Karima Kahlaoui is a psychologist and neuropsychologist at the Montreal National Institute of forensic psychiatry. She will be present for the big event on art and on the brain that we are organizing together with the non-profit organization Art For Science on April 15th; she told us about her fascinating job.
What does your job entail?
Karima Kahlaoui: I am a psychologist and neuropsychologist in a forensic psychiatric hospital. We receive patients suffering from serious mental disorders associated with violent behavior. The majority of them have received a verdict of criminal non responsibility on account of mental disorder. I conduct neuropsychological assessments of these patients, either for the purpose of differential diagnosis, when we don’t know what the person is suffering from, or for the purpose of providing recommendations to the clinical team and to help patients better cope with their difficulties. Another part of my job is to facilitate therapy groups with patients, especially about stress and anxiety. There is a whole clinical team that gravitates around the patients in order to stabilize their mental state, reduce the risk of violence and help them, in the long term, be reintegrated into society.
Can these people all be cured?
You don’t heal but some patients can get better. Patients with schizophrenia or associated disorders have a chronic disease and must take treatment for the rest of their lives. But, despite the presence of the disease, some of them will be able to get a job, have a family, even become parents. I draw a parallel with people who have diabetes and insulin treatment. They are going to be on medication for the rest of their lives, but they can have a fulfilling life.
Tell us about Richard, a former patient of the Institute who became your co-worker…
Richard is a typical example of a patient who has recovered. He had a difficult childhood and adolescence and suffered from the disease. He ended up at the Institute for several months. A long work was done, he understood what the disease was and the importance of dealing with it through medication, but also by having a friends and family network, a job, taking care of his health, etc. Richard has even worked with research units and he has recovered. So much that he was employed by the Institute for several months. But Richard knows that recovery is not linear. It’s a long-term job.
The numbers show that one in five people will eventually be affected by mental health issues. So, we are all involved…
Yes, we will all be concerned one day or another, or someone we know. Schizophrenia and diseases related to psychotic symptoms are heavy and severe pathologies. But having depression or overwhelming anxiety are also mental health issues that can affect us. Hence the importance of talking about it to prevent and demystify these pathologies which are still very taboo.
Is it precisely this aspect of prevention that prompted you to work with Art For Science, an organization which is promoting the benefits of art on the brain?
Yes, I really like the philosophy of this organization. One can only be moved by the messages they are trying to convey, above all in the field of prevention. There is little emphasis on prevention, which is what will protect us from mental health problems. We only go to the doctor when we are sick, when there should be preventive medicine to help us develop a healthy lifestyle. That doesn’t mean that you can necessarily avoid any sickness, but you will be able to slow it down and reduce its effects.
Do you regularly use art in your profession?
Yes, I work a lot with writing and drawing. We started a project in 2017 with patients and we can see the impact of art on their well-being. The last project, that we will present during the conference on April 15th, has been a really amazing experience for patients, unanimously. A young patient wearing handcuffs, because he was a danger to himself and others, was extremely motivated to participate in this workshop to propose the name of an artist he dreamt of meeting. It was a very positive and fulfilling experience for him and for the entire team who mobilized so that he could attend this workshop. We saw that it made a difference in his behavior and in terms of self-esteem. All patients came out extremely proud with a sense of achievement that they had rarely experienced. I am delighted to be able to come to St. Martin to talk about this project.
Info and subscriptions for the event of April 15th:
https://www.helloasso.com/associations/art-for-science/evenements/rencontre-neuro-artiste-afs-promo-3-st-martin-sint-marteen
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