Overview

This webinar (in person with dinner, or online) explores the emerging role of psychologists in supporting clients who are reducing or discontinuing psychotropic medications, with a specific focus on antidepressants. While medication withdrawal is the domain of prescribers or alcohol and drug services, psychologists are uniquely positioned to address the psychological, behavioural, and emotional aspects of the tapering process.

Drawing on current evidence, lived experience, and collaborative care models, this webinar outlines the process of antidepressant tapering and potential withdrawal symptoms and how psychologist can supports clients through the process. It proposes that psychological practice could play a key role in addressing this growing need within the Australian mental health system.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Participants will be able to describe the unique contribution psychologists can make in supporting clients through the psychological, behavioural, and emotional challenges of antidepressant withdrawal and tapering.
• Participants will develop an understanding of the tapering process, common withdrawal symptoms, and how these intersect with mental health care beyond the medical or prescriber domain.
• Participants will learn to integrate current evidence, lived experience, and collaborative care models into their psychological practice to better support clients reducing or discontinuing psychotropic medication.

Presenter(s)

About the presenter(s)

Dr. Erin Oldenhof is a research academic at Deakin University within the School Psycholgy and a psychologist and research and innovation lead with Reconnexion, a specialist benzodiazepine withdrawal support service of EACH in Victoria. Her work focuses on improving sleep health, supporting safe benzodiazepine tapering, and enhancing access to evidence-based psychological care within primary care settings. More recently her work has also focussed on antidepressant withdrawal supports and understanding the needs to psychologists who are supporting their clients through a taper process. Erin’s therapeutic approach integrates cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and emotion-regulation approaches.

A/Proff. Petra Staiger is a psychologist and academic within the School of Psychology and Co-Director of the Centre for Drug, Alcohol and Addictive Behaviour Research at Deakin University. Her work focuses on translating evidence into practice in collaboration with a range of health services such as alcohol and other drug services, community health and primary care. Her recent work in collaboration with Reconnexion has focussed on safe medication reduction for prescribed drugs such as antidepressants and benzodiazepines. She has a strong background in mental health, addictive behaviours and behaviour change theory facilitating her ability to promote evidence-based strategies for sustainable mental-health care.

Notes

Registration for the face to face event includes webinar, dinner and 1 standard drink. Online registration includes webinar only.

Please advise ASAP in your booking if you have dietay requirements.

Target Audience

This event is aimed at all psychologists.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.