Monday, May 22, 2017

2:00-3:00 pm (EST)

Traditional empirically based psychosocial treatments have been associated with considerable efficacy, especially with anxiety- and mood-related outcomes. However, sizable subgroups of individuals remain refractory to improvement. Recent advances in classification, experimental therapeutics, and precision medicine offer promise for isolating mechanisms common to many pathological conditions and developing targeted interventions, as a result. However, complex conditions with multiple overlaying dysfunctions may require multi-componential treatments to produce clinically significant and pervasive outcomes. Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) is an affect science based, mechanism-targeted, psychosocial intervention for chronic anxiety and mood disorders characterized by high levels of transdiagnostic negative self-referencing processes (i.e., worry, rumination, self-criticism), which are associated with poor outcome. Efficacy and preliminary mechanism data for ERT will be presented with the goal of illustrating the need for both inductive (e.g., experimental therapeutics) and deductive (i.e., honed psychosocial treatment) approaches to targeting mechanisms and improving clinical outcomes.

Dr. Mennin received his Ph.D. from Temple University in 2001 and, has held previous faculty positions in the Departments of Psychology at New York University, Yale University, and, most recently, CUNY Hunter College where he has been a Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Health Psychology and Clinical Science Ph.D. training program. Beginning in September 2017, Professor Mennin will become a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College.
His research program has focused on the application of basic affective sciences to improving understanding and treatment of chronic anxiety and mood disorders. Professor Mennin has published over 100 articles, chapters, and books and regularly gives invited workshops and colloquia, and often speaks to the media about how to help people better understand and respond to their struggles with anxiety, worry, and depression. He currently serves on the editorial board of six journals, has served on the executive boards of the APA Division of Clinical Psychology and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology, and is the incoming Chair of the Scientific Council of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).