more potential for innovation using our data sources; I think it's going to be a really exciting next few years for us.

2.    Why did you choose to become involved with ICES Western?

I have been with ICES for about 14 years. I have lived it as an ICES trainee as a Medical Student and Resident/Fellow and became an ICES Adjunct Scientist after completing the inaugural ICES Faculty Scholars program hosted by ICES Western. I became more and more engaged with the community as a member of local ICES committees and then started to lead some of the larger research programs at ICES Western. It was the perfect time and really a natural fit for me to embark on a new leadership journey with the institution.

3.    What do you hope to bring to your new position?

I'm an enabling and collaborative researcher and have been fortunate to work with multidisciplinary teams of scientists from across Western and Lawson. What I hope to do is not only support existing ICES staff, scientists, and initiatives, but also attract new researchers to the institution. I think London, Ontario, is such an incredible city for academia. I really want to use my collaborative skills and strong relationships to try to grow and expand our reach.

4.    Has the work at ICES played a role in your research?

Yes, absolutely. My clinical and research focus has been on improving the care and outcomes of patients who live with complex comorbidities and disparities. ICES research allows us to focus on real-world gaps in care in Ontario and it gives us an opportunity to study people and patients who have not been able to participate in randomized trials or traditional research studies. 

5.    What impact does the work at ICES have on research being done in Ontario and across Canada?

ICES is home to one of the world's largest collections of administrative data sets that contain everything from hospital visits and physician encounters to use of medications and long-term care. We also have the unique ability to link data from national surveys or existing cohorts with administrative data. Because of this, ICES is very much at the forefront of improving care and quality for all Ontarians. Our research is shared internationally with both academics and non-academics, and it has changed practice and policy; it's an extremely impactful organization.

6.    What do you see in the future for the organization?

I think in the future we will continue to do what we're already great at, like studying the use of health services and existing hubs of research, but also find ways to use our rich data sources, methods and talented staff to really innovate and advance research in London. With new collaborations in the city, we can also continue to grow and contribute.

7.    What is the most important thing people should know about ICES?

ICES Western is here for London’s community of researchers, health care providers and decision makers. We have more than 20 scientists and dozens of highly qualified staff who are passionate about advancing high-quality, impactful work. ICES Western is a valuable resource for the community.

Local youth use art and storytelling to illustrate the personal and system challenges in mental health.

The words and images are both heartbreaking and hopeful.

“Nobody likes you if you are sad.”

you are enough. stay strong. let life surprise you.

“Please don’t leave like everyone else.”

1 year sober. 1 year of school. 1 year building a safe home. 1 year loving myself.

Zine-writing, a personal and introspective medium often used by people who have been marginalized, is an important part of local research that is finding solutions to complex mental health challenges among young adults. Its name derives from its magazine (“zine”) format.

“When we make the voices of people with lived experience central to our research, we can learn from each other and then change the system together,” says Dr. Arlene MacDougall, founder of MINDS of London-Middlesex.

The social innovation and research lab based at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) is dedicated to designing, piloting and testing mental health innovations for teens and young adults. Its recent evolution into MINDS 2.0 adds insights by and for people up to age 35 who have complex, pervasive mental health and addiction issues.

Learning from experts

Rin, a London artist, who has published independent zines for a decade, created three for this project, including one that, with irony, asks the reader to ponder which vulnerable people aren’t worth saving.

“I believe making art can be very healing,” says Rin. “I wanted to share some of my story to help myself and help others. I want to play a part in shaping a mental health system that’s better than the one I encountered.”

The zines weave art, prose and poetry into story:

3 things I would change: affordability, stigma, waitlists.

“If I had a magic wand, I would use it to heal the waters, grow the trees, foster animal growth.”

Look in the mirror, see how far you’ve come.

They also raise and propose solutions to troubling issues among people with mental illness: housing and homelessness, sparse resources for people with addictions, lack of coordination among service providers, and dehumanizing attitudes in health and criminal justice systems.

“Participants experienced catharsis just in telling their stories,” says Renee Hunt PhD, Associate Director of Research and Operations at MINDS. “And because they’re the experts, they’re also playing an important part in changing systems that need an overhaul.”

Adds Rin, “It feels empowering knowing people are listening to us – people who care and are committed to making change to the system.”

MacDougall notes the pivotal role of St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation – in particular, a groundbreaking $5-million donation towards mental health research from philanthropist Ryan Finch – in advancing mental health innovation through MINDS and MINDS 2.0.

