Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

Launching a private practice demands more than clinical expertise—it requires strategic foresight, legal and financial literacy, and operational rigor. This session provides a comprehensive roadmap from concept to launch, guiding clinicians through entity formation, business planning, compliance setup, and the essential systems that create a foundation for long-term success.

Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

Understanding payer contracts and credentialing is crucial to maintaining both profitability and compliance. This session breaks down key contract terms, reimbursement structures, and negotiation tactics that protect clinical autonomy and optimize revenue. Attendees will leave better equipped to engage payers with confidence and strategy.

Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

Early private practice success depends less on cutting-edge innovation and more on choosing the right foundational tools. This session offers a practical, clinician-focused guide to building and evaluating a private practice technology stack—from digital phone systems and intake platforms to EHRs, billing software, patient portals, virtual assistants, and AI-enabled tools—through the lens of workflow efficiency, compliance, cost, and scalability. Attendees will learn how to determine what to implement now versus later, and where automation or AI can responsibly enhance efficiency versus when traditional software or human support remains the better choice for early-stage practices.

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 150 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Dr. Andrew Cutler, MD; Dr. Tracy Hicks, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHN.BC, CARN-AP, FIANN, FAANP; Mr. Kevin Williams, MS, MPAS, PA-C This presentation is provided by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

Dessert will be served. Seating is limited to 150 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Edisa Shirley, Ph.D., LMHC This presentation is provided by ClinicMind.

Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

Starting a new clinical practice requires navigating complex legal and regulatory decisions early and often. This session provides a practical overview of the foundational legal considerations clinicians must address when launching or recently establishing a practice, including entity formation, employment and HR issues, telemedicine and licensure requirements, documentation and consent, and compliance risks related to billing and audits. Common legal pitfalls and real-world scenarios will be highlighted, with resource-rich slides designed to support continued reference after the session.

Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

Building the right team is essential to any thriving practice. This session covers recruitment strategy, staff retention, compensation models, and legally sound termination practices. Experts will outline practical HR frameworks tailored for small-to-medium private practices, helping clinicians create compliant, high-performing workplace cultures.

Additional fee applies and pre-registration is required.

In today’s digital-first world, visibility drives viability. This session provides a tactical guide to building and maintaining a patient pipeline through SEO, digital branding, and professional referral networks. Attendees will learn practical methods to enhance online discoverability, reputation management, and long-term referral partnerships.

Join us following the Private Practice Summit Preconference for an interactive dinner program featuring a hands-on AIMS workshops, case-based breakout discussions, and live faculty Q&A. Dinner will be served. Seating is limited to 150 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Dr. Andrew Cutler, MD; Dr. Tracy Hicks, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHN.BC, CARN-AP, FIANN, FAANP; Mr. Kevin Williams, MS, MPAS, PA-C This presentation is provided by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

Find out about all the great things Elevate has to offer and how to get the most out of your conference experience. Our Elevate Co-Chairs will provide insight into what you can expect to gain out of attending the conference, highlight important conference locations, go over how to use the Elevate conference app, and other tips and tricks for "elevating" your experience on-site.

Breakfast will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH; Sherland, Patient Ambassador This presentation is provided by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

Join our co-chairs as they kick off the conference with energy and excitement—plus a little morning karaoke fun—while also sharing a brief overview of what’s ahead for the day, including key sessions and events.

What could you achieve if you were Unstoppable? Award-Winning Speaker, Champion Leader, and American Ninja Warrior, Alex Weber, gives you his Unstoppable System to lead beyond changes, overcome challenges, and achieve your biggest goals, in your practice and beyond! In this high-energy keynote, Alex Weber shares his journey to becoming the only person in the history of NBC American Ninja Warrior to transition from host to competitor, using lived experience to show how adversity and self-doubt can shape resiliency, purpose, and connection. Through vulnerable, honest, and often humorous storytelling, he invites attendees to reflect on imposter syndrome and everyday setbacks, highlighting the “micro moments” that influence mindset and decision-making. Packed with energy, positivity, and actionable takeaways, this keynote will ignite your highest performance, empathy, and leadership in your clinical practice, and also set the tone for four amazing days of meaningful learning, professional growth, and intentional networking within the Psych Congress community!

