Pays Plat clinical psychologist recognized as ‘champion’ in mental health field
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Pays Plat First Nation’s Christopher Mushquash was recently recognized with one of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s (CAMIMH) 2020 Champions of Mental Health Awards.
The associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Lakehead University, clinical psychologist at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, interim executive vice president research at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and chief scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, was recognized with the Innovation – Researcher or Clinician award during CAMIMH’s digital platform award celebration during Mental Health Week in May.
“It’s really a great honour to receive an award like that,” Mushquash says. “One of the things the award highlights is not only the individuals who are awarded them but also all the work that they are doing. My work in particular is in collaboration with First Nations and organizations and trainees and colleagues. It’s really the collaborative approach and the team approach that allows good work to be conducted.”
Mushquash says he was fortunate to partner with Dilico on his research and clinical work over the past nine years.
“We’ve engaged in projects where we have designed measures to help us understand wellness from a cultural perspective,” Mushquash says. “We’re developing culturally-appropriate treatments for young people based upon culture-based approaches, but also on evidence-based psychological approaches. We’ve got a new project where we’re examining and trying to understand in a clearer way trauma and how that affects people in terms of substance use and other health outcomes when they are adults.”
Mushquash adds that he also partnered with First Nations and First Nation organizations in northwestern Ontario on a range of programs to meet community needs.
Mushquash says Lakehead University has been “very supportive” of Indigenous mental health research.
“Lakehead has been a great place for me to work,” Mushquash says. “The trainees and colleagues that I work with, both in the Department of Psychology but also in other departments and in particular in the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, really allow for a lot of work to be undertaken simultaneously due to the capacity and enthusiasm and motivation that all of those groups have to do good work and to do work that helps improve wellness for First Nations and Indigenous people.”
Mushquash adds that he has been invited to share information on mental health, substance use and health in general at gatherings and meetings over the years.
“I really have developed a lot of good relationships with people in northwestern Ontario and beyond,” Mushquash says. “So when I go to those meetings and workshops, it’s a really good opportunity to engage with people and to remain engaged with people through relationship and just have good conversations and bring minds who are all trying to work towards the same goal together so we can learn and talk with each other and figure out the best way of working together to improve health.”
Mushquash and the six other award recipients — Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus, Justin Langan, Bill Makinson, Janet Stewart, HeadsUpGuys and Versett — were recognized for their work to advance the mental health agenda across the country.
“At a time when our country and the world is faced with a crisis, it’s important to recognize the great work Canadians do year round to support their communities,” says Florence Budden, co-chair at CAMIMH. “The 2020 Champions’ significant contributions to mental health is inspiring and we look forward to their continued positive action to help Canadians across the country.”