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Holiday Survival Guide: Food, Stress, and Mental Health Tips

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

It’s the holiday season! A time of joy, celebration, connection…and stress. Between busier schedules, elaborate meals, family dynamics, and shorter days, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
To help you navigate the season, our experts share simple tips on how to balance mental and physical health during the holidays.

Read more Holiday Survival Guide: Food, Stress, and Mental Health Tips

How to Reduce Holiday Stress for Kids—and Yourself

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

It’s not just adults who feel holiday pressure—kids experience holiday stress too, often in subtle ways. Children may feel disappointed or overwhelmed when the season doesn’t match the picture-perfect version they see in movies, ads, or on social media. Pediatric psychiatrist Laura Cardella, MD, shares tips to help families manage holiday stress together. 

Read more How to Reduce Holiday Stress for Kids—and Yourself

The Positives of Social Media for Teens and How Parents Can Guide Safe Use

Friday, November 14, 2025

Social media can help teens connect, create, and discover who they are. Medical Center experts offer guidance on how to use it thoughtfully and safely.

Read The Positives of Social Media for Teens and How Parents Can Guide Safe Use

Check Your Health Podcast: Mental health matters—and everyone deserves care that’s compassionate and personalized.

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Check Your Health Podcast with Dr. Shaun Nelmes

Dr. George Nasra, MD, and Sally Rousseau, LCSW, LMFT,  discuss how UR Medicine’s Strong Minds Adult Outpatient Mental Health Clinic supports individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders.

Listen to Podcast - Check Your Health Podcast: Mental health matters—and everyone deserves care that’s compassionate and personalized. 

Stepping Out in the Community for October

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Our teams had a busy month in October, attending community events to share mental health resources! 

The Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research and Education (AD-CARE) Program recently attended several events to spread information and awareness of the latest Alzheimer's Disease research, including:

• The Southern Tier Caregivers Conference
• Evergreen Places’ Brain Health Initiative Kick-Off
• The Caring with Pride Caregiver Conference
• The Greece Recreation Center's Family Health and Wellness fair
• A presentation on brain health at the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church

Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness recently attended Autism Up's TRUNKS o' TREATS! day to share mental health resources to support those with autism.

The team also stopped by Loretta Johnson Middle School to share information about youth mental health services! 

Team Science Showcase: Cracking the Code of Chronic Pain

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, including Paul Geha, MD, from Psychiatry and Neuroscience, are collaborating across fields like dentistry, neurosurgery, and psychiatry to tackle chronic pain, which affects over 50 million U.S. adults. Their multidisciplinary approach aims to decode pain through brain imaging, psychological tests, and patient data, moving beyond single-drug solutions. 

Read more Team Science Showcase: Cracking the Code of Chronic Pain

Psychiatry Residents Recognized Nationally

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Several trainees received national awards during this past month.

Jaewon Lee, MD, MPH recieved the Top #2 Trainee Poster Award at the 2025 Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. As part of this award, she provided a two-minute pitch presentation at the conference of her poster, “Age-Associated Differences in Substance Use Among Women Who Died by Suicide: Using CDC NVDRS Data,” which highlighted the strong link between women’s suicide in midlife and substance use.

Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD (Geriatric Psychiatry fellow) won an award for Best Poster at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry & the Law. 

Henry Philofsky, MD was awarded the 7th Annual Austen Riggs Award for Excellence in Psychotherapy. This national award recognizes Psychiatry residents who show interest and potential in psychodynamic psychiatry or biopsychosocial  approaches to psychiatry research.

Mark Your Calendars for the Department of Psychiatry 3rd Annual Holiday Food Drive!

Monday, November 3, 2025

Wondering how you can help some of your neighbors facing food insecurity this holiday season?

Starting November 17th, non-perishables can be dropped off at all our inpatient units, our Psychiatry Nursing Service Office (1-9017 at our Strong Memorial Hospital location), or several of our outpatient clinics for our 3rd Annual Holiday Food Drive.

Donations will go towards the UR Medicine Food Pantry to provide food packages for those receiving mental health care.

Please take a look at the list of Non-perishables particularly in need

Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally this Fall

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Our faculty, staff, and trainees continue to present and learn at presentations and conferences around the world. See below for a few of the places our team members have been this month!

In November, several faculty members presented at the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry's Annual Meeting, "Innovation in C-L Psychiatry: Exploring the Promise and Pitfalls of New Approaches," in San Antonio. John Romano Professor and Chair Hochang Ben Lee, MD also spoke as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry during the conference!

