Navigating youth mental health: expert speaker offers advice to parents

VIU's 2025 Engaged Citizens Speaker Series takes place on March 11

What: “Fine” is a 4-letter word: Helping youth navigate anxiety and depression, an edition of VIU’s Engaged Citizens Speaker Series

When: Tuesday, March 11, 6:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm)

Where: VIU’s Malaspina Theatre (Building 310 at VIU’s Nanaimo campus) or online

Nanaimo, BC: Calling all caregivers! Do you worry about your child’s mental health and well-being? Wondering what you can do to help? Come to a keynote talk and interactive discussion with mental health expert Dr. Shahana Alibhai.

A family physician, best-selling author of Feel Better and TEDx speaker, Alibhai has dedicated her clinical work to helping those struggling with their mental health and redefining our approach to mental health. As the medical director of one of the largest youth health centers in our province, seeing more than 500 new patients a month, she has taken the lessons learned from our adolescents and translated them into the pearls that us as adults need to learn – both to support ourselves and our children. Merging neuroscience and what she sees every day in helping real patients, she has come up with a set of tangible steps everyone can use to move through their emotions rather than being crushed by them. CKNW radio host Jas Johal will moderate an audience Q&A following her talk.

“We all are looking for an ‘edge’ – more time, more money and more resources,” said Alibhai. “The truth of the matter is that our greatest ability to navigate mental health issues lies within us. Building our emotional capacity so we are strong yet flexible, clear but also compassionate and focused but also fluid.”

Vancouver Island University’s Engaged Citizens Speaker Series, which takes place annually in the Malaspina Theatre, tackles timely, relevant and thought-provoking topics that matter to our community. This edition of the series is in partnership with Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools and is sponsored by TD Insurance and VIU Alumni.

Free parking is available in Lot G starting at 5:30 am. Register via Eventbrite.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

Jenn McGarrigle, Communications Manager, Vancouver Island University

C: 250.619.6860 | E: jenn.mcgarrigle@viu.ca | W: news.viu.ca

The VIU community acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nation on whose traditional lands we teach, learn, research, live and share knowledge.