Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies carry the potential to revolutionise the delivery of mental health therapy in a way that benefits both clinicians and clients. For clinicians, this may involve a reduction in administrative burden. For clients, this might include developing more robust and cost-effective approaches to treatment. Given the rapidly evolving possibilities of AI in mental health therapy, many clinicians have raised questions regarding what this technology involves and how it can be effectively implemented.
In this webinar, Dr. Kathy O'Grady and Dr. Anthony Joffe discuss the current landscape of AI as it applies to mental health therapy. This includes looking at how mental health therapists are currently using AI, their reasons for doing so (including how it has changed their practice), and their concerns about, and perceived barriers to, effective AI implementation. The need for effective policy, guidelines, and training will also be discussed.
As part of the Centre for Research Excellence in Depression Treatment Precision, researchers at the Black Dog Institute are working to understand how we can personalise treatment through the use of technology. More information can be found at: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/cre-precision/
Burnout continues to be a critical challenge in the Australian healthcare system, impacting not only the wellbeing of individual health professionals but also the sustainability of the sector. Despite its prevalence, targeted treatment options have often been limited. As part of The Essential Network (TEN), a blended care mental health support service for Australian health professionals, Black Dog Institute developed Navigating Burnout – a digital cognitive-behavioural therapy program for health professional burnout. In this webinar, Dr. Jan Orman and Dr. Matthew Coleshill discuss treatment options available for health professionals though TEN, as well as ongoing research conducted by The Black Dog Institute examining the effectiveness of Navigating Burnout in reducing burnout among medical practitioners.
For more information about TEN, visit https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/
With increasing rates of chronic disease and comorbidity, a cohesive, team-based approach to address a broad range of mental health and wellbeing issues has never been more crucial. This webinar explores how GPs can effectively collaborate with other healthcare professionals within integrated care teams, breaking down silos and ensuring better patient outcomes.
Whether you’re a GP looking to enhance collaboration with your team or simply seeking to understand the latest trends in integrated care, this webinar will provide you with the knowledge and tools to transform patient care in your practice.
Facilitator: Dr Phoebe Holdenson Kimura
Guest: Dr Paul Fung
People with mental health challenges, particularly those with complex needs, often require more support than conventional health services can provide. But where can they turn for additional help? In this insightful webinar, Dr. Jan Orman is joined by Rachel Green, CEO of SANE Australia, to explore the power of digital mental health services and online psychosocial support.
Learn about Guided Recovery programs, moderated, clinically governed online communities, and other accredited services that provide a safe, supportive environment for individuals and their families. These services, offered by trusted organizations like SANE Australia, can be an invaluable complement to primary care, offering more accessible and targeted support than unmonitored social media groups.
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, a time of declining and erratic hormonal activity often impacting both physical and mental health. Common symptoms include fatigue, hot flushes, irritability, loss of joy, anxiety, depressed mood, intrusive thoughts, and insomnia. Only 1 in 5 women seek help for menopause, stigma and shame are common, anxiety and depression risk increase significantly, and this is the highest point of suicide risk in a woman’s life.
Join us for this short webinar where Clinical Psychologist Dr Sarah Barker and GP Dr Ceri Cashell will discuss how GPs can learn to consider whether perimenopause could be a contributing factor to mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression that patients are experiencing.
Discover the transformative impact of integrating digital mental health resources into clinical care. While these tools are effective on their own, their full potential is realised when clinicians play an active role in guiding, coaching, and engaging with patients. Join Dr. Jan Orman and clinical psychologist Dr. Sarah Barker as they explore how incorporating these resources into your practice can elevate patient outcomes, boost engagement, and offer a more holistic approach to mental health care.
As the new school year begins, it's the perfect time to focus on supporting children's mental health. Join this webinar to discover powerful, evidence-based tools that help children manage depression, anxiety, and unhappiness. In this insightful session, Professor Sonja March will speak with Dr. Kathy O'Grady about the exciting opportunities in digital mental health and how personalised care can make a real difference. Learn how Momentum Hub is supporting children aged 7-17 years old, providing them with the resources they need to thrive this school year and beyond. Don’t miss out – register today to empower both you and the young people in your care.
