Description
Psychopharmacology can be daunting for the non-prescribing clinician. This workshop will examine the latest of what we know about psychopharmacology and how this fits into the overall plan of a client’s care and treatment. Issues of special attention will be: the categories of frequently used medications and how we understand their benefits and risks, ethical issues related to referral, further evaluation and scope of practice, and psychopharmacology for clients with addictions. The focus of the workshop will be on psychopharmacology for adults.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Distinguish and describe the medication options that may be available to clients with complex mood, anxiety, and/or psychotic disorders.
2. List at least three of the common benefits and drawbacks of medication therapies and ways to discuss these with clients as a part of client’s overall health and treatment.
3. Apply an understanding of the context and meaning of medications in a client’s life, particularly across the life span for complex and long-lasting mental illnesses.
4. Discuss current issues in addiction psychopharmacology, including agonist and antagonist therapies, as well as psychopharmacology issues in co-occurring disorder populations
The Conference Schedule
8:00 am - 8:30 am Registration and Coffee
8:30 am - 10:15 am History of Psychopharmacology in a Nutshell
Anxiety, Worry, and the Problem of Sleep
10:15 am - 10:30 am Break & Refreshments
10:30 am - 12:00 pm Mood: Its Highs and Lows
Noon - 1:00 pm Lunch (included with your registration)
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Psychosis, Medications, and the Life Course:
Long-Term and Short-Term Issues
2:30 pm - 3:45 Addiction Psychopharmacology
and Psychopharmacology
Challenges with Co-occurring Clients
Ethical Pitfalls for the Non-Prescriber to Avoid
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Participant question and answer session
Kurt White, LADC, LICSW, is a clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor who works as the manager of the Birches and Starting Now Programs at the Brattleboro Retreat. He is an adjunct faculty at Smith College School for Social Work and at Antioch University New England’s Department of Applied Psychology.
