The II International Congress on Mental Health and Social Innovation considers the benefits of mindfulness in the treatment of mental disorders

The benefits of correctly applying mindfulness, a technique endorsed by science which can help with psychological approaches to some pathologies with professional guidance and a therapeutic orientation was one of the central topics that was discussed at the II International Congress on Mental Health and Social Innovation that took place in Manresa on Friday, and which was attended by more than a hundred professionals from all over the world. The congress was among the activities of Manresa 2022, which is being held this year to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Ignatius of Loyola's time in the capital of the Bages region.

The congress, which was organised by the research group on Mental Health and Social Innovation (SaMIS) and the Chair of Mental Health of the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) and the Althaia Foundation, featured internationally renowned speakers, who covered three topics that are not often addressed at traditional congresses, but which are essential for moving towards an optimal development of mental health. The three topics were rehabilitation for people affected by problems in this area, the contribution made by neuroscience to psychological therapies, and the cross-cultural perspective on mental health

 Bernd Puschner, a doctor of Psychology and lecturer at the German University of Ulm, talked about the rehabilitation of people affected by mental health problems. He provided data, and discussed the "Upsides Project", which studies the effectiveness of support agents in recovery processes. These are people who have experience of suffering from a mental health disorder, and who exchange experiences to provide a message of support to the patient.

Francisco Collazos, a psychiatrist at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital who is a leading figure in mental health care for culturally different people, argued that culturally competent care must take the individual's social context into account, and focus on care for the most vulnerable groups, such as migrants. The speaker called for the inclusion of a new figure, the community mental health agent, who would act as a bridge and convey the needs of these people.

With a presentation entitled Mindfulness, neuroscience and defusion, Joaquim Soler, a clinical psychologist at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau a doctor in psychology and an expert in mindfulness, shared various studies that highlight the significance of the effects of mindfulness. He said that it is particularly effective in preventing relapses of depression. He mentioned that practising mindfulness increases emotional regulation, and consequently reduces the clinical extent of the disorder. Given the existence of many different mindfulness techniques, he warned of the danger of treating them on a trivial basis, and argued that the practice is a science. This presentation was open to the public as part of the Manresa 2022 activities due to the connection between mindfulness and two values of Ignatius of Loyola - meditation and spirituality

Various practical workshops took place simultaneously in the afternoon, which were linked to each of the three areas of the congress, in addition to a fourth workshop on technological innovation, focusing on the contributions of artificial intelligence to mental health.

The prize for the best poster at the congress went to a team of nursing and psychology professionals at the Althaia Foundation consisting of Dominica Díez, Alba Vall, Bárbara González, Montse Esclusa and Yolanda Martínez, who presented the results of a study on the emotional impact of Covid-19 on healthcare professionals.

Commitment to research, innovation and partnerships between institutions

The participants in the reception and closing ceremony were Manel Jovells, the director general of Althaia; Imma Cervós, manager of the Central Catalonia Health Region of the Catalan Health Service; Josep Eladi Baños, rector of UVic-UCC; Marc Aloy, mayor of Manresa and president of the Board of Trustees of Althaia; Jordi Collet, vice-rector for Research at UVic-UCC; Míriam Torres, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare; Mireia Torralba, dean of the Manresa Faculty of Health Sciences of the UVic-UCC; Sílvia Mas, vice-rector of the UVic-UCC Manresa Campus; Marina Geli, coordinator of the Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS) and director general of the UVic-UCC Faculty of Medicine, and Antoni Corominas, director of the UVic-UCC and Althaia Mental Health Chair.

Their contributions stressed the need to share knowledge and engage in research and innovation in mental health at times like the present, when the incidence of mental disorders is on the increase, especially as a result of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. They also emphasised the value of partnerships between institutions for promoting research and addressing the challenges that arise related to people's emotional health.

The II International Congress on Mental Health and Social Innovation was organised by the Mental Health and Social Innovation research group (SaMIS) with the UVic-UCC and Althaia Mental Health Chair. The SaMIS is made up of professionals from the Althaia Foundation, the Hospital Consortium of Vic, Osonament, UVic-UCC, Sant Andreu Salut and the EAP Osona Sud-Alt Congost, among other institutions.