Bennet Wong
Encyclopedia
Bennet Randall Wong is a Canadian
psychiatrist
, author and lecturer who co-founded the Haven Institute
, a residential experiential learning centre on the west coast of Canada, with Jock McKeen
. He has written on mental illness
, group psychotherapy
, humanistic psychology
and personal growth.
, Kansas from 1957-59. He then practised adolescent psychiatry
in Vancouver
, B.C. from 1961 until 1975. Wong was an early adopter of the encounter group process. During the late 1960s, he offered media comments on youth, including hosting a national television forum on youth on CBC-TV He discussed many issues with Canada's former Minister of Health and Welfare
, Judy Lamarsh
, and television journalist (and later Canadian senator) Laurier Lapierre
. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate of humanistic approaches to dealing with children, adolescents and families. He incorporated the mind-body approaches of Wilhelm Reich
into his work, as well as the perspectives of existential therapy
. Wong was a member of the Board of Directors of Moffat Communications Ltd.
for twenty-five years (1973–1999). He has been noted in Who's Who in Canada
.
Wong was appointed as Visiting Professor of Humanistic Psychology
at Hua Wei University in Shen Zhen, China
in 2007.
, B.C. (McKeen in acupuncture
and Wong in adolescent psychiatry
), they left private practice in 1975 to conduct residential growth groups at the Cold Mountain Institute on Cortes Island
, British Columbia. After the demise of the Cold Mountain Institute in 1980, Wong and McKeen helped to establish the Cortes Centre for Human Development, and conducted seminars organized by this nonprofit
society until 1983, when they co-founded The Haven Institute
. Wong and McKeen challenge the traditional medical model
, encouraging physicians to be less objectifying, to develop more self-awareness
and adopt a more holistic approach to patient care. Wong and McKeen have taught this integrative approach in Canada, U.S.A., China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand as well as countries in Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East.
in 1983, a residential experiential learning
school on Gabriola Island, B.C., and were active in its development until 2004, when ownership was passed to The Haven Foundation. Both men are now Emeritus Faculty of The Haven Institute
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, author and lecturer who co-founded the Haven Institute
Haven Institute
The Haven Institute is a residential learning centre situated in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. Founded by Jock McKeen and Bennet Wong, the centre offers courses for personal and professional purposes, including a program for students aspiring to achieve a...
, a residential experiential learning centre on the west coast of Canada, with Jock McKeen
Jock McKeen
Jock McKeen , is a Canadian physician,acupuncturist, author and lecturer who co-founded the Haven Institute with Bennet Wong. He has written on East-West medicine, alternative medicine, holistic health, Asian studies and personal growth.-Education:McKeen received his M.D...
. He has written on mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
, group psychotherapy
Group psychotherapy
Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group...
, humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
and personal growth.
Education
- M.D. University of AlbertaUniversity of AlbertaThe University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, 1955 - Postgraduate Training in Psychiatry, Menninger Clinic and School of Psychiatry, Topeka, Kansas, 1956–61
- F.R.C.P.(c), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaThe Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada ' , French: Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada, is a national, private, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a special Act of Parliament to oversee the medical education of specialists in Canada...
1973
Early career
Wong was Clinical Director at the Winfield State Hospital in WinfieldWinfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city situated along the Walnut River in the west-central part of Cowley County, located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,301...
, Kansas from 1957-59. He then practised adolescent psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, B.C. from 1961 until 1975. Wong was an early adopter of the encounter group process. During the late 1960s, he offered media comments on youth, including hosting a national television forum on youth on CBC-TV He discussed many issues with Canada's former Minister of Health and Welfare
Minister of Health (Canada)
The Minister of Health is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's health department and the enforcing the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Health Act, the law governing Medicare...
, Judy Lamarsh
Judy LaMarsh
Julia Verlyn LaMarsh, PC, OC, QC was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she was only the second woman to ever serve as a federal Cabinet Minister...
, and television journalist (and later Canadian senator) Laurier Lapierre
Laurier LaPierre
Laurier L. LaPierre, OC is a retired Canadian Senator and former broadcaster, journalist and author. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada....
. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate of humanistic approaches to dealing with children, adolescents and families. He incorporated the mind-body approaches of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry...
into his work, as well as the perspectives of existential therapy
Existential therapy
Existential psychotherapy is a philosophical method of therapy that operates on the belief that inner conflict within a person is due to that individual's confrontation with the givens of existence. These givens, as noted by Irvin D...
. Wong was a member of the Board of Directors of Moffat Communications Ltd.
Moffat Communications
Moffat Communications was a Canadian cable and broadcasting company. Privately owned by the Moffat family, the company was based in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
for twenty-five years (1973–1999). He has been noted in Who's Who in Canada
Who's Who
Who's Who is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biographical information on a particular group of people...
.
Wong was appointed as Visiting Professor of Humanistic Psychology
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
at Hua Wei University in Shen Zhen, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 2007.
Partnership with Dr. Jock McKeen
After working in individual practices in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, B.C. (McKeen in acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
and Wong in adolescent psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
), they left private practice in 1975 to conduct residential growth groups at the Cold Mountain Institute on Cortes Island
Cortes Island, British Columbia
Cortes Island is one of the archipelago known as the Discovery Islands in British Columbia, Canada which lie beyond the northern end of the Gulf of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Mainland. Cortes lies on the far side of Quadra Island from the city of Campbell River,...
, British Columbia. After the demise of the Cold Mountain Institute in 1980, Wong and McKeen helped to establish the Cortes Centre for Human Development, and conducted seminars organized by this nonprofit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
society until 1983, when they co-founded The Haven Institute
Haven Institute
The Haven Institute is a residential learning centre situated in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. Founded by Jock McKeen and Bennet Wong, the centre offers courses for personal and professional purposes, including a program for students aspiring to achieve a...
. Wong and McKeen challenge the traditional medical model
Medical model
Medical model is the term cited by psychiatrist Ronald D. Laing in his The Politics of the Family and Other Essays , for the "set of procedures in which all doctors are trained." This set includes complaint, history, physical examination, ancillary tests if needed, diagnosis, treatment, and...
, encouraging physicians to be less objectifying, to develop more self-awareness
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals...
and adopt a more holistic approach to patient care. Wong and McKeen have taught this integrative approach in Canada, U.S.A., China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand as well as countries in Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East.
Establishment of the Haven Institute
Wong and McKeen founded The Haven InstituteHaven Institute
The Haven Institute is a residential learning centre situated in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. Founded by Jock McKeen and Bennet Wong, the centre offers courses for personal and professional purposes, including a program for students aspiring to achieve a...
in 1983, a residential experiential learning
Experiential learning
Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience. Simply put, Experiential Learning is learning from experience. The experience can be staged or left open. Aristotle once said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." David A...
school on Gabriola Island, B.C., and were active in its development until 2004, when ownership was passed to The Haven Foundation. Both men are now Emeritus Faculty of The Haven Institute
Haven Institute
The Haven Institute is a residential learning centre situated in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia on the west coast of Canada. Founded by Jock McKeen and Bennet Wong, the centre offers courses for personal and professional purposes, including a program for students aspiring to achieve a...
.