Workshops

Psychopharmacology for People with Co-Occurring Diagnoses

ID: 5028WEB

Former title: Basic Psychopharmacology for People with Co-Occurring Diagnoses. This webinar takes a look at best practice as it applies to prescribing (or not prescribing) psychotropic medications for a person in recovery with both a mental illness and substance abuse (MISA) diagnosis. Each medication class will be discussed in terms of benefits and side effects and, whenever possible, recommendations of one medication type over another for the dually-diagnosed consumer. Introductory material relating to the neuroanatomy and physiology of the central nervous system will also be presented and linked to why some medications should be prescribed and why others should be avoided for this problem.

Fee: $60.00
Continuing Ed. Hours (CEH): 3.0 Clinical


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Instructor: Craig Strickland, PhD
Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Location: Live Interactive Online Webinar

Webinar Objectives

At the conclusion of the webinar, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the basic brain structures and primary neurotransmitters involved in chronic mental illness as well as in substance abuse
  • Describe the rationale for prescribing (or not prescribing) a psychotropic medication for a person with a known substance abuse diagnosis
  • List at least three non-benzodiazepine alternative pharmacotherapies for treating anxiety disorders

    Webinar Outline

    1:00 pm Welcome/Introduction
    1:05 pm Overview/Objectives
    1:15 pm Changing mindsets

  • Side effects
  • Notion of primary dx
  • Matching biochemistry of dx
  • Medication
    1:30 pm Use of anti-psychotic meds
  • The reward system
  • First generation meds
  • Second generation meds
    2:55 pm Use of anti-depressants
  • TCAs
  • SSRIs
  • Novel anti-depressants
    3:20 pm Use of mood stabilizers
  • Lithium: good practice
  • Anti-convulsants
  • Lab tests
    3:40 pm Use of anxiolytics
  • Should BZDs be used?
  • Buspar
  • SSRIs
  • Inderal/Clonidine
    3:55 pm Conclusion/Q&A

    Target Audience

    Social Workers and Allied Professionals

    Content Level

    Beginner - Advanced

    Webinar Completion Requirements

    To earn CE credit, social workers must log in at the scheduled time, attend the entire course and complete an online course evaluation. Certificates of completion will be emailed within 10 business days of course completion.

    System Requirements

    • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher, MacOS 9 or higher, Android 4.0 or higher
    • Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 9.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Firefox 10.0 or higher
    • Broadband Internet connection: Cable, High-speed DSL & any other medium that is internet accessible.

    About the Instructor

    Craig Strickland, PhD, graduated from Bryn Mawr College in with a Doctorate in Psychology and a focus on experimental research and neuroscience. Past positions include a faculty position at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and affiliate faculty positions at Widener University and Springfield College. He currently has guest lecturer privileges at the Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, the Rutgers School of Social Work and an affiliate professor position at Thomas Jefferson University, East Fall Campus in the Community and Trauma Counseling program. Dr. Strickland is the owner of Biobehavioral Education and Consultation, LLC

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