Dr. Gabor Maté is one of today’s most notable medical authors, looking at the whole body and mind in his practice.
He has been honoured by the Order of Canada for his work on trauma and drug addiction. The Vancouver-based doctor is now also the focus of a documentary called The Wisdom of Trauma.
People have been gathering to view the film in groups, through special screening licence applications. And a group in Hope, the Engaging Our Partners Project, is holding one of those screenings at the Hope Cinema Cafe on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.
The Wisdom of Trauma follows Maté in exploring why our western society is facing such epidemics. It tells the story of a man who has dedicated his life to understanding the connection between illness, addiction, trauma and society.
The interconnected epidemics of anxiety, chronic illness and substance abuse are, according to Maté, normal. But not in the way you might think.
“So much of what we call abnormality in this culture is actually normal responses to an abnormal culture,” he says. “The abnormality does not reside in the pathology of individuals, but in the very culture that drives people into suffering and dysfunction.”
After 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, Maté worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The author of four books published in over 25 languages, Maté is an expert on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. His book on addiction received the Hubert Evans Prize for literary non-fiction.
The group is accepting donations of canned tomatoes and tuna on behalf of the Hope Food Bank. In return, those donating will receive $2 off their popcorn.
While the film is free, they ask people to register online at their Eventbrite page, The Wisdom of Trauma at the Hope Cinema Cafe.
READ MORE: B.C. sheriff points to staff shortages, guard apathy for drugs in prisons
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