Sarah B. Shevchuk, Psy.D.

“Excellent presentation. Presenter was very knowledgeable and thorough. No improvements needed.”-Bruce G., Counselor, Illinois

The biology of reward has been well-studied and is linked to numerous mental health diagnoses. Researchers identified an anomaly in this reward cascade called Reward Deficiency Syndrome or RDS. This anomaly and its impact on psychotherapy are less evident in psychological literature, yet it provides useful knowledge in one of the most prevalent and challenging of all mental health disorders…addiction. This seminar will help you understand the cascade theory of reward and provide you with working knowledge of RDS. You will be able to talk about how RDS affects the brain, what research has found regarding the impact of RDS, as well as discuss a model of therapy that considers highly this biological aspect of mental illness. The focus of this seminar is biopsychological and psychopharmaocological in nature.

Psychotropic medications are a routine part of mental health treatment, yet psychotherapists are often asked to navigate medication-related conversations without being prescribers themselves. Clients may have questions about how medications work, whether side effects are expected, how long a medication may take to work, or whether medication is helping. Therapists are also uniquely positioned to observe changes in symptoms, functioning, adherence, and behavior over time and to communicate these observations as part of collaborative care.

Psychopharmacology for Psychotherapists provides clinicians with an accessible, clinically relevant foundation in psychopharmacology while maintaining a clear distinction between the roles of prescribing and non-prescribing professionals. Participants will begin by examining the biopsychosocial model and the neurobiological foundations of psychiatric treatment, including neuron structure, neurotransmission, major neurotransmitter systems, and basic principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.

The webinar then translates this science into practical knowledge of commonly used psychotropic medications. Major medication categories—including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, medications used in ADHD, sleep medications, and medications used in substance use treatment—will be reviewed with attention to mechanisms of action, common indications, side effects, safety considerations, and monitoring needs. Emerging and alternative approaches in mental health treatment will also be introduced.

Most importantly, the webinar focuses on what psychotherapists can do with this knowledge. Participants will explore medication adherence and ambivalence, culturally responsive medication conversations, recognition of clinical red flags, communication with prescribers, measurement-based care, and strategies for integrating psychotherapy with pharmacological treatment. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles will illustrate how therapists can help clients respond more flexibly to thoughts, emotions, stigma, and uncertainty surrounding medication while remaining within the psychotherapist's scope of practice.

The goal is not to teach psychotherapists to prescribe. Rather, it is to help clinicians become more informed members of the treatment team and more effective partners to clients navigating mental health treatment.

“Excellent presentation. Presenter was very knowledgeable and thorough. No improvements needed.”-Bruce G., Counselor, Illinois

The biology of reward has been well-studied and is linked to numerous mental health diagnoses. Researchers identified an anomaly in this reward cascade called Reward Deficiency Syndrome or RDS. This anomaly and its impact on psychotherapy are less evident in psychological literature, yet it provides useful knowledge in one of the most prevalent and challenging of all mental health disorders…addiction. This seminar will help you understand the cascade theory of reward and provide you with working knowledge of RDS. You will be able to talk about how RDS affects the brain, what research has found regarding the impact of RDS, as well as discuss a model of therapy that considers highly this biological aspect of mental illness. The focus of this seminar is biopsychological and psychopharmaocological in nature.

Psychotropic medications are a routine part of mental health treatment, yet psychotherapists are often asked to navigate medication-related conversations without being prescribers themselves. Clients may have questions about how medications work, whether side effects are expected, how long a medication may take to work, or whether medication is helping. Therapists are also uniquely positioned to observe changes in symptoms, functioning, adherence, and behavior over time and to communicate these observations as part of collaborative care.

Psychopharmacology for Psychotherapists provides clinicians with an accessible, clinically relevant foundation in psychopharmacology while maintaining a clear distinction between the roles of prescribing and non-prescribing professionals. Participants will begin by examining the biopsychosocial model and the neurobiological foundations of psychiatric treatment, including neuron structure, neurotransmission, major neurotransmitter systems, and basic principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.

The webinar then translates this science into practical knowledge of commonly used psychotropic medications. Major medication categories—including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, medications used in ADHD, sleep medications, and medications used in substance use treatment—will be reviewed with attention to mechanisms of action, common indications, side effects, safety considerations, and monitoring needs. Emerging and alternative approaches in mental health treatment will also be introduced.

Most importantly, the webinar focuses on what psychotherapists can do with this knowledge. Participants will explore medication adherence and ambivalence, culturally responsive medication conversations, recognition of clinical red flags, communication with prescribers, measurement-based care, and strategies for integrating psychotherapy with pharmacological treatment. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles will illustrate how therapists can help clients respond more flexibly to thoughts, emotions, stigma, and uncertainty surrounding medication while remaining within the psychotherapist's scope of practice.

The goal is not to teach psychotherapists to prescribe. Rather, it is to help clinicians become more informed members of the treatment team and more effective partners to clients navigating mental health treatment.

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, approxi­mately 10% of US adults fill one or more antidepressant prescriptions each year, with many of these prescriptions coming from non-psychiatrists. They are some of the most widely prescribed medications of our generation. As more and more patients are prescribed antidepressants and other psychotropic medications, an increased need and responsibility is raised for non-prescribing therapists to be knowledgeable enough to work more effectively with patients and their prescribers in this arena. The follow­ing webinar is intended to be an introductory course that offers general, yet comprehensive information about psy­chopharmacology, including understanding neurobiological underpinnings of how medications work, commonly pre­scribed drug categories, how to work more effectively with patients, and how to work more effectively with prescrib­ers. Unique to this webinar will be the inclusion of how to maximize treatment outcomes and effectively use collab­orative care strategies.

“Excellent presentation. Presenter was very knowledgeable and thorough. No improvements needed.”-Bruce G., Counselor, Illinois

The biology of reward has been well-studied and is linked to numerous mental health diagnoses. Researchers identified an anomaly in this reward cascade called Reward Deficiency Syndrome or RDS. This anomaly and its impact on psychotherapy are less evident in psychological literature, yet it provides useful knowledge in one of the most prevalent and challenging of all mental health disorders…addiction. This seminar will help you understand the cascade theory of reward and provide you with working knowledge of RDS. You will be able to talk about how RDS affects the brain, what research has found regarding the impact of RDS, as well as discuss a model of therapy that considers highly this biological aspect of mental illness. The focus of this seminar is biopsychological and psychopharmaocological in nature.