“They’ve been our biggest supporters since day one. This wouldn’t have happened without support from Ryan and the foundation and all the many donors who believe in mental health research,” says MacDougall, who is also Director of Research and Innovation with St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Program.

“MINDS has been a catalyst for system change,” MacDougall adds. “Research is always about finding answers and generating impact.”

Many findings from MINDS research have been put into practice, among them are the creation of guidebooks for peer support, free taxi service for rural youth needing urban mental health or addiction services, and educational resources to support 2SLGBTQI+ students.

MacDougall says MINDS 2.0 expands that work with new voices and the exploration of more in-depth solutions.
 

What’s next for MINDS 2.0

• Workshopping ideas and prototypes for mental health systems change.  Sessions will be held   where people with lived/living experience and service providers propose and develop potential solutions.
• Leadership-building. Twenty mental health practitioners will be trained to become “agents of change” who will collectively create, implement and evaluate mental health programs, technology, interventions and training.
• Imaginarium conference. In 2025, a first-of-its-kind national conference will take place to share system innovations in mental health and addiction.

Research from Lawson Health Research Institute is helping to advance harm reduction strategies in hospitals for people who use substances. In an announcement today, Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West, on behalf of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Canada’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, announced how $72,768 in funding from Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program is supporting this ongoing work at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s).

“Here in London, just like many other cities across Canada, we’re seeing substance use harms continue to take a tragic toll on our families and friends,” says MP Kayabaga. “We are committed to supporting organizations who are on the ground in communities, helping to keep people who use substances safe.”

Research from Lawson has found patients who use methamphetamine reported stigma and a lack of understanding about addiction among health-care providers and hospital staff. This can sometimes result in patients not seeking care, experiencing withdrawal while receiving care or leaving a hospital against medical advice.

Building on those findings, a team led by Lawson researchers, Drs. Cheryl Forchuk and Michael Silverman, has been working to implement and study harm reduction strategies at LHSC and St. Joseph’s, including those aimed at facilitating changes in attitude, knowledge, organizational support and safety approaches.

“There’s a lot of stigma and misunderstanding about substance use,” says Dr. Forchuk, Scientist and Assistant Scientific Director at Lawson. “This project aims to embed education on substance use and harm reduction as a foundational way to improve care and outcomes.”

As part of the research project, Darren Scott, a Peer Harm Reduction Worker with Regional HIV/AIDS Connection who has lived experience with substance use, and Tammy Fischer, a Clinical Nursing Educator in LHSC’s Mental Health and Addictions Program, have been working to educate health-care workers about harm reduction practices.

“I am able to share with patient caregivers how I was treated while I was in active addiction,” shares Scott. “I can let them know what people are going through from the other side and provide advice on how to care for them. The health-care teams have been fantastic and very open-minded throughout this project. I have received feedback that it is vital to include people with lived experience in this education.”

One area of focus from this study has been education around sharps boxes in inpatient hospital rooms. Sharps boxes allow for the safe disposal of sharps like needles to protect the health and safety of patients and health-care teams. Through this study, the research team identified that when sharps boxes are removed from the rooms of patients suspected of using substances to discourage substance use it leads to harm. 

“About half of patients who use substances are still using in-hospital, since suddenly stopping use is often not feasible nor safe. Access to sharps boxes decreases the risk of injury to health-care teams and patients,” Fischer explains. “People who use any injection must have safe means to dispose of used equipment.” 

The team launched a campaign to educate health-care teams on the importance of keeping sharps boxes in patient rooms. Preliminary data from interviews with patients who use substances found they noticed a difference after this education. Patients felt more comfortable speaking to health-care teams and noted they could be more open about discussing their addiction.

Government of Canada funding is critically important to this work and builds on just over $1 million in previously announced funding. The project is one of several harm reduction research initiatives being explored collaboratively through LHSC and St. Joseph’s to ensure people who use substances receive the highest quality of equitable care.

“This investment is part of our comprehensive and compassionate approach to reducing harms as a result of substance use. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to build a safer, healthier and more caring future for all Canadians,” says Minister Saks. “Supporting local organizations who have deep roots in their communities and have the trust of their patients is making a real difference in people’s lives in the community of London, Ontario.”

Drs. Cheryl Forchuk and Ruth Lanius have been elected as Fellows with the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) in recognition of their significant contributions to mental health research.

