After completing the first day of conferences and hearing from today’s panel, I have an entirely new perspective on mental health. I learned a lot about what has been going on in different countries around the world. For example, I did not know that Lithuania has the highest amount of women and children institutionalized and that the Philippines has been killing substance abusers. I enjoyed everyone’s presentation, but Dr. Watson’s presentation resonated the most with me.

I was inspired by Dr. Watson’s presentation on communication and the importance of individualizing the needs of those who use informal communication. From a communication disorders background, individuals who use informal communication would be classified as nonverbal. I love the new terminology as “nonverbal” suggests that the individual cannot communication. However, body language and eye contact are just as important as verbal communication, if not more important. At first, I was concerned that those who work with individuals who use informal communication will speak for the individual and not take into consideration the individual’s wants and needs.  I was afraid that the individual’s wants may be lost if a staff is speaking for them. After listening to Dr. Watson’s presentation and panel discussion, I believe that once we train staff to get to know the patient and look for cues, we will be able to understand what the individual is communicating since everyone has a specific and unique form of communication. While Dr. Watson was presenting, I could not help but to think how do we represent individuals who use informal communication in court? She stressed getting to know the individual, but intent can be hard to read and analyze. I am excited to bring this point up to some of my professors at UMass to see if they have any experience or knowledge on this.

I also enjoyed the presentation Lucy, the delegate from Canada, gave and the points that she made on individual needs. I love how she said some perspectives get overshadowed and we do not hear about, such as the Black Lives Movement. I had never thought about that or had taken that perspective. There are probably a lot of people who are not being heard and are only being represented by one person and their story. I was amazed that she wrote her own bill of rights for clients and was able to have that be recognized by the hospital and government. A lot of the time individuals do not know their rights or understand what they are entitled to. I hope that the US will learn from Canada’s new system and implement a better way of informing individuals of their rights, especially to their body. I am excited to learn more from the conferences and share what I have learned with my professors in the communication disorders department!