Dr. Lee also presented the UCLA Brain Institute's Semel Grand Rounds on November 18th, discussing proactive consultation-liaison psychiatry as a method of transforming psychiatric care in hospitals. 

Jennifer West, PhD presented "Seguridad y Comunidad: Culturally Responsive Approaches to Firearm Injury Prevention" at the National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms on November 20th in Phoenix. Corey Nichols-Hadeed, JD and Kelly Johnson of the Firearm Injury Prevention Program were coauthors on this paper. In addition, Jordan Kocon, PhD, an alumnus of our Health Service Psychology Doctoral Internship, served as co-author.

Craig Rooney, PhD presented several breakout sessions at the University of Rochester Wellbeing Symposium alongside Toni Sexton of the Office of Wellbeing. The session discussed "Cultivating Connection and Meaning through our 'Why." Dr. Rooney and Dr. Autumn Gallegos also presented a poster session, "The URMC Wellbeing Fellows Program: Equipping Local Leaders with Tools for Change," alongside Toni Sexton and Jessica Shand, MD, of the Department of Pediatrics during the symposium. 

On November 5th and 6th, Yeates Conwell, MD, Annamarie Defayette, PhD, and Tony Pisani, PhD presented their work at the 42nd Brazilian Congress of Psychiatry in Rio de Janero, Brazil. 

On September 30th, William Watson, PhD presented an invited address, “An Experiential Emotion-Focused Approach to Understanding and Treating Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Attacks (PNEA),” at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms, in Boulder, Colorado. 

Dr. Watson also recently presented a lecture, “ISTDP for FND in a 10-year-old,” to a group of 70 clinicians in the UK, as well as a lecture and five process groups to a group of Russian trainees from around the world for the Institute for Psychodynamic Coaching's intensive. 

Corey Nichols-Hadeed, JD, Jennifer West, PhD, and Chloe Lee, MD, MPH joined local experts at Willow Domestic Violence Center of Greater Rochester's annual summit to talk about topics such as firearm injury research as well as the unique perspectives of healthcare providers with personal experience of domestic abuse. 

Faculty and alums from our MS in Marriage and Family Therapy program attended the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association's annual Integrated Care Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Michael Scharf, MD, Segundo Robert-Ibarra, MD, Deanna Sams, PhD, Taylor Steeves, PhD, David Garrison, MD, and Aubry Ball, LMHC presented a two-hour symposium discussing the Rapid Stabilization Pathway, an intervention for youth in inpatient units, at the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry's annual meeting in Chicago. 

Nilsa Ricci, MD (PGY3),  Anne-Marie Hathaway, DO (Chief for CPEP/inpatient psychiatry), Sungsu Lee, MD, PhD (Geriatric Psychiatry Fellow), and Fatima Rumesa, MD (Forensic Psychiatry Fellow) presented poster sessions at the American Academy of Psychiatry & the Law (AAPL)'s Annual Meeting. Sungsu Lee's poster was named the Best Poster by the AAPL! More photos available here. 

Jhalysa Johnson, Kenya Malcolm, PhD, Jerard Johnson, and Chassity Phelps attended the Trauma Informed Network and Resource Center's Join the Journey conference, focused on bringing trauma-informed practices to communities and organizations.

Wei Li Suen, MD presented two sessions at the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry's Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. His presentations will include: 

•  "A Case for Transdermal Buprenorphine: Low Dose Induction in a Patient with Opioid Use Disorder and Chronic Pain"
• "When Catatonia and Comfort Care Collide: A Case Report on Withdrawing a Beneficial Course of ECT in a Medically Ill Patient With Catatonia"

BHP Blog: When Anxiety Feels Like a Crisis, Part 2: Coping with Panic Attacks

Friday, October 31, 2025

Have you found yourself skipping events with crowds, turning down social invitations, or even missing work because of anxiety? Maybe you put off medical appointments or arrange rides, so you don’t have to drive. If you have had a panic attack before, you may find yourself avoiding certain activities, situations, or settings.

Read more BHP Blog: When Anxiety Feels Like a Crisis, Part 2: Coping with Panic Attacks

University of Rochester Neurobiologist Suzanne Haber Elected to National Academy of Medicine

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Suzanne N. Haber, PhD

Suzanne N. Haber, PhD, an internationally recognized scientist whose work has transformed our understanding of the brain networks that play a central role in many mental health disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Recognized as one of the highest accolades in health and medicine, the distinction acknowledges Haber’s significant contributions to the fields of neuroscience and psychiatry over the past 40 years.   

