Second Annual Depression Conference

2008 Depression Center Annual Conference

"Effective Treatment of Mood Disorders: Progress & Opportunities"

SYMPOSIUM OVERVIEW:
This conference brought together leading experts who are working on effective strategies to both prevent illness and effectively fight symptoms once they occur.

Public Presentation:

Free to all participants, this presentation was targeted for persons who suffer from mood disorders and related conditions, family members, mental health advocates, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other mental health clinicians.

In addition to a Panel Discussion, presentations included:

  • "Keys to Recovery from Depression" by Jesse H Wright, Director of the Depression Center
  • "Seven Steps to Overcoming Your Worry" by Robert L. Leahy, PhD and author of 15 books on cognitive-behavior therapy.

Professional Conference:

This conference was attended bypsychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, other mental health clinicians, and primary care practitioners.

2008 Past Annual Professional Conference Agenda

MORNING SESSION:

8:40 AM        
Progress in the Fight Against Depression, Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D.

9:00 AM
Treatment Resistant Depression: STAR*D and Beyond, Michael E. Thase, M.D.

10:05 AM     
Cognitive Therapy for Worry and Rumination, Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.

10:50 AM 
Preventing Depression in Children, William Beardslee, M.D.

11:35 AM      
Panel Discussion - Doctors Wright, Thase, Leahy, Beardslee, Josephson, Bonham, Spurgeon, and Peters

AFTERNOON SESSION WORKSHOPS:

  • Treatment Resistant Depression: A Case-Based Approach, Michael E. Thase, M.D.
  • Emotional Schemas in Cognitive Therapy, Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.
  • Nurse Facilitated Group Therapy for Mood Disorders, Elizabeth Bonham, Ph.D., ARNP
  • Spirituality and Depression: Diagnostic and Treat ment Considerations, Allan Josephson, M.D.
  • Practicum on Prevention of Depression in Children, William Beardslee, M.D.
  • Combining CBT with Pharmacotherapy for Bipolar Disorder: Practical Strategies for Improving Outcome, Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Emotional Eating: How to Become the Biggest Loser, Joyce Spurgeon, M.D. with Sarah Johnson M.D., MSc and Casia Horseman, M.D.
  • Treating the Depressed Athlete, Christopher K. Peters, M.D.

2008 Annual Conference Speakers

Michael E. Thase, M.D.

Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Thase is widely recognized as a top authority on treatment of mood disorders and was a principal investigator in the STAR*D trial, the largest research study ever conducted on treatment of depression. As one of the rare psychiatrists who is a leading expert in both psychopharmacology and cognitive-behavior therapy, he brings a comprehensive and refreshing approach to the challenges of treating mood disorders.

Dr. Thase is an extremely productive researcher who has played a major role in expanding knowledge of psychiatric treatments and communicating these findings to clinicians. He is an engaging speaker who lectures throughout the world on advances in the treatment of depression. Dr. Thase is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.

Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.

Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

The author of 15 books on cognitive-behavior therapy, Dr. Leahy is one of the most influential writers and lecturers on this empirically proven form of psychotherapy. His book, The Worry Cure, was critically acclaimed by the New York Times and was chosen by Self Magazine as one of the eight best self-help books ever written.

His work has been featured in Newsweek, Forbes, Fortune, Psychology Today, Redbook, and USA Today magazine, among others; and he has appeared on national radio and television (20/20, Good Morning America, and The Early Show).   Dr. Leahy is a Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill-Cornell University in New York City and is President of both the Academy of Cognitive Therapy and the International Association of Cognitive Therapy.

William Beardslee, M.D.

Professor of Child Psychiatry Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Dr. Beardslee is the Gardner-Monks Professor of Child Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School where he directs the Baer Prevention Initiatives, a foundation-supported program to disseminate evidence-based preventive interventions for families facing depression and related adversities. He has received the Blanche Ittleson Award of the American Psychiatric Association for outstanding published research contributing to the mental health of children, the Irving Philips Award for Prevention from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Lela Rowland Prevention Award of the National Mental Health Association. He has been a Principal Investigator for a number of important studies of prevention of depression in children, and is the author of over 100 scientific publications on this work. Dr. Beardslee also serves on Boards of the National Mental Health Association, the Carter Center Task Force on Mental Health, and the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance.

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor and Associate Chairman for Academic Affairs University of Louisville Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Louisville, KY

Dr. Wright is Associate Chairman for Academic Affairs and Acting Director of the Depression Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Louisville. He is a well-known clinician, author, teacher, and researcher on CBT applications and has written extensively on the interaction between pharmacotherapy and CBT.

Dr. Wright is the first author of six books on CBT, including Learning Cognitive-Behavior Therapy: An Illustrated Guide, which is a standard text for training programs throughout the world. His most recent book, CBT for Severe Mental Illness, features newer approaches for difficult-to-treat problems such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and chronic depression. Dr. Wright's computer program "Good Days Ahead: The Multimedia Program for Cognitive Therapy," coauthored with Drs. Andrew Wright and Aaron Beck, has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of depression.

ADDITIONAL FACULTY:

Elizabeth Bonhara, Ph.D., APRN

Assistant Professor, University of Louisville School of Nursing, Louisville, KY

Dr. Bonham teaches Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at the University of Louisville School of Nursing. She is board certified as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. Dr. Bonham has over 20 years experience as a group leader, author, and educator. Her current research focus is exploring contributing factors to juvenile detention in youthful offenders.

Allan Josephson, M.D.

Professor and Associate Chairman of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Louisville Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Louisville, KY

The Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Louisville, Dr. Josephson is an internationally recognized expert on the relationship of family problems to the psychiatric disorders of children and adolescents. He is the primary author of the chapters on Family Therapy in three pre-eminent textbooks on psychiatry and child psychiatry, and also is the lead author of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's practice parameter, published in 2007.

Dr. Josephson is widely recognized for the leading role he has played in studying the relationship between psychiatry and spirituality/religion - the focus of his workshop at this annual conference. He is co-editor of the Handbook of Spirituality and World View in Clinical Practice, published in 2008.

Christopher Peters, M.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Louisville Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Louisville, KY

Dr. Peters is an Assistant Professor in the Child and Adoles­cent Division of the Department of Psychiatry and Behav­ioral Sciences at the University of Louisville and also serves as Medical Director of the Ackerly Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at Kosair Children's Hospital and Associate Residency Training Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Fellowship Program. As the psychiatrist on the perfor­mance team at the University of Louisville and a cross­country and track participant in higfi school and college, he has broad experience in the role of athletics and exercise on human development and healthy living

Joyce Spurgeon, M.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Louisville Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Louisville, KY

Dr. Spurgeon is a graduate of the Residency Training Pro­gram at the University of Louisville, where she now serves as Associate Director of Residency Training. She also is direct­ing the development of specialty mental health programs for treatment of women at the University of Louisville and is providing combined approaches of pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavior therapy for perinatal depression and other common mood disorders. She has a special interest in using CBT approaches for weight control.