Welcome to Scandinavia's largest, longest-running, multidisciplinary mental health conference!
On the Edge
At this year’s conference we’ll be focusing on the provision of mental health and addiction care services to those who are living on the margins of life, in circumstances verging on the intolerable. What’s it like for patients and their families to live ‘on the edge’? What’s it like for us to deliver healthcare in the face of such complex challenges?
We’ll be considering the balancing-act between risk and safety that we are all faced with, as individuals and as healthcare professionals; complex questions of life and death; power and hopelessness, control and autonomy; trust and mistrust. We will devote particular attention to clinical conditions that cross diagnostic boundaries, including suicide and violence......read more
Since it was established in 1989, 'Schizofrenidagene' in Stavanger has developed into a unique conference arena. Presenting the work of distinguished clinicians and researchers of the highest international standards, the event has become a key meeting-point for mental health professionals.
Welcome to Scandinavia's largest and longest-running interdisciplinary mental health festival - the highlight of the mental health year!
Since it was established in 1989, 'Schizofrenidagene' in Stavanger has developed into a unique conference arena. Presenting the work of distinguished clinicians and researchers of the highest international standards, the event has become a key meeting-point for mental health professionals.
Welcome to Scandinavia's largest and longest-running interdisciplinary mental health festival - the highlight of the mental health year!
Lisa Feldmann Barrett
We are honoured to welcome Lisa Feldman Barrett to this year's conference.
Lisa Feldman Barrett is a Canadian Professor of Psychology from North-Western University who researches emotions and how they are formed.
She has been described as one of the ten most important psychologists of the century, and is among the 0,1% most highly-quoted researchers within psychology and affective neuroscience. Her research and theory of emotions have major implications for our field. Whether she's speaking at a mental health congress, training the FBI or delivering a TED-talk, she communicates complex material in a highly accessible manner.
Don't miss out on this chance to hear one of the world's most prominent affective science researchers! Keynote speech Thursday 7. November.
We are honoured to welcome Lisa Feldman Barrett to this year's conference.
Lisa Feldman Barrett is a Canadian Professor of Psychology from North-Western University who researches emotions and how they are formed.
She has been described as one of the ten most important psychologists of the century, and is among the 0,1% most highly-quoted researchers within psychology and affective neuroscience. Her research and theory of emotions have major implications for our field. Whether she's speaking at a mental health congress, training the FBI or delivering a TED-talk, she communicates complex material in a highly accessible manner.
Don't miss out on this chance to hear one of the world's most prominent affective science researchers! Keynote speech Thursday 7. November.
Thomas Joiner
We are extremely proud to welcome Thomas Joiner to this year's conference.
Thomas Joiner is an American Professor of Psychology, and one of the world's leading experts on suicide.
He is internationally renowned for his 'Interpersonal Theory of Suicide'.
In September 2023 he was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Suicide Prevention. This is one of the most prestigious suicide prevention awards in the world.
Professor Joiner will be delivering a pre-conference workshop 5. November and a keynote talk 6. November.
We are extremely proud to welcome Thomas Joiner to this year's conference.
Thomas Joiner is an American Professor of Psychology, and one of the world's leading experts on suicide.
He is internationally renowned for his 'Interpersonal Theory of Suicide'.
In September 2023 he was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the International Association of Suicide Prevention. This is one of the most prestigious suicide prevention awards in the world.
Professor Joiner will be delivering a pre-conference workshop 5. November and a keynote talk 6. November.
Joel Paris
Joel Paris is a Canadian psychiatrist from McGill University. He has spent many years working with and researching chronic suicidality and emotional ustability.
He is among other things known for his book “Half in love with death,” which was published in a second edition in 2023. The book deals with how to understand different types of suicidality, the inner world of those living with recurrent suicidality, and consequences for clinicians facing suicidality in their patients.
We're delighted that Professor Paris will bejoining us for this year's conference. Hear his keynote speech and workshop Thursday 7. November.
Joel Paris is a Canadian psychiatrist from McGill University. He has spent many years working with and researching chronic suicidality and emotional ustability.
He is among other things known for his book “Half in love with death,” which was published in a second edition in 2023. The book deals with how to understand different types of suicidality, the inner world of those living with recurrent suicidality, and consequences for clinicians facing suicidality in their patients.
We're delighted that Professor Paris will bejoining us for this year's conference. Hear his keynote speech and workshop Thursday 7. November.
Caroline Logan
Caroline Logan is a consultant forensic clinical psychologist from the UK who has worked and researched for many years in the field of secure forensic mental health services. She is also associated with SIFER in Norway - a national collaborative network focusing on security, prisons, and forensic psychiatry.
She is interested in assuring quality violence risk assessments, and in the role personality and personality problems play in criminal behviour and violence.
She will be holding a workshop Thursday 7. November and a keynote Friday 8. November.
Caroline Logan is a consultant forensic clinical psychologist from the UK who has worked and researched for many years in the field of secure forensic mental health services. She is also associated with SIFER in Norway - a national collaborative network focusing on security, prisons, and forensic psychiatry.
