Presenters: Dr Nigel Denning and Tania de Jong AM

Dr Nigel Denning, Counselling Psychologist, AHPRA registered supervisor and Managing Director of Integrative Psychology a Psychology/Psychiatry practice in East Melbourne. 
Tania de Jong AM, Co-Founder and Executive Director Mind Medicine Australia, Creativity Australia, Creative Universe and The Song Room

Pre-Covid 1 in 5 people in Australia were suffering from a mental illness. At least 1 in 8 adults, 1 in 4 older adults in 1 in 30 children are on anti-depressant medications currently, and often without disclosure of potential side effects. There has been no innovation in existing treatments for 5 decades. The lack of effective treatments has most certainly contributed to Australia’s devastating mental health statistics, which position Australia as second worst amongst all OECD nations, only ahead of Iceland. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic many more Australians are experiencing anxiety, trauma, addiction, depression, loneliness and social isolation, and suicide rates could significantly increase in the absence of innovation in treatments.

In the quest for new treatment options for mental illness and psychiatric disorders, attention is being paid to the potential role of psychedelic medicines as adjuncts to psychotherapy for a wide array of conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and some addictions. Trials are also underway for dementia, Parkinson’s, strokes, cluster headaches, OCD and eating disorders. A proactive approach to broadening the treatment options available for people who have a mental illness is desperately needed.

This keynote and Q & A Session is presented by Mind Medicine Australia. The session will provide an engaging and educational update incorporating new learnings, science and data about innovative, safe and effective treatments being used in a practical clinical setting. It will also provide information on how to access the TGA’s SAS-B pathway for psilocybin and MDMA assisted therapies for treatment-resistant patients on a case-by-case basis. 

Learning objectives:

1. Understanding the causes and severity of our mental health epidemic
2. The urgent need for expanding treatment options for medical practitioners and their patients
3. Identify the psychedelic medicines and how and why they work in the brain
4. Acknowledgement of the role of psychotherapeutic input alongside the medicine itself
5. Illustrate the overview of evidence from over 160 recent trials
6. Ascertain the potential applications in depression, anxiety, trauma and addiction
7. Clarification of the profile of people most likely to benefit and assessment of those who might experience adverse effects
8. Understand key issues that remain to be elucidated about the potential use of psychedelics in the clinical environment
9. Learn about the current policy and regulatory environment and how you can help make a difference
10. Future directions and next steps to advance the field in Australia including the training for therapists

FREE for PACFA members.

For full details regarding the event please visit this link.

This event counts as 1 hour of category A CPD for PACFA’s membership renewal requirements.