Black Dog Institute for Health Professionals

Irregular hours. Night Shifts. Long days, blurring into longer nights. For many health professionals, disrupted sleep isn’t the exception; it’s the norm. But poor sleep doesn’t have to be part of the job. In this panel discussion, we’ll explore the science behind sleep and shiftwork, share the latest research on how disrupted sleep impacts health and wellbeing, and provide practical strategies to build healthier sleep habits, no matter your roster. Featuring insights from Dr Matthew Coleshill (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Black Dog Institute) and Kristy Ross (Clinical Psychologist, Black Dog Institute), and moderated by Dr Sarah Barker, this session will share practical, evidence-based strategies to help you manage fatigue, optimise rest, and perform at your best, no matter your roster.

What happens when standard treatments for depression don’t work? In this special Mental Health Month episode from the Black Dog Institute, we explore the next steps for primary care teams supporting patients with treatment-resistant depression. Designed for GPs and allied health professionals, this conversation explores practical strategies, novel interventions, and referral pathways that can make a difference when conventional care is insufficient. In this episode, you’ll learn: · The latest evidence and approaches for managing treatment-resistant depression · The evolving role of ECT as a safe and effective option for severe depression · How ketamine treatment can be integrated with psychotherapy for improved outcomes · What’s emerging in psychedelic-assisted therapies, including psilocybin · How Black Dog Institute’s training in neuromodulation, ketamine, and interventional psychiatry can support your clinical practice Facilitator: Dr Sarah Barker – Clinical Psychologist Panelists: · Dr Adam Bayes – Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Academic Psychiatrist, Black Dog Institute · Dr Melanie Babooram – Clinical Psychologist, Black Dog Institute Join us to discover how the field is evolving and how you can help patients navigate new pathways to recovery when traditional approaches fall short. Learn more about Black Dog Institute’s world-class neuromodulation clinic here https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/education-services/clinical-services/sydney-tms-neurostimulation-and-ketamine-program/

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an ideal framework and set of tools to enhance mental health support provided to clients and patients in a range of settings. It is evidence-based, easy to learn, clearly structured, time-limited, and it is respectful and consultative. Health professionals working across all fields are reporting mental health aspects to their work with clients. Indeed, all health professionals can benefit from core CBT strategies to help support their clients and patients. On the panel we will have Melissa Black, Ph.D., a researcher from The Black Dog Institute; Dr Kristine Kafer, Clinical Psychologist and t Andrew Atkinson a Lived Experience representative who has experienced success with CBT strategies. Join us for this episode where we will explore the role of the potential benefits of introductory-level, practical core CBT for use with clients and patients and delve into the broad applicability of introductory CBT skills for health professionals who have limited CBT training. This episode will give health professionals skills to use with clients who may benefit from addressing unhelpful thinking patterns which may be interfering with their health management. Facilitator: Dr Sarah Barker – Clinical Psychologist Panelists: Clinical Research Lead & Clinical Psychologist: Melissa Black, Ph.D.Clinical Psychologist: Dr Kris Kafer Lived Experience Representative: Andrew Atkinson For more information on our courses: https://black-dog-institute.my.salesforce-sites.com/forms/bdi_EducationCourseLanding

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/

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

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.

This important webinar is designed to equip health professionals and leaders with the tools, insights, and strategies to foster mental wellbeing in their teams during crises and beyond. This session will: * Present key research findings on healthcare workers' mental health needs during crises like COVID-19. * Introduce an insightful report and checklist as actionable resources for enhancing mental health support in healthcare settings. * Demonstrate how addressing mental health can strengthen teams and improve organisational outcomes. * Use compelling data to outline what needs to change and the steps leaders can take to drive improvement. * Empower healthcare leaders with clear, implementable recommendations for creating mentally healthy workplaces. Facilitator: Dr Peter Baldwin – Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist, Black Dog Institute | Co- Investigator, Future-Proofing the Frontline guide Panellists: Prof Natasha Smallwood – Respiratory Physician, Department of Respiratory & Sleep Medicine at The Alfred Hospital; Head Chronic Respiratory Disease Group and Respiratory Research Training Lead Respiratory Research @ The Alfred School of Translational Medicine, Monash University; and Chief Investigator, Future-Proofing the Frontline report Dr Bethan Richards – Chief Medical Wellness Officer / Director SLHD MDOK Centre | Rheumatologist, Co- Director Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, PhD Health Professional Jess Maher- Lived Experience Representative, endorsed enrolled nurse Future-Proofing the Frontline: Organisational strategies to support frontline healthcare workers and leaders during times of crisis, is a guide that brings together insights from diverse perspectives and multiple sources of data to understand the best organisational strategies for supporting the mental health of healthcare workers. The guide and Organisational Checklist are available here: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/news/future-proofing-the-frontline/

The federal government has made vaping illegal without a prescription for very good reasons. We know that vaping and nicotine can have an impact on brain development, affecting your memory, attention, learning and mood. Vaping can also make mental health issues like anxiety and depression worse. It is also highly addictive. There are two issues for health professionals to consider · people don’t understand vaping’s health impacts. · Generally the advice for those who are concerned is to “talk to your GP or a trusted health professional” Why is that a problem? Because most of us don’t have effective strategies for helping people stop. In this recording GP Dr Chris Lee will increase our understanding of the risks of vaping and provide some very practical advice about talking to people about their habit.