Trauma and adverse experiences exist across a spectrum and patients with a high degree of adverse childhood experiences or repeated trauma are more likely to develop unstable mood symptoms. These patients may experience misdiagnosis or stigma, particularly borderline personality disorder or bipolar disorder, that can impede appropriate diagnosis and treatment. This session seeks to discuss the overlap of personality and mood features with complex trauma and allow clinicians to gain familiarity and competence with differential diagnosis of complex PTSD.

Discontinuing psychiatric medications should involve the same clinical thoughtfulness and compassion as starting them. This session reviews evidence-based deprescribing strategies for antidepressant medications to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms. In addition, faculty will explore the therapeutic side of deprescribing—how to navigate patient concerns and maintain trust during medication reduction. Attendees will leave with both clinical tools and relational strategies to guide safe, patient-centered deprescribing.

Clinical documentation is a critical part of psychiatric care—not just for billing, but for ensuring safety, communicating across care teams, and protecting both patients and providers. This session offers practical strategies for writing defensible notes that reflect clinical reasoning, address risk, and stand up to scrutiny. It will also explore commonly overlooked elements of documentation—such as email correspondence, patient portal messages, and the role of administrative staff—in shaping the clinical record. Attendees will leave with tools to document more clearly, efficiently, and intentionally, especially in high-stakes or complex cases.

ADHD doesn’t look the same in a 7-year-old, a college student, and a 50-year-old executive—and neither should the approach to diagnosis or treatment. This session explores how ADHD symptoms shift across developmental stages and how to tailor assessment, medication selection, and psychosocial interventions accordingly. Attendees will gain practical strategies for managing ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults, including how to navigate common diagnostic challenges, address comorbidities, and support functioning across different stages of life.

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter: Linda Trinh, DNP, FNP-C, MPH, PMHNP-BC This presentation is provided by Alkermes

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Melissa A. Moody, MD; Jo Hughes, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry This presentation is provided by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and often undertreated condition that exists along a spectrum of severity, yet stigma and inconsistent assessment continue to limit optimal care. This session will review the medical model of AUD and its role in improving recognition, reducing stigma, and guiding evidence-based treatment. Participants will gain practical skills in implementing validated screening tools and assessment strategies to support accurate diagnosis in diverse clinical settings. The session will also evaluate current behavioral and pharmacologic treatments, including best practices for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) selection, initiation, and maintenance. Finally, attendees will explore patient-centered, collaborative approaches to overcoming common barriers to effective AUD management. Clinicians will leave equipped with actionable strategies to enhance outcomes for patients across the AUD severity spectrum. This activity is supported by an educational grant from Lilly.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) extends beyond core diagnostic criteria, often involving executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, and psychiatric comorbidities that substantially affect patient outcomes. This session will highlight the prevalence and clinical burden of these underrecognized features while providing practical strategies to improve their identification and assessment in routine care. Attendees will also explore the neurobiological interplay between serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in regulating emotion and cognition in ADHD. In addition, the session will review conventional, novel, and investigational pharmacologic treatments, with a focus on safety, efficacy, and their ability to address commonly overlooked symptoms. Participants will leave with actionable insights to enhance comprehensive, patient-centered ADHD management. Supported by an educational grant from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical.

Early and accurate identification of bipolar disorder can dramatically alter a patient’s long-term trajectory, but misdiagnosis or delayed treatment remains common. This session provides a foundational look at symptom recognition across mood states, the importance of early intervention, and the range of treatments available to improve outcomes.

