Every year physicians and residents encounter a growing number of patients — and a shrinking amount of time to keep up-to-date on new practices or legislation surrounding the field of mental health and addiction.
Now, with the help of Dr. David Gratzer, co-chief of the General Adult Psychiatry & Health Systems Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, you can receive your clinical education on-the-go as he and his guests take these current policies and practices and summarize them for you.
As an educator, Dr. David Gratzer has been recognized by students and peers alike for his ability to take complex topics and present them in a concise and interesting way. He’s been doing this with a variety of articles related to psychiatry since 2012 in his popular blog, Reading of the Week. Now, in this new show, Dr. Gratzer brings his analytical skills on-air and, with the help of other experts, presents them in short, easily digestible, podcasts.
Give him just a few minutes of your time for each episode and come away with strategies and insight on how each topic could affect your practice — and your patients.
“You don't actually need billions of dollars to prevent suicide. You just need really good coordination.”
Suicide prevention has come a long way since the SAD PERSONS acronym many of us learned in medical school. As research continues to evolve, how can we keep up—and thoughtfully incorporate newer considerations like media influence, pesticide availability, and even artificial intelligence?
On this episode of Quick Takes, I had the opportunity to discuss this topic with one of the world’s leading experts in this space, Dr. Mark Sinyor, professor at the University of Toronto, staff psychiatrist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and author of more than 150 papers.
Together we learn:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“Over time, my perspective on psychiatry has changed in the direction of greater skepticism."
What happens to your perspective after five decades in psychiatry—treating tens of thousands of patients, leading major institutions, and authoring dozens of books and papers?
On this episode of Quick Takes, I find out as I sit down with Dr. Joel Paris, former editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, chair of the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University, and self‑proclaimed skeptic.
In this episode, Dr. Paris:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“Good systems just work. They don't need to be navigated.”
On this episode of Quick Takes, I spoke with Dr. Paul Kurdyak about how mental health care differs from other areas of the health system—especially when it comes to access, quality of care, and the need for a more structured and accountable approach.
Key takeaways from this episode:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“The beating heart of the wellness industry is pseudoscience.”
With a few clicks of the mouse, our patients can read what we read – including the latest journals. But they also can access a world of half-truths, misleading claims, and falsehoods. On this episode of Quick Takes, I speak with Dr. Jonathan Stea, a University of Calgary psychologist and a bestselling author, about his research on the wellness industry.
In this episode you will learn about:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“Imagine a world where you have all the effects of antipsychotics, but none of the side effects.”Celebrities use them; politicians discuss them; our patients ask about them. Are semaglutide and sister drugs game changers for those with mental health problems who struggle with obesity? To explore the opportunities and challenges of these new medications, on this episode of Quick Takes, I speak with Dr. Mahavir Agarwal (the medical head of CAMH’s Metabolic Clinic), Lisa Schaffer (executive director of Obesity Canada), and Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam (the scientific director of Obesity Canada and, of course, CAMH’s CMO).
In this episode, you’ll learn:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“It’s one of the largest psychotherapy trials in the world.”When we hear “innovations in mental healthcare,” we tend to think about apps or wearables. In today’s episode of Quick Takes – part of our series on innovation – I speak with Daisy Singla, a senior scientist at CAMH and our first womenmind™ scientist. Singla talks about her recent study that expanded access to psychotherapy for perinatal women, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety by drawing a page from work done in low-income countries. The key concept: training up laypeople to deliver therapy.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“Does depression care include the downward dog?”Mindfulness, acupuncture, yoga. These were all once considered alternative treatments – favoured by some patients but lacking in evidence. Times have changed. Mindfulness, for instance, is a psychotherapy mentioned in the depression guidelines. What about yoga?
In today’s Quick Takes episode, I speak with Dr. Vanika Chawla, a psychiatrist, a registered yoga teacher, and an assistant professor at Stanford University, about her experience incorporating yoga into her practice.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“We all need help sometimes.”As doctors, we often shy away from discussing our health, especially our mental health — even with our own physicians. That’s unfortunate as doctors have a higher suicide rate than the general population, yet fears of vulnerability, judgment, and stigma keep many of us silent. In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer sat down with Dr. Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association, who openly shares her own experiences with depression, as a doctor and as a patient.
In this episode, you will learn:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“It took a pandemic to get us to realise that we could do so much online.”When it comes to medical education, much has changed over the years—including its name. What was once known as Continuing Medical Education (CME) is now referred to as Continuing Professional Development (CPD). But the changes go far beyond a rebranding. After all, the sheer volume of journal articles available today is staggering. How can you keep up? How can technology help? In this episode Dr. Gratzer sat down with Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, CAMH’s VP Education and CMO, to explore the evolving world of CPD.
