Page 2 - Jan_Feb 2022 Newsletter.pub
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President’s Message
NCPS OFFICERS
2021-2022 Shana Levy, MD
Officers
Shana Levy, MD - President
Farah Zaidi, MD - President-Elect
Diana Wertz, MD, PhD - Vice President As we start the new year, bracing ourselves
Michael Ostacher, MD, MPH - Treasurer
Tara Collins, MD, MPH- Secretary during this latest COVID surge, I am
reminded of my goals for this NCPS
APA Assembly Representatives presidency: psychotherapy, mentorship,
Mel Blaustein, MD (21-25) emotional competence, advocacy and
Peter Forster, MD (20-24) equality. This seems like a good time to
Yelena Zalkina, MD (18-22) explore with you our significant
Raymond Reyes, MD (19-23)
opportunities and challenges as psychotherapists to contribute to
Past Presidents national wellness.
Anna Glezer, MD
Smita Das, MD, PhD, MPH This past month, I talked to a retiring psychiatrist who worried that
he couldn’t place his psychotherapy patients with younger
Councilors
Richard Altesman, MD (19-22) psychiatrists. Having boots on the ground, including mentoring
Sidney Edsall, MD (19-22) about private practices, I was able to share with him many names.
Emaya Anbalagan, MD (20-23) Yet he raised my concern that even our own psychiatric community
Janet Baek, MD (20-23) worries that not enough psychiatrists are being trained, or not
Elizabeth Rawson, MD (21-24) choosing/having the option to become psychotherapists. I wonder
Takeo Toyoshima, MD (21-24) about how true this is and encourage us to explore the facts, myths
Resident Councilors and misconceptions that impact our field and community wellness.
John Kelsey, MD ~ CPMC
Jimmy He, MD ~ Kaiser Oakland Per APA Psychiatric News, December 22, 2021 article: 1 in 4
Tomoki Kimura, MD ~ San Mateo Americans Wants to Improve Their Mental Health in 2022. Per the
Ketetha Olengue, MD ~ Stanford article: “Just over one-third of respondents (37%) said they are
Cynthia He, MD, PhD ~ UCSF
Habir Walia, DO ~ Kaiser Oakland anxious about their mental health going into the new year. Among
Jiaochen Ke, MD ~ San Mateo those making resolutions focused on mental health, 53% will
Benjamin Belai, MD ~ Stanford meditate, 37% plan to see a therapist, 35% will take a break from
John “Connor” Barnhart, MD ~ USCF social media, 32% will journal, 26% will use a mental health app, and
20% plan to see a psychiatrist specifically.”
Chapter Presidents
James Eyerman, MD, DFAPA
North Bay Counties In the public view, psychiatrists are often not considered therapists. I
was stuck by this New York times article: Why 1,320 Therapists Are
Parliamentarian Worried About Mental Health in America Right Now By Tara Parker-
Raymond Reyes, MD Pope, Christina Caron and Mónica Cordero Sancho Dec. 17, 2021 “As
Americans head into a third year of pandemic living, therapists
Communications Committee
Peter Forster, MD ~ Editor around the country are finding themselves on the front lines of a
Nina Cudney, MS ~ Writer mental health crisis. Social workers, psychologists and counselors
Nathanial Morris, MD from every state say they can’t keep up with an unrelenting demand
Adam Nelson, MD for their services, and many must turn away patients — including
Diana Wertz, MD children—who are desperate for support.”
PFNC President
Zena Potash, MD I was startled not only by the sheer numbers of people seeking care
and in crisis, but also because The NY Times didn’t survey
Executive Director psychiatrists as psychotherapists! In fact, it stated that therapists
Maggie Furrow work with psychiatrists for medications. In addition, the article said
that more of the therapists' clients are asking/needing medications
415-334-2418 | F:415-239-2533 |
ncps.org and having trouble getting into see psychiatrists. I fear that these
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY Page 2 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