Despite decades of government investment, significant research endeavour, and a growing commitment to mental health training and response activities in schools and workplaces, rates of mental health in Australia are rising. The scale of this issue is staggering: a recent report shows that 494,000 Australians with moderate to severe mental health problems are not receiving the support they desperately need. Long wait times and a shortage of mental health professionals are leaving vulnerable Australians without access to timely and appropriate care, particularly those in rural and remote areas. When people finally get care, it doesn’t always help. We know the current system is broken. We know what we need – a robust mental health system that is well-staffed, adequately funded and integrated across the country that will lay the foundations for a mentally healthier future. But how do we get there? How do we plan for a better future? And what is the role of Health Professionals? Listen to our Mental Health Month edition of Expert Insights were Black Dog Institute’s Dr Peter Baldwin, Senior Research Fellow and Policy Research Manager, will share findings from BDI’s recent mental health poll and discuss the key issues facing the health sector. Panel Members: - Dr Peter Baldwin - Senior Research Fellow and Policy Research Manager, Black Dog Institute Dr Laura Kampel - Head of Clinical Services and Senior Clinical Psychologist, Black Dog Institute Matt - Lived Experience Representative Facilitator: - Dr Sarah Barker - Clinical Psychologist

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.

The term dMH (digital mental health) covers a wide range of online resources for mental health care. This includes, but is not limited to, the CBT-based treatment programs that Australia has led the world in developing. The scientific evidence is important for practitioner confidence but sometimes our patients and clients want to know about it too. This webinar will make it easier for you to explain why you are recommending an online treatment program. Please join Dr. Jan Orman and Prof Nick Titov, founder of the Mindspot Clinic at Macquarie University, who will discuss the evidence to support online CBT delivery. They will talk about the evidence to support the use of online mental health treatment programs in general as well as the Mindspot Clinic specifically. Learning outcomes: By the end of the webinar participants will be able to: Describe some of the research that supports the use of online mental health treatment programs Describe the situations in which they may consider recommending an online program Explain how they would talk to a patient about the evidence base for these programs and the best ways to get benefit from them Nick Titov is a Professor of Psychology at Macquarie University. He is also a Clinical Psychologist and Executive Director of the Australian MindSpot Clinic. MindSpot is a digital psychology service, which provides psychological assessments and treatments to adults across Australia. MindSpot employs mental health professionals to deliver care, it is accredited under the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards, and it has been funded by the Australian Government since 2012. Nick has worked on >100 trials of psychological interventions and has published numerous reports of outcomes of digital psychology services in peer reviewed papers including in the Lancet Digital Health. Nick serves on multiple advisory groups to national and international organisations. Dr Jan Orman MBBS MPsychMed is a Sydney GP with a special interest in mental health and psychological medicine. She has a Masters in Psychological Medicine (CBT) from the University of NSW and has combined general practice and specialised work in mental health for over two decades. Jan has also worked for more than 10 years as a facilitator in Black Dog Institute’s Professional Education team. She is currently responsible for developing the content of, and delivering, the GP education programs for the Black Dog Institute’s arm of the e-Mental Health in Practice Project. Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VzfIfVlH6PWS2PQSJtwxIBTwyVuIZ3SK/view?usp=drive_link

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. Check out the slides here: https://d34ery7y7ckzql.cloudfront.net/3cb2dc2e-f580-4584-973a-0f95f04b43ff/Public/Resources/Webinar%2073%20Slides.pdf?455

To celebrate the 2024 NAIDOC week (7 - 14 July) theme, Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud (www.naidoc.org.au), this Expert Insights session focuses on the enduring wisdom, vitality, and strength in First Nations communities, passed down through generations. We explore the power of cultural healing approaches within suicide prevention, with a particular focus on what works, achievements, and excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention. Listen and learn from the rich contributions and wisdom of First Nations cultural healing approaches, which can be leveraged to promote positive wellbeing for Indigenous communities and beyond. Panel Members · Maddison O'Grady-Lee, Clinical Psychology PhD candidate (UNSW/Black Dog Institute), Dalai Lama Peace Fellow, and winner of The Diana Award · Shannon McNeair, a proud Malgana woman and a Psychologist from McNeair Aboriginal Psychological Services · Uncle Monwell Levi - First Nations Lived Experience Representative Facilitator · Dr Sarah Barker, Clinical Psychologist