December 2021: Volume 6 Issue 2

Human use of psychedelic substances has been practiced for 5,700 years in social, religious, and medicinal applications alike. Early pharmacological study of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and other “classic psychedelics” psilocybin, mescaline, and N,Ndimethyltryptamine (DMT), suggested therapeutic potential for conditions such as anxiety and substance dependence. Additionally, research indicated that psychedelics were neither addictive nor toxic and appeared to produce several positive effects after a single dosing session. Criticism of methodological shortcomings, alongside cultural stigma and criminalization, ultimately curtailed further scientific investigation of psychedelics in the context of psychotherapy. Despite marked historical hurdles, the recent resurgence of clinical examination involving psychedelics suggests that the scientific community has begun to look beyond the stigmatization of such substances and towards their therapeutic potential. Through a broad examination of early and contemporary clinical trials, this article explores the prospect of psychedelics as psychotherapy in the context of methodological, cultural, and political influences. This analysis outlines the historical evolution of psychedelic clinical investigation, with the aim of presenting the warranted and unbiased study of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in light of current public health demands.

When contemplating the history of Indigenous-settler relations in North America, it is important to consider whose stories are being privileged, and why. This paper will offer a comparative study of recent works by Canadian settler poet Laurie D. Graham and Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier, both of whom address stories of nineteenth-century colonial violence against Indigenous people on either side of the Canada-US border. Both poets address similar Indigenous-settler dynamics relating to the government takeover of Indigenous lands, but use different literary techniques to do so. In her poems “Battleford Gravesite” and “Visiting Pîhtokahanapiwiyin’s / Poundmaker’s Grave,” Graham writes about the 1885 Northwest Resistance in Saskatchewan, and the events which lead up to the hanging of eight Indigenous men—the largest mass hanging in Canadian history. In her poem “38,” Long Soldier writes about the 1862 Sioux Uprising in Minnesota, and the eventual hanging of 38 men—the largest mass hanging in American history. Both poets question the memorialization of Indigenous history; however, Long Soldier ultimately takes her process of remembering further than Graham by suggesting that memorialization should consist of both written words and embodied actions. By looking at these works together as a non-Indigenous person, I will investigate the role and value of memorialization of colonial history and consider what poetry can offer in conversations about Indigenous history and reconciliation in North America.

As the Canadian population ages and rates of aging-related disorders increase, it is important to find medical interventions that promote health. Dementia is becoming an increasing concern among Canadians, accompanying an increased risk of all infections and a greater chance of adverse health effects following infection. This makes it incredibly important to ensure that persons with dementia are receiving a seasonal influenza vaccination. However, influenza vaccine uptake in persons with dementia remains below the recommended rate of vaccination. The current study examined how the presence of comorbidities may impact the rate of influenza vaccination among persons with dementia. Key comorbidities relating to dementia include Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. As influenza vaccination for dementia patients is an important protective factor, it is important to implement routine care that may increase vaccination rates. Data was drawn from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2015-2016 and the indirect measure of Cognitive status scored 4-6 was used to represent the dementia population. Information from 130 000 Canadians was available; however, only 418 Canadians met the cognitive status restrictions and were included in the study. Chi-squared tests were used to test variable relationships. The presence of heart disease and COPD were both associated with a significantly higher vaccination rate. However, the relation to routine care was insignificant. These findings are interesting, as it raises the question of why heart disease and COPD raised vaccination rates if not due to routine care. Continuing research with the dementia population is needed to find ways to promote protective vaccination such as the seasonal flu shot.

Introduction: Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic drug and the only approved pharmacotherapy for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Despite this, there are many barriers to its use, including life-threatening adverse effects such as agranulocytosis and myocarditis. Another barrier is a lack of health professional confidence and knowledge related to clozapine, which may stem from inadequate or limited clozapine-related training. A standardized, evidence-based protocol to care for patients on clozapine may improve healthcare providers’ knowledge and confidence when caring for patients on clozapine. A clozapine Clinical Toolkit (CTK) was developed and implemented in Vancouver, British Columbia, and, with permission, was adapted for use at the Dubé Centre for Mental Health (DCMH). Prior to the CTK being used by nursing staff at the DCMH, small group education sessions were held to assess nurse’s current knowledge and confidence regarding clozapine, as well as to provide education on clozapine and the CTK. The education sessions used components of the CTK to assist in educating nursing staff on clozapine. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the education sessions on nurses’ confidence and knowledge related to clozapine.

Methods: Groups of one to five nurses at the DCMH were provided mixed-media education sessions on clozapine. Sessions were led by one or two researchers and lasted between 15 to 20 minutes. Pre- and post-education questionnaires were administered to assess nurses’ knowledge and confidence related to clozapine. Questionnaire completion was voluntary and anonymous. The results were analyzed using simple summary statistics.

Results & Conclusion: The pre-education questionnaire was completed by 81 nurses, and the post-education questionnaire was completed by 80 nurses. The small group, mixed-media education sessions improved nursing knowledge on three out of five clozapine knowledge-based questions, and overall enhanced nurses’ self-reported confidence related to clozapine.

Background: Adventure Therapy, which often includes forms of green exercise in addition to traditional psychotherapeutic methods, has been shown to be a moderately effective mental health intervention. Limited research, however, has elucidated the impact of a similar type of experience on the mental health and wellbeing of non-clinical populations.

Method: The present study examined the psychosocial impacts of an intense hiking challenge on a sample of healthy adults, using a mixed-method design. Although the challenge under investigation included traditional therapeutic factors of adventure therapy (e.g., group adventure, nature, challenge, and reflection), it was delivered by a nonprofessional and did not explicitly include the use of therapeutic techniques. Participants (N = 21) were recruited from a group of young adults completing a hiking challenge (M age = 22). Participants completed self-report surveys (pre/post/1-month follow-up) to assess mindfulness, self-concept, resilience, self-efficacy, as well as depression, anxiety, and stress. Qualitative data was collected via photovoice-like interviews, to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of the hike on participants.

Results: Linear mixed models revealed significant quadratic changes in depression symptoms, mindfulness, self-concept, and resilience, generally reflecting a significant improvement pre- to post-hike and subsequent deterioration from post-hike to one-month follow-up. Thematic coding of interviews revealed five key themes capturing participants’ experiences: ‘social connection,’ ‘overcoming adversity,’ ‘appreciation for nature,’ ‘personal growth,’ and ‘symbolic significance.’

Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative results suggest that physical activity-based outdoor experiences may contribute to enhanced wellbeing in the short-term among healthy adults, but that additional work is needed to determine how to extend these benefits for the long-term.

There is an absence in the current criminological literature of peer-reviewed studies examining fear of crime on public transportation in Canada. More specifically, few studies have examined fear of crime on public transportation governed by TransLink in Metro Vancouver. This qualitative study involved 12 semi-structured, in-depth interviews to explore how Asian women experience fear of crime on public transportation in Metro Vancouver. The data were analyzed and coded inductively with three key themes emerging from the data. First, the majority of the participants indicated that they overall felt safe on public transportation. Second, participants explained various factors that increase their feelings of safety on public transportation, including transit locations with strong visibility and lighting, the presence of Transit Officials, and the transit station itself. Participants noted specific factors that decrease their feelings of safety, including travelling at night and being female. The findings provide key policy recommendations for TransLink: first, to improve their safety features on buses to be more aligned with SkyTrain safety features; and second, to improve visibility and lighting at SkyTrain and bus stations in accordance with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles.