The Catholic Lawyers’ Society of Kuala Lumpur (KL) invited a renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Xavier Vincent Pereira to give a talk on mental health at Loyola Hall Church of St. Francis Xavier, Jln. Gasing, PJ on 24^th August 2024, which was an event jointly organized by the Catholic Doctors Association as an initiative to raise awareness on mental health struggles in society today at large apart from a Senior Lawyer and Partner of SKRINE & a Senior Member of the Catholic Lawyers’ Society of Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Trevor Jason Mark Padasian imparting legal knowledge to the audience with regards to mental health and impact on capacity with references made to the Mental Health Act 2001. The talk was moderated by Mr.Annou Xavier who left the audience in stitches with his humour and opening speech and later the speakers were introduced by Ms.Claudia Silva who really charmed everyone with her flair and eloquent introductory speech.

Dr. Xavier Vincent Pereira, a man whose resume reads like a “Who’s Who” of global mental health. A practicing consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist at Damai Service Hospital and KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital, Dr. Pereira doesn’t just talk the talk—he trains the trainers, too. As an internationally certified psychotherapist and supervisor in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), he’s been shaping minds and methods since 2006, with an impressive list of credentials that include roles as a global chair of the subsection of Interpersonal Psychotherapy with Cultural Adaptations under the psychotherapy section for the World Psychiatric Association and a leading figure in IPT Malaysia.

But Dr. Pereira’s contributions extend beyond the professional sphere. He co-founded Health Equity Initiatives, providing vital mental health services to refugees in Kuala Lumpur, and was a pioneer in establishing the Catholic Counselors and Therapists of Malaysia. In a field where the stakes are high and the demands relentless, Dr. Pereira’s impact is as profound as his dedication is unyielding.

He delivered a truly eye-opening talk about the various mental health issues we see in society today. To make things even more engaging, he turned it into a lively demonstration. With a big grin, he invited Christina Rachel to the spotlight, and with a playful yet educational approach, assessed her mental capacity right in front of us all. We’re thrilled to report that Christina aced the assessment with flying colors, proving she’s not just a great volunteer but also someone who’s mentally solid!

On the other hand, the legal side of the talk was taken over by Mr. Trevor Jason Mark Padasian who very excellently delivered his content on mental health and impact on capacity from a legal perspective with very comprehensive slides on the topic. He focused on the main concern with regards to whether or not a person who is mentally disordered can make a particular decision, consent in such situations and guidelines to protect a patient’s rights, appointment of  a Committee of Person to manage the affairs of the mentally incapable person and many more pressing matters making reference to the Mental Health Act 2001, Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, Powers of Attorney Act 1949 and also the Advance Care Directive.

The talk concluded with the two speakers fielding a range of questions from the audience who were very keen to clear their doubts and get more input after a very informative and eye-opening talk.  After the talk ended, everyone gathered for lunch and nice cosy fellowship leaving everyone in good spirits and more equipped and informed in mental health issues.