Is this a topic you’re interested in? Would you like to talk about it, or lead a workshop?

Here’s your chance – our call for speakers.

We are looking for session leaders who speak from personal or professional experience with mental health or mental illness.

We will have approximately 10 45-minute slots, with 6 slots for prearranged speakers (e.g. approved by the selection committee), and 4 slots for “Mental Moose” – a continuation of the unconference tradition of Moosecamp at northern voice. During “Mental Moose”, participants who are interested in leading a session can pitch them on Saturday morning with a quick 30-second talk. Everyone will then vote on which sessions will be presented, and the winning sessions will be scheduled.

The theme for this year’s MentalHealthCamp is

DIVERSITY

Diversity of opinions
Diversity of religion
Diversity of ideas on how to deal with mental health
Diversity of sexual orientation
Diversity in age
Diversity in ethnic backgrounds
Diversity in socioeconomic status
Diversity of ability
And … ? (please feel free to add!)

Each one of these topics contains vast, interesting fields in and of themselves. Just think of the topic of mental health among British Columbia’s South Asian population; the diverse/diverging of the radical psychology group (here with another diversity topic: gender and bodily difference); or mental health and Christian churches. we could even look at diversity from yet another point of view – adding the topic/twist of mental health to existing bodies of research, such as the growing area of research into tourism and mental health.

Since MentalHealthCamp is about the intersection between mental health and social media, speakers and participants will discuss issues that touch on both topics, in whatever weird and wonderful and different ways. Also, this will continue to be a grassroots-based event. As long as a speaker has something interesting and constructive to contribute, it is of no consequence whether she or he has a PhD in psychiatry or is a master in the art of living a life touched by mental illness. Come one, come all! It is, after all, about diversity.

Once again, we might also have a virtual session. If you’re unable to attend the conference in person but have the technical know-how, let’s talk about using technology to bring you right into our conference here in vancouver.

If you’re interested in presenting, please send us a short (100 words or less) description of the proposal, together with a short (50 words or less) bio about yourself by June 16. Please send it to moritherapy at shaw dot ca.

The conference will happen on July 23, 2011, from 9:30am to 5:00 pm, at Vancouver’s Gallery Gachet at 88 East Cordova street .