Pharmacotherapy remains the foundation of psychiatric treatment, yet medication-centered algorithms frequently fail to deliver sustained remission, particularly in depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and neurodevelopmental populations. Neuromodulation has traditionally been reserved for later lines of care; however, emerging evidence suggests a rapidly expanding role—earlier in illness course, in adolescents, and in combination with neuroplasticity-enhancing interventions. This session provides a concise critique of the limitations of medication-only paradigms, followed by a high-level overview of the current neuromodulation landscape, including TMS, ECT, VNS, and DBS. The majority of the session will focus on future-facing innovations and breakthrough therapies, including first-line and accelerated TMS protocols, adolescent and OCD-specific applications, combination approaches with neuroplasticity-enhancing agents, at-home neuromodulation, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and emerging indications beyond major depressive disorder. Through evidence-informed discussion and real-world clinical examples, attendees will gain a forward-looking framework to understand where neuromodulation is headed, how these advances may reshape treatment algorithms, and how to responsibly counsel patients amid rapidly evolving options.

Join your peers in the Exhibit Hall to engage with mentors, recruiters, and future employers, and learn about available pharmaceuticals and devices for your practice. Have your CV reviewed by a hiring expert (booth #327), get a professional headshot taken by our photographer (booth #627), and more! Visit the Psych Congress booth (#523) to register with an exclusive Alumni rate for 2027, and to learn more about our other Psych Congress events. Stop by the Elevate with the Experts Booth (#626) to meet the Psych Congress Elevate faculty pairs: Michael Asbach, DMSc, PA-C & Michelle Scargle, MD; Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH & Stephanie Kress, DNP, PMHNP-BC, LCSW, NE-PMC, RYT-200; Saundra Jain, MA, PsyD, LPC & Bryan Shapiro, MD, MPH.

Join us after the conference for drinks, games, networking, and meet and greet the faculty! Eat, drink, and mingle with your peers, faculty, and steering committee members.

Breakfast will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Brittany Albright MD, MPH; Nathan Johnston, DO This presentation is provided by Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine

Start the day with our co-chairs as they bring the energy, a touch of morning karaoke, and a quick preview of the day to come.

With patients increasingly turning to AI chatbots for mental health support, clinicians must be prepared to address the risks. This session explores how to screen for AI-influenced beliefs, guide patient conversations, and maintain diagnostic clarity in an era of digital tools. Attendees will learn strategies for risk mitigation, clinical documentation, and education, including when to adjust treatment plans or psychopharmacology based on harmful AI interactions.

With increased awareness of autism spectrum disorder through improved diagnostic screening, there is a need for clinicians to develop familiarity with autism across age groups. This session offers practical tools for recognizing autism in clinical settings across the lifespan, from early signs in children and adolescents to diagnostic considerations for adults who may have been missed or misdiagnosed. Attendees will explore the evolving presentation of autism over time, how to approach the diagnostic conversation, and strategies for supporting coping, communication, and function in both newly diagnosed and long-recognized autistic individuals.

Join your peers in the Exhibit Hall to engage with mentors, recruiters, and future employers, and learn about available pharmaceuticals and devices for your practice. Have your CV reviewed by a hiring expert (booth #327), get a professional headshot taken by our photographer (booth #627), and more! Take part in the Poster Pavilion to review relevant, cutting-edge research, keep up-to-date on innovative projects and programs, and learn from your colleagues in this peer-to-peer educational format. Visit the Psych Congress booth (#523) to register with an exclusive Alumni rate for 2027, and to learn more about our other Psych Congress events. Stop by the Elevate with the Experts Booth (#626) to meet the Psych Congress Elevate faculty pairs: Kristian Dambrino, DNP, PMHNP-BC & Anyinke Atabong, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, PMH-C; Veronica Ridpath, DO & Annmarie Kropp, DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C; Kevin N. Williams, MS, MPAS, PA-C & Ifeanyi M. Olele, DO, MBA, MS, FAPA

Innovation Theater Q&A Series:
11:00 AM - 11:25 AM - Sleep & Psychiatry: Craig Chepke, MD, DFAPA & Chelsea Monroe, MSN, APN, PMHNP-BC
Sponsored by Alkermes and Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
11:30 AM - 11:55 AM - AI & Psychiatry: Steve Chan, MD, MBA, FAPA, FAMIA & Pete Yellowlees, MD
Sponsored by AsyncHealth, Inc.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent and often chronic condition, frequently comorbid with major depressive disorder, that remains underrecognized and undertreated. This session will review the epidemiology and underlying neurobiology of GAD, with a focus on key neural circuits and neurotransmitter systems involved in its pathophysiology. Participants will strengthen their ability to assess and diagnose GAD using DSM-5-TR criteria, differentiating it from normative anxiety as well as overlapping psychiatric and medical conditions. The session will also examine limitations of current treatment approaches and the resulting unmet clinical needs. In addition, faculty will explore the emerging therapeutic potential of investigational psychedelics, highlighting their mechanisms of action and recent clinical data. Attendees will gain practical, evidence-based insights to enhance diagnostic accuracy and inform evolving treatment strategies for GAD. Supported by an educational grant from Definium Therapeutics US, Inc.

