Breaking Down Barriers in Mental Health Stigma
What is Stigma?
Stigma is a process where differences between people are labeled and linked to negative stereotypes, leading to separation, prejudice, discrimination, and unequal outcomes.
Three Levels of Stigma
1. Intrapersonal Stigma (Self-Stigma)
- Internalized negative beliefs
Leads to shame, reduced help-seeking, and impacts recovery
2. Interpersonal Stigma (Public Stigma)
- Negative attitudes, stereotypes, and behaviours toward others.
Can include discrimination, bias, or stigmatizing language in healthcare.
3. Structural Stigma
- System-level policies, practices, and resource gaps.
- Creates inequities in access to care and quality of treatment.
Our Research
Exploring Mental health Barriers in Emergency Rooms (EMBER)
Trauma & Resiliency Informed Practice (TRIP)
Stigma Cultures in Health Care Scale (SCHCS)
Are you looking for training in mental health stigma?
Learn about our research, training opportunities, and how we can support organizations, communities, and professionals through evidence-informed education.