Jan. 25, 2019
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Bell Let’s Talk Day, taking place Jan. 30, is an annual event designed to create a dialogue about mental health issues. Several Laurier experts are available to comment about mental health:

Jennifer Lavoie, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, is an expert on mental health, policing, violence and victimization. Her current research explores how police officers and mobile crisis teams respond to mental health crises in the community. Lavoie can be reached at 519.756.8228 ext. 5366 or jlavoie@wlu.ca.

Magnus Mfoafo-M’Carthy is an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work. He is an expert on community mental health, in particular mental health and stigma in immigrant communities, and treatment options in the community for individuals with mental illness. Prior to joining Laurier, Mfoafo-M’Carthy worked as a social worker with individuals living with serious mental illness and HIV/AIDS, adolescent sex offenders and youth in conflict with the law. He can be reached at mmfoafomcarthy@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 ext. 5238.

Michael Woodford, associate professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work, is an expert on the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ youth. Woodford’s research explores how discrimination can increase LGBTQ youth's risk of poor mental health and other negative outcomes, as well as factors that can foster their resilience to discrimination. Woodford is leading the Thriving on Campus Study, a province-wide survey exploring the experiences, mental health and academic success of LGBTQ university students in Ontario. The survey launches Feb. 1. Woodford can be reached at 519.998.4514 or mwoodford@wlu.ca.

Carolyn FitzGerald, assistant professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Education, is an expert on mental health in education. FitzGerald’s research focuses on ways educators can offer effective programs to support the development of inclusive classrooms for Ontario’s children and youth. FitzGerald is also the coordinator of Laurier’s Mental Health Issues in the Classroom certificate. She can be reached at cafitzgerald@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 ext. 4198.

Maritt Kirst is an assistant professor in the Community Psychology program at Laurier and an assistant professor (status-only) at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. She is an expert in mental health, addictions and homelessness, with a particular interest in making community-based health care and social services more accessible to vulnerable populations. Kirst can be reached at mkirst@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 ext. 3077.

Amy Clements-Cortes, an instructor in Laurier’s Music Therapy program, is a registered psychotherapist and music therapist. She is an expert on music therapy and creative arts therapies for mental health, singing for health and wellness, mental health and older adults, dementia and depression and depression in long-term care homes. Clements-Cortes can be reached at 519.897.3613 (cell) or notesbyamy2@yahoo.ca.

Laurie A. Manwell, an instructor in Laurier’s Faculty of Science, is an expert on addiction, mental health, stigma and harm-reduction interventions, as well as behavioural neuroscience and psychopharmacology. Her research spans both the natural and social sciences. She can be reached at 519.884.0710 ext. 2996 or lmanwell@wlu.ca.