ASR Suicide and Depression Studies Program - St. Michael's Hospital

ASR Suicide and Depression Studies Program - St. Michael's Hospital We at the ASR Program at St. Michael’s Hospital are dedicated to intervention, research, & education Arthur Sommer Rotenberg was born in Toronto in 1956.

He was educated at Upper Canada College through Grade XII. He then went to the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales from which he received the International Baccalaureate. Arthur honoured in Science at Victoria College, University of Toronto, winning the Lt. Governor’s Medal when he graduated. He took his medical training at the University of Toronto. He interned in University of Toronto teaching hospitals, after which he became a Family Practitioner in Toronto. Arthur had many interests. He was a most competent athlete – excelling in tennis, sailing and skiing. He was an expert cyclist, bicycling from Rome to Paris in the summer before he entered Medical School – carrying in his knapsack books on Chemistry to compensate for his lack of knowledge of this subject, which was required. He enjoyed Music, both classical and current, playing the guitar for his own pleasure. He was an experienced carpenter, making much of the furniture in his house such as dining room table and chairs, coffee table and book shelves. Arthur had an eclectic taste in Art – eager to learn and acquiring pieces at different times which enabled him to sharpen his artistic acumen. His creative expression in Art took the form of photography which he mastered well. The Chair in Su***de Studies was established in Arthur’s memory to help fulfil the unfulfilled promise of his tragically shortened life. It is appropriate that such a memorial be established because Arthur was interested in research, and was already a published author. It is hoped thereby that others may be enabled to do what he might have done had he lived. Arthur’s life was cut off by force which this Chair will aim to understand in order to mitigate them. The Chair is in honour of his spirit as well as his accomplishments. His life was lived, as a dear friend of his wrote: “…with brio; that is, with intensity, purpose, passion for romance, adventure, and most of all compassionate communication.”

We are excited to announce our second monthly lecture in our online public lecture series! Dr. Yvonne Bergmans, renowned...
09/25/2025

We are excited to announce our second monthly lecture in our online public lecture series!

Dr. Yvonne Bergmans, renowned su***de interventionist, will present on key learnings from her Skills for Safer Living therapy, developed in 1999 and still in use today to help people better manage their suicidal thoughts.

📆 Monday October 20th, 2025
🕒 12:00pm EST
📍 Zoom
👥 Open to all!

Register here: https://ca01web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pycRrZxrQYm-E_UHmsEfng #/registration

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for our World Su***de Prevention Month outdoor movie screening! It was great ...
09/04/2025

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for our World Su***de Prevention Month outdoor movie screening! It was great to connect with you all and share information on the great work being done here at the ASR 💚

💙 In Honour of Te’s Birthday – September 7th 💙From the desk of Flora Terah-Igoki, valued member of the ASR Community Adv...
09/02/2025

💙 In Honour of Te’s Birthday – September 7th 💙

From the desk of Flora Terah-Igoki, valued member of the ASR Community Advisory Committee:

Friends, family, and community,

Many of you know me as Flora Terah-Igoki a voice for women and children. But before all that, I am a mother—Te’s mother.

My son Te would have been celebrating his birthday on September 7th. Instead, I carry him in my heart and honour his life by giving back. His passing left me with many “unpacked suitcases” of grief, but through time, support, and the compassionate care of St. Michael’s Hospital—especially the Arthur Sommer Rotenberg (ASR) Su***de and Depression Program team—I’ve found strength to keep going.

Su***de remains a devastating epidemic in Canada, claiming about 5,500 lives every year. Behind every number is a son, a daughter, a parent, a friend. Yet, funding for su***de prevention and mental health research lags far behind. We can do better—for those we love, and for those still silently suffering.

This year, in Te’s honour, I am raising funds for St. Michael’s ASR Su***de and Depression Studies Program, led by Dr. Sakina Rizvi. Their groundbreaking work is helping change the story for families like mine.

https://www.fundraiseforstmikes.ca/fundraisers/ASRLife/te-legacy-fund

🙏🏾 I invite you to stand with me. Whether through a donation, a share, or simply a prayer—your support helps unpack not just my suitcase of grief, but those of countless others still carrying the weight of loss and silence.

Together, let us turn pain into purpose.

Together, let us keep Te’s light alive.

With love and gratitude,

Flora Terah-Igoki 💙

📌 To learn more or support directly, you can reach out to St. Michael’s Foundation at (416) 864-5000 or foundation@smh.ca

Happening tomorrow! Grab a blanket and some snacks, and join us for a FREE outdoor movie night in Hillcrest Park.Learn m...
09/02/2025

Happening tomorrow! Grab a blanket and some snacks, and join us for a FREE outdoor movie night in Hillcrest Park.

Learn more here: https://asrlife.ca/events

Exciting News! 🎉

This year for World Su***de Prevention Day, the ASR is hosting a FREE outdoor screening of Little Miss Sunshine! 🎥🍿🎬

📅 Wednesday September 3rd (rain date: Wednesday September 10th)
⏰ Sundown ~8pm
📍 Hillcrest Park, Toronto (Christie & Davenport)

All are welcome! No RSVP needed, just bring a picnic blanket and some snacks 🍿

For more information, see our FAQ page here: https://asrlife.ca/events/

Content Advisory: This film contains mature themes, moderate profanity, moderate alcohol/drug use and mild s*x & nudity. The screening includes discussions of su***de, which some viewers may find upsetting.

