Rogers' Specialists Address Advanced Treatment for Resistant Depression at American Psychiatric Association Conference

Jerry L. Halverson, M.D., FAPA, and Rachel C. Leonard, Ph.D., members of the psychiatric team at Rogers Memorial Hospital, will be featured presenters at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), May 3-7, in New York City. The largest annual psychiatric meeting, the APA conference draws more than 16,000 attendees from around the globe, with a variety of mental health professionals and advocates including practicing, administrative and consultative psychiatrists, researchers and educators of psychiatry, residents and students among them.

Dr. Halverson, medical director of adult services and the FOCUS residential treatment program for young adults, and Dr. Leonard, a behavioral activation specialist and clinical supervisor, will present the workshop, “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Group Treatment of Depression” on Sunday, May 4.  

“Depression contributes to significant distress and disability,” Dr. Halverson said. “By 2020, it is estimated that it will be the second most common health problem worldwide. Unfortunately, while numerous treatment approaches exist for depression today, many individuals fail to significantly respond to standard outpatient treatment.”

The workshop will provide an overview on patients who are likely to benefit from a multimodal intensive treatment approach with a strong cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) component, along with accepted treatment guidelines and pharmacologic approaches and combined psychotherapies. Dr. Halverson and Dr. Leonard will also address specific CBT treatment techniques, including behavioral activation, which has been beneficial for those with major depressive disorder and severe depressive symptoms.