Episodes
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What makes addiction treatment truly effective? Behavioral scientist Charles Neighbors, MBA, PhD, shares groundbreaking research on the importance of therapeutic relationships, harm reduction, and human connection—love!—in treating substance use disorders. Dr. Neighbors is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Population Health, and Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
💡 Topics Covered
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Charles Neighbors
01:37 The biggest challenges in addiction treatment
02:24 The Importance of Therapeutic Relationships
05:59 Defining “good treatment” and why love matters
08:05 The role of therapeutic alliance in patient outcomes
14:06 Barriers to change in addiction treatment systems (incl. stigma)
22:04 Harm reduction and safe injection sites: What does the science say?
30:36 Future directions in addiction policy and treatment📢 Key Takeaways
✅ Addiction treatment should focus on connection, not punishment
✅ Stigma and outdated policies limit access to care
✅ Harm reduction strategies, like safe injection sites, save lives
✅ Medication-assisted treatment is underused but highly effective
✅ Therapeutic alliance is a critical, measurable factor in recovery success📚 Related Resources
Charles J. Neighbors, MBA, PhD (official bio)Dr. Neighbors’ Lab - Health Evaluation & Analytics Lab (HEAL)Addiction Treatment at NYU LangoneUnderstanding Harm Reduction: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)"Motivational Interviewing" by William R. Miller and Stephen RollnickCommunity Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)SAMHSA’s National Helpline for Mental Health, Drug, Alcohol IssuesNew York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)🔔 Subscribe for more insights on mental health & addiction treatment!
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Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
For the final episode of Season 2, we're joined by Dr. Samuele Cortese, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Southampton (UK) and Adjunct Full Professor at NYU Langone. Together we explore the intersection of pediatric ADHD and precision psychiatry, including the disorder’s genetic underpinnings and evolving treatment options.
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Dr. Cortese's Research Journey
02:11 Global Perspectives and Challenges in ADHD Treatment
03:51 Advances in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment
06:41 Role of Genetics in ADHD
09:33 Precision Treatment and Stratification
12:17 Treatment Adherence and Shared Decision-Making
23:55 Connection Between ADHD and Obesity
28:39 Non-Stimulant Alternatives and Future Directions in ADHD Treatment
32:16 Non-Pharmacological Treatments
37:28 Advice for Clinicians and Closing ThoughtsVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
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Dr. Timothy Wilens is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research interest include the relationship between ADHD, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders; ADHD pharmacotherapy; and stimulant medication misuse.
On this episode, Dr. Wilens discusses the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in ADHD, as well as its lifelong implications. He takes us through the evolution of ADHD treatment, from behavioral therapies to modern pharmacological interventions, including stimulant and non-stimulant medications, and the application of digital therapeutics. The conversation also touches on the stigma surrounding ADHD, the role of precision medicine, and the future of ADHD research.
00:00 Introduction
02:50 Evolution of ADHD Treatment
04:43 Stigma and Misconceptions
12:18 Importance of Early Intervention
15:02 ADHD Symptoms and Treatment Approaches
30:02 Addressing Concerns About Stimulant Medications
35:50 Navigating the Complexities of ADHD Medication
41:22 Future of ADHD Research and Treatment
43:20 ConclusionVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Ira Glick is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University Medical Center, where he has served as director of the Schizophrenia Research Clinic. On this episode, he discusses his research journey, which began in the 1960s and followed a shift from psychoanalysis to biological psychiatry. He addresses the broken social safety net for schizophrenia patients, including the controversial topic of treating some patients against their will, as well as the challenges of medication adherence, and the stigma surrounding severe mental illness.
00:00 Introduction
00:49 Evolution of Schizophrenia Treatment
04:34 Science Behind Schizophrenia Medications
07:39 Addressing the Public Health Challenges of Schizophrenia
11:15 Stigma and Misunderstanding of Severe Mental Illness
21:44 Innovative Treatment Approaches and the Future of Schizophrenia Care
31:36 Importance of Public Health Interventions and Political Will
35:45 Closing Remarks and Future DirectionsVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Christin Drake is Clinical Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Diversity and Equity in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. On this episode, Dr. Drake discusses ongoing efforts to improve mental health equity, including by improving psychiatric services for underserved groups, gathering better data, and boosting diversity among health care providers. She also discusses the importance of integrating mental health care into perinatal services and challenges the conventional wisdom about stigma toward mental health care in the Black community.
00:00 Introduction
00:55 Dr. Drake's Vision for Equity in Mental Health Care
03:46 Addressing Racial Inequities in Psychiatry: A Critical Conversation
04:45 The Importance of Representation and Mentorship in Psychiatry
10:32 Building Foundations for Health Equity: Data and Systemic Change
22:16 Integrating Psychiatric Care into Perinatal Health
33:31 Rethinking Mental Health Stigma in the Black Community
38:08 Future Projects and Closing ThoughtsVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. John Krystal is Chair of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. He is best known for leading the discovery of the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine, which paved the way for the first major new antidepressant drug in decades. Here, Dr. Krystal talks about what we’ve learned in the five years since esketamine nasal spray was approved by the FDA, including efforts to predict treatment response, dosage and frequency, safety, and long-term impact. He also discusses advances in our understanding of alcohol use disorder and weighs in on the search for psychiatric biomarkers.
