2010 Lecture Archive 

Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn't Teach You and Medication Can't Give You

Tuesday June 8, 2010
Richard O'Connor, Ph.D.

When it comes to depression, Dr. Richard O'Connor has been there, done that. He clawed his way out of the pit of chronic despair, took one look back, and dedicated his life to helping others move forward. he's one of our favorite authors and a senstivie and practical therapist.

Dr. O'Connor believes on key reason people stay depressed is because they are unable to imagine an alternative. We blame ourselves for our illness, and perhaps don't think we deserve to feel better. Over time, we become creatures of habit, with ways of thinking and feeling and seeing he world that make us experts at "doing" depression.

This June, we're honored to have Dr. O'Connor teach us specific ways to undo all that. Back by popular demand, this warm, personable, and right-on-target speaker has great insights into how we can move beyond what's become normal for us, and start down the road to true recovery.

Dr. O'Connor is the author of "Undoing Depression", "Happy at Last" and "Undoing Perpetual Stress" as well as a practicing psychotherapist. The new edition of his book, Undoing Depression, is reviewed in the May 2010 edition of our newsletter, available on the Newsletters page).

Is it Me, or am I Getting Inadequate Treatment?

May 4, 2010
David J. Hellerstein, M.D.

Learn how to assess whether you’re getting the kind of treatment you need to be as well as you can be.

David Hellerstein is a Research Psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He specializes in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, with a particular focus on the psychopharmacology, or medication treatment, of psychiatric disorders. Dr. Hellerstein works in the Depression Evaluation Service (DES) of the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He has received over twenty grants for studies of depression, schizophrenia and other conditions, and has published over 50 articles and book chapters on professional topics. A Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, he has served as President of the New York County District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association. See his publications.

Don’t Call me Nuts!: Coping With the Stigma of Mental Illness

April 6, 2010
Patrick Corrigan, PsyD.

Sometimes stigma just makes you crazy! Isn't life hard enough without the add-on problems of prejudice and misunderstanding about what we're going through? Our April lecture takes stigma by the ear, with one of the head stigma researchers in the country, Dr. Patrick Corrigan. Dr. Corrigan has spent 20 years providing and evaluating services for people with psychiatric disabilities and their families.

He'll discuss how society discriminates against individuals with mental illness... and how we stigmatize ourselves and impede our own recovery. Drawing from his book, Don't Call me Nuts, he'll also give us concrete ways to become stigma-busters. Don’t miss this very important discussion about what we can do to bring about positive change, both in the world and in our own lives.

Patrick Corrigan, PsyD. Distinguished Professor & Associate Dean for Research, Institute of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology; Principal Investigator, Chicago Consortium for Stigma Research (CCSR); Editor-In-Chief, American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation

It Takes a Family: Harnessing the Benefits of Family Involvement in Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Tuesday March 2, 2010
Igor Galynker, M.D.

Should families be involved in the treatment of chronic diseases like Bipolar Disorder? For most doctors, the answer is an automatic NO. Confidentiality is the trump card -- even if better recovery rates are likely when the entire family is involved. Dr. Igor Galynker is an expert on this issue, one of the pioneers of family-inclusive treatment, and the founder of the Family Center for Bipolar Disorder at Beth Israel in 2006. This March he'll share with us communication techniques that we and our families can use to minimize the impact of Bipolar Disorder on everyone.

Come hear how we can work with our families to improve outcomes and reduce the sense of isolation and alienation that's usually part and parcel of the disease. It’s a great lecture to attend alone … or with your mom, brother, adopted aunt and second cousin!

Dr. Galynker is Associate Chairman of Psychiatry, Chief of the Division of Psychiatric Brain Imaging, and Director of the Division of Biological Psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center; He is also Director of The Family Center for Bipolar Disorder at Beth Israel Medical Center

DBT & CBT: What are They, and Why are They all the Rage Today?

February 2, 2010
Christine Foertsch, PhD

In the alphabet soup of therapies, DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) stand out as having real value for people with depression, bipolar, and borderline personality disorder. How and why do they work? What’s the difference between them? Which one is right for you? Come and find out on February 2.

Christine Foertsch, PhD. Department of Psychology in Psychiatry, Columbia Medical School.

Recent Research on Panic Attacks and Anxiety

January 12, 2009
Donald Klein

Anxiety’s been around since Adam and Eve discovered they needed fig leaves. But panic attacks and severe anxiety are debilitating problems with a more-than-average incidence in the Bipolar population.

Dr. Donald Klein is a prodigious and hugely respected researcher who has written almost 500 journal articles. A popular speaker at MDSG in years past, he rejoins us on January 12 to talk about the latest studies on panic attacks and anxiety, and what they tell us about possible treatments for the future.

Donald Klein, M.D., Research Professor, NYU; Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.