Network in Debate

Community Mental Health

Towards emancipatory practices

11th Day

January 26, 2024

A generic image for all Networks at Debate

On January 26, 2024, the’11th Network in Debate Session organized by the Catalan Congress of Mental Health Foundation and the Catalan Association of Mental Health Professionals – AEN Catalonia.

L’Catalan Association of Mental Health Professionals (AEN-Catalonia) I love Catalan Congress of Mental Health Foundation (FCCSM) Since 2005, they have organized the “La Xarxa a Debat” (The Network in Debate) conferences, and in each edition, the conferences analyze some of the most interesting topics regarding mental healthcare, from the perspective of professionals working within the public network.

This 11th day has served to debate and reflect on key aspects of mental health and the importance of collaboration between professionals and first-person voices. Albert Mariné has highlighted that «Without community ties, there is no mental health«.

Community mental health has been the central axis of the debate where it has been defined as a cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaborative project. Susana Brignoni has highlighted that «We must strive for children and young people to internalize what happens to them and to be able to find a proper and singular name for what causes them suffering.» For this reason, Brignoni emphasized, «spaces for hospitality and meeting. To avoid pathologizing daily life and to give children the opportunity to make mistakes and get back up again.».

The eleventh "Network in Debate" session has highlighted the importance of a group perspective in community mental health and the need to create connections, as well as to have time and spaces for listening, to foster the construction of a reality beyond diagnostic categories.

Components

Lucía Artazcoz

Specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Master in Public Health from the University of Barcelona, and Doctor of Health and Life Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University. Director of the Public Health Observatory of the Barcelona Public Health Agency and Associate Professor at Pompeu Fabra University and Johns Hopkins University. She has published over 100 scientific articles in indexed journals, as well as other popular science articles, and is the author of books and book chapters. Her main research line is health inequalities, particularly in mental health, and their socioeconomic determinants.

Susana Brignoni

Director of the Nou Barris Foundation for Mental Health in Barcelona. Clinical supervisor of teams in the mental, social, and educational health network. Clinical Psychologist from the University of Buenos Aires, Psychoanalyst (ELP-AMP), and Master in Humanities from the Open University of Catalonia. Lecturer at FLACSO Argentina (Postgraduate in Psychoanalysis and Socio-educational Practices), Coordinator of the Advanced Case Seminar for the Master's degree “Clinical Practice in Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology” (University of Barcelona), and Professor in the Postgraduate program in Collective Mental Health at Rovira i Virgili University. Author of several books and articles in specialized journals.

Cristina Conejo Rodriguez

Licensed in Psychology from the University of Barcelona, and specialized in child and adolescent clinical psychology at ECPNA (School of Psychoanalytic Clinical Psychology with Children and Adolescents). Over 15 years of work experience in community action projects, from socio-educational intervention, neighborhood revitalization, and mental health.

Martin Correa-Urquiza

Doctor of Anthropology of Medicine from Rovira i Virgili University. Currently, Serra Húnter Professor at URV, and visiting professor at Pompeu Fabra University. He coordinates the Master's Degree in Medical Anthropology and Global Health (URV-CSIC) and the Postgraduate Degree in Collective Mental Health (URV-FCCSM), of which he is also co-director. Founding member and driving force behind the Ràdio Nikosia experience. Member of various research groups in the field of Social and Medical Anthropology and Mental Health. International advisor to UNESCO and the UN on projects related to Collective Health and violence prevention for the Ministry of Education in Brazil. From Medical Anthropology and Applied or Implicated Anthropology, he works in areas linked to the intersections between social movements, epistemic injustice, re-subjectivation processes, and health.

Francisco José Eiroa Orosa

European Doctor of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry from the Universities of Hamburg and Autonomous University of Barcelona. Professor and researcher at the University of Barcelona. Member of the Monitoring Commission of the Advisory Council on Mental Health and Addictions of the Generalitat de Catalunya. His research interests are focused on the analysis of awareness strategies for users and professionals in the field of mental health to improve communication between them, enhancing the participation of the former in services, and critical reflection and self-care of the latter.

Andrea Fernandez Rodriguez

Graduated in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona with a Master's degree in Psychosocial and Community Research and Intervention. Experience in prisons, gender, and homelessness, always from a feminist, intersectional, and social perspective. Currently part of the street outreach team at Arrels Fundació, providing holistic support to people experiencing homelessness, while also participating in community action and awareness-raising movements.

Alba Oliveras Puig

Medical degree from the University of Barcelona. Specialist in Family and Community Medicine. Work experience with urban and rural populations. Member of the community care reference group at CAP Horta, which works in network with local health professionals and residents to identify and support the health needs of the Horta, Carmel, and Font d'en Fargues neighborhoods. Master's degree in Comprehensive Palliative Care for People with Advanced Illnesses.

Raúl Salmeron

Degree in Psychology from the University of Barcelona. Accredited as a psychotherapist by the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA), and qualified as a Social Educator by the College of Social Educators of La Rioja. Training in psychoanalysis. Lecturer at the School of Psychoanalytic Clinic with Children and Adolescents (ECPNA). For over twenty years, he has worked in various services within the public community mental health network, initially as a social educator and therapeutic companion (Adult Day Hospital, Therapeutic Community, PSI) and later as a psychologist/psychotherapist (Adult Day Hospital, Adolescent Day Hospital, CSMIJ).

Images from the Day

Event Documentation

Lecture Alba Oliveras
Lecture Andrea Fernandez
Lecture Cristina Conejo

Lecture Francisco Eiroa
Document of Summary
Lecture Lucía Artazcoz

Lecture Martín Correa
Lecture Raul Salmeron
Lecture Susana Brignoni

Organizing Committee

Mercè Borràs, Anna Carrió, Cristina Conejo, Francisco José Eiroa, Rosa Garcia, Maria Lomascolo, Albert Mariné, Esperanza Martin, Charo Ortiz, Marta Poll, Anna Robert, Elena Serrano, Jorge Tió

Community Mental Health

Towards emancipatory practices

Components

Images from the Day

Event Documentation

Organizing Committee

Organizers

Collaborating entities

All activities held

Debate Forum

Culture, Creativity, and Mental Health in Conflict Zones

And the families? The mental health model under debate

CEA Conference

Mental Health Emergencies

With the participation of Dr. Jim Van Os

Book presentation

WHEN WE WENT CRAZY

The influence of the digital world on the construction of personal identity

Children and Adolescents Journey

Causes, aesthetic pressure, and discomfort in childhood and adolescence

2nd Day within the framework of the 8th Catalan Congress of Mental Health (2025)

Art and recovery processes in mental health

Proposals to improve the emotional well-being of young adults in digital society:

Future challenges, risk and protection factors

Mental health diagnosis:

Uses and experiences

Sexuality and gender identity in childhood and adolescence today:

The Freedom to Doubt (L. Feduchi)

Presentation of the book "Labyrinths of Wrath: Violent Extremism in Adolescence and Youth"

Workshop on violent extremism in adolescence and youth

11th Day