Advances in schizophrenia treatment are expanding beyond traditional dopamine D2 receptor antagonism, with muscarinic receptor–based therapies offering a novel mechanism of action. This session will compare muscarinic approaches with conventional antipsychotics, and participants will develop skills in interpreting clinical trial data for both approved and investigational muscarinic agents, including the use of appropriate efficacy endpoints and understanding regulatory context. The session will also address practical considerations for incorporating these therapies into clinical practice with emphasis on patient-centered strategies to optimize adherence and outcomes. Attendees will leave equipped to critically evaluate and thoughtfully integrate emerging muscarinic-based treatments into schizophrenia care. Supported by an educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Speakers to be announced soon.

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter: Gustavo Alva, MD, DFAPA This presentation is provided by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter: Jonathan M. Meyer, MD, DLFAPA This presentation is provided by Johnson & Johnson

Many patients with serious mental illness (SMI) are often turned away or left behind by traditional systems of care. This session equips psychiatrists with practical strategies to engage and retain high-risk patients that others won’t treat. Attendees will explore intensive resources and approaches, community-based interventions, and flexible, harm-reduction-informed models that support therapeutic alliance, safety, and recovery for this often-overlooked population.

What patients eat—and what they’re missing—can significantly impact psychiatric symptoms, treatment response, and overall functioning. This session highlights key nutritional factors in mental health, with a focus on vitamin B12, folate, magnesium, zinc, and MTHFR-related pathways. Faculty will review how these deficiencies contribute to psychiatric presentations across diagnoses and provide evidence-based, practical strategies to guide supplementation that can be applied in psychiatric care.

Managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) is a common challenge in psychiatric and primary care settings, particularly when clinicians feel caught between under-treating distress and overmedicating risk. This session offers a practical, foundational approach to evaluating and managing BPSD, including when and how to use medication in geriatric patients and how to prioritize strategies that support safety, dignity, and quality of life.

Depression frequently presents with anxious distress, subthreshold mixed features, and chronic pain—but distinguishing where one syndrome ends and another begins can be challenging in everyday practice. This session clarifies how these overlapping presentations influence diagnosis, treatment selection, and prognosis. Faculty will review the latest evidence on identifying mixed features in depression, understanding their relationship to anxiety symptoms, and recognizing how both contribute to pain amplification. Attendees will gain practical tools for assessment, medication planning, and strategies to help patients whose symptoms don’t fit neatly into a single category.

Join your peers in the Exhibit Hall to engage with mentors, recruiters, and future employers, and learn about available pharmaceuticals and devices for your practice. Have your CV reviewed by a hiring expert (booth #327), get a professional headshot taken by our photographer (booth #627), and more! Take part in the Poster Pavilion to review relevant, cutting-edge research, keep up-to-date on innovative projects and programs, and learn from your colleagues in this peer-to-peer educational format. Visit the Psych Congress booth (#523) to register with an exclusive Alumni rate for 2027, and to learn more about our other Psych Congress events. Stop by the Elevate with the Experts Booth (#626) to meet the Psych Congress Elevate faculty pairs: Ilan Melnick, MD & Jekeva Moss, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, DipACLM; Jo A. Hughes, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-Psych & Jason Carter, MSPAS, PA-C, CAQ-PSY; Jonathan M. Meyer, MD & Shelley O. Abadi, DNP, MBA, PMHNP-BC

Seating is limited to 125 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter: Andrew Cutler, MD  This presentation is provided by Tris Pharma.