Dean’s professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Haber is a biological map maker, charting the brain regions and circuits that regulate motivation, cognition, and motor control. Through anatomical studies and the use of advanced imaging techniques she’s identified abnormalities in brain circuitry that contribute to neurological and mental health disorders ranging from schizophrenia and OCD to post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and depression.

Leader of the National Institutes of Health-funded Silvio O. Conte Center for Basic and Translational Mental Health Research at the University of Rochester, Haber partners with scientists and physicians from institutions across the country to turn her findings on circuit dysfunction into treatments that can improve people’s lives. She’s currently using circuitry models to determine which circuits physicians should target for deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy to be most effective for individuals with OCD, depression, and addiction. 

“Suzanne’s research is highly translational,” said Steve Dewhurst, PhD, vice president for Research at the University of Rochester. “Her broad knowledge of brain networks, including the so-called ‘OCD network’, combined with the expertise of state-of-the-art imaging specialists and physicians attuned to patient needs, creates an ideal foundation for understanding how the OCD network regulates brain function in both health and disease. It also sets the stage for the development of innovative treatment strategies. This recognition is a testament to her remarkable insight and collaborative nature.”

Unique New Program Uses Art to Bring Vitality to Older Adults

Friday, October 17, 2025

Yeates Conwell, MD spoke with Spectrum 1 News on the University of Rochester Aging Institute's Aging INSPIRED! program, which aims to explore how art can keep adults engaged and healthy as they age. 

Aging INSPIRED! will be holding their 2025 event on November 8th at the Memorial Art Gallery. Join for an afternoon of discussions focused on making Rochester an even more age-friendly community.

Celebrating Global Peer Support Day

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Today, on Global Peer Support Day, we celebrate and honor the incredible work of our peer professionals—individuals who draw upon their lived experience with mental health and substance use recovery to offer support, advocacy, and hope to our patients. Global Peer Support Day is observed annually on the third Thursday of October and honors peer specialists who utilize their lived experience with mental health, addiction, or trauma to help others. The day raises public awareness of peer support services and celebrates the important role these individuals play in helping people on their recovery journey. Peer support is a vital component of our behavioral health system. By promoting connection, reducing stigma, and walking alongside those in recovery, our peer advocates exemplify the values of empathy, respect, and resilience that are at the heart of our mission.

We extend our gratitude to every peer advocate in our department; your dedication strengthens our collective work and continues to transform lives. Please take a moment to watch this video and learn more about why our peers are so valued and appreciated by their supervisors!! 

What You Should Know About Kratom

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Opinions on kratom, a supplement made from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, have been split. While some people report advantages to treating depression or chronic pain, others report withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.

Marc Swogger, PhD joined experts to break down some of these considerations for those looking to start kratom.

Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Once Again Named to U.S. News & World Report

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

We are proud to share that our Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program has once again been named to U.S. World News Report's Top 50 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings under the Pediatric and Adolescent Behavioral Health category! This category recognizes the achievements of several divisions at Golisano Children's Hospital, including the divisions of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Adolescent Medicine.

This recognition marks the second consecutive year that these divisions have been highlighted in U.S. World News Report.

8 things to know about the University of Rochester’s Mt. Hope Family Center

Monday, October 6, 2025

For 45 years, Mt. Hope Family Center, a national resource, has pioneered cutting-edge psychology research while providing support for thousands of vulnerable families annually.  The center is cross-disciplinary by design—combining resources from across the University of Rochester and the community. Researchers at Mt. Hope work alongside colleagues in the Department of Psychology, Susan B. Anthony Center, School of Nursing, as well as the Medical Center’s departments of psychiatry, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Read UR News Center 8 things to know about the University of Rochester’s Mt. Hope Family Center

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" Show Explores Sibling Rivalry, Self-Esteem, and Finding Happiness

Friday, October 3, 2025

Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness's Creative Arts Therapy Program invites you to their fall production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, running from October 3rd to 5th! 

The show is a form of therapeutic theatre, directed by Maggie Powell (Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Registered Drama Therapist), with assistant direction by Robyn Broomfield (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), and music direction by Elena Parkins (Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Board-Certified Music Therapist). Actors and stage crew are all youth currently or formerly engaged in mental health services.

