By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Dr. Catherine Malbœuf-Hurtubise, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Bishop’s University, has been honoured with the prestigious Forces AVENIR Personnel Engagé award. The award, which recognizes community engagement by university faculty, celebrates Dr. Malbœuf-Hurtubise’s leadership in establishing Bishop’s University’s first-ever doctoral program in clinical psychology. This program, launched in 2024, was developed with a strong focus on addressing mental health needs in the Eastern Townships community, particularly for English-speaking residents.
“The award that I got was actually because I led the project of the doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Bishop’s,” Dr. Malbœuf-Hurtubise explained in an Oct. 16 interview. “We’ve developed it really with the community in mind so that we can provide mental health services to the Bishop’s community, not just the university but the Lennoxville community as well.”
A clinical psychologist specializing in youth mental health, Dr. Malbœuf-Hurtubise has dedicated much of her research to exploring how children confront existential questions, such as those about climate change, death, and despair. Her work focuses on helping children process these challenging concepts through a combination of art and philosophical inquiry, creating a safe space for them to express their feelings. “It’s not by ignoring [despair] that it’ll go away. It’s a valid emotion that they need to explore,” she noted.
Her groundbreaking program has already had a far-reaching impact. Over 30 students have been trained to bring these interventions into primary school classrooms, positively influencing more than 1,500 children in the region. The program’s approach involves using art and philosophical inquiry to help children engage with complex topics in both verbal and non-verbal ways. “The arts are non-verbal, so it’s an alternative way to explore and express feelings. Philosophical inquiry is very verbal, so that’s why we combine both,” she said.
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