09/17/2026
Please join us for the Jacob Hamilton Memorial Lecture on Thursday, October 8, with guest speaker Dr. Kayla M. Joyce from the University of Manitoba. A light reception will follow the lecture. The event will be hosted by Dr. Sherry Stewart. Everyone is welcome!
Talk title: "Why Do People Use Substances? Coping, Motherhood, and the Future of Integrated Perinatal Care"
Thursday, October 8
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sir James Dunn Building, Room 101
Guest Speaker: Dr. Kayla M. Joyce
Abstract: At her first prenatal appointment, a woman is asked whether she drinks alcohol, smokes, or uses drugs. What she says next may depend less on how much of a substance she uses than on what she expects will happen if she answers honestly.
People rarely use substances for reasons that can be captured by quantity alone. They use them to sleep, manage anxiety, improve their mood, cope with stress, or get through a long day of caregiving.
This talk focuses on one question: why do people use substances? Dr. Joyce will begin with her early research at Dalhousie University on mood, coping, and motives for substance use, before turning to her current work in pregnancy and early parenthood, periods when mental health needs are high, services can be difficult to access, and stigma can shape whether substance use is ever discussed.
She will consider what is missed when research and healthcare focus primarily on identifying risk rather than understanding the context in which substance use occurs. She will close by considering what it takes to build care that responds to those contexts: low-barrier interventions, non-judgmental approaches to substance use, and better integration of mental health and substance use care.
Identifying who is at risk is only part of the challenge. The next question is what we do once we understand why.
Bio: Dr. Kayla Joyce is a departmental alum and is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Psychologist Candidate at the University of Manitoba, where her research focuses on mental health, substance use, and access to care during pregnancy and early parenthood. She completed her honours and master’s degrees at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Sherry Stewart, and her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manitoba. Her current research includes the development and evaluation of digital mental health interventions for parents and she is the Co-Lead of the Manitoba Perinatal Mental Health Hub, which is working to strengthen integrated mental health and substance use care for families.
Jacob Hamilton:
Jacob Hamilton was a neuroscience student in our department who passed away on December 5, 2018, at the age of 24 in Halifax.
While working on his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with Dr. Tamara Franklin, Jacob was also active in many facets of university life. He was a long-time student employee and volunteer for Student Affairs and was an active supporter of the Dal After Dark and ProSocial programs. At the 2016 Dalhousie Student Impact Awards, Jacob was named a Rising Star for his contributions to Dalhousie and the local community.
Jacob was passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues through his work on the Dalhousie campus, with Laing House, and on several committees at the IWK. He was an intelligent and articulate young man and was often invited to speak to raise awareness about mental illness. He was an outspoken force and often challenged traditional thoughts and norms.
Jacob touched the lives of many, giving his love and support to anyone who needed it. He had an infectious enthusiasm and put people at ease with his kind and generous spirit.