The show explores themes of sibling rivalry, procrastination, perfectionism, self-esteem, and ultimately, finding happiness in the everyday things! It's appropriate for all ages and will run about 2 hours with an intermission. Tickets are $10 for youth and $15 for adults. 

Why Are Gun Suicides Soaring Among Older American Men?

Friday, October 3, 2025

Research from the Centers for Disease Control is finding that more and more older adults- especially men- are dying by gun suicide. Yeates Conwell, MD joined experts to talk with GQ on the factors driving this public health crisis.

BHP Blog: Nurturing a Nature Habit

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Engaging with the natural world, such as rocks, dirt, water, or anything found outdoors—including animals, ecosystems, or areas generally not developed by humans—has been shown to help improve overall mental and physical well-being. A connection to nature, research shows, can help reduce stress and help you thrive. 

Read more BHP Blog: Nurturing a Nature Habit

Aging-Inspired - Unique new program uses art to bring vitality to older adults

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Yeates Conwell, MD, spoke to Spectrum News (Sept. 30) about the Aging Institute’s Aging Inspired campaign, which highlights the health benefits of the arts and encourages older adults to embrace new experiences. “It’s really wonderful to watch how older people can get engaged in this and really find well-being and joy in life in ways that they hadn’t before,” Conwell said.

Read more Aging-Inspired - Unique new program uses art to bring vitality to older adults

Madeline Penn Named Business Administrator for Adult Acute Division

Monday, September 29, 2025

Please join us in welcoming Madeline Penn back to the Adult Acute Division as our new Business Administrator, supporting the Adult Inpatient Units, CPEP/PEOB, Mobile Crisis Team, and Crisis Call Line!

Madeline is returning to our department after serving as Practice Manager, overseeing 3 outpatient clinics in OBGYN Maternal Fetal Medicine. There, she led operations across clinical, scheduling, and compliance. Prior to that, she worked in our Adult Partial Hospital Program as Lead OAR, where she streamlined front-end operations and was instrumental in scheduling and carrying a new model for the program's billing. 

Madeline holds a Bachelor's in Health Care Administration and recently completed the Master's in Leadership in Health Care Systems through the UR School of Nursing. She brings a solid background in health care administration, leadership, and operational management with experience in building efficient workflows, front-end operations, and enhancing patient access across service lines. 

We are thrilled to have Madeline back in our Department and looking forward to the enthusiasm and support she will bring to the programs in the Adult Acute Division!

Team Science Showcase: Cracking the Code of Chronic Pain

Friday, September 26, 2025

The path to discovery knows no walls. Labs must be nimble, intuitive, and creative to make advancements that will lead to a better understanding of the human body and treatments for disease.

When tackling a complex problem like chronic pain, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates affects more than 50 million adults in the United States, researchers from a myriad of specialties need to join forces to ask questions and piece together answers. At the University of Rochester, dentists, neuroscientists, surgeons, psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, nurse practitioners, and others are partnering to gain knowledge and insights that could transform treatment, care, and outcomes.

“I’ve never had any collaborative environment like here. Not everyone can work with you, but everybody will listen and try to find connections,” said Eli Eliav, DMD, PhD, MBA, director of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester. “To conduct pain research, a multidisciplinary approach is key. There will never be one molecule or one drug that will solve all the pain problems in the world."

The Team(s)

At the Neuromedicine Pain Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center, neurosurgeons, neurologists, and anesthesiologists partner to create the best care and treatment plans for patients. They also work with neuroscientists like Paul Geha, MD, associate professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and a member of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience.

He and Jennifer Gewandter, PhD, MPH, associate professor of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, along with neurosurgeon Steven Soler, MD, recruit people living with pain who are undergoing spinal cord stimulation—a surgery with an average success rate of 50 percent. Prior to implantation of a spinal cord stimulator, patients must undergo psychological testing to make sure important diagnoses, like PTSD or substance abuse, aren’t missed. Their research aims to add outcome prediction to the psychological clearance step with a more comprehensive test.

“Being able to work with Jennifer, who is an expert in clinical trials, helps us maintain that connection between the more mechanistic work we do on the research side with the actual applications in treatment,” Geha said.

Celebrating Addiction Professionals in our Department!

Friday, September 19, 2025

On September 20th, we recognize Addiction Professionals Day, a time to honor the dedication, compassion, and expertise of those who serve individuals, families, and communities impacted by substance use disorders.