In this episode you will learn about:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca and on the CAMH Global Learning Academy.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“What is a mentor? Four words. One big question.”What do you look for in a mentor? What qualities should you consider? And, more importantly, what exactly is a mentor?
To help answer these questions and discuss the role mentors play in the careers of physicians Dr. David Gratzer is joined by Dr. Suzanne Koven, a Harvard-affiliated physician and Writer-in-Residence at Massachusetts General, whose article, "What Is a Mentor?" was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In this episode you will learn:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome to another episode of Quick Takes Essentials, our summer series.
This essential episode first aired in 2023 and is on the perpetually hot-topic of burnout.
Could the old concept of a doctor’s lounge be a new way of helping to address burnout?
With 182 studies yielding 142 different definitions of burnout, is burnout, in fact, depression?
Here I speak with Dr. Srijan Sen (of the University of Michigan) about how burnout has become a loose term that means different things to different people.
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome to another episode of Quick Takes Essentials, our summer series.
On this episode, released this past February, I sat down with Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos (of the University of Toronto) and former Physician-in-Chief of CAMH to discuss why, across North America, there are more people who are chronically homeless than ever before. Dr. Stergiopoulos is an internationally recognized expert on chronic homelessness and offers great insight on this topic.
What psychiatric problems does this population have?
And, importantly, how can we help them?
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome back to Quick Takes Essentials our summer series.
ChatGPT is the most downloaded app in history.
What are the implications for mental health services?
Will AI change our work?
In this episode, released in 2023, I speak with Dr. John Torous (of Harvard University) who serves as the director of the Digital Psychiatry Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome to another episode of Quick Takes Essentials, our summer series.
This essential episode was released just this past May and is on the newly released CANMAT Depression Guidelines update.
If you haven't had time to review the update, well, you can start by listening to this episode, which outlines all the major changes in that update in a quick, concise format.
The update draws on eight clinically relevant questions, which we explore akin to following a patient's journey.
Here I interview first co-author Doctor Raymond Lam of the University of British Columbia.
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome back to Quick Takes Essentials our summer series where we look back on recent clinical updates and big issues in psychiatry, which we focused on previously.
This is the sleep episode. For answers to questions on sleep disorders and the new medications available for physicians to prescribe, have a listen to this episode released in April of 2023 where I interviewed psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Michael Mak.
Take a moment or two this summer to learn something new while enjoying your morning coffee, taking a hike, or relaxing by the campfire.
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Welcome to Quick Takes Essentials our summer series that introduces (or re-introduces) you to episodes from our archives that have focused on important clinical updates and recent big issues in psychiatry.
Take a moment or two this summer to learn something new while enjoying your morning coffee, taking a hike, or relaxing by the campfire.
This selection first aired back in May of 2022 and in it I spoke about cannabis use ("Who should be using cannabis? How should we talk to our patients about it?") with Dr. Kevin Hill of Harvard University.
Please enjoy.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“As far as medical treatments go, ECT is the safest medical procedure in all of medicine.”Will the stigma around ECT fade? Will ECT simply grow less relevant in the age of ketamine and MST? What’s the future of neuromodulation?
Join Dr. David Gratzer as he speaks to Dr. Daniel Blumberger, scientific director of the Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention and professor at the University of Toronto to find out.
During their discussion, we learn about:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“They really are the most widely used guidelines in the world.”Much has changed over the past eight years. In 2016, singer Olivia Rodrigo was just starting high school; quarterback Tom Brady seemed ageless; none of us were talking about pandemics. Recently the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) released its first major depression update in eight years. How has depression management changed, and what does it mean for you and your practice? Join Dr. David Gratzer as he speaks to Dr. Raymond Lam, the co-first author and the executive chair of CANMAT and find out.
In this episode you will learn:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“It's visible. It's in our streetcars and buses, our subways our streets, and it's hard to ignore.”Homelessness seems to be more prevalent now than ever before. But why? And is there a solution? Joining Dr. David Gratzer to explore the challenges and changes in the chronically homeless population over the years is Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos, a former Physician-in-Chief of CAMH and an internationally recognized expert on chronic homelessness.
During their conversation we learn about:
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
Textbooks, highlighters, and classrooms? The world of medical education is changing. Today, we have AI, sim, and e-learning. To talk about MedEd, Dr. David Gratzer sat down with returning guest Dr. Ivan Silver, former vice president of education at CAMH and vice dean of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine.