Join the Psych Congress Elevate Steering Committee, attendees, and peers for a poster reception with live music, hors d'oeuvres, and cocktails.

Sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

Breakfast will be served. Seating is limited to 225 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Veronica Ridpath, DO; Craig Chepke, MD, DFAPA This presentation is provided by Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.

Start the day with our co-chairs as they bring the energy, a touch of morning karaoke, and a quick preview of the day to come.

Prescribing for children and adolescents requires a different clinical lens—from developmental factors and FDA guidance to communication with families and thoughtful dosing. This session equips early-career prescribers with practical strategies for initiating and monitoring psychotropic medication in youth, while also addressing early identification and intervention for high-risk conditions. Attendees will leave with confidence to manage complex cases, avoid common mistakes, and support families through challenging clinical decisions.

The substances patients are using—and how they’re using them—are changing fast. This session offers a forward-looking overview of emerging drug trends that psychiatric clinicians are increasingly encountering in practice. From the rise of kratom, xylazine, medetomidine, and loperamide (Imodium) to ongoing substances of concern, faculty will explore what these substances are, how they're being used, and their psychiatric implications. Attendees will learn how to recognize and manage substance use in real-world clinical settings—even when abstinence isn’t the goal—using harm-reduction-informed strategies and a practical, stigma-sensitive approach to care.

Join your peers in the Exhibit Hall to engage with mentors, recruiters, and future employers, and learn about available pharmaceuticals and devices for your practice. Have your CV reviewed by a hiring expert (booth #327), get a professional headshot taken by our photographer (booth #627), and more! Take part in the Poster Pavilion to review relevant, cutting-edge research, keep up-to-date on innovative projects and programs, and learn from your colleagues in this peer-to-peer educational format. Visit the Psych Congress booth (#523) to register with an exclusive Alumni rate for 2027, and to learn more about our other Psych Congress events. Stop by the Elevate with the Experts Booth (#626) to meet the Psych Congress Elevate faculty pairs: Brooke Kempf, PMHNP-BC & Rohit Aiyer, MD; Julie A. Carbray, PhD, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, APRN & Gil D. Hoftman, MD, PhD; Rachel Dalthorp, MD, MHSA, DFAPA & James Morgan, DNP, AGACNP-BC, PMHNP-BC

Innovation Theater Q&A Series:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Psychedelics: Charles Raison, MD & Andrew Penn, MS, PMHNP-BC
Sponsored by Compass Pathways.

Postpartum depression (PPD) poses significant risks to both patients and families, requiring timely recognition and coordinated care across the perinatal continuum. This session will examine the clinical burden of PPD and clarify the role of psychiatric clinicians in collaboration with obstetric, primary care, and pediatric providers. Participants will develop practical skills in assessing PPD using current diagnostic criteria, validated screening tools, and appropriate triage and escalation strategies, while differentiating PPD from postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder. The session will also review emerging and investigational pharmacotherapies alongside established treatments, with a focus on safety and efficacy in this unique population. Additionally, faculty will highlight patient-centered approaches to overcoming common treatment barriers, including stigma, adherence challenges, and care access. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable strategies to improve outcomes for patients experiencing PPD. Supported by an educational grant from Supernus Pharmaceuticals and Biogen.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) remains a persistent and potentially debilitating complication of long-term dopamine receptor–blocking agent use. Beyond its visible motor manifestations, TD can significantly impair psychosocial functioning, occupational performance, treatment adherence, and overall quality of life (QoL) for both patients and their caregivers. This clinically focused session will equip psychiatric medical professionals with practical tools to recognize subtle and early presentations of TD, differentiate it from other movement disorders, and assess its broader functional impact. Participants will review validated screening and assessment instruments, including strategies for evaluating the real-world consequences of TD on daily living and caregiver burden. The session will also critically examine clinical trial data and real-world evidence supporting vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT-2) inhibitors, with an emphasis on optimizing efficacy, tolerability, and long-term outcomes. Faculty will provide actionable guidance for individualized treatment planning, monitoring response, and integrating functional recovery as a central therapeutic goal. Supported by independent educational grants from Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 200 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs.

