Canis Majoris Foundation holds its 5th Technical Conference
The 5th Technical conference organized by the Canis Majoris Foundation was held at the Gonzalo Casas Pessino Cultural Diffusion Center on January 16, 2020,
Working in the field of functional diversity and risk of psychosocial exclusion requires a line of theoretical commitment that we have followed in recent years through our Technical Conferences. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees consider theoretical reflection to be of utmost importance as a source which supports our work in the field of Mental Health and the undertaking of our profession. We thereby continue in this edition to ask ourselves about these aspects of Mental Health, Functional Diversity and the risk of exclusion specifically under the title “Contemporary Echoes of Identities in Mental Health”.Who is Mental Health directed at today? What is the subject / object of our study? This may seem at first to be less practical and more theoretical than previous years: To talk about identities, subjectivity, in short, the subject, is a complex task and even more so in the age in which we live, where we have gone from speaking of the modern age to speaking of postmodernity, although not everyone will agree on exactly what that means. When we ask ourselves about identities and subjectivity, we have believed in the need to listen to thinking heads and leading minds that are inspired and have their sources in philosophy, the “human” and social sciences, and the “nature” sciences, such as neuroscience.
Both in clinical practice and in the spaces or structures that shelter it, discourses with imprecise contours and uneven texture are configured, for example, some are clearly descriptive, while others enable interpretation or hermeneutics. As the objective of this Conference was to generate a reflection on identities with their diverse discourses, their elements of confluence, the transfer of concepts and especially their epistemological differences, we wanted to hear the echoes or resonances that these polyhedral discourses can bring about, hence the title of the Conference.
To achieve this objective, the coordinator of the Technical Conference, Dr. Ángeles Roig Moliner, brought together a group of professionals, some of them, who are regular participants in our Conferences, were asked to make their proposals for collective reflection. The objective was to have experts not only from different areas, but also from different theoretical approaches, ranging from a position of clearly marked positivism, to others more charged with subjectivity and significance, whether it be individual, family or social.
The invited speakers at these conferences were:
Doctor Raúl Alelú-Paz (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery)
Doctor Víctor Aparicio (Doctor of Psychiatry)
Doctor Valentín Corcés (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery)
Doctor Antonio Espino (Doctor of Psychiatry)
Doctor Federico Menéndez ( Doctor in Psychiatry)
Doctor Rocío Rabino (Doctor in Psychology)
Doctor Ana Sánchez (Vice President of AMIT Valencia-Murcia)
Doctor Teresa Suárez (Doctor in Psychiatry)
Doctor Martín Vargas (Doctor in Psychiatry)
A diverse series of topics were presented in the morning session thus providing an idea of the different discourses of mental health. From the questioning of identity as a reference in current diagnoses, reviewing the most relevant authors who have treated personality, to the very identity of professional psychiatry, a term which was first quoted in the Dictionary of 1855. Likewise, the gender perspective was presented from a philosophical perspective questioning skills and behaviors. Another presentation addressed the passage through different stages of life such as adolescence- the stage in which an identity construction takes place. The influence of the cultural and social changes that are occuring due to technology, the materialist revolution and families, transforming ties and subjectivities. In relation to the family, a clinical case was presented that evidenced its role in the identity of the symptoms themselves. An expert in international organizations such as the WHO contributed a vision of Mental Health scenarios and the very concept of subject / patient identity that goes to a Mental Health Service was questioned.
Throughout the afternoon, semiology was used to explain psychopathology based on a text by Freud about the symptom, the role of neurophysiological research was questioned and a new theoretical scheme was proposed to tackle psychopathology; that of Neurophenomenology.
In my opinion, we once again managed to produce some very fruitful debate because divergence and difference is the context from where new approaches can emerge thereby making it possible to provoke changes. I also believe that the conceptions of all attendees were enriched. At times there were heated discussions which bore enriching fruit for all. I hope and would like to believe that we were able to shed some light on the clinic and the theory behind this. It is a line of work that I believe should continue to be nurtured.
In closing, I am pleased to convey that the exhibitions of each of the attendees can be read in order to facilitate calm reflexion in the next issue of the Anales Magazine, which, predictably, will be published in December of this year.
Written by the coordinator of the 5thTechnical Conference of the Canis Majoris Foundation, Dr. Ángeles Roig Moliner
Canis Majoris Foundation celebrated its IV Technical Seminar
Last January 17, the Canis Majoris Foundation hosted its IV Technical Conference at the Gonzalo Casas Pessino Cultural Diffusion Center where under the title: “Human Rights and Mental Health: A Proposal for the 21st Century”, we analyzed the text by Professor Dainius Püras, U.N. Special Rapporteur on “the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest possible level of physical and mental health “, from March 28, 2017.