During their conversation we learn:
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THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“We want to really be cautious because these are complex pieces of software “Should we be using an AI-based tool like ChatGPT in practice? Is it ready? Are we? In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer speaks with returning guest Dr. John Torous about the impact tools like this could have on mental health care, both now and in the future.
During their conversation we learn:
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THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer explores the increasing interest in coercive interventions across various jurisdictions. Joining him is journalist Anna Mehler Paperny who shares her personal experiences with involuntary hospitalization, highlighting the complex balance between patient rights and intervention.
During this candid conversation we learn:
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THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
“I’ll never forget when it happened.”Up to 80% of psychiatrists experience a suicide loss in their careers and a recent survey found that the majority of them felt caught off guard by the emotional impact it had on their lives. On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer and his guest, Dr. Juveria Zaheer discuss the impact on psychiatrists of losing a patient to suicide.
Throughout this thoughtful conversation we learn:
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“Burnout has become a loose term that means different things to different people.”Is burnout, in fact, depression? In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer enjoys a lively conversation with Dr. Srijan Sen, Professor of Depression and Neurosciences at the University of Michigan, who argues that it is. They also discuss the confusion about its definition (182 studies had 142 different definitions), the key contributing factors (workload, environment and – no surprise – the EMR), and how the old concept of a doctor’s lounge could be a new way of helping to address burnout.
During their discussion we learn:
“The lines between sleep, health and mental health in general are blurred.”Sleep is an important topic. It comes up on a regular basis when we meet with our patients. But what are the best treatments to prescribe? Is medication the way to go? What are our options?
On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer hosts CAMH psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Michael Mak. They discuss the impact of sleep (or lack thereof) on mental health and the current psychopharmacological and therapeutical treatments available.
During this episode’s conversation we learn about:
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“It's not necessarily all sunshine and rainbows.”A major, new study in The New England Journal of Medicine considers psilocybin and its potential for refractory depression. It’s received enthusiastic media coverage. Breakthrough drug? Overhyped headlines? Today, on Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer is joined by one of the study co-authors, Dr. Ishrat Husain Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and lead of the Mood Disorder Service at CAMH, to delve deeper into this headline-grabbing research.
During their discussion we learn:
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“Always leave them wanting more.”On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer enjoys a conversation with retiring psychiatrist, Dr. David Goldbloom. They discuss research, stigma, Dr. Goldbloom’s optimism for the future of psychiatry, and, yes, his retirement plans (spoiler alert: he’s thinking about writing a book and no mention of golf).
As he heads into retirement Dr. Goldbloom shares his thoughts on:
• Therapeutics: He is frustrated with the slow progress on their development.
•The state of psychiatry today: He is excited by the shift among younger psychiatrists towards the care of people with severe and persistent mental illness.
• The future: He is optimistic on the acceleration in the quality and sophistication and reach of research and our ability to forge new paradigms.
• And he leaves us all with some sage advice:
o “See as many patients as you can because the exposure to a wide variety of people and wide variety of journeys is both humbling and profoundly educational.”
o “We don't seek second opinions as often as we should, and there's no way on earth we can be right all the time.”
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“We can create an environment that’s safe, predictable, consistent, standardized and reproducible.”To discuss how simulation is changing the world of med-ed, Dr. David Gratzer hosted Dr. Petal Abdool, Medical Director of the CAMH Simulation Centre, and Stephanie Sliekers, Manager of Simulation and Digital Innovation at CAMH.
You’ll hear all about:
• the new Simulation Centre at CAMH
• VR courses already developed for suicide assessment
• another VR project in the works for opioid overdose treatment
• and the aspirations of the Centre to implement AI in future training.
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“It’s highly prevalent, highly available, highly pure and highly destructive.”In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer speaks with Dr. David Castle, Director of the CAMH Centre for Complex Interventions, about the upwards trend in crystal methamphetamine use, its impact on health care visits and the risk of violence, the medication and psychological interventions available, and, yes, the Australian experience (no mention of digeridoos, however).
You’ll learn a lot in this 28-minute episode, including:
• why there's been that sharp rise in use here in Canada
• its impact on emergency departments and on staff physical and mental health
• steps to take when dealing with an agitated patient
• medications that work in different scenarios
• and the evidence for psychological and psychosocial interventions.
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“It’s an extraordinary program that literally helps hundreds of thousands of people a year.”During this discussion you will learn:
• the incredible recovery rate of IAPT patients
• the trackable outcomes are nearly 100%
• how the program has become more equitable
• and just they do with all the data the program collects.
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“We need to think about more than just the classic medical model borrowed from infectious disease: simple bug, simple drug.”Today’s conversation on Quick Takes between Dr. David Gratzer and former National Institute of Mental Health Director, Dr. Thomas Insel, delves into what’s right and what’s wrong with the current state of mental health care.