Professor Sonja March is the director of the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Health and Research, where she is also a Professor in the School of Psychology and Wellbeing and leads the Momentum Hub team. Momentum Hub is a platform developed by a team of researchers, mental health experts, and web designers from across the country, and supported by the federal government under the Medical Research Future Fund. The hub extends from Professor March’s work with Griffith University researchers – professors Caroline Donovan and Sue Spence with the popular BRAVE Self-Help program – which has reached more than 80,000 young people with anxiety.
Hosted by Dr Kathy O'Grady.
Newborns are wonderful things, but their arrival can cause enormous upheaval for their parents. Dads, as well as Mums, are at risk of psychological distress in the neonatal period. In this webinar, Dr Jan Orman is joined by Associate Professor Richard Fletcher from the School of Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle. Richard leads the Fathers and Families Research Program and is the founder of SMS4dads, a service designed to provide support for dads until their baby is one year old.
eMHPrac (e mental health in practice) Project Director Heidi Sturk recently spoke at the 12th Annual Scientific Meeting International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII) in Limerick, Ireland and at the Digital Mental Health Congress in Ottawa, Canada. She returned with a lot of exciting news about what's going on internationally in the digital mental health space.
In this webinar, Dr. Jan Orman will speak with Heidi Sturk about the conference learnings and some of the developments she found most exciting. It seems there is a lot happening and talking to Heidi will help us all keep up!
Screen-based devices play a central role in adolescents’ daily lives, serving purposes such as education, entertainment, social interactions, and creativity. While public concern about the impact of screen use on adolescent mental health has grown, evidence of a direct link remains unclear. The association between screen use and mental health is complex, influenced by many factors. This webinar will report on new data about this association based on an analysis of the data provided by Australian adolescents currently enrolled in the Black Dog Institute’s Future Proofing Study. These findings will be framed within the broader context of screen use research and offer recommendations for both societal and individual changes to help adolescents benefit from online experiences while reducing potential harms.
Dr. Lyndsay Brown has worked for five years as a Research Officer on the Future Proofing Study, now the largest and most comprehensive longitudinal study of adolescent mental health in Australia. Between 2019 and 2021, thousands of Year 8 students across Australia were recruited for this six-year study and each year they complete confidential questionnaires about their mental health, identity, experiences, and well-being. The team analyses this data to identify the risk and protective factors associated with adolescent mental health and the early interventions that could help adolescents thrive. Lyndsay’s work spans school engagement, data collection, research, public presentations, and community outreach.
Hosted by Dr Kathy O'Grady.
Many of us know something about the post-colonization history of Australia and most have some understanding of the transgenerational impact that history has had on our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Nonetheless, it is often difficult to know what we need to do and how we need to be as clinicians to respect indigenous culture and behave as allies to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and clients. Many of us have done "cultural awareness" training and even adjusted our workplaces to make indigenous people feel comfortable but what other changes do we need to make to be good allies?
In this webinar, Dr. Jan Orman, Mim Weber (WellMob) and Angela Sheridan (WellMob) will discuss how clinicians can be good allies to their First Nations patients.
With the plethora of digital CBT apps and programs available, how do you select one that’s effective, safe, and engaging for teens? In this webinar Dr. Mirjana Subotic-Kerry, Senior Research Program Manager at Black Dog Institute delves into her research on digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and its impact on teen mental health.
Mirjana shares the latest research findings and insights on navigating interventions to ensure they’re evidence-based and prioritise the safety of teens’ data and privacy, among other considerations. She introduces the new app ClearlyMe.
Sleep is vital to mental health, especially for adolescents who are in a critical stage of development and forming lifelong habits. However, 40% of young people face significant sleep problems which can put them at risk of developing anxiety or depression. There is extensive evidence for the benefits of Cognitive Behaviour for Insomnia (CBT-I), but an app delivering this gold standard treatment to adolescents was missing.