ONE WEEK AWAY!We are officially one week out from our outdoor movie event! Hope to see you all there 🍿🎥More information:...
08/27/2025

ONE WEEK AWAY!

We are officially one week out from our outdoor movie event! Hope to see you all there 🍿🎥

More information: https://asrlife.ca/events/

Drumroll please 🥁 The ASR is pleased to announce our new FREE Public Lecture Series! The ASR Public Lecture Series is a ...
08/20/2025

Drumroll please 🥁 The ASR is pleased to announce our new FREE Public Lecture Series! The ASR Public Lecture Series is a virtual initiative designed to enhance community engagement and bridge the gap between su***de research and folks from all educational backgrounds.

Our inaugural public lecture series will be held Wednesday September 10th (World Su***de Prevention Day) at 12:00pm EST over Zoom, and led by Dr. Munmun De Choudhury, J. Z. Liang Professor at Georgia Tech and internationally recognized expert in digital mental health.

Dr. De Choudhury’s research examines how social media and online activity can help identify early signs of mental health issues and inform su***de prevention efforts. In this talk, she will explore how artificial intelligence is being used in su***de prevention and the critical ethical questions it raises – including privacy, fairness, and the responsible use of technology in mental health care.

Learning Objectives
• Understand how AI is used in su***de prevention
• Identify key ethical concerns
• Consider how to use technology responsibly

Register for free here: https://ca01web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_V4axYKcwQIiyvjBvltdCKw

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital are conducting a brain imaging study to examine biological markers of depression. ...
08/14/2025

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital are conducting a brain imaging study to examine biological markers of depression. Connect with us to find out how you can participate. Learn more: www.asrlife.ca/research

For more information, please contact us at connect@ASRlife.ca.

Please note that email is not secure, and emails can be intercepted, viewed, changed or saved by others. If interested, please write “Dopamine & the Brain” in the subject line and send us your phone number.

Did you know? The ASR Program is now on Instagram! Follow us .Life_ to keep up to date on our ongoing projects, events, ...
08/14/2025

Did you know? The ASR Program is now on Instagram! Follow us .Life_ to keep up to date on our ongoing projects, events, and happenings in the lab in real time!

Hot off the press! 📄Over the COVID-19 pandemic, our team developed and piloted a brief 90-minute psychotherapy intervent...
06/05/2025

Hot off the press! 📄

Over the COVID-19 pandemic, our team developed and piloted a brief 90-minute psychotherapy intervention for su***de risk. The pilot results have now been published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, and can be read for free until July 23rd at this link: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1lCflbXYiyrI5

Abstract:

Background
Su***de is a global challenge and su***de rates have not significantly decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic also increased su***de risk and intensified pre-existing lack of access to mental health services. To address this issue, “Brief Skills for Safer Living” (Brief-SfSL) was developed, a single-session individual psychotherapy intervention with the potential to make it easier to access care and shorten the time to access intervention. Derived from the original success of the SfSL 20-week group therapy, Brief-SfSL helps individuals understand their suicidal thoughts, build skills to manage these thoughts, and stay safer during crises. This national study tested the effectiveness of remote Brief-SfSL on suicidal ideation over 12 weeks, as well as feasibility and acceptability.

Methods
This was a single-arm trial of virtually-delivered Brief-SfSL in 77 adults with suicidal ideation across Canada with follow-up at 1, 4 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the Beck Scale for Su***de Ideation, and secondary measures assessed depression, anxiety, social connectedness, and life functioning.
Results
The results demonstrated that Brief-SfSL is an effective, feasible, acceptable, and safe intervention for su***de risk.

Conclusions
These data support the utility of Brief-SfSL as a single-session targeted su***de intervention that can increase accessibility due to the flexibility in delivery format and minimal resources required. They also underscore that remote su***de intervention can be conducted with a su***de safety protocol in place. Future studies will investigate Brief-SfSL in a randomized controlled trial and the long-term impact of Brief-SfSL on su***de risk, healthcare system utilization, and health economics.

Congratulations to our newest graduate from the ASR team, Dr. Melissa Tan! Dr. Tan successfully defended her PhD this we...
04/03/2025

Congratulations to our newest graduate from the ASR team, Dr. Melissa Tan! Dr. Tan successfully defended her PhD this week, involving a project examining music based cognitive training in individuals experiencing suicidality. Dr. Tan's work is innovative and we are very excited to see where she heads next!

11/05/2024

TOMORROW ‼️ This is your last chance to secure tickets to our Movember event for men's mental health. 🍿🎬🎟

Buy your tickets now: https://happysadman.eventbrite.ca/

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193 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M5B1M4

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If you are in crisis and having suicidal thoughts, please seek immediate help by calling Canada's su***de hotline at 1-833-456-4566, texting 45645 or visiting your closest emergency department. This Facebook site is not a crisis service and cannot provide any counselling or crisis intervention.