By Compass Contributor Lynn Markoff
Camana Bay Cinema became the centre of the activities marking World Mental Health Day in Cayman with a symposium presented by Kelly Holding Events & Communications in partnership with Infinite Mindcare.
The third World Mental Health Day Symposium took place over five hours on 10 Oct. and utilised four of Camana Bay Cinema’s auditoriums for a wide range of presentations, panel discussions and other interactive activities.
In a press release issued prior to the event, Rhonda Kelly, CEO of Kelly Holding spoke about the need for the symposium.
“Mental health challenges remain a global concern, underscoring the importance of events such as this,” she stated. “The symposium will encourage open dialogue around mental well-being and offer attendees practical information they can immediately apply in their daily lives.”
Sutton Burke, owner and clinical director at Infinite Mindcare, said in the press release, “Prioritising mental health is no longer optional; it’s essential for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. Mental health shapes how we function, both individually and collectively.”
Dealing with stress
In one of the symposium’s presentations titled ‘Body Practices to Calm Stress and Boost Focus’, social worker Holly Venn and therapist Maria Pla took the audience through various physical exercises, from the yoga technique ‘Bumble Bee Breath’ and short musical dance interludes – where people were asked to display emotions – to somatic shaking and body scanning. Venn and Pla encouraged people to pay attention to how they were feeling.
“When disconnected, people get anxious. However, when we befriend our emotions, we then know what to do with them,” Pla said.
Compassion and happiness
In ‘The Compassion Prescription – The Single Secret Behind a Joy Filled Life,’ therapist Raquel Tobian shared deeply personal stories.
“Compassion made me a better person, and it has real benefits for us,” she said, adding that those benefits include longevity, happiness and satisfaction, reduction in stress and brain health.
Tobian said compassion is empathy with action that is also strategic. She pointed out that we live in a “me” culture with a high focus on self-interest and low interest in others. However with effort, people can become “Live to Givers” – giving from a place of strength.
AI and psychedelics
To explore innovation in mental health and raise topics that are rarely discussed in Cayman, Burke facilitated a panel discussion titled ‘Breakthroughs and Boundaries: Emerging Treatments & the role of AI’.
Panellists included Sam Banks, founder of Doctor’s Express, counsellor Elissa Gross and neurofeedback practitioner James Moore.
Banks said 50% of people who seek mental care for depression never find it.
“This is tragic in itself and leads to suicide,” he said. “With AI, we will be able to predict what treatment will be most effective.”
Burke and Banks also explored ethical concerns, including that doctor-patient confidentiality could be an issue and that data sets in AI are inherently biased.
On the topic of psychedelics, Gross highlighted that Infinite Mindcare’s programme was the first of its kind in the Caribbean. “People can connect with something bigger than themselves. Psychedelics open the door; the therapist helps you walk through it.”
She also works with integration to explore what comes up. “This treatment gives people an opportunity to see the world differently and allows the brain to branch out to a more expansive state. For many people, it’s just such a relief to feel that.”
Banks said that there must be a system in place to help the people who need psychedelics most and encouraged people to watch the film “How to Change Your Mind,” and talk to their MP and their neighbours about it. “We need to continue this dialogue.”
Dealing with anxiety
Another presentation had Burke sharing personal stories as well as proven techniques on how to turn anxiety into strength. She said it’s important to reframe stress so that it doesn’t lead to negative thoughts.
“Mental fitness is standing in the nastiness, but acknowledging that you are still here,” she said, adding that anxiety is a human emotion and she encouraged people to allow themselves “to just be human.”
She also noted that all humans feel stress differently. Some people feel a physical reaction, while others require medication. Citing the example of grief, something most people will experience in their lifetime, she said it’s important that we find a way to become more mentally fit to be stronger and thus able to handle it better.
Burke encouraged people to allow themselves to feel, as “avoiding anxiety is the enemy.”
She also outlined several tools to help them deal with anxiety and stress, including breath work, sleep hygiene and good nutrition, but also encouraged people to plan fun activities.
“We can sit in our anxiety and trust in ourselves,” she said. “Anxiety disorders are all very treatable.”
Lynn Markoff is a freelance journalist who has written for publications in the Cayman Islands since 2017.