It was an academic marathon that took nearly a quarter century to complete, but Dr. Lorraine Breault, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry, was determined to reach the finish line.
"I began as a student at the University of Alberta in 1966, and I continued taking courses for 24 years. I know that sounds bizarre, but I couldn't take a full course load because I had young children to care for," she says, chuckling at the memory.
"When I began my Master's degree I had four children aged seven and under, so I worked on my Master's thesis in the middle of the night when the kids were asleep. I didn't want anyone else to raise my children so I had no choice. They were my priority," she explains.
"I finally earned my PhD in Counselling Psychology in 1990, when I was appointed an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Looking back on it all, I really feel that this university has been a major part of my life."
In the almost three decades since, Dr. Breault has mentored generations of medical students, leading workshops and seminars on issues like conflict resolution, self-regulation, effective communication, problem-solving skills, self-esteem and resiliency in the workplace.
The career she carved out for herself also took her well beyond the University of Alberta campus. In 2007, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed her to the Board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, then led by former Liberal Senator and Commission Chair Michael Kirby.
"Kirby had Harper's ear and convinced him that setting up the Commission would be a good thing, so Harper supported it even though Kirby was a Liberal. We were just establishing the Commission at the time and we were given 10 years to get it off the ground," says Dr. Breault, who served on the Board until 2013.
"I think we were successful. Bell Canada came on board with its Let's Talk campaign and a lot of things came together to encourage public dialogue around mental health issues. I later nominated Michael Kirby for an honorary degree at the University of Alberta and got to present it to him. He is a wonderful, down to earth, charismatic individual who really wanted to do good work. And he did."
Closer to home, Dr. Breault also served in several key administrative roles with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, including Associate Dean, Community Engagement and Social Responsiveness; Associate Dean, Equity; and Director of Equity.
"The person most responsible for getting me into those administrative positions and mentoring me was Dr. Lil Miedzinski, a Professor in the Department of Medicine and an amazing woman. She was my number one mentor and I attribute my success in the Faculty of Medicine to her."
Dr. Breault has also been actively involved on a provincial and national basis in the College of Alberta Psychologists, the Canadian Psychology Association and the Canadian Provincial Associations of Psychology.
"I've had a great career. When I look back on it I just feel so blessed," says Dr. Breault, who by year's end will reach the midway point of a three-year phased retirement process she expects to complete by June 30, 2020.
"What it allows me to do is to complete my research projects without any pressure. So basically, I don't have to teach anymore - although I'm still teaching - and I still contribute to the Department and to the Faculty of Medicine by doing seminars for Residents, presentations to medical students and supervising some of their research," she explains.
"I also have some major projects that I want to complete and this allows me to do so in a very civilized way, since it gives me lots of time to tie up loose ends."
One of those projects stems from her role as education lead for the Alberta hub of the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network (CDRIN).
In collaboration with colleagues from the Alberta SPOR (Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research) Support Unit Patient Engagement Platform, and the Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Dr. Breault was a key player in getting The Alberta Depression Research Priority Setting Project off the ground.
Their objective? To get those actually living with depression to identify the key questions they feel need to be addressed. Through surveys, Albertans anonymously contributed over 900 possible research questions. Dr. Breault and her colleagues then whittled the list down to the top 11 questions.
"As researchers we tend to sit in ivory towers and research the topics that interest us. But we really need to include people with lived experience in our research to help guide our selection of the questions we want to answer," she says.
"Not surprisingly, people have strong opinions. They really want to be active in guiding research around depression, and they were very grateful that we were asking these questions. It really drove home the importance of engaging people in our research."
In the end, the top five questions participants want answered include:
• Which treatment therapy or method is more successful for long-term remission or recovery?
• What are the long-term physical implications of pharmacotherapy for treating depression?
• For various treatment options, what are the advantages in terms of cost, effectiveness, relapse prevention and safety?
• What are the prevention strategies or tactics for reducing self-harm and suicide in children, youth and adults with depression?
• What changes to the healthcare system will increase access to psychological services?
"We're now in the process of getting our publications out. We've had two publications just recently approved so we're looking forward to seeing whether researchers are actually looking at these questions and doing something about it," she says.
Although Dr. Breault is a clinical psychologist, she also sees it as her duty to spotlight systemic issues that reduce access to mental health services, even if she has to ruffle some feathers.
