Topic: Tending to Your Flame Before it Burns Out: The Importance of Protecting Yourself While You Work to Change Oppressive Systems
Description: Most people realize too late that activism and advocacy, especially in this current climate can take a significant toll on their psychological wellbeing. This session will illuminate the cost of doing social justice work, and explore effective strategies to mitigate the threats in the struggle for equity.
Bio:
Donna Alexander is a Social Worker with a specialisation in addiction and mental health. She currently serves on the Clinical Equity & Inclusion Council at the Department of Psychiatry and is also an Adjunct Lecturer at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto.
She previously served as the Vice President of the Black Health Alliance and was a member of the Black Experiences in Health Care Initiative at Sinai Health Systems.
Donna consults with organizations relating to mental health services for their staff and facilitates training for staff at community-based agencies on factors relating to concurrent
disorders and cultural safety in clinical practice.
Donna holds a Master of Social work from the University of Toronto and currently works in a program that provides mental illness and substance dependence treatment and support for Black clients and their families at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health.