Dr. Forchuk, Assistant Scientific Director at Lawson and the Beryl and Richard Ivey Research Chair in Aging, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Recovery at St. Joseph Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute, has worked tirelessly to advance research that has resulted in improved hospital discharge models, harm reduction strategies and support for those living without housing, among other concerns. Most recently she has hosted forums across Canada in an effort to better understand homelessness and the number of people experiencing it.

“It’s an honour to be included among such a talented group and alongside my mental health colleague,” says Dr. Forchuk, who is also a Distinguished University Professor at Western University. “A lot of important work remains to be done to better support those living with mental health challenges.”

Dr. Lanius, Associate Scientist at Lawson and Psychiatrist at London Health Sciences Centre, is world-renowned for advancing the understanding and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through her research. She has been instrumental in defining different types of PTSD and combining imaging and psychiatry to develop new therapies that use neurofeedback or sensory processing to ‘train the brain.’

“Advancing knowledge is crucial to improving quality of life,” notes Dr. Lanius, who is also the Harris Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine and a Professor at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. “I’m very excited to be recognized with such a distinguished group of contributors to research and academics.”

RSC fellows are elected by peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. This year’s 101 new fellows will be inducted into the RSC on November 17.

Researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute have launched a pilot study and pilot project called Queer in the Classroom, to examine the benefits of a proactive, inclusive approach within the education system for those who are part of the 2SLBTGQIA+ student community.

“The Queer in the Classroom initiative is so important because when we look at the data, youth in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are 14 times more likely to die by suicide,” says Dr. Arlene MacDougall, Lawson Scientist, Director of MINDS and Psychiatrist at St. Joseph’s Health Care London. “We need to be focusing on this population who are also experiencing a higher degree of isolation, stigma and substance use.”

The pilot project focuses on professional development for teachers and staff to help create an environment that is tailored to best support 2SLGBTQIA+ students through the additional stress they face as a minority group. 

“This project is about connecting with school boards and teachers to help develop the knowledge and skills to create spaces that go beyond tolerating differences,” explains MacDougall. “The focus is to create an environment that is more affirming, that is more responsive and more proactive rather than reactive.”

The foundation for the pilot project came from a scoping review of existing research on this topic conducted by the research team through the Mental Health INcubator for Disruptive Solutions (MINDS), that looked extensively at how teachers themselves can create a classroom that embraces all students. 

“We further conducted our own research based on a series of interviews of 2SLGBTQIA+ students at both elementary and secondary schools in Ontario, and their parents and teachers. We focused on not only their safety in school, but also being celebrated for who they are,” says Iylah Neves, Lawson Research Assistant through MINDS.  “We drew on all of this research to best inform the practices we are using with the Queer in the Classroom initiative.”

Currently the Queer in the Classroom project is being rolled out on a ‘by-request’ basis. However, the research team is working with a couple of school boards within Ontario to discuss the possibility of wider implementation.

“Queer in the Classroom has been driven by the voices of students with personal experiences who feel there is a deep need for this type of innovation,” says Neves. “It is our responsibility to make those changes so that students can access a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment.”

Dr. Frank Prato is a man of many firsts:

First in Canada to conduct magnetic resonance brain imaging. A pioneer in magnetic resonance cardiac imaging. Driving force behind the installation of Canada’s first PET/MR scanner. Founder of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) while president of the Canadian College of Medical Physicists.

And while Dr. Prato admits to a competitive streak that constantly propels him to break new ground in medical physics, the renowned, prolific researcher is keen to note these innovations have been part of a larger team effort.

“My career has been filled with opportunities to work with and train some spectacular scientists who have made major contributions across Canada and around the world,” he says. “I’m proud of the whole group that has developed over the years and the support St. Joseph’s has provided.”

Chief Medical Physicist at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s), Dr. Prato has been awarded the 2024 COMP Gold Medal, the organization’s highest award for outstanding career achievement.

“Dr. Prato’s ground-breaking work in the field of medical physics has not only advanced the scientific community but also significantly impacted patient care in Canada and beyond,” says COMP President Boyd McCurdy, “His pursuit of innovation and excellence exemplifies the highest standards of our profession, and we celebrate his outstanding contributions to medical physics with admiration and gratitude.”

Dr. Prato is also Assistant Scientific Director and Imaging Program Leader at Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) and professor of medical imaging and medical biophysics at Western University.

“I have worked with Frank for 36 years now and have come to recognize him as one of the finest people I know,” says Dr. Ting-Yim Lee, Director of PET/CT Research at Lawson, medical physicist at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and one of the nominators of Dr. Prato for the award.