"I know some will see it as controversial, but one of the things we've discussed at the College of Alberta Psychologists is to look at the roughly $35 million a year that is allocated to physicians for counselling. Instead of giving that money to physicians we could be hiring psychologists to provide those services through the primary care network," she says.
"I think it would alleviate some stress for some of the family physicians as well. They're dealing with a lot of complicated issues in their practice, and to have more psychologists right there in their primary care networks who could be salaried and assist in the treatment of mental health issues could be a really positive thing."
On another front, Dr. Breault's interest in Indigenous health issues prompted her to participate in a Community Health Assessment of the province's eight Metis Settlements. The study, funded by Alberta Health, resulted in a 109-page report that was tabled in March 2016.
"I was the Principal Investigator on this but I worked very closely with Birgitta Larsson, the Principal at BIM Larsson & Associates, an Edmonton consulting group, and the study was led by the Metis Settlements General Council of Alberta," she says.
"They joined us and participated in all the events that we had. We visited all of the eight Metis communities, we met with the people living there and asked them what their needs were, what the issues were around access to health, what they felt was good and what was not good. Our focus was health in general but the number one issue was mental health," she adds.
A key trend that emerged from the study was a noticeable deterioration in the mental health of children as they became adolescents.
"The children were really happy on the Settlements when they were growing up. They had a lot of freedom. But by the time they reached grade seven or eight, most children had to attend school in the nearest local community. When that happened their mental health deteriorated rapidly. They cited things like bullying and discrimination as the key factors," she says.
"That's when addictions and so on became a problem, and we reported that in our final report. It was approved by the Metis Settlements General Council, and they had control over this whole project. I haven't been out to see whether health services have improved in those communities, so I can't speak to that. But my predominant goal was to get the message out."
So what lies ahead for Dr. Breault after she takes her final exit from the Department of Psychiatry in 2020? More time to spend playing golf in the winter months in Arizona with her husband Ron, she says, and more time with her family.
"I feel really blessed that my family is so close, because the benefits are huge. You support one another in good times and in bad times and there is always someone to help you in whatever challenge you face. I really think that's important for one's mental health, I really do."
"I began as a student at the University of Alberta in 1966, and I continued taking courses for 24 years. I know that sounds bizarre, but I couldn't take a full course load because I had young children to care for," she says, chuckling at the memory.
"When I began my Master's degree I had four children aged seven and under, so I worked on my Master's thesis in the middle of the night when the kids were asleep. I didn't want anyone else to raise my children so I had no choice. They were my priority," she explains.
"I finally earned my PhD in Counselling Psychology in 1990, when I was appointed an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Looking back on it all, I really feel that this university has been a major part of my life."
In the almost three decades since, Dr. Breault has mentored generations of medical students, leading workshops and seminars on issues like conflict resolution, self-regulation, effective communication, problem-solving skills, self-esteem and resiliency in the workplace.
The career she carved out for herself also took her well beyond the University of Alberta campus. In 2007, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed her to the Board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, then led by former Liberal Senator and Commission Chair Michael Kirby.
"Kirby had Harper's ear and convinced him that setting up the Commission would be a good thing, so Harper supported it even though Kirby was a Liberal. We were just establishing the Commission at the time and we were given 10 years to get it off the ground," says Dr. Breault, who served on the Board until 2013.
"I think we were successful. Bell Canada came on board with its Let's Talk campaign and a lot of things came together to encourage public dialogue around mental health issues. I later nominated Michael Kirby for an honorary degree at the University of Alberta and got to present it to him. He is a wonderful, down to earth, charismatic individual who really wanted to do good work. And he did."
Closer to home, Dr. Breault also served in several key administrative roles with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, including Associate Dean, Community Engagement and Social Responsiveness; Associate Dean, Equity; and Director of Equity.
"The person most responsible for getting me into those administrative positions and mentoring me was Dr. Lil Miedzinski, a Professor in the Department of Medicine and an amazing woman. She was my number one mentor and I attribute my success in the Faculty of Medicine to her."
Dr. Breault has also been actively involved on a provincial and national basis in the College of Alberta Psychologists, the Canadian Psychology Association and the Canadian Provincial Associations of Psychology.
"I've had a great career. When I look back on it I just feel so blessed," says Dr. Breault, who by year's end will reach the midway point of a three-year phased retirement process she expects to complete by June 30, 2020.
"What it allows me to do is to complete my research projects without any pressure. So basically, I don't have to teach anymore - although I'm still teaching - and I still contribute to the Department and to the Faculty of Medicine by doing seminars for Residents, presentations to medical students and supervising some of their research," she explains.
"I also have some major projects that I want to complete and this allows me to do so in a very civilized way, since it gives me lots of time to tie up loose ends."
One of those projects stems from her role as education lead for the Alberta hub of the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network (CDRIN).
In collaboration with colleagues from the Alberta SPOR (Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research) Support Unit Patient Engagement Platform, and the Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Dr. Breault was a key player in getting The Alberta Depression Research Priority Setting Project off the ground.
Their objective? To get those actually living with depression to identify the key questions they feel need to be addressed. Through surveys, Albertans anonymously contributed over 900 possible research questions. Dr. Breault and her colleagues then whittled the list down to the top 11 questions.
"As researchers we tend to sit in ivory towers and research the topics that interest us. But we really need to include people with lived experience in our research to help guide our selection of the questions we want to answer," she says.
"Not surprisingly, people have strong opinions. They really want to be active in guiding research around depression, and they were very grateful that we were asking these questions. It really drove home the importance of engaging people in our research."
In the end, the top five questions participants want answered include:
• Which treatment therapy or method is more successful for long-term remission or recovery?
• What are the long-term physical implications of pharmacotherapy for treating depression?
• For various treatment options, what are the advantages in terms of cost, effectiveness, relapse prevention and safety?
• What are the prevention strategies or tactics for reducing self-harm and suicide in children, youth and adults with depression?
• What changes to the healthcare system will increase access to psychological services?
"We're now in the process of getting our publications out. We've had two publications just recently approved so we're looking forward to seeing whether researchers are actually looking at these questions and doing something about it," she says.
Although Dr. Breault is a clinical psychologist, she also sees it as her duty to spotlight systemic issues that reduce access to mental health services, even if she has to ruffle some feathers.
"I know some will see it as controversial, but one of the things we've discussed at the College of Alberta Psychologists is to look at the roughly $35 million a year that is allocated to physicians for counselling. Instead of giving that money to physicians we could be hiring psychologists to provide those services through the primary care network," she says.
"I think it would alleviate some stress for some of the family physicians as well. They're dealing with a lot of complicated issues in their practice, and to have more psychologists right there in their primary care networks who could be salaried and assist in the treatment of mental health issues could be a really positive thing."
On another front, Dr. Breault's interest in Indigenous health issues prompted her to participate in a Community Health Assessment of the province's eight Metis Settlements. The study, funded by Alberta Health, resulted in a 109-page report that was tabled in March 2016.
"I was the Principal Investigator on this but I worked very closely with Birgitta Larsson, the Principal at BIM Larsson & Associates, an Edmonton consulting group, and the study was led by the Metis Settlements General Council of Alberta," she says.
"They joined us and participated in all the events that we had. We visited all of the eight Metis communities, we met with the people living there and asked them what their needs were, what the issues were around access to health, what they felt was good and what was not good. Our focus was health in general but the number one issue was mental health," she adds.
A key trend that emerged from the study was a noticeable deterioration in the mental health of children as they became adolescents.
"The children were really happy on the Settlements when they were growing up. They had a lot of freedom. But by the time they reached grade seven or eight, most children had to attend school in the nearest local community. When that happened their mental health deteriorated rapidly. They cited things like bullying and discrimination as the key factors," she says.
"That's when addictions and so on became a problem, and we reported that in our final report. It was approved by the Metis Settlements General Council, and they had control over this whole project. I haven't been out to see whether health services have improved in those communities, so I can't speak to that. But my predominant goal was to get the message out."
So what lies ahead for Dr. Breault after she takes her final exit from the Department of Psychiatry in 2020? More time to spend playing golf in the winter months in Arizona with her husband Ron, she says, and more time with her family.
"I feel really blessed that my family is so close, because the benefits are huge. You support one another in good times and in bad times and there is always someone to help you in whatever challenge you face. I really think that's important for one's mental health, I really do."