Some highlights of this conversation include:
• acknowledgement that existing treatments work, but the system is not delivering care well.
• treatment tends to focus on drug therapies for symptom reduction rather than on plans for long-term recovery
• care is often unaffordable and unavailable, particularly for those who need it most and are experiencing homelessness
• and the key to recovery involves the three Ps – people, place, and purpose.
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“I think most physicians should be aware that there is some evidence.”Cannabis continues to be a topic of interest to clinicians and in this episode of Quick Takes Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Dr. Kevin Hill of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School to discuss where we are at with using cannabinoids in treatment.
In this discussion we learn:
• there is a link between patients with AUD and OUD and long-term cannabis use
• some “droplets” of data that cannabis is effective as an adjunct pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia do exist
• the science isn’t keeping up with patients’ desire to use it therapeutically
• and, for the most part, the doses of CBD and THC that people might need for the disorders that they are trying to receive a relief from are much higher than what most people are taking.
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“There's this unanimous sense that how could something like this not exist? It seems so logical and beneficial.”This episode of Quick Takes kicks off a new series on mental health care innovations. These are short and focused episodes we hope you will enjoy.
In this episode Dr. Gratzer speaks with Dr. Ainslie Heasman, about her about her program aimed at preventing sexual abuse, Talking for Change.
In this discussion we learn:
• How important this program is to intervene with the individuals who may engage in abuse, as opposed to offering services to children to prevent their own abuse.
• The difficulty in measuring the impact of both anonymous and non- anonymous interventions.
• How well-suited this program is to the world of digital mental health care.
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“I would get home at the end of my long shifts on the wards, and I would have nothing left. Nothing left for myself, nothing left for my spouse, nothing left for my children.”After another year of pandemic, the topic of physician burnout is more relevant than ever. On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer speaks with award-winning medical educator and bestselling author Dr. Jillian Horton(of the University of Manitoba) about identifying signs of burnout and strategies to deal with it. The conversation is very personal – Dr. Horton, a practicing internist, talks about her own experiences.
In this discussion with Dr. Horton, we talk about:
• ways to identifying and combat burnout
• how you may not fit the clinical mold for the definition of burnout, but you could still be experiencing it
• the stigma around talking about burnout is gradually lifting
• organisational and systemic factors are the primary drivers of burnout, period.
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Can the wearable on your patient’s wrist help prevent their next manic episode?
On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Dr. John Torous, digital psychiatry expert and the first guest to appear on 3 podcast episodes. They always have plenty to talk about as the field of digital mental health care continues to expand. This time, the primary focus is on wearables and data collection.
They discuss how data captured on devices (especially related to sleep and exercise) can potentially improve care – and overall health; the types of “passive data” that can be collected; and the pros (behaviour and environment) and cons (privacy, privacy, privacy!) that come with it.
During another fascinating tech talk between Drs. Gratzer and Torous we learn about:
Hear more from Dr. John Torous on previous episodes of Quick Takes:
Episode 3: What all physicians need to know about digital psychiatry.
Episode 11: What all physicians need to know about mental health apps.
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Patients wait for care; quality is often uneven. Can we do better?In this episode, Dr. David Gratzer speaks with Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor at CAMH and a professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Goldbloom (a returning guest) has just written We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care. They speak about the book – and Dr. Goldbloom’s optimism.
Dr. Goldbloom discusses real-world examples of innovation: a publicly-funded psychotherapy program in the UK that treats 600,000 people a year; a Nova Scotia program that helps families of children with ADHD and has inspired similar work in Vietnam and Finland; and a major Canadian study that has changed the way we think about homelessness. We also discuss the implications for policy makers – and for clinicians. And, yes, we do talk about The Simpsons.
With Dr. Goldbloom’s book We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care as the basis of the conversation we learn:
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Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the biggest impact on patient care.In episode 14 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer talks to two leading experts on transgender care, Dr. Alex Abramovich and Dr. June Lam to get their input on how to foster a respectful and supportive care setting.
The conversation flows between research studies and in-person care and provides an excellent overview of the trans experience in mental health care.
You’ll hear about:
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As Ramadan begins, what should you know as you care for your patients with mental health problems?In episode 13 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Drs. Juveria Zaheer and Zainab Furqan in an insightful conversation on impact of Ramadan on our patients’ care.
Drawing on their clinical experience and the literature, Drs. Zaheer and Furqan provide insights and suggestions for treating Muslim patients. What mental disorders may be particularly affected by Ramadan? How should medication regiments change in light of fasting? How might you start a discussion with one of your patients? With over 1.7 billion Muslims in the world – and about 80% of North American Muslims actively fasting – they discuss the conversations that you may have with your patients; their comments are enlivened with patient stories. And, yes, they share a few warm, personal memories.
