Workshop Description:
Join Dr. Kenneth Carter, a board-certified clinical psychologist with a Master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology, as he draws from his extensive training and clinical experience to explore the most commonly prescribed medications for mental health conditions.
In this workshop, participants will gain up-to-date knowledge on medications such as antidepressants and anxiolytics, among others. Through an engaging mix of lecture, case studies, and an examination of multidisciplinary ethics codes, you will delve into the ethical considerations surrounding medication use and the vital role of non-prescribing clinicians in medication-related discussions.
Dr. Carter will address common questions from mental health professionals and provide practical guidance on navigating everyday clinical challenges, including how to discuss your scope of practice with clients to enhance collaboration with prescribers. By the end of the workshop, you’ll be equipped with a deeper understanding of how these medications work, their potential benefits, side effects, and risks, and you’ll be better prepared to communicate effectively with both your clients and their prescribers to optimize care.
Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the ethics and proper role of mental health professionals who treat clients receiving both psychotherapeutic medications and psychotherapy.
2. Explore specific ethical issues and resolutions related to communicating with clients and prescribing professionals about psychotropic medications.
3. Explain the neurotransmitter systems and neuroanatomy underlying the biological basis for mental disorders and pharmacotherapy.
4. Identify the major classes of drugs used to treat mental disorders and which mental disorders are appropriately treated with each class of drugs.
5. Describe adverse effects and drug reactions of the commonly prescribed psychotropic medications and when to alert the prescriber about them.
6. Analyze the role that half-life plays in the efficacy of medications prescribed for clients and how it may affect behavioral interventions.