Addiction Professionals Day was established in 1992 by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, to highlight the critical role that counselors, clinicians, peer specialists, and all who work in the field play in promoting recovery, reducing stigma, and advancing evidence-based care. For over three decades, this day has been an opportunity to raise awareness of the profession’s value and celebrate the commitment of those who support some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

The Department of Psychiatry has experienced tremendous growth in our Addiction Professionals, particularly our Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) discipline. This year, Strong Recovery celebrates 52 years of dedicated substance use treatment services and employs the largest number of CASACs in our department and in the region! In 2017, when Strong Recovery, Strong Ties, and Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness became a certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC), substance use services were integrated into our OMH clinics, and our CASAC footprint continued to grow. Today, we celebrate the stable progress of expanding CASACs. We recognize the following clinical areas that integrate the CASAC discipline into their multidisciplinary teams: G-9200/SUMMITS, CPEP, Inpatient Psych, Older Adults, ACT, Strong Minds, and EAP. Most recently, we welcomed Westfall Associates into the Addiction Psychiatry division to offer more expansive substance use services located at Sully’s Trail. *Many of these talented professionals are pictured in our slideshow* View slideshow here: 2025 Addiction Professionals Day on Vimeo (a special thank you to Amanda Lai and Cari Hindman for creating this video!)

Additionally, in 2023, the Advanced Certificate in Addictions Counseling Program commenced and provides an educational opportunity designed for professionals in other disciplines to learn about substance use knowledge and obtain the necessary educational hours to become a CASAC-Trainee! 

Your work requires not only clinical skill but also deep empathy, resilience, and perseverance. Each of you plays a vital role in helping individuals build healthier lives, strengthening families, and creating more supportive communities. The impact of your work is profound, and today we pause to say thank you for your unwavering dedication.

Please take a moment to reflect on the meaningful difference you make each day. We are proud to work alongside you in advancing hope and healing.

Aileen Aldalur Receives K23 Award from National Institute of Mental Health

Monday, September 15, 2025

We're excited to share that Aileen Aldalur, PhD has been named a recipient of a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)! 

The K23 award provides up to five years of support for researchers to develop patient-oriented research projects. Dr. Aldalur will be conducting a national clinical trial to test whether an adapted Zoom-based intervention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment Seeking for Deaf Individuals (Deaf CBT-TS), can improve beliefs about mental health treatment, increase mental health treatment engagement, and reduce suicide risk for Deaf adults.

What teenagers say will get them off their phones | WXXI Connections Podcast | Michael Scharf, MD

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Michael Scharf, MD, spoke to WXXI News on the importance of balancing screen time with real-world interaction. “It’s easier to have more authentic reactions face to face,” Scharf said. “It’s easier to interpret context in person than it is over text or phone.”
 

Cell Phone Bans in Schools: What Parents Need to Know

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Research from the Digital Wellness Lab suggests that reducing phone use during school can lift academic performance, promote face-to-face interaction, and lessen exposure to cyberbullying. Still, experts emphasize that building healthy tech habits isn’t just about school rules.

“Cell phones aren’t inherently ‘bad,’” says Melissa Heatly, PhD, a child psychologist at UR Medicine’s Golisano Children’s Hospital. “They’re powerful tools for communication and learning, but they can also be distracting and overwhelming for kids who are still developing self-regulation skills.”

Read more on UR Newroom: Cell Phone Bans in Schools: What Parents Need to Know

Dr. David Garrison Named 4-9000 Medical Director

Friday, September 5, 2025

Please join us in welcoming back Dr. David Garrison to the role of Medical Director for our Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program! 

This is a role Dr. Garrison has held before, though our health system and acute services have evolved some since that time, with significant further changes anticipated in the coming years.  Dr. Garrison is our most senior in terms of years of service -Inpatient Child and Adolescent Attending Psychiatrist, with a history of generatively and excellence in patient care and in education.  He is coming into this role now with some exciting ideas and an established enthusiasm for innovation in the provision of the highest quality patient and family-centered care.

And please also join me in thanking Dr. Mani Kurien for his years of service in the Medical Director role.  Dr. Kurien is our second most senior CAP inpatient Attending and he has consistently been an outstanding clinician, collaborator, and team member, always ready to provide care for the most challenging and complicated patients and to lend a hand in times of crisis or workforce shortage.  It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with Dr. Kurien throughout the years- since he first came to UofR, really- and during his time as Medical Director on 49000.  Dr. Kurien has decided to focus his time more on direct patient care, continuing to work on 49000 and in our Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, where his patients and their families will continue to benefit from the excellent skills and experience he brings to that care.
 

