New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US

ISPS-US 23rd Annual Conference | November 1-3, 2024 | University of Pittsburgh & Duquesne University | Pittsburgh, PA & Hybrid Online | Preliminary Schedule

8:15am EDT

Keynote: Is Psychosis a Complex Reaction to Trauma? (Hybrid)

Saturday November 2, 2024 8:15am - 9:30am EDT

Union Ballroom

The medical model of psychosis has dominated treatment and research funding. However, recent years have established the high prevalence of stressful and traumatic life events within people who are diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Traumatic life events can lead to a range of phenomena, including intrusive memories, dissociation and hearing voices which occur within a wide range of mental health problems. I will draw on psychological models to demonstrate how a range of psychotic presentations can be formulated within a trauma framework, and discuss the subsequent treatment implications. An overview of treatment developments within the U.K, Europe and Australia will be presented.

Speakers

Craig Steel, PhD

Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research (University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK)

Craig completed a PhD at King’s College London (1998) and qualified as a clinical psychologist (2000) at Royal Holloway, University of London. His clinical and research work has focussed on the development and evaluation of psychological treatments for psychosis. He has a particular... Read More →

Saturday November 2, 2024 8:15am - 9:30am EDT
Union Ballroom

Keynote, Hybrid

about Craig completed a PhD at King’s College London (1998) and qualified as a clinical psychologist (2000) at Royal Holloway, University of London. His clinical and research work has focussed on the development and evaluation of psychological treatments for psychosis. He has a particular interest in developing models than enable us to ‘make sense’ of psychotic symptoms within the context of the reaction to traumatic life events. Current research includes developing a ‘voice dialogue’ approach to working with distressing voice hearing experiences, working with a London refugee service to help evaluate trauma interventions and working with colleagues across Europe and the UK to evaluate an imagery-based intervention aimed at helping people diagnosed with bipolar disorder better regulate their mood.<br>He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy and Associate Editor to the Journal Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. He is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, a member of the Division of Clinical Psychology and a member of the Health and Care Professionals Council. He is also an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.

8:15am EST

Keynote: Psychosis is Not What You “Think” - How Reality Testing Can Save America from Social Crisis (Hybrid)

Sunday November 3, 2024 8:15am - 9:30am EST

Union Ballroom

Systemic unethical and illegal practices have played an undeniable role in the development of (my) psychosis. Conventional establishments may reject social and environmental explanations of psychosis because to accept them would implicate their own role in contributive causation while forcing them to acknowledge that they are currently ill-equipped to remediate the problem. The objective of this presentation is to engage in a social exercise of reality testing by describing my personal journey through academia as an African-American woman challenging existing paradigms in (A) Sociological Theory (B) Physical Theory. I will describe a sometimes tragic but ultimately resilient story that centers on a repeated peculiar pattern of discrimination including unprecedented violent psychological backlash resulting in a psychotic break. However, there’s a twist—the psychotic break is not what you think. By examining scholars with histories of mental health challenges upon facing innovation in academia, this presentation will explore how environmental stressors, pressures, and social traumas can lead to psychosis. How should we define psychosis? Why are paradigm shifts and scholarly innovations associated with madness in the academy? What was the primary factor in my resilience? These questions will be addressed in this presentation for a discussion on how to reimagine psychosis and why reality testing has the capacity to save America from social crisis. This presentation is dedicated to the legacy of Sidney Baer.

Speakers

Becky Brasfield, MA

Human Services Research Institute

Becky Brasfield is an award-winning Recovery Leader, Policy Researcher and Certified Peer Support Specialist based in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Brasfield is a staunch advocate for mental health recovery, disability rights, and justice reform. She currently works as a Policy Researcher... Read More →

Sunday November 3, 2024 8:15am - 9:30am EST
Union Ballroom

Keynote, Hybrid

3:30pm EST

Final Plenary Session (Details TBA) (Hybrid)

Sunday November 3, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm EST

Union Ballroom

Details coming soon

Sunday November 3, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm EST
Union Ballroom

Keynote, Hybrid

New Beginnings: Reimagining Psychosis Services & Systems in the US

From $41.75