Dr. John Toews

The Justice and Peace Unit will be sponsoring a workshop on supporting people with mental health issues on Saturday, October 14, at St. Margaret's Church in Vancouver.

The workshop will be lead by Dr. John Toews, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Calgary who has worked for many years at understanding the interface between faith and mental illness. He is the author of the book, No Longer Alone: Mental Health and the Church.

Today, people speak openly about facets of life once taboo. Yet, through fear and misunderstanding, mental illness retains a stigma. Mentally ill people are sometimes accused of character flaws or weakness for not trying hard enough to "snap out of it." Most mentally ill persons are not violent.

Cost is $10, pay at the door. Location: St. Margaret's Church, 1530 East 22 Avenue in Vancouver, 9:30 am- 3 pm. Bring a bag lunch. To register: call David Dranchuk, 604 684-6306, Ext. 221 or Email: ddranchuk@vancouver.anglican.ca