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In this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza speaks with Dr. Sarah El Halabi and Dr. Stephen J. Ferrando about why lithium remains underused despite its established role in treating bipolar disorder. They explore how specialized lithium clinics and standardized monitoring can support safer prescribing for pregnant and postpartum patients, older adults, and people with renal disease. The conversation also addresses misconceptions about lithium toxicity, the challenges of managing complex medications, and the importance of coordinated, team-based care. PsychNews Special Report is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn

In this episode Dr. Gupta is joined by Theresa Miskimen Rivera, MD, DLFAPA. Dr. Miskimen Rivera is the former President of the American Psychiatric Association; a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA); a member of the American College of Psychiatrists, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She most recently served as the Medical Quality and Clinical Effectiveness Officer for Behavioral Health in the Department of Psychiatry at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, New Jersey. Dr. Miskimen centered her public-sector clinical practice on improving access to and delivery of psychiatric care for bilingual and bicultural communities, developing and implementing intercultural clinical programs, and serving as a consulting psychiatrist for a collaborative care practice in New Jersey. Her clinical work has informed research endeavors, resulting in numerous articles and lectures on diagnostic challenges and symptom phenomenology in treating racially and ethnically diverse populations, as well as on ethical issues affecting psychopharmacological research among ethnic populations and the cultural aspects of patient symptomatology. For over 30 years, Dr. Miskimen has applied her passion and expertise to critical roles, including psychiatric clinical care, patient advocacy, community outreach, academic endeavors, and organizational leadership. Dr. Miskimen has served in numerous community-facing initiatives and appointed positions under three past Governors of the State of New Jersey, addressing mental health issues spanning the intersection of technology and the delivery of psychiatric care, mental health in university settings, and youth suicide prevention. She has served as an APA Delegate to the American Medical Association Section Council on Psychiatry. She is also a member of the Steering Committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics Wellness through Equity and Leadership (WEL) program, which is tasked with developing a training curriculum and leadership experience for women physicians, mentoring participants, and establishing principles on equitable work environments.

In this episode of Mental Health Pathfinders, Dr. John Torous, chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Council on Digital Health, Innovation, and Technology, explores the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in mental health care. He discusses the opportunities and limitations of AI-supported care, the risks of long-term chatbot use, privacy concerns, and the importance of maintaining human connection. The conversation also highlights the council's work to educate clinicians, shape responsible policy, and develop practical frameworks for evaluating new technologies.

In this June episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, host Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza speaks with Dr. Heather Murray of the University of Colorado about clinical considerations for cannabis use in inpatient medical settings. The conversation examines how high-potency cannabis and concentrates have changed the clinical picture, including intoxication, withdrawal, hyperemesis, psychosis risk, delirium, catatonia, medication interactions, and self-directed discharge. Dr. Murray also emphasizes balanced, stigma-free assessment and the importance of asking about formulation, potency, route, frequency, and last use when caring for patients across medical and psychiatric settings.

In this episode of Mental Health Pathfinders, host Erin Connors speaks with APA President Mark H. Rapaport, M.D., about his vision for the year ahead and the role members can play in advancing psychiatry. Dr. Rapaport discusses APA's strategic priorities, the future of the DSM, and the importance of medical leadership, member engagement, and stronger communication throughout the organization. The conversation also examines urgent challenges facing psychiatrists and their patients, including scope creep, ghost panels, mental health parity, stigma, misinformation, and the effects of social media. Drawing on examples from crisis care and health economics, Dr. Rapaport explains how psychiatrists can demonstrate the value of their work and turn their experiences into effective advocacy for patients, communities, and the profession.

In this episode of Women Leaders in Psychiatry, Dr. Anjali Gupta speaks with Dr. Marketa M. Wills, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association, during a live meeting of the Women Psychiatrists Caucus. Dr. Wills reflects on her path into psychiatry, the mentors who shaped her career, and how her medical, business, and consulting background informs her leadership. She also discusses her vision for APA, the most pressing challenges facing psychiatry today, the importance of integrity in leadership, and the role psychiatrists must play in shaping technology, AI, access to care, and the future of the field.

In this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, host Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza speaks with Dr. Sophia Matta about the May Psychiatric News article "Conflict, Disaster, and the Psychiatry of Displacement." Dr. Matta discusses how modern conflict, disaster, social media, drone warfare, environmental exposures, and displacement are reshaping the way psychiatrists understand trauma. The conversation explores continuous traumatic stress, the limits of traditional PTSD frameworks, emerging treatments such as neuromodulation and psychedelic-assisted therapy, the role of hope and resilience, and why psychiatry must take a broader, whole-person view of mental and physical health in a rapidly changing world. PsychNews Special Report is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn

In this episode of Mental Health Pathfinders, host Erin Connors speaks with Nina Kraguljac, M.D., about what resilience really means through a mental health lens. Dr. Kraguljac discusses why resilience is not a fixed character trait, how it can be strengthened over time, and why meaning, hope, agency, and social connection play such an important role in helping people navigate adversity. She also shares insights from the State of Ohio Adversity and Resilience Study, a first-in-the-nation effort to better understand the psychological, social, environmental, and biological factors that shape resilience and mental health.

This month on Psychiatric News Special Report, Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza is joined by clinical psychologists Dr. Erin Cassidy-Eagle and Dr. Janie Hong to discuss the "lifelong psychotherapy patient," a group that is common in practice but rarely examined directly. Drawing on their work at Stanford and their recent article in Psychiatric News, they explore why some patients need ongoing psychotherapy support, how short-term care models can fall short, and what it means to meet patients where they are rather than forcing treatment into rigid timelines. The conversation also looks at the pressure clinicians face inside modern health care systems, from insurance limits and measurement-based care to access bottlenecks and burnout. Along the way, the episode considers what meaningful progress can look like when symptom reduction is not the whole story, why long-term therapeutic relationships can be both demanding and deeply valuable, and how clinicians and systems can think more creatively about continuity of care. PsychNews Special Report is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn

In this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, host Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza speaks with Dr. Alexander Niculescu about pain as more than a physical symptom alone. Their conversation explores the overlap between chronic pain and psychiatric conditions, the promise of precision psychiatry, and how biomarkers may help clinicians better assess risk, guide treatment, and rethink refractory pain. They also discuss the limitations of current approaches, the role of non-opioid interventions, and why psychiatrists are uniquely positioned to treat the whole person. Read this special report here: https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2026.03.3.28 PsychNews Special Report is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn