Reva Gerstein

Reva Appleby Gerstein CC OOnt (born Reva Appleby; 27 March 1917 – 6 January 2020)[2][3] was a Canadian psychologist, educator, and mental health advocate. She was the first woman Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario, serving from 1992 to 1996.[4]

Reva Gerstein
Born	Reva Appleby 27 March 1917 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	6 January 2020 (aged 102)[1] Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Psychologist and educator
Spouse(s)	Bertrand Gerstein (m: 1939-1971, divorced) David Raitblat (m: 1979)
Children	2, including Irving Gerstein

Biography

Gerstein was the daughter of Diana (Kraus) and David Appleby.[5] After attending Fern Avenue Public School and Parkdale Collegiate Institute, Gerstein earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (1938), a Master of Arts degree (1939), and a PhD (1945) from the University of Toronto.[5]

Reva Appleby married Bertrand Gerstein on 5 June 1939 at Toronto's Holy Blossom Temple.[6] The couple had two sons, Irving Russell (1941-) and Ira Michael (1947-). In the fall of 1979, she remarried to David Raitblat.[7] She turned 100 in 2017.[3]

Career

Gerstein taught courses in psychology at the University of Toronto from 1942 to 1945, and later taught at York University.[2] In 1945, she became National Director of Program Planning for the Canadian Mental Health Association, beginning what would become a decades-long career in mental health advocacy.[2] Gerstein is credited with leading the shift in Canadian mental health care from a medical model to one focused on healthy, community-based living beyond psychiatric institutions.[4]

In the 1980s, she chaired the Toronto Mayor's Action Task Force on Discharged Psychiatric Patients.[8] As a result of the task force's recommendations, a number of community mental health services were established in Toronto, including the Gerstein Crisis Centre. Gerstein served as the founding chair of the board.[8] Gerstein also helped establish the Hincks Treatment Centre for adolescents (now the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health).[9]

Gerstein died in January 2020 at the age of 102.[1]

Honours

• In 1974, Gerstein was made a Member of the Order of Canada; she was promoted to the title of Officer in 1979, and to the title of Companion in 1997.[10]
• In 1975 she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Guelph.
• In 1988, she was awarded the Order of Ontario.
• She received honorary degrees from University of Western Ontario (1972), Lakehead University (1974), University of Guelph (1975), Queen's University (1981), York University (1993), and the University of Toronto (1996)[5]
• She was a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association.

References

1. Obituary
2. Wright, Mary J. (1992). "Women ground-breakers in Canadian psychology: World War II and its aftermath". Canadian Psychology. 33 (4): 675–682. doi:10.1037/h0078749. ISSN 1878-7304.
3. Staff (27 March 2017). "Daily Kickoff: AIPAC highlights: Bibi's blond highlights? : White House seeks to soothe Sheldon : Bannon's man in Tel Aviv : Theodore Kushner turns 1". Jewish Insider. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
4. "Western News - Gerstein paved way for women leaders". Western News. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
5. Canadian Who's Who. Grey House Publishing Canada. 1983.
6. "Four Maids Wait on Reva Appleby". The Globe and Mail. 6 June 1939. p. 9.
7. Cherry, Zena (3 October 1979). "A China banquet to foster friendship (multi-topic article)". The Globe and Mail. p. 10.
8. "Gerstein Crisis Centre | History". Retrieved 2 December 2019.
9. "Board of Trustees". Psychology Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
10. Order of Canada citation