Few voices bridge the worlds of medicine, human rights, and personal transformation like Dr. Gabor Maté. Over two decades in family practice and palliative care laid the groundwork for his later work in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, where he served patients grappling with addiction, homelessness, and mental illness. These experiences shaped his deep understanding of trauma—not just as an individual wound, but as a product of broader social systems.
Dr. Maté’s five bestselling books, translated into 43 languages, have brought complex ideas about childhood development, stress, illness, and addiction into public consciousness. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts offered an unflinching look at the human face of addiction, while The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture challenged assumptions about what it means to be healthy in the modern world. His work has earned him the Order of Canada and the Civic Merit Award, affirming his influence both nationally and globally.
At this year’s North American Refugee Health Conference, Dr. Maté will host an open Q&A. It’s an opportunity to explore the intersections of personal well-being, societal structures, and human behavior—critical themes for those working with refugee populations, where displacement, systemic inequities, and resilience converge.
Drawing on decades of medical practice, research, and storytelling, Dr. Maté invites us to examine how trauma is embedded not only in personal histories but also in the policies, institutions, and cultural norms that shape lives. His perspective challenges health professionals to move beyond symptom management toward fostering environments that support recovery, dignity, and belonging—essential elements for refugee health and integration.
For attendees, this session is more than a conversation; it’s a chance to reflect on how our professional practices and policies can better address the roots of suffering, and foster healing that extends beyond the individual to the communities we serve.