Community Mental Health: From Pedagogy to Practice

Martin Luther University College was pleased to host an engaging panel discussion: Community Mental Health: From Pedagogy to Practice on November 16, 2023. The event was facilitated by Luther Coordinator for the Department of Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy, Dr. Ara Parker.
  


Students in our MA (Spiritual Care & Psychotherapy) degree met leaders from key community mental health agencies of Waterloo Region to hear about practicum and future professional practice opportunities and ask questions. Important information and robust discussion were shared about the history and role of community mental health, whose responsibility it is to care about the emotional wellness needs of our communities and the nature of working in this field.  


From left to right: Diane McGregor, Kristine Lund, Dan Young, Susan Shwartzentruber, Matthew Isert Bender, Amanda Wood-Atkinson and Cameron Dearlove.

The panel included key leaders from the Counselling Collaborative of Waterloo Region (CCWR), an organization representing five local nonprofit community mental health agencies. These agencies include Camino Wellbeing + Mental Health (Kitchener), Porchlight Counselling and Addictions Services (Cambridge), Interfaith Counselling Centre (New Hamburg), Shalom Counselling Centre (Waterloo), and Woolwich Counselling Centre (Elmira). In addition, this panel was joined by our Principal and Dean Dr. Kristine Lund, founder of The Delton Glebe Counselling Centre and its Executive Director, Neta Gear. 

This well-attended and highly informative event focused on the practice of community mental health and connected students to the ways they can make a difference in their future careers.