Coordinated by Doctor in Psychiatry, Ángeles Roig Moliner, the objective was to maintain an open dialogue among experts with extensive experience in different areas. This year the Canis Majoris Foundation featured the following speakers:
Doctor Raúl Alelú-Paz
Doctor in Psychology, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery and doctoral candidate in Theoretical Physics. His scientific works cover various branches of knowledge that have been translated into various international publications and stays in centers of recognized prestige. Currently, his scientific work is developed as CEO of the Canis Majoris Foundation and Director of the Elena Pessino Gómez del Campo Neuroscience Laboratory.
Doctor Víctor Aparicio
Psychiatrist. Director of the Provincial Psychiatric Hospital of Oviedo, in Asturias, Spain. Regional Director of Mental Health of the Principality of Asturias. Coordinator of the Collaborating Center of the WHO (Mental Health Services Research Unit) in Oviedo. Head of Service in Mental Health Services of Asturias. University professor of psychiatry and Director of studies in various universities and specialized centers in Spain. Subregional Advisor on Mental Health of PAHO / WHO (Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization) for Central America, the Hispanic Caribbean and Mexico (with headquarters in Panama), a post he held for more than eight years.
Doctor Valentín Corces Pando
Psychiatrist. Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis. He has been a professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid, President of the Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry and Advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO). He has published several works highlighting the references to psychiatric epistemology and history of psychiatry. Currently, he is a member of the Institute of Spanish Language Psychiatrists (IPLE), has directed several psychiatric publications and is currently director of the journal “Annals of the Canis Majoris Foundation”.
Doctor Antonio Espino Granado
Psychiatrist. Doctor of medicine and surgery. Head of Services in Mental Health Services of Majadahonda (Madrid) Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro. He has been a Technical Advisor to the Scientific Committee on Mental Health Strategy for the Spanish National Health System. Secretary of the Ministerial Commission for Psychiatric Reform of the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. Collaborator on the Report for Psychiatric Reform. He has carried out numerous investigations and publications.
Doctor Gregorio Gómez Jarabo
Medical psychiatrist. Doctor in Biology. Professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Head of the Department of Psychobiology of the Faculty of Psychology. He has published numerous articles and books and carried out numerous investigations. Founding member of RUDISME (University Network of Disability and Mental Health). He conducted the Urbanita project. He has worked mostly in biological and health psychology. Member of the IPLE (Institute of Spanish-Language Psychiatrists).
Doctor Federico Menéndez Osorio
Psychiatrist. Doctor of medicine and surgery. Child Psychiatrist He worked in the Children’s Mental Health Unit (Teresa Herrera Children’s Hospital, A Coruña) and other hospitals. He is a reference in child and youth psychiatry in Galicia throughout the last three decades. Member of the Board of the Paideia Foundation. He has published numerous articles and books and participated in numerous conferences, talks and debates on the specialty, especially children and adolescents. Named honorary member of the Asturian Association of Neuropsychiatry and Mental Health, Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry (AEN).
Doctora Rosa Molina-Ruiz
Medical Psychiatrist. PhD in Neurosciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. Current President of the Spanish Section of Clinical Neuroscience of the Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry. She develops her work as a psychiatrist in the Mental Health Center of Alcorcón where she continues her research activity in clinical neuroscience.
Doctor Mikel Munarriz
Psychiatrist. President of the AEN (Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry). A professional association with more than 90 years of history. He has been working for more than 25 years in a Mental Health Unit in Castellón. Associate professor of the Department of Psychology of the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón. Coordination of the design, accreditation, implementation and development of the Official Master of Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Community Mental Health. He is part of a working and research group integrated in the CIBERSAM (Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health Network).
Doctora Teresa Suarez
Medical psychiatrist. Advanced course in Management of Health Institutions, Autonomous University of Madrid and Clinical Head of the Pedagogical Medical Service of Montreux (Switzerland). She has been Head of the Mental Health Service of the Community of Madrid and Technical Coordinator of the Mental Health Reform Program. Co-director of the Center for the Systemic Study of the Family and Director of PSICOACT (Comprehensive Health and Psychotherapy System). President of the Association for the Systemic Study of the Family and Other Human Systems and Director of the Center for Systemic Studies.
Throughout the entire day, the report of the Special Rapporteur was thoroughly analyzed and, as a result of his statements, the speakers presented various arguments and denunciations that the text proposes in order to deepen the attention and conceptions of current mental health and respect or reiteration of violations of Human Rights in Mental Health Centers.
The day commenced with the issue of “Children”, where Dr. Menendez denounced the “psychologization” of the child and Dr. Suárez stressed the importance of continuous prevention through various formulas.