Presenter(s): Andrew J. Cutler, MD

This presentation is provided by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Lundbeck

Join us for a presentation and interview moderated by Patricia Ares-Romero, MD with Joanne Parks, MD, and her patient Sheryl about their real-world experiences in initiating and managing ongoing treatment with this treatment option. Explore the clinical profile, and real-world, practical considerations for integration into your practice and your patients’ daily lives. Lunch will be served. Seating is limited to 200 attendees and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please plan to arrive early to ensure a seat. No CE credits are offered at these programs. Presenter(s): Patricia A Ares-Romero, MD; Joanne Parks, MD; Cobenfy Patient Ambassador: Sheryl This presentation is provided by Bristol Myers Squibb

Compulsive sexual behavior is increasingly recognized in psychiatric care, yet clinicians often feel unprepared to identify and manage this complex presentation. This session debunks myths, differentiates compulsive sexual behavior from consensual sexual diversity, and provides practical guidance for screening, interviewing, and identifying associated risks. The session also reviews evidence-based treatment approaches and referral considerations, with an emphasis on empathetic, ethical, and patient-centered clinical care.

Schizophrenia is a progressive and deeply human illness—one that affects far more than symptoms. This session explores how timely, sustained use of antipsychotics, including long-acting injectables (LAIs), can preserve gray matter, reduce relapse risk, and support meaningful recovery through consistent engagement, functional stability, and person-centered care. Attendees will gain insight into how LAIs can enhance adherence, improve continuity, and serve as a cornerstone of effective long-term management.

Whether you’re just starting out or years into your psychiatry career, professional roadblocks are inevitable. This session offers real-world strategies to navigate professional roadblocks and challenges and regain momentum. Walk away with tools to sustain your career with clarity, purpose, and confidence, even when the system feels stacked against you.

Optimal mental health outcomes often depend on the synergy between psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy — but in practice, collaboration is often fragmented by divides within the fields, historical boundaries, as well as provider perceptions, and communication barriers. This session explores practical strategies to improve interdisciplinary teamwork, including aligning treatment goals, navigating mismatched expectations, and coordinating care across different systems. Faculty will also highlight how self-awareness and relational qualities can serve as a foundation to strengthen both patient relationships and professional partnerships. Attendees will leave with tools to foster more cohesive, collaborative, and patient-centered care across disciplines.

Join your peers in the Exhibit Hall to engage with mentors, recruiters, and future employers, and learn about available pharmaceuticals and devices for your practice. Have your CV reviewed by a hiring expert (booth #327), get a professional headshot taken by our photographer (booth #627), and more! Take part in the Poster Pavilion to review relevant, cutting-edge research, keep up-to-date on innovative projects and programs, and learn from your colleagues in this peer-to-peer educational format. Visit the Psych Congress booth (#523) to register with an exclusive Alumni rate for 2027, and to learn more about our other Psych Congress events. Stop by the Elevate with the Experts Booth (#626) to meet the Psych Congress Elevate faculty pairs: Brittany B. Albright, MD, MPH & Miriam Dineen, MMS, PA-C, CAQ-Psych; Melanie Barrett, MD & Melissa Brown, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, WHNP-BC, PMH-C; Andrew D. Penn, MS, PMHNP-BC & B. Nilaja Green, PhD

Innovation Theater Q&A Series:
5:15 PM - 5:40 PM - Integrative Psych: James Greenblatt, MD
Provided in partnership with Psychiatry Redefined.

Join the Psych Congress Elevate Steering Committee, attendees, and peers for a poster reception with live music, hors d'oeuvres, and cocktails. Sponsored by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

A continental buffet breakfast will be available beginning at 8:00 AM. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy breakfast and be seated before the session begins promptly at 8:10 AM.
As the treatment landscape for major depressive disorder (MDD) evolves, clinicians must translate emerging evidence into individualized patient care. This session will provide a review of current and late-breaking data on available treatment options for MDD, with a focus on optimizing outcomes through measurement-based care and personalized treatment strategies. Faculty will discuss approaches for assessing treatment response and identifying residual symptoms, while exploring how individual clinical presentation can inform evidence-based treatment selection in real-world psychiatric practice.
Supported by an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson.