Unraveling the Web of Chronic Pain

Thursday, August 28, 2025

How Transdisciplinary Pain Research Looks to the Brain for Answers

For Paul Geha, MD, pain and the brain exist in tandem. “All pain is psychological because we really need to be conscious to feel pain,” Geha said. “We feel pain with our brains, not with our knees and our backs, and in that sense, all pain is psychological. And all pain has a psychological component that is what we need to start with and understand that the injury model does not go far enough to explain the patient's problems.”

Read more on UR Newsroom: Unraveling the Web of Chronic Pain

Partnering with University of Buffalo For Training on Trauma-Informed Care

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Our various Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics partnered with the University of Buffalo’s Institute on Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) to provide three offerings that were 3 hours in length. Programs that particated included Strong Recovery, Strong Ties, Strong Minds, Older Adults Mental Health Services, Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness program, and more!

The trainings provided a foundational overview of how psychological trauma and adversity may impact the health, mental health, and well-being of individuals. Participants also learned how they can use a trauma-informed approach in their roles with patients and the workforce to engage in universal precautions: applying the trauma-informed values and principles to reduce the likelihood of re-traumatization. Participants participated in a discussion and reflection through the use of a multi-part case study activity to apply the content to a situation relevant to their work. This presentation is appropriate for any staff role, as it will build a common language around trauma and a trauma-informed approach. 
 
This is the first phase of our TIC training initiative, and we look forward to learning more about this topic in the next year. 

Join Us for NAMI Walks 2025!

Friday, August 15, 2025

Our department is excited to once again participate in NAMI Walks Rochester, taking place on September 27th at 10 AM at a new location at Asbury First United Methodist Church!

We invite all to join our walking team for this year’s walk to support NAMI Rochester’s efforts to advocate for andsupport those affected by mental illness.

Click Here to Register for Our Walking Team

Can’t make it to the walk? You can support our team’s efforts by fundraising for NAMI Rochester or by sharing our walk team page and tagging us on Facebook, X, or Instagram!

Food trucks will be at the event for folks to purchase lunch, as well as complimentary coffee drinks and water. Parking will be available at the church parking lot as well as several overflow lots.

Click here to view the walk map.

Join us on Aug 14th for the opening of the renovated 4-9200 unit

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

We are excited to wrap up a major renovation of our fourth-floor Adult Inpatient Psychiatry unit (4-9200). This refreshed space will help us continue to provide a safe and supportive space for those who require stabilization for acute psychiatric illness in an inpatient setting. 

Watch the livestream of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

How Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Is Bringing Peace to Patients | UR Newsroom

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Marc Swogger, PhD, an associate professor of Psychiatry and Palliative Care at URMC, is leading a four-year study cataloging ketamine-assisted psychotherapy practices—everything from low-dose nasal sprays with no therapy to Pal-KAP’s full integration model. 

Read UR Newsroom | How Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Is Bringing Peace to Patients

School Year Stress: Acing the Back-to-School Season

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Being prepared, mindful, and having the necessary tools to organize your family routines can help reduce your stress and anxiety. That's why we've created a go-to guide with resources and advice from experts—to help you feel prepared as the school year begins. Allison Stiles, PhD, and Melissa Heatly, PhD, provide tips on how parents can help make the transition to back-to-school easier. 

Read more on UR Newsroom: School Year Stress: Acing the Back-to-School Season

Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Seeking Artwork from Young Artists

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness invites all youth to submit artwork for an art show accompanying their Fall theater production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." This year's show theme is "Happiness Is..." The submission deadline is September 27th. Those interested can drop off their artwork at the Child and Adolescent Outpatient Services front desk at 1860 South Avenue during normal business hours. Reach out to Caitlyn Wilcox for questions.

Representing URMC Psychiatry Nationally in July

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Craig Rooney, PhD contributed to a podium talk presented at the Association of Academic Medical Centers (AAMC)'s Group on Faculty Affairs (GFA) Professional Development Conference in Portland, Oregon. The presentation, "Individualized Coaching to Enhance Faculty Engagement, Leadership Skills, and Wellbeing," discussed an innovative one-on-one leadership development and coaching program aimed at fostering faculty engagement, career and leadership development, and improvement in overall job satisfaction and well-being. 

Yeates Conwell, MD also was a speaker at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences' virtual International Online Symposium on Suicide from an Interdisciplinary Perspective on the 24th. He discussed Brain Aging, Emotional Well-being, and Suicide Risk in Later Life.