With reference to the “Change of paradigm”, all the presentations are, in one sense or another, related to it. The proposed change in practices in Mental Health respecting the Human Rights of Dr. Munarriz, the presentation about the exercise of citizenship and the real difficulty in accessing it, by Dr. Aparicio; the crossroads between the use of drugs and the justice of Dr. Jarabo, the impact that the Psychiatric Reform had in Spain, comparing it with the Report of the Rapporteur, and that of Dr. Espino, addressed it from these various aspects.
In the second part of the Seminar, we heard three different perspectives on the Report and theme that concerns us, the first of these was given by Dr. Alelú-Paz, who proposed an approach from the NGO sector and the importance of truth in research processes. The second, from Dr. Molina, which consisted of an appeal to the Report as a whole, highlighting some important deficiencies And the third, by Dr. Corces, who raised several questions about psychiatry and the current state of mental health as a result of the assumptions and demands outlined in the report.
It was a very fruitful debate, because dissension and divergence give rise to new approaches that can provoke changes. I am also pleased to say that the expositions will be available to be read and calmly reflected in the next issue of Annals that will most likely be published in December of this year.
Written by the Coordinator of the Technical Conference, Dr. Ángeles Roig Moliner
“Canis Majoris Foundation IV Technical Seminar program”
Canis Majoris Foundation celebrated its III Technical Seminar
Last Friday, January 19, 2018 the Canis Majoris Foundation celebrated its III Technical Seminar aimed at exposing and analyzing the rationale and impact of training, research and clinical activity in Mental Health.
Several experts in the field of Mental Health participated at the Third Technical Conference, coordinated by Dr. Angeles Moliner Roig (Doctor of Psychiatry). The conference was opened by Don Gonzalo Casas Pessino (President of the Canis Majoris Foundation ), this private act, was held at the premises of the Foundation at the Elena Pessino Center for Cultural Diffusion.
Speakers at the III Technical Seminar:
– Dr. Raúl Alelú Paz (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery)
– Dr. Valentín Corcés Pando (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery)
– Dr. Ana Sánchez Torres (Vice President of AMIT Valencia-Murcia)
– Doctor Federico Menéndez Osorio (Doctor of Psychiatry)
– Dr. Begoña Olabarría González (Doctor of Psychology)
– Don Fernando Colina Pérez (Psychiatrist)
– Doctor Antonio Espino Granado (Doctor in Psychiatry)
– Dr. Carmen Jiménez Casado (Doctor of Psychiatry)
– Doctor Gregorio Ángel Gómez-Jarabo García ( Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychobiology)
– Doctor Ramón Area Carracedo (Psychiatrist at the Conxo Psychiatric Hospital).
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After opening of the Third Technical Conference the President of the Foundation, Don Gonzalo Casas Pessino, gave the floor to coordinator, Dr. Angeles Roig, who thanked the participants and the staff of the Canis Majoris Foundation and proposed that this conference serve as a tribute to the memory of Doctor Casco, who died recently.
Dr. Angeles Roig, began describing the significance of the conference as part of the transverse orientation of the Foundation working in different yet interrelated areas: assistance with animal assisted therapy, neurophysiological research with the Elena Pessino Laboratory of Neurosciences and reflection on the theory on which our discipline is based, being the reflection on which this conference is based. Dr Ángeles also spent a few minutes explaining why this conference is dedicated to the subject of mental health foundations.
The first speaker, Dr. Federico Menéndez, focused his speech on the importance of language for understanding psychopathology and how the narrative produces narrative identity in the subject, defining this part as the first record. The second record centered on subjectivity and, therefore, the psychological aspect contained within the historical subject, the social subject and linguistic subject given that life is biological and biographical.
The second speaker, Dr. Ramón Area, addressed insanity and insane asylums from three perspectives:: the first being that of knowledge focused on specialization, nowadays super specialization, which compels the lack of need to know about fields other than their own, the second being, the network where he noted at times the continuity of care is a displacement of the ailment from one node to another and thirdly, the linguistic study of the texts of the PIR (Individual Rehabilitation Program) as as an access to multidisciplinarity.
The third speaker, Dr. Fernando Colina, spoke of defending psychiatry with psychopathology as a suitable classification because of the natural order, but not the diagnosis because it tells us “what a patient has” but will never tell us “what is happening to the patient.” He expressed concern that identification with a diagnosis can strengthen a fragile or misshapen identity.
The fourth speaker, Dr. Valentín Corces, based his speech on a distinction between subjective knowledge and expertise added. The first is linked to the evolution of the individual to achieve discursivity of the subject linked to desire. And the added knowledge stressed its relationship with the simulacrum. He later spoke of the importance for the therapist-patient relationship to be a listening experience given that subjectivity is only linguistic.

The fourth speaker, Dr. Ana Sanchez, focused the new paradigm of knowledge that is based on uncertainty, the union of opposites, the dialogic and the inseparability S / O, which leads to a complex thought where the priority would be transdisciplinarity and the influence of these concepts in the approach and understanding of reality.
