Monday, April 20, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:25 AM

50 Sussex, Alex Trebeck Theatre (Lower Level)

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Overview

Dr. Allan Peterkin and Dr. Pam Brett-Maclean

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Details

In an era of increasing social pressures and fragmentation, how we define ourselves dictates how we thrive—or falter. This interactive dialogue and workshop session explores the multifaceted sources of contemporary identity, tracing the lines between our social affiliations, personal values, and professional personas. While identity provides a vital sense of uniqueness and belonging, overinvestment in rigid or "totalizing" identities can become a liability. When our self-worth is tethered exclusively to a single or predominant role or ideology, we risk burnout, estrangement from others, and psychological fragility. Within the academic setting, these stakes are amplified as "clashes of identity" often shift from intellectual debates into personal conflicts, narcissistic injury, and historical grievances, impacting both mental health and institutional cohesion. Through guided discussion and short exercises, we will examine the "perils" of these attachments and develop strategies for maintaining a fluid, resilient sense of self. Join us to explore and navigate tensions between who we think we are (our self-perceptions), how we are perceived, and how these dynamics shape our collective wellbeing within the academy. The growing field of health humanities is well positioned to celebrate aspects of our shared humanity, to foster creative collaboration and meaning making, and to encourage reflection and renewal within a faltering healthcare system. Learning Objectives: Analyze the multiple sources of contemporary identity—including social affiliations, personal values, and professional roles—and reflect on how rigid attachments to a single identity can affect personal and institutional wellbeing; Examine the dynamics between self-perception and external perception, and identify strategies to maintain a fluid, resilient sense of self in academic and professional contexts; Apply guided reflection and creative exercises to navigate identity tensions and enhance collaboration, meaning-making, and psychological resilience within professional and healthcare environments.

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Speaker