Bennet Wong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bennet Wong
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| Born | July 16, 1930 Strasbourg, Saskatchewan, Canada
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| Died | September 25, 2013 (aged 83) British Columbia, Canada
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| Education | University of Alberta, Menninger Clinic |
| Years active | 1956-2013 |
| Known for | Co-founder, Haven Institute |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Psychiatrist, author, lecturer |
| Institutions | Haven Institute |
| Research | Human Potential Movement |
Bennet Randall Wong (July 16, 1930 – September 25, 2013) was a Canadian psychiatrist, author, and teacher. He helped people learn about themselves and grow personally. He is best known for co-founding the Haven Institute (Gabriola Island, Canada) with Jock McKeen. This place on Canada's west coast helps people learn through special experiences. Bennet Wong wrote a lot about mental illness, group psychotherapy (therapy in groups), and how people can grow and improve their lives.
Education and Early Career
Bennet Wong studied medicine at the University of Alberta, earning his medical degree in 1955. He then specialized in psychiatry (the study and treatment of mental illness) at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas from 1956 to 1961.
- He worked as a director at a hospital in Kansas from 1957 to 1959.
- From 1961 to 1975, he worked with teenagers in Vancouver, British Columbia.
- He believed in helping people in a way that looked at their whole self, including their mind and body.
- He even appeared on CBC-TV to talk about issues facing young people.
Working with Jock McKeen
After working on their own, Bennet Wong and Jock McKeen decided to work together in 1975. McKeen was an acupuncture expert, and Wong was a psychiatrist. They started leading special "growth groups" where people could learn about themselves.
- They first worked at the Cold Mountain Institute on Cortes Island.
- Later, they helped create the Cortes Centre for Human Development.
- Wong and McKeen believed that doctors should not just treat illnesses. They thought doctors should also help patients understand themselves better and take a more holistic (whole-person) approach to health.
- They taught their ideas in many countries, including Canada, the U.S.A., China, and parts of Europe.
Founding The Haven Institute
In 1983, Bennet Wong and Jock McKeen founded The Haven Institute. This is a special school on Gabriola Island where people learn by doing and experiencing things. They were very involved in running The Haven until 2004.
- The Haven Institute became a place where people could explore their potential and learn new ways to live.
- Both Bennet Wong and Jock McKeen were given special honorary doctorates from Vancouver Island University for their important work in creating The Haven.
Bennet Wong passed away on September 25, 2013, but his ideas and the Haven Institute continue to help many people.