00:00 Introduction
01:01 Dr. Krystal's Research Journey
03:32 What We’ve Learned Since Esketamine’s FDA Approval
05:59 Avoiding Misuse
08:11 Optimizing Dosage
16:25 Predicting Treatment Outcomes
24:17 Ketamine vs. Psychedelics
25:48 Advances in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder
32:33 Precision Psychiatry and Personalized Treatment Approaches
39:49 Psychiatric Biomarkers
41:03 The Future of Psychiatric Research and TreatmentVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Robert Findling is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Here he discusses recent advances in pediatric mental health, including his own research on aggression and schizophrenia in young people. Dr. Findling also shares his thoughts on the crisis of teen suicide, the lingering impact of COVID-19 on children’s mental health, and the need for early and collaborative interventions.
00:00 Introduction
00:46 Clinical and Research Journey
02:56 Aggression with impulsivity and reactivity (AIR)
06:48 Precision Pediatric Psychiatry
15:34 Schizophrenia
20:31 What Kids Need to Thrive
23:10 Teen Suicide
25:09 Role of Schools and Primary Care
30:58 Loneliness Epidemic Among Children
32:32 Improving Access to Pediatric Mental Health Care
40:00 Bipolar Disorder
43:24 Future Research and Hope for Young Patients
45:11 Conclusion: Importance of Early InterventionVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Charles Nemeroff is Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas-Austin's Dell Medical School. He is also co-director of the Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, and director of the Institute for Early Life Adversity Research. His research is focused on the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders with a focus on the role of child abuse and neglect as a major risk factor.
00:00 Introduction
00:52 Dr. Nemeroff's Research Journey
01:55 Childhood Maltreatment as Risk Factor
04:53 Advances and Challenges in Precision Psychiatry
07:33 Psychedelic Medicine (incl. blinding issues and potential adverse events)
20:50 How Psychedelics Disrupt the "Circle of Hell"
30:00 Psilocybin as Potential Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa
38:32 Screening for Childhood Maltreatment
41:30 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
44:14 Focused Ultrasound
46:32 Prescribing MAOIs
49:34 ConclusionVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Helen Riess is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Empathy Research and Training in the Psychotherapy Research Group at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Empathetics, a company that provides science-based empathy and interpersonal skills training for healthcare professionals. Her research focuses on improving empathy and relational skills in physicians.
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Defining Empathy
03:38 Empathy and Burnout
05:00 Care for the Caregiver
07:52 Exquisite Empathy and Burnout
09:18 Building Empathy and Avoiding Overburden
10:45 Developing Boundaries in Clinical Practice
11:45 Training and Teaching Empathy
13:42 Model for Recognizing Emotion in Others
15:11 Becoming Emotion Detectives
19:31 Leadership's Role in Creating Supportive Workplaces
23:22 Benefits of Empathy Training
29:07 Technology and Empathy Training
34:18 Research on MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy
37:43 Building Empathy and Compassion
40:07 Taking Small Steps Towards Empathy
42:32 Resources for Building Empathy
43:28 Future of Empathy Training
The Empathy Effect (Dr. Riess's book)
The Power of Empathy (TEDx Talk)Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Christopher Pittenger is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and Director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic. In this episode, he discusses the neurobiology, symptomology, and treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), including potential new treatments such as psychedelics, neurofeedback, glutamate modulators, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
00:00 Introduction
00:41 Why is OCD Underdiagnosed?
02:19 Impact of OCD on Individuals
03:40 Taboo Nature of OCD Thoughts
06:10 Biomarkers
08:06 Neurobiology
14:20 Serotonin
16:48 Heterogeneity of OCD
24:00 Glutamate Modulators
29:33 Ketamine
33:13 Psilocybin
38:23 Neurofeedback
44:01 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
47:22 Relationship Between Depression and OCD
50:24 Future of OCD TreatmentVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Richard Davidson is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Founder & Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. In this episode, he discusses the current state of research on mindfulness and meditation as mental health interventions.
00:00 Introduction
02:15 Focus areas in current research
04:37 Well-being as a universal intervention
06:21 Beyond mindfulness: other forms of meditation
07:24 Four pillars of well-being: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose
13:04 Healthy Minds Program and the impact of short daily meditation practices
17:05 Comparison of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and the Healthy Minds Program, focusing on accessibility and time commitment
20:55 The potential for structural changes in the brain with meditation
26:24 Integrating mindfulness and meditation into clinical practice
28:06 Micro-supports for everyday well-being
33:27 Mindfulness and social connection
35:06 Future research directions, including the concept of a flourishing cityVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Ronald Kessler is the McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. His groundbreaking work on the social determinants of mental health, studied from an epidemiological perspective, has made him the most widely cited psychiatric researcher in the world. In this wide-ranging conversation, he talks about precision psychiatry's enormous potential and incremental development, delving into his own efforts to better identify at-risk patients and predict treatment efficacy. Dr. Kessler stresses the need for better data and bigger studies, and envisions a future of AI-supported clinicians.