Start the day with our co-chairs as they bring the energy, a touch of morning karaoke, and a quick preview of the day to come.

Some of the most powerful moments in psychiatry happen in brief visits, not just through medications, but through meaningful connection. This practical session shares clinical pearls for weaving psychotherapy principles and wellness conversations into med checks, including how to ask the right questions, model emotional regulation, and bring depth to short encounters. Attendees will leave with actionable tips to strengthen therapeutic rapport and support whole-person care—even in 15 minutes or less.

As psychedelic therapies move toward mainstream psychiatric care, clinicians need to be prepared for the practical realities of implementation. This session offers a snapshot of the current psychedelic landscape and an overview of key agents in development as they approach FDA approval. Faculty will examine how these agents are likely to be implemented in practice and what clinicians should anticipate when treating patients in this evolving landscape. Whether you're curious, cautious, or already engaged, this session will help you understand where psychedelics fit into the future of psychiatric care.

Sleep–wake disturbances (SWDs) are both symptoms and drivers of psychiatric illness. Insomnia, hypersomnia, circadian rhythm disruptions, and other SWDs not only exacerbate mood, anxiety, psychotic, and trauma-related disorders, but can also precede relapse and impair treatment response. Yet sleep disorders remain underdiagnosed and undertreated in psychiatric settings, often dismissed as secondary phenomena rather than modifiable therapeutic targets. This clinically focused session will examine the bidirectional relationship between sleep/wake regulation and mental health, highlighting shared neurobiological pathways and the clinical consequences of untreated SWDs. Faculty will provide practical tools to enhance detection of insomnia, hypersomnia, and circadian disturbances in routine psychiatric care, including targeted screening questions, validated instruments, and red flags that warrant specialty referral. Participants will develop patient-centered, cross-disciplinary treatment plans that integrate behavioral interventions, pharmacologic strategies, chronotherapeutic approaches, and collaboration with sleep medicine specialists. The goal is to equip clinicians with actionable strategies to improve diagnostic precision, optimize psychiatric outcomes, and restore functional recovery through better sleep. Supported by an educational grant from Harmony Biosciences.

Persistent anhedonia and emotional blunting remain major barriers to recovery for many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), despite antidepressant treatment. As patients increasingly prioritize restored motivation, pleasure, and emotional connection, clinicians must consider these goals when selecting and evaluating therapies. This session will provide practical strategies for improving the detection and assessment of anhedonia in clinical practice and examine how patient-reported treatment priorities can inform antidepressant selection. Faculty will also review the mechanisms of action and emerging clinical evidence for novel and investigational monotherapies for MDD that may help address anhedonia while minimizing emotional blunting. Supported by an educational grant from Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.

Join the Steering Committee, attendees, and peers for a Poster Lunch & Learn. Food and beverages will be served! Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson

Telepsychiatry has become an essential part of modern mental health care, but delivering high-quality, patient-centered treatment in virtual settings requires more than just logging on. This session offers practical guidance on bridging care gaps, building and maintaining therapeutic rapport through a screen, conducting effective assessments, and adapting communication techniques for remote visits. Whether you're new to telepsychiatry or refining an established workflow, this session provides tools to strengthen clinical impact in the digital space.

Perinatal mental health is complex and layered, encompassing a wide range of experiences and clinical presentations. This session equips clinicians to recognize risk across the perinatal mental health spectrum, provides evidence-based guidance on pharmacologic treatment, and outlines practical next steps for navigating complex clinical decisions and conversations with patients in the perinatal period.

From the casino floor to the clinic, decision-making under uncertainty shapes both patient behavior and clinical care. Every time we ask a patient to trust us on a treatment plan, we are navigating a degree of uncertainty—balancing risk, reward, and individual response to help us make the most informed decision possible. Using principles from the psychology of gambling as a lens, this session explores how patient behavior and clinician decision-making are interconnected, and when to step back and re-examine those choices in practice. …And if you’re staying in Vegas a little longer, you may even pick up a few tips you can use on the casino floor!