9th Canadian Muslim Mental Health Conference 2025

9th Canadian Muslim Mental Health Conference 2025  

The MMAC in collaboration with the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry would like to invite you to the 9th Canadian Muslim Mental Health Conference (CMMHC), to be held on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

The conference will have sessions targeted for mental health care professionals, allied health care professionals, physician students and those interested in Muslim mental health.

Keynote Speaker: Shaykh Dr. Asim Yusuf - International Speaker, Psychiatrist, Islamic Scholar, and Nasheed Artist ("Talib Al Habib")

Shaykh Dr Asim Yusuf, Emeritus Chair of the British Board of Scholars and Imams. A respected religious scholar in the United Kingdom, a Consultant Psychiatrist, and a leading authority on Islamic Spirituality and Mental Health.

Speaker Lineup

• Dr.Ken Fung , Global Health Director, Professor at the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry (Integrating Traditional Approaches into Asian Mental Healthcare)
• Heather Lash, Professor George Brown and York University, Indigenous Mental Health Auntie at Call Auntie Clinic (Integrating Traditional Approaches into Indigenous Mental Health)
• Dr.Sakina Rizvi (Do Mental Health Treatments Work?: Reviewing the Neurobiological Impact of Depression, Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy Interventions)
• Dr. Andrew Howlett (Father's Mental Health)
• Dr. Zainab Furqan (Early Psychosis Intervention)
• Dr. Raed Hawa and Dr. Ahmed Bahammam (CBT for Insomnia and Sleep Medicine for Muslims)
• Dr. Ayaz Kurji (Psychopharmacology for Family Physicians and Mental Health Professionals)
• Dr. Aliya Rahim, PhD Behavioural Analysis,  and Sanaeyah Malik,M.ADS, BCBA Behavioural Analyst (Behavioural Approaches and Islam)
• Expert Case Discussion session - Get your clinical questions answered by our expert speaker line up! 

Conference Schedule  

Morning
8:00 AM Registration and Breakfast
8:45 AM – Introduction and Opening Remarks  – Rahma Stage
9:00 AM – 11:15 AM – “Elevating Mental Health Care”: Models of Incorporating Spiritual and Cultural Practices into clinical Approaches  - Dr. Asim Yusuf, Heather Lash, Dr. Ken Fung – Rahma Stage
11:20 AM – 12:20 PM – “Fortifying the Foundations”: Father’s Mental Health - Dr. Andrew Howlett, Dr. Asim Yusuf – Rahma Stage
12:20 PM – 12:35 PM – Traditional Islamic Mindfulness Activity (Dhikr) - Dr. Asim Yusuf – Rahma Stage
12:35 PM – 1:35 PM – Lunch + Community Resource Fair + Dhuhr Prayer – Lobby
12:35 PM – Psychiatrist Mentorship Session with Dr. Asim Yusuf – Salaam Stage
12:35 PM – Lunch and Learn with Experts: Case Discussion - Dr. Raed Hawa, Dr. Zainab Furqan, Dr. Andrew Howlett, Dr. Ken Fung, Sanayeah Malik and Dr. Aliya Rahim – Rahma Stage

Afternoon
1:40 PM – 2:40 PM – “What’s The Brain Got To Do With It?”: Understanding the Neurobiology of Mental Illness, Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy Treatments - Dr. Sakina Rizvi – Rahma Stage
2:40 PM – 2:55 PM – Asr Prayer Break
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM – “I Can’t Sleep!”: Approaches to Sleep and CBT for Insomnia in Muslim Patients - Dr. Aliya Rahim, Sanaeyah Malik – Rahma Stage
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Research and Community Initiatives Presentations – Salaam Stage
4:05 PM – 5:05 PM – Interactive Workshop: Antidepressant and Augmentation: Level Up Your Prescribing –  Dr. Ayaz Kurji – Rahma Stage
4:05-5:05 PM – “Small Actions, Big Impact”: Mastering Change through Behavioural Approaches within an Islamic FrameworkDr. Aliya Rahim, Sanaeyah Malik – Salaam Stage
5:05 PM – 5:20 PM – Maghrib Prayer Break
5:25 PM – 6:10 PM – Understanding Psychosis for Muslim Patients and Families - Dr. Zainab Furqan, Yusuf Faqiri – Rahma Stage
5:25 PM – 6:10 PM – CBTi: Enhancing Clinical Skills in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (Special Workshop)Dr. Raed Hawa – Salaam Stage
6:15 PM – 6:30 PM – Concluding Remarks + Research Awards - Dr. Arfeen Malick, Dr. Ken Fung – Rahma Stage
6:30 PM – End of conference

Ticket Information 

Student (Undergraduate, Masters, Medical Students, Residents or any other):
$125

Professional (Healthcare/Mental Health professional or any other):
$175 

Tickets will not be sold at the door

Deadline to register: November 20th
Tickets are non transferrable 

Note: Healthcare/Mental Health professionals include all individuals who are Physicians, Social Workers, Psychologists, Child and Youth workers, Therapists, Counsellors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Researchers, Behavioural Analysts and any other recognized health care professional, mental health professional or other professional.

Note: **MMAC Platinum Member Discount**
To receive $10 discount (for Staff Platinum members only), please email membership@muslimmeds.ca
To join the MMAC: bit.ly/mmacjoin
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Conference Program, Research and Resources

Please visit muslimmentalhealth.ca closer to the conference for more details on program, schedule, and speakers. This website also includes Muslim mental health resources including adapted psychoeducation material and a directory of Muslim mental health professionals for both the general public and professionals.

Information will also be posted on our social media accounts, @muslimmeds.

Sponsorship Inquiries 
please contact: advertising@muslimmeds.ca
Other Inquiries: cmmhc@muslimmeds.ca

NOTE: there are NO refunds or transferring of tickets.