She is interested in assuring quality violence risk assessments, and in the role personality and personality problems play in criminal behviour and violence.
She will be holding a workshop Thursday 7. November and a keynote Friday 8. November.
Jessica Yakeley
Jessica Yakeley is an English psychiatrist and researcher, Head of the long-established Portman Clinic in London, a specialist NHS treatment centre.
She works in the field of 'forensic psychotherapy', a field that examines the roots of violent behaviour, employing psychodynamic models of understanding in assessment, management and treatment.
Hear her keynote and workshop Wednesday 6. November.
Jessica Yakeley is an English psychiatrist and researcher, Head of the long-established Portman Clinic in London, a specialist NHS treatment centre.
She works in the field of 'forensic psychotherapy', a field that examines the roots of violent behaviour, employing psychodynamic models of understanding in assessment, management and treatment.
Hear her keynote and workshop Wednesday 6. November.
On this year's speaker list you'll also find Caroline Logan, Jessica Yakeley, Tor Wennerberg, Gry Stålsett, Fredrik Walby, Atle Austad, Bergljot Gjelsvik, Ellen Ugelstad, Zemir Popovac and many others. Read more about them here:
On this year's speaker list you'll also find Tor Wennerberg, Gry Stålsett, Fredrik Walby, Atle Austad, Bergljot Gjelsvik, Ellen Ugelstad, Zemir Popovac and many others. Read more about them here:
On the Edge
At this year’s conference we’ll be focusing on the provision of mental health and addiction care services to those who are living on the margins of life, in circumstances verging on the intolerable. What’s it like for patients and their families to live ‘on the edge’? What’s it like for us to deliver healthcare in the face of such complex challenges?
We’ll be considering the balancing-act between risk and safety that we are all facing, as individuals and as healthcare professionals; complex questions of life and death; power and hopelessness, control and autonomy; trust and mistrust. We will devote particular attention to clinical conditions that cross diagnostic boundaries challenging both patient and helper, including suicide and violence . We’ll also look at the factors that can promote resilience and recovery,
How can we as health workers deal with such profound issues?
On the Edge
At this year’s conference we’ll be focusing on the provision of mental health and addiction care services to those who are living on the margins of life, in circumstances verging on the untolerable. What’s it like for patients and their families to live ‘on the edge’? What’s it like for us to deliver healthcare in the face of such demanding challenges?
We’ll be considering the balancing-act between risk and safety that we are all facing, as individuals and as healthcare professionals; complex questions of life and death; power and hopelessness, control and autonomy; trust and mistrust. We will devote particular attention to clinical conditions that cross diagnostic boundaries challenging both patient and helper, including suicide and violence . We’ll also look at the factors that can promote resilience and recovery,
How can we as health workers deal with such profound issues? We’ll look at the dilemmas facing us, from psychological, ethical, legal and existential perspectives, and will explore the broader questions about our services that we as a society are facing.
Working ‘on the edge’ demands the ability to exercise selfcare, but also requires workplaces and systems that support and nourish us. These are challenging times in primary and community mental healthcare. How can we tolerate the gravity and strain of what we are faced with, and at the same time provide quality healthcare that takes care of our patients, their families and ourselves?
Join us in November for an exploration of these questions and a whole lot more!
Ellen Ugelstad is a filmmaker, scriptwriter and producer who has won several prizes for her short films. Ellen has a brother with a schizophrenia diagnosis, and has among other things made films about power and disempowerment in mental health services.
Her latest film The Recovery Channel looks at issues such as human rights and the use of force in mental health, along with media portrayal of people with mental health issues. She will be one of those representing patients' and their families' lived experience at the conference. Hear her speak Wednesday 6. November.
The Recovery Channel will also be screened as part of the evening events programme.
Fredrik Walby is a researcher and specialist in clinical psychology at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NSSF). He is head of the national register for suicide in mental health and multidisciplinary specialist addiction services, which routinely collects information about suicide.
The objective of the register is to provide a knowledge base which will lead to more effective suicide prevention.
Atle Austad is a specialist in clinical psychology well-known in the media. He has worked for over 30 years with those who commit violent offences, especially sexual offences. He also works with survivors of violent offences.
We hope that he'll be able to help us shed some light on how to understand and treat violent offenders, but also how we as therapists can withstand the strain of working in such a challenging field.
Ottar Ness is a family therapist and professor of mental health. Among his fields of interest are relational recovery and relational well-being. He is an advocate for promoting quality mental health services by maintaining a focus on quality of life, good meaningful relationships, and inclusion. Relational welfare is about ensuring that all people are integrated in and contribute to society in a meaningful way.
Mon. 04. November
established
1989
5000+
visitors annually
Since its inception in 1989, the annual mental health conference 'Schizofrenidagene' in Stavanger has become an unmissable arena for mental health professionals. As Scandinavia's largest and longest-running interdisciplinary mental health festival, it has developed into a conference arena that is unique in both national and international contexts.
Welcome!