00:00 Introduction
00:53 Dr. Kessler's Journey to Precision Psychiatry
02:45 The Importance of Data
04:14 Risk Factors and Treatment Optimization
10:42 Successes and Challenges
13:23 The Importance of Baseline Information
23:46 Machine Learning in Veterans Health
24:27 Determining Suicide Risk
25:35 Interventions and Cost-Effectiveness
26:16 Esketamine Trials and Response Prediction
27:07 Risk Models and Comparative Risk Models
27:15 Insomnia Treatment in Military Personnel
29:36 Cost-Benefit Analyses
35:45 AI in Medicine and Patient Response
42:21 Future of Precision Psychiatry
45:51 Closing RemarksVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Petros Levounis is President of the American Psychiatric Association and a leader in addiction research. He joins host Thea Gallagher, PsyD, to talk about the latest in addiction medicine, the state of the opioid crisis, the growing problem of technology addiction, and the promise and risks of psychedelic medicine. He also shares his hopes for the future of psychiatry, including better integration of diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes for people with mental health disorders.
00:00 Introduction to NYU Langone Insights on Psychiatry
00:16 Dr. Levounis's role and priorities as APA president
00:46 The State of Addiction Medicine
02:12 Neurobiology of Addiction
03:37 Interplay Between Mental Health and Addiction
06:03 Potential and Challenges of Psychedelic Medicine
08:37 Cannabis and Tech Addictions
10:11 Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Strategies and Solutions
15:28 Addressing Technological Addictions
28:55 The Future of Psychiatry: Goals and Aspirations
35:47 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Starting this fall, we're releasing 12 more conversations with the best minds in psychiatry. Subscribe wherever you're listening, so you won't miss an episode.
Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Carla Nasca is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone, where she studies epigenetic mechanisms of neuroplasticity to stress. Dr. Nasca's work led to the discovery of acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC), a metabolite found in the mitochondria, as a promising biological marker of depression.
acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) and major depressive disorderHow stress changes the brain on a structural/molecular levelRisk factors for stress-induced disordersMachine learning
Topics:More information: https://www.cdr.rfmh.org/research/nasca-lab/
Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Tanya Sippy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone. She’s also Principal Investigator at the Sippy Lab and Associate Director of the Psychedelic Medicine Research Training Program. Her research explores the neural mechanisms that underlie how sensory stimuli become associated with goal-directed behavior.
How learning changes sensory representation (with implications for understanding addiction, etc.)Recent research on the functions of dopamine and serotoninHype vs reality of psychedelicsRegulation of ketamine clinics
Topics:More information: https://www.sippylab.com/
Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Andrew Nierenberg is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the MGH Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation. He completed his residency in psychiatry at New York University/Bellevue Hospital.
Lithium vs antipsychoticsSMART BD (Sequential Multiple Assignment of Randomized Treatment)Bipolar Learning Health NetworkMedication concordance
Topics:More information:
https://brain.harvard.edu/?people=andrew-nierenbergVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Alan Schatzberg is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford Medicine, and Director of the Stanford Mood Disorders Center. His research examines the biology and psychopharmacology of depressive disorders. An NYU School of Medicine alumnus, Dr. Schatzberg was President of the American Psychiatric Association from 2009-2010.
Ketamine and Esketamine (incl. mechanisms of action)Ketamine and obsessive-compulsive disorderOpioidsPsychedelic medicine
Topics:For more information:
https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/alan-schatzbergVisit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Michael Bogenschutz is a Professor of Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Director of the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorderMDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSDPsychedelic medicine for the "worried well"The role of the mystical experienceComparing different psychedelic medicinesMechanisms of actionTreatment protocolsSafety and risk-mitigationTopics for further investigation
Topics:Cited:
Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder (August 2022)For more information:
https://centerforpsychedelicmedicine.org/Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Executive Producer: Jon Earle -
Dr. Omonigho M. Bubu is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he studies the connection between sleep and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as social determinants of health as they relate to cognitive health. In this interview, he discusses the importance of sleep, especially for people at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Topics:
Alzheimer’s disease (AD)Associations between sleep and increased AD riskSleep patterns in minoritized communitiesObstructive sleep apneaDementia and cognitive declineSocial determinants of health
Obstructive sleep apnea, cognition and Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review integrating three decades of multidisciplinary research (2020)Sleep, Cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2016)
Cited:Visit our website for more information:
https://physicianfocus.nyulangone.org/nyu-langone-insights-on-psychiatry-podcast/Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
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