Friday, Oct. 20
09:00 – 10:30 (1.5 hrs)
Meeting Room: Grand Ballroom (Grand Ballroom Level – North Tower)
Samra Zafar*

CanMEDS Roles:

1. Health Advocate
2. Medical Expert
3. Communicator

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1) Recognize how people move on with trauma, not from it; 2) Identify and navigate systemic barriers to mental health in diverse populations; and 3) Exhibit true allyship through the power of compassion and empathy.

Trauma and mental health challenges are universally prevalent. Yet, the experience of going through these challenges is highly unique due to the intersectionalities that shape our identities, especially when layered with underlying experiences of racism, sexism, shame, stigma, and other forms of oppression. When caring for our patients, families, and loved ones, it is imperative to not only empathize with their unique experience, but also meet them where they are to help them feel seen and create a safe space of belonging and healing. In this presentation, Samra Zafar weaves her personal story of healing with trauma with lessons, insights, and strategies to help eliminate systemic barriers, knee-jerk reactions to connectivity, and one-size-fits-all approaches to wellness and instead build inclusive and positively motivating healing environments.