“Frank is unfailingly helpful and authentic, a great listener and a tenacious problem-solver. He demonstrates excellence and professionalism in medical physics locally, nationally and internationally.”

Dr. Lee cites Dr. Prato’s leadership in being “at the forefront of numerous international innovations in nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology.”

Throughout his 48 years as a medical physicist, Dr. Prato has been inspired by the potential of technology’s reach into human health.

“I’ve always wanted to work in an area where we can do research, with a vision of what’s going to be important in patient health. I get excited about being on the leading edge of discovery that’s embedded in patient care.”

Critical advancements in nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology, thanks to the work of Dr. Prato and his St. Joseph’s/Lawson team, have included:

• Introducing the first bone mineral density imaging procedure on a patient in Canada, a tool now essential for managing osteoporosis.
• Performing the first magnetic resonance brain imaging in Canada, setting a national standard.
• Pioneering magnetic resonance cardiac imaging techniques, enhancing the understanding of myocardial scarring and blood flow assessment.
• Introducing the first PET/CT and PET/MR scanners in Canada, revolutionizing molecular imaging and proving the economic value of advanced imaging technologies.
• Imaging the brains of premature infants, a world first.
• Developing Canada’s first self-sustaining cyclotron infrastructure.
• Conducting the world’s first MRI-compatible, high-resolution brain PET scan.
• Early diagnosis and treatment of dementia, mental illness and prostate cancer.

Dr. Prato’s leadership extends beyond his technical achievements. As the founder of COMP, an organization that now includes more than 800 professionals, he played a crucial role in establishing the organization, advocating for medical physicists' independent voice and professional growth.

His tenure as President and board member of the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM) was marked by significant advancements, including enhancing certification processes and establishing reciprocity with the American Board of Medical Physics. Dr. Prato also received the Valuable Service Award from CCPM in 2002 and was named a Fellow of COMP in 2013.

Earlier this spring, Dr. Prato received a Dean’s Award of Excellence for Research Faculty from Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. He is also the sole Canadian to have won the d'Arsonval Award, an international honour from the Bioelectromagnetics Society.

A dedicated mentor, Dr. Prato has guided more than 60 Masters of Science students, PhD students and Post-Doctoral Fellows, many of whom have won awards and secured prominent positions in the field. His mentorship has been instrumental in the success of numerous scientists within the Imaging Program at Lawson, contributing to a legacy of innovation for years to come.

“At 78 years old,” he says, “I am pleased to say I have achieved things at St. Joseph’s that will far outlast me.”

Lawson Research Institute scientist Cheryl Forchuk focuses on ‘giving value and voice’

Renowned mental health and homelessness researcher Cheryl Forchuk, a Lawson Research Institute scientist and Distinguished University Professor, has been appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.

The award, one of Canada’s highest honours, was announced June 30 by Governor-General Mary Simon.

Forchuk has dedicated her career to driving change on complex issues, including addiction, homelessness and mental health challenges, emphasizing relationships and participation from the populations she studies.

“We’re talking about people that generally experience a lot of discrimination in society. When I started working in this field, it was really hard to get things funded because the groups themselves were not valued. Their opinion was not valued. A lot of my work is trying to give value and voice to these populations,” Forchuk said.

She said she was surprised and humbled by the appointment to the Order of Canada.

“I feel humbled, because all the research I do is part of a team effort. I have always had great support from community partners, people with lived experience, other researchers and my staff at the office.”

In addition to her role as Lawson scientist, Forchuk is a Distinguished University Professor in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing in Western's Faculty of Health Sciences, with a cross-appointment in the department of psychiatry at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.

Forchuk has published 200 articles and 12 books, delivered more than 600 conference presentations or workshops and supervised more than 60 graduate students.

Forchuk is known nationally and internationally for her work improving systems of recovery and community integration. Her team created the “transitional discharge model” to ensure people released from hospital maintain connections with service providers in hospital or in the community while receiving peer support from someone with lived experience. It was repeatedly shown to reduce the length of hospital stays while improving outcomes for patients.

The model has since been adopted in parts of Canada, the U.S. and Europe and was included as an example of mental health practice by the World Health Organization in its guidance on mental health services that respect human rights. Forchuk is currently conducting research on women veterans experiencing homelessness.

“A trailblazer in mental health and homelessness research, Dr. Forchuk has spent more than four decades advancing our understanding of these complex issues and shaping policies that have improved the lives of the unhoused,” said Jayne Garland, former dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, and Forchuk’s nominator for the Order of Canada.

“She is a respected researcher, an influential leader and a passionate advocate for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. This recognition reflects the profound and lasting impact of her work.”

Forchuk’s studies have reduced crises and improved quality of life for hundreds of people, saving millions of dollars in health care and social service spending as a result.

“Dr. Forchuk is an innovative, forward-thinking leader in mental health, housing and homelessness,” said Victoria Smye, director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing.

“Her contributions in Canada and beyond to the mental well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in our society – people who have been highly marginalized by inequity – have made a real impact. She has truly changed lives.”

Forchuk said her appointment to the Order of Canada is meaningful, but not because of the personal or reputational benefits.

“Receiving this honour shows me there’s a recognition that these are important issues and these approaches to finding solutions – including people who are the experts, people with lived experience and those working on the frontlines – are valued,” Forchuk said.

“It tells me to keep going, and that it’s working, which we know. It solidifies that this is the right approach to address very complex societal issues, and to make sure we include the right voices.”

Those invested into the Order of Canada fall into three levels. Members of the Order of Canada are recognized for their service to a particular community or field, officers are appointed for their high degree of achievement or merit, especially for service to the entire country or humanity at large, and companions of the Order of Canada – the highest recognition – are those deemed to have made contributions of the highest degree to Canada or the world.

Following a labyrinth is a spiritual practice that’s good for body, mind and spirit. 

It leads to increased calm, reduced blood pressure and stress, and improved mental health and well-being, say researchers and patient care experts at St. Joseph’s Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care (Southwest Centre). 

On World Labyrinth Days - May 3 and May 4, staff, patients and residents at St. Joseph’s are invited to join thousands across the globe who “walk as one at 1 pm.” 

While books and movie culture often show labyrinths as places where people get hopelessly lost, ground-breaking studies conducted through Lawson Health Research Institute show labyrinths can be just the opposite: they’re places people can find hope and find themselves. 

Unlike mazes that are puzzles with many choices and many dead ends, labyrinths have continuous lines that lead to and from the centre.  

“Walking a labyrinth is a form of walking mediation,” says Rev. Stephen Yeo, spiritual care practitioner at Southwest Centre and a Lawson researcher. “It is a wonderful way to look after one’s body, mind and spirit. It is a very inclusive practice, regardless of how you engage the sacred in your life and in the world.” 

There are two permanent labyrinths at Southwest Centre – one indoors and one outdoors. In addition, this spiritual tradition is available at all St. Joseph’s sites. The Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building has an indoor labyrinth in the Multifaith Room and an outdoor labyrinth as well—all of them suitable for people who walk or wheel.  

In addition, Mount Hope and St. Joseph’s Hospital each have finger labyrinths available for meditation in their multifaith rooms. Other labyrinth opportunities exist across sites including an opportunity to walk a portable labyrinth at the Parkwood Institute Main Building in the Multifaith Room every Friday at noon. 

Southwest Centre in Elgin County also has a portable labyrinth, with lines painted on canvas, that’s often used at other locations. “Have labyrinth, will travel,” Stephen quips. 

For nearly a decade, he has facilitated walking labyrinths at Southwest Centre with larger groups during seasonal times of solstice and equinox, as a purposeful step that’s also part of truth and reconciliation practices with Indigenous peoples. 

“While it may be world labyrinth day this weekend, it’s labyrinth day here at Southwest Centre regularly as something that’s incorporated into our care and practice,” Stephen says. 

The research team’s work examining the benefits of labyrinth-walking in a forensic mental health care setting has been cited globally. 

Says principal investigator Clark Heard, “I see significant benefit in labyrinth-walking in settings such as mental health care facilities, although I would stress that these benefits could also be generalized to any participant in a community setting.” 

“Walking a labyrinth is a regenerative and restorative experience that helps people connect with the personally sacred,” says Clark, who is an occupational therapist at Southwest Centre and is an Associate Scientist at Lawson.  

They promote self-care, hope, resilience and coping. They help connect people to the spiritual side of themselves and to relationships sacred to ourselves and the environment. 

“Our team’s work identified that labyrinth participation can support meaning-making in the most difficult of circumstances, while at the same time making room for important aspects of mental wellness such as the quest for hope and search for meaning,” Clark says. 

Stephen first walked a labyrinth three decades ago during a retreat at a monastery in Winnipeg. It became part of his regular practice of engaging the sacred in his life, and he is now a certified labyrinth facilitator. 

“A labyrinth is so simple that you don’t need someone to lead you through. Whether it's facilitated or not, a person inevitably benefits from walking one,” he says.