In a powerful address that blended music with a crucial message, Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle delivered the 25th Annual Utting Lecture at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital on Thursday, November 13, 2025, receiving recognition for his mental health advocacy and sharing his firsthand experience that treatment works.
From Newfoundland Tradition to Mental Health Advocacy
True to his Newfoundland roots where offering a song marks any important arrival, Doyle began his lecture with an a cappella performance of his folk ballad "Dream of Home." While celebrated as an award-winning musician, actor, and author, Doyle was in Montreal to discuss a subject closer to his heart: the urgent need for greater mental health awareness and accessible services.
He was honored with the prestigious Utting Medal for his contributions to mental health, community engagement, and his role as an exemplary ambassador. Doyle expressed gratitude that open discussions are now possible, contrasting it with his upbringing in Petty Harbour during the 1970s and 80s. "There wasn't a lot of fishermen getting off the boats and walking across to the other fishermen and saying 'Just checkin' in to see how you're doin' with your mental health,'" he remarked, drawing laughter but highlighting a serious cultural shift.
Breaking the Stigma Around Men's Mental Health
In an interview with The Gazette, Doyle emphasized that he uses his platform to combat the persistent stigma, particularly for men. He believes conversations about men's mental health occur far less frequently than those about women's health. His mission is to normalize discussing a mental health concern with the same ease as one would discuss a physical ailment like a sore hip.
The Douglas Utting Foundation, which organizes the lecture and medal, was established in 1985 in memory of Douglas Utting, who struggled with depression before dying by suicide. The foundation funds a fellowship at the JGH's psychiatry department in association with McGill University, training clinician-researchers to develop better treatments for severe mental health conditions, with a focus on depression.
The Birth of the 'A Dollar a Day' Foundation
Doyle's selection as the medal recipient was partly due to his charitable foundation, "A Dollar a Day," which he established in 2018. The foundation supports frontline programs diagnosing and treating mental illness and addictions.
He shared the origin story during his lecture. While recording an album in a studio above a St. John's pizza shop, Doyle would walk to work each morning and regularly chat with a man experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction outside a bank. "I'd give him a dollar a day," Doyle recalled. These interactions became a comforting ritual amidst the stress of recording.
When touring took him away, Doyle devised a plan to set aside a dollar daily. At year's end, he donated the accumulated $365 to a local mental health and addiction facility. This personal habit evolved into a formal platform encouraging others to contribute. Today, the Dollar a Day Foundation supports programs in every Canadian province and territory and has donated nearly $6 million.
Doyle also revealed his own experiences with stress, burnout, and a brief bout of claustrophobia on airplanes. He sought counselling, which he says was profoundly effective. "What many people aren't aware of is that, not only are there great mental health and addiction programs out there, they actually work," he stated, comparing his recovery to having a broken arm fixed.
Innovative Research in Depression Treatment
The event also featured 2025 Utting fellow Dr. Sara de la Salle, a post-doctoral fellow in Psychiatry at McGill University. She is leading Quebec's first clinical trial on psilocybin-assisted therapy, investigating how the active ingredient in magic mushrooms can help individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
Her research aims to move beyond a one-size-fits-all model. "Our research is focused on how to go beyond that question and see how to make this therapy helpful for each individual person," de la Salle explained. The study will examine the impact of combining psychedelics with other elements like music or meditation to create personalized, more effective treatment outcomes.
