In the last issue of Capital Psychiatry, I shared the story of Jayjay, my beloved Blue Jay. As autumn, the bird migration season, approaches, Jayjay no longer visits, though her story continues in my heart. Yet, within that story of love, there was another story, one of trauma, care, and growth that I would like…
Zohran Mamdani’s election as Mayor of New York City deserves warm congratulations; to him, and to his wife Rama Duwaji, now the city’s First Lady. Their victory is a moment of genuine historical resonance: a young, immigrant, Muslim couple rising to lead one of the world’s most complex and diverse metropolises. In their story, many…
I’m pleased to share my presentation of Rights-Based Existential Psychiatry (REP) and Dynamic Eclectic Existential Psychopharmacotherapy (DEEP) in the Psychiatry Team Meeting of McGill University Student Wellness Hub. This therapy concept is my article under review, which attempts to build on the premise that psychiatry must evolve beyond narrow biomedical, psychosocial, or psychoanalytic paradigms, toward…
After two years of being mentored by Dr Gerry Wiviott on my journey into existential philosophy, I had the privilege of sitting down with this remarkable psychiatrist, educator, and retired McGill University faculty member for an in-depth conversation on Existentialism in Psychiatry. We explored foundational themes in existential thought, their clinical applications, and the therapeutic…
We recently read Dr. Mark Earnest’s poignant piece, Tethered, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1), which we found both touching and unsettling. The case of Jack—a young man struggling with alcohol use disorder while caring for his ailing mother — reveals not only the tragic intersection of personal suffering and social abandonment,…
Ongoing conversations around Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) increasingly reflect the importance of grounding policy and practice in deeper moral and philosophical reflections, particularly as legislative and clinical contexts attract more attention (Attia et al. Reference Attia, Kelly and Best2025). Recent parliamentary debates in several jurisdictions – including the UK, France, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and some US…
After completing my psychiatry residency and practising for a time in Quebec and Maryland, I recently moved to Washington, D.C. – a transition that brought both professional renewal and personal reflection. In the quiet winter days following the move to beautiful Logan Circle, as I was settling into my new home office, a chance encounter…
I had the privilege of presenting Rights-Based Existential Psychiatry in Global Mental Health at McGill University’s Workshop of the 2025 Summer Program in Social and Cultural Psychiatry. In this presentation, I also introduced my conceptual ideas related to Rights-Based Existential Psychiatry (REP) and Dynamic Eclectic Existential Psychopharmacotherapy (DEEP Therapy); two evolving frameworks grounded in human…