Josep Vilajoana i Celaya, doctor in psychology and psychotherapist, has chaired the Catalan Congress of Mental Health Foundation for six years. With experience in drug addiction, health, and aging, Vilajoana is a specialist in health and well-being coaching and in work-life balance. He has been the dean of the Official College of Psychology of Catalonia and second vice president of the General Council of Psychology of Spain, and a member of the International Society for Coaching Psychology.
Next, he offers his vision on these six years at the helm of the Foundation.
– What is your assessment of these six years as president of the Catalan Congress Foundation for Mental Health? What aspects would you highlight from this period?
Six years have passed since the beginning of my presidency at the Catalan Mental Health Congress Foundation. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very significant event in recent years, especially given how much the population's mental health has suffered. However, it is also true that during these years we have consolidated projects, initiated new ones, and attempted to update our structure and communication channels, as well as our presence in society. My vision of health, including mental health, is very broad, linked to many factors that, from the Foundation, we have always considered and continue to consider. In this regard, our relationship with platforms and organizations dedicated to the defense of mental health has grown. We are closely linked and very close to these organizations, and therefore, in the projects that are launched, we strive to be participatory. This would be a focus much more centered on the Foundation's interests.
– Do you think the goals that the Board set for itself six years ago have been achieved?
The objectives that the Board had in 2018 are fully valid. Objectives such as integrating the perspective of the child and adolescent sector into the overall scope of mental health, or consolidating relationships with the administration with a view to a community-based model, are present in the Foundation's permanent spirit regarding the defense of dignified, multidisciplinary mental health care, linked to people's well-being, focused on the main protagonists, caring for professionals, and promoting the eradication of the stigma that always surrounds mental health difficulties.
During these years, we have made progress in public predispositions by the administrations, but not yet 100%% regarding effective results. Some projects, especially those more internal to the organization since the beginning of this term, have been halted because the needs of the collective have dictated our actions. On the other hand, young people have been incorporated who are on the front lines of various devices and services, which has driven new actions and also important reflections on how to orient or direct our foundation.
We remain interested in bringing on new professional profiles, both in terms of the Foundation's patron members and in the relationships we can maintain with certain projects. In this regard, we could mention a project on urban planning, housing, and mental health that we began this year, 2024. The project aims to bring together various actors involved in designing cities and public spaces, services, housing, etc. All of this is tied to the concept of mental health. Another of the Foundation's enrichment projects is one focused on childhood and adolescence, linked to the problems or difficulties this group may be facing at the moment. Within this area, it is worth highlighting the periodic celebration of the Catalan Congress on Mental Health for Children and Adolescents, as well as the Congress for Adults. Similarly, I would highlight the Foundation's participation in all initiatives that arise, such as conferences, projects, etc. In fact, following the last Congress on the digital world and mental health, an observatory on this issue was created within the Foundation, covering all possible aspects and prioritizing the youngest population.
– Another of the new projects, although we could say the embryo has been growing for a long time, is that of culture, creativity, and mental health.
Regarding this latest project, how does the Foundation envision culture and creativity contributing to mental health strengthening?
We are preparing, for 2025, a congress on this topic that integrates all those aspects that we consider important regarding culture and creativity linked to art, but also to the creation of initiatives related to mental health. We want to open a space that will not end with the celebration of the Congress, but that we hope will continue with interesting production on these issues. We do not only want to give a voice to artists connected to the mental health network, which is a historical theme of the Foundation, but we want to take a step further and give all the importance that such a project deserves.
We want to reach a younger audience that is becoming relevant in decisions about mental health in its broadest sense.
– Finally, are there any other aspects of these six years in office that you would like to highlight?
Yes, I would like to highlight two more aspects. One is communication. We have made, and are making, an effort to improve the communication of our actions, our reflections, and our positions. Social networks are currently one of the most feasible communication channels, and therefore, we considered it necessary to make this effort. We are not inventing things, but rather trying to make what we do much more visible and reach where it needs to reach. And another objective, linked to this issue, is precisely to reach a younger audience that is beginning to be relevant in the decisions that can be made in mental health services in a broader sense. That is, health in general, social services, mental health, education, etc.
Finally, another essential topic, led by our Care Ethics Committee but spanning the entire Foundation's Board, is ethics and human rights, especially for people affected by mental health difficulties. We believe this chapter, which already existed at the Foundation, is growing and deserves a more powerful and present vision in certain situations that arise today in the care and attention of people. Therefore, these would be the points of update for our work as the Board and as the Foundation.