Mental Health Pathfinders: Advocacy, Access, and Accountability With APA President Theresa Miskimen Rivera

How does constant digital connection affect our mental health, and when does technology use become harmful? In this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, psychiatrist Sulman Aziz Mirza, M.D., speaks with Nathan A. Carroll, D.O., M.B.A., M.P.H., national medical director for InSite Health, about digital hyperconnectivity, a proposed framework that examines technology as an environmental exposure rather than simply a matter of screen time. They explore how algorithms, notifications, social media, gaming, and artificial intelligence shape attention, behavior, and human relationships. Their conversation also examines the difference between heavy technology use and problematic use, the potential consequences of cognitive offloading, and how clinicians can better assess digital habits. Dr. Carroll discusses the proposed DHC-8 screening tool and why harm reduction, rather than complete disconnection, may offer a more practical path toward healthier technology use. 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

GLP-1 medications are reshaping obesity care, but their potential impact may extend well beyond weight loss. In this episode of Mental Health Pathfinders, host Erin Connors speaks with Charles Nemeroff, M.D., about what psychiatrists should know about GLP-1 medications, from addressing weight gain and metabolic risks associated with psychiatric treatment to emerging research on cravings, alcohol use disorder, and other addictive behaviors. They also discuss potential psychiatric effects, safety considerations, and concerns about inappropriate use as these medications become increasingly common.

En este episodio especial por el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, la Dra. Karen Martínez González, psiquiatra de niños y adolescentes y directora del Departamento de Psiquiatría de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, conversa sobre por qué una atención de salud mental culturalmente receptiva requiere mucho más que hablar el mismo idioma. La Dra. Martínez González aborda la importancia de comprender el contexto cultural y familiar de cada paciente, reducir el estigma y otras barreras a la atención psiquiátrica, y ampliar el acceso a profesionales de salud mental que hablen español. También destaca el papel de la mentoría y la exposición temprana a la medicina para fortalecer la representación de hispanos y latinos en la psiquiatría, y comparte un mensaje de esperanza para quienes aún buscan atención que comprenda su idioma, su cultura y sus experiencias.

In this episode Dr. Gupta is joined by Katherine G. Kennedy, M.D. Dr. Kennedy is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and a board-certified adult psychiatrist in private practice in New Haven, Connecticut. At Yale, Dr. Kennedy leads the Yale Legislative Advocacy Program, which equips trainees with advocacy skills that help advance bills before the Connecticut state legislature. She also co-leads the Advocacy Track for the Health Equity Curriculum, serves as Faculty Co-Leader of the Psychotherapy Distinction Track, and supervises psychiatry residents in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Beyond Yale, Dr. Kennedy serves as Co-Editor of Voices in Advocacy and Policy for Psychiatric News, the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) national news publication. She chairs the Legislative Committee of the Connecticut Psychiatric Society and is a Past Chair of APA's Council on Advocacy and Government Relations, where she led federal and state advocacy efforts to expand access to psychiatric care. Dr. Kennedy also chairs the Committee on Psychotherapy for the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry and serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Psychotherapy and APA Publishing Books. Dr. Kennedy has presented at national conferences and published on advocacy, psychotherapy, and supervision, including two books, A Psychiatrist's Guide to Advocacy and Supervising Individual Psychotherapy: The Guide to Good Enough. Elected to the American College of Psychiatrists in 2020, additional honors include the Yale Psychiatry Residents' Outstanding Teaching Award, the Yale Department of Psychiatry's Outstanding Clinical Faculty Award, the Connecticut Psychiatric Society's Outstanding Service Award, and the New Haven County Medical Society's Distinguished Service Award.

In this episode of Psychiatric News Special Report, host Dr. Sulman Aziz Mirza welcomes back Dr. Rajesh Tampi for a broader look at how the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease are evolving. Building on their previous discussion of behavioral symptoms, they explore modifiable risk factors, emerging blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and newer disease-modifying therapies, including lecanemab and donanemab. The conversation also examines challenges related to access and health equity, the continuing role of established Alzheimer's medications, and the importance of social connection, psychotherapy, and meaningful activity as people age. Mirza and Tampi discuss why advances in biomarkers and technology should complement, rather than replace, the fundamentals of psychiatric care and the human connection between clinicians, patients, and families. 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