Bennet Randall Wong (July 16, 1930 – September 25, 2013), was a Canadian

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

, author and lecturer who co-founded the

Haven Institute Haven Institute may refer to: * Haven Institute (Gabriola Island, Canada), a health centre on Gabriola Island, British Columbia * Haven Institute (Meridian, Mississippi), a former private historically black Methodist college See also * Haven ( ...

, a residential experiential learning centre on the west coast of Canada, with

Jock McKeen John Herbert Ross McKeen (born October 19, 1946), is a Canadian physician, acupuncturist, author and lecturer who co-founded the Haven Institute (Gabriola Island, Canada) with Bennet Wong. He has written on East-West medicine, alternative medici ...

. His writings focused on

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

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. The term can legitimately refer to any form of psychotherapy when delivered in a group format, ...

humanistic psychology Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that arose in the mid-20th century in answer to two theories: Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory and B. F. Skinner's behaviorism. Thus, Abraham Maslow established the need for a "third force ...

and

personal growth Personal development or self improvement consists of activities that develop a person's capabilities and potential, build human capital, facilitate employability, and enhance quality of life and the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal ...

Education and honours

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...

, 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 Canada The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (french: Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada) is a regulatory college which acts as a national, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a special Act of Parliament to o ...

1973 * Doctor of Letters (honoris causa),

Vancouver Island University Vancouver Island University (abbreviated as VIU, formerly known as Malaspina University-College and earlier as Malaspina College) is a Canadian public university serving Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia. Malaspina College began in 196 ...

2012

Career

Individual career

Wong was clinical director at the ''Winfield State Hospital'' in Winfield, Kansas, from 1957 to 1959. He then practised

adolescent psychiatry Child and adolescent psychiatry (or pediatric psychiatry) is a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and their families. It investigates the biopsychosocial fact ...

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, B.C., from 1961 until 1975. Wong was an early adopter of the

encounter group __NOTOC__ A T-group or training group (sometimes also referred to as sensitivity-training group, human relations training group or encounter group) is a form of group training where participants (typically between eight and fifteen people) learn a ...

process. During the late 1960s, he offered media comments on youth, including hosting a national television forum on youth on

CBC-TV CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...

He discussed many issues with Canada's former Minister of Health and Welfare,

Judy Lamarsh Julia Verlyn LaMarsh, (December 20, 1924 – October 27, 1980) was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she was only the second woman to ever serve as a federal Cabinet Minister. Under Prime Minister Lester Pearson' ...

, and television journalist (and later Canadian

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

)

Laurier Lapierre Laurier L. LaPierre (November 21, 1929 – December 16, 2012) was a Canadian Senator, professor, broadcaster, journalist and author. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Fluently bilingual, LaPierre was best known for having bee ...

. Throughout his career, he has been an advocate of

humanistic Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...

approaches to dealing with children, adolescents and families. He incorporated the mind-body approaches of

Wilhelm Reich Wilhelm Reich ( , ; 24 March 1897 – 3 November 1957) was an Austrian Doctor of Medicine, doctor of medicine and a psychoanalysis, psychoanalyst, along with being a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud. The author ...

into his work, as well as the perspectives of

existential therapy Existential psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the model of human nature and experience developed by the Existentialism, existential tradition of European philosophy. It focuses on concepts that are universally applicable to human ...

. 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 Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that arose in the mid-20th century in answer to two theories: Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory and B. F. Skinner's behaviorism. Thus, Abraham Maslow established the need for a "third force ...

at ''Hua Wei University'' in

Shen Zhen Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, in 2007.

Partnership with Jock McKeen

After working in individual practices in

, B.C. (McKeen in

acupuncture Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientifi ...

and Wong in adolescent

psychiatry Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions. See glossary of psychiatry. Initial psych ...

), they left private practice in 1975 to conduct residential growth groups at the ''Cold Mountain Institute'' on

Cortes Island Cortes Island is an island in the Discovery Islands archipelago on the coast of British Columbia, Canada. The island is long, wide, and in area. It has a population of 1,035 permanent residents (2016 census). Cortes Island lies within Electora ...

, 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 A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

society until 1983, when they co-founded The

. Wong and McKeen challenge the traditional

medical model ''Medical model'' is the term coined by psychiatrist R. D. Laing in his ''The Politics of the Family and Other Essays'' (1971), for the "set of procedures in which all doctors are trained". It includes complaint, history, physical examinat ...

, encouraging physicians to be less

objectify In social philosophy, objectification is the act of treating a person, as an object or a thing. It is part of dehumanization, the act of disavowing the humanity of others. Sexual objectification, the act of treating a person as a mere object of sex ...

ing, to develop more

self-awareness In philosophy of self, self-awareness is the experience of one's own personality or individuality. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia. While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifesty ...

and adopt a more

holistic Holism () is the idea that various systems (e.g. physical, biological, social) should be viewed as wholes, not merely as a collection of parts. The term "holism" was coined by Jan Smuts in his 1926 book ''Holism and Evolution''."holism, n." OED Onl ...

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

in 1983, a residential

experiential learning Experiential learning (ExL) is the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly defined as "learning through reflection on doing". Hands-on learning can be a form of experiential learning, but does not necessarily involve students ...

school on

Gabriola Island Gabriola Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia (BC), Canada. It is about east of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, to which it is linked by a 20-minute ferry service. It has a land area of about and a resid ...

, B.C., and were active in its development until 2004, when ownership was passed to ''The Haven Foundation.'' Both men were appointed Emeritus Faculty of The

. They were both given honorary doctorates by

for their work in establishing the

References

Publications

Selected Wong publications

*. *. *.

Wong and McKeen collaborative publications

See Wong McKeen Collaborative Publications on Wikipedia's article for Jock McKeen

External links

*
Curriculum Vitae for Bennet Wong on The Haven's Founders' page"Loving is My Pleasure" - audio and written article
*
"Psychology in China" - article by Jock McKeen & Bennet WongDownloadable Chapter from McKeen & Wong: ''Health and Happiness''Review of McKeen/Wong: ''The Illuminated Heart: Perspectives on East-West Psychology and Thought''Honorary Doctorate from Vancouver Island University 2012Downloadable PDF of VIU Convocation Program honoring Dr. Wong
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wong, Bennet 1930 births Canadian psychiatrists Canadian non-fiction writers New Age writers Canadian writers of Asian descent 2013 deaths