Erin Michalak
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Full Member
Dr. Erin Michalak is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada and is a member of the Executive Committee for the APEC Digital Hub for Mental Health.
Her background is in psychology, with a PhD awarded from the University of Wales College of Medicine in the United Kingdom. Her research interests are in bipolar disorder, quality of life, stigma, Community Based Participatory Research, knowledge exchange, self-management and ehealth/mhealth.
Dr. Michalak’s research has been well supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), amongst other funders. She is the founder and leader of the ‘Collaborative RESearch Team for the study of psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder’ (CREST.BD), a CIHR-funded Canadian network dedicated to collaborative research and knowledge exchange in bipolar disorder. She has published over 100 scientific articles and several books and book chapters. She has been awarded the 2018 CIHR Gold Leaf Prize for Transformation in Patient Engagement, Canada’s most prestigious recognition for patient engagement in research across all health disciplines. She has also been awarded the 2019 Douglas Utting Prize, made annually for significant accomplishments in promoting the awareness and treatment of depression in Canada. In her spare time, Erin is an avid mushroom hunter and breeder of Giant Schnauzers, where she lives on the Sunshine Coast of BC.
Contact Info
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3
Research Information
Bipolar disorder (BD), a mood disorder affecting about half a million Canadians, can be associated with profound impairments in health and quality of life (QoL), and has significant healthcare costs. Yet, with optimal support, care and empowerment, people with BD can flourish. This typically requires, however, more than just pharmacology – attention to psychosocial interventions and factors (e.g. support for evidence-based and self-management) are also key. Our network, the Collaborative RESearch Team to study psychosocial issues in Bipolar Disorder (CREST.BD) has spent the last decade advancing BD psychosocial research and produced two signature web-based outputs: a BD-specific QoL assessment and tracking tool, the ‘QoL Tool’ and a ‘Bipolar Wellness Centre.
Publications