In this webinar, Dr Sophie Li (Postdoctoral Research Fellow and clinical psychologist at Black Dog Institute) introduces Sleep Ninja®; a free, evidence-based smartphone app shown to be effective in helping young people with sleep problems.
Hosted by Dr Sarah Barker
Eating disorders have low rates of early detection and intervention, but both are needed for the best outcomes. Research shows that a multi-disciplinary team including the patient's GP is needed to facilitate recovery.
In this webinar, Dr Karen Speilman (Primary Care GP Advisor at InsideOut Institute) and Peta Marks (National Programs Manager at InsideOut Institute) will introduce the new InsideOut GP Hub & Tools which will complement and support GPs in their role which includes early identification, intervention and management.
Hosted by Dr Kathy O’Grady
We look at neuroaffirming strategies that ADHD adults can use to live well with ADHD. Dr Sarah Barker is a clinical psychologist who is interested in approaches to living well with ADHD to increase wellbeing. This webinar is hosted by Dr Jan Orman MBBS MPsychMed. Jan is a Sydney GP with a special interest in mental health and psychological medicine.
With Dr Jan Orman and Dr Melanie Babooram
As health practitioners, we are trained to focus on the negative. But many of the people we talk to could benefit from exploring positive emotions as well.
In addition to learning how to restructure and manage unpleasant emotions, we can also explore the ways they are generating positive emotions. Together we can explore what they are doing well, what skills and concepts they can tap into to enhance these, and – most importantly - how that positive emotion feels to them.
In this brief and practical webinar, we discuss the importance of highlighting the positive emotions in clinical conversations and explore some ways in which we can help people (and ourselves) enhance the experience of those emotions.
While there is concern that excess screentime may impact young people’s mental health, smartphone technology can also provide a gateway to providing critical support in daily life. Join Dr Imogen Bell, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Psychologist at Orygen Digital, as she summarises the research into smartphone interventions for depression and anxiety in young people, including what apps are currently available and considerations for their use in everyday clinical practice. She will also highlight some of the promising innovations, including the artificial intelligence, research into the effectiveness of transdiagnostic apps, and the development of new transdiagnostic app, Mello.
Curious about the impact of screen time on the mental health of young people? See the initial results from our Future Proofing Study this white paper (Chapter 2 Are screens making young people sad and anxious?).
Dr Imogen Bell is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at Orygen, the Centre for Youth Mental
In conversation with Dr Kathy O’Grady
Many people experience difficulties when a family member, friend or someone under their care is diagnosed with dementia. Health professionals are increasingly being asked what community members can do to assist a person maintain their dignity and a good quality of life after a diagnosis of dementia.
In this webinar we discuss these issues with Dr Hilton Koppe, GP Educator at Dementia Training Australia and facilitator of the award-winning Australian podcast "Dementia in Practice". Hosted by Dr Jan Orman.
Here’s the link to the graph to include in the podcast notes: https://d34ery7y7ckzql.cloudfront.net/3cb2dc2e-f580-4584-973a-0f95f04b43ff/Public/Resources/Webinar%2066%20Handout.pdf?150
Measurement-based care is gaining popularity, but which questionnaire should you use and what do the data really mean? Psychometric assessment encompasses everything from neuropsychological testing to self-report questionnaires like the K10. Clinical Psychologist Dr Peter Baldwin takes us through how self-report questionnaires work, how to choose a questionnaire, and how to quickly and effectively interpret the scores. He also busts some common myths about mental health questionnaires and share insights from his research and clinical practice.
Peter is joined by Dale Skinner, who lives with bipolar II. Dale is determined to provide a better understanding of mood disorders and in this webinar will share his own experience of navigating self-report questionnaires.
Panel:
Dr Peter Baldwin, academic clinical psychologist
Dale Skinner, who lives with bipolar II
Moderated by: Dr Phoebe Holdenson-Kimura
Access resources from this podcast here: https://d34ery7y7ckzql.cloudfront.net/3cb2dc2e-f580-4584-973a-0f95f04b43ff/Public/Resources/Webinar%2065%20Resources.pdf?448