During this insightful conversation the guest physicians discuss the following:
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“Racism exists and it exists in the lives of our patients.” – Dr. Amy GajariaIn episode 12 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Drs. Amy Gajaria and Saadia Sediqzadah in a compelling conversation on the importance of addressing race and racism in mental health care.
In this, our longest episode of Quick Takes to date (30 minutes), the conversation covers some necessary, some easy, and some possibly difficult things clinicians should consider as they factor race into patient care.
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Which apps should you recommend to your patients?On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer sits down with returning guest and digital psychiatry expert, Dr. John Torous of Harvard University.
They discuss the use of mobile apps to aid in diagnosis and treatment as well as issues around digital privacy, the potential of chatbots, and how AI may change the field. But at the heart of this episode, they try to determine just what makes a good app. What do physicians need to know before using an app in their clinical work?
During Drs. Gratzer and Torous’ conversation we learn more about:
To hear more of what Dr. Torous has to say on the topic of digital mental health, listen to Quick Takes episode 3 What all physicians need to know about digital psychiatry.
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“If you have a room of one hundred people, one hundred people in that room have been affected by suicide.”So notes Dr. Juveria Zaheer, CAMH psychiatrist and clinician scientist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, and Dr. David Gratzer’s guest on this episode of Quick Takes.
In this 10th episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer and Dr. Zaheer discuss the weighty topic of suicide. Often a difficult topic for health care providers to deal with, they keep it accessible by focusing on practical issues such as how to approach risk assessment and dealing with a suicidal patient..
What you will learn:
The podcast ends with an important reminder that the more we talk about suicide, the more we can all help prevent it.
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“We’re having a digital moment in medicine and behavioural health like one we have never seen.”So notes Dr. Jay Shore, chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Telepsychiatry Committee, and Dr. David Gratzer’s guest on this episode of Quick Takes.
In this episode Dr. Gratzer and Dr. Shore discuss the rise of virtual care during this pandemic and how our current experiences could impact the entire healthcare system. They cover the challenges (Zoom fatigue) and opportunities (hybrid care solutions) COVID-19 has brought about. And Dr. Shore leaves the listeners with some excellent tips for providers new to virtual health as well as some guidelines on patient-physician interaction that should benefit all listeners.
What you will learn:
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The world of mental health care delivery is being reshaped.
In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with the associate chief in the General Adult Psychiatry and Health Systems division at CAMH, Dr. Allison Crawford.
Dr. Crawford is an expert on telemental health and in a time when working at home and social distancing are the norm, the need to learn about alternative health care delivery methods is on the rise. Listen to this episode to learn the basics on telemental/virtual mental health and receive some excellent advice on how best to approach starting out in virtual mental health care.
What you will learn:
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With one year of legalized cannabis (and this podcast) under our belts, it’s time to look at the impact that cannabis (and now legal edibles) has had – and how to talk to your patients about their use.In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Dr. Leslie Buckley, the Chief of the Addictions Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, to discuss the evidence for using cannabis to treat psychiatric disorders (spoiler alert: not much) and how to incorporate motivational interviewing techniques into practice – even in short interviews. We also talk about the problem with edibles and the advantages of CBD over THC.
In this episode, the conversation focused on:
In this episodes’ bonus content, Double Take, Drs. Gratzer and Buckley enjoy the opportunity to engage in some role-play as they run through a scenario in which Dr. Gratzer plays a young adult who is using cannabis to relieve his anxiety. Listen as Dr. Buckley demonstrates some MI techniques while she interviews him. Episode #7 Double Take
Motivational interviewing for anxiety-related cannabis use (a role-play)In this episode’s Double Take, Drs. Gratzer and Buckley enjoy the opportunity to engage in some role-play as they run through a scenario in which Dr. Gratzer plays a young adult who is using cannabis to relieve his anxiety. Listen as Dr. Buckley demonstrates some MI techniques while she interviews him.
“The biggest risk is self-study without actual demonstration of performance.”Dr. Peter Selby, CAMH Chief of Medicine in Psychiatry, discusses the current state of technology in medical education with Dr. Gratzer.
Together they cover topics such as:
“As we think about simulation, and how it might not be feasible for everyone to come to a place and practice in a simulation lab, how we can make those more virtually available either through augmenting with virtual reality, or other kinds of digital spaces where we can start to experiment in more team-based care.”CAMH’s VP of Education looks ahead and considers just-for-me learning experiences and how AI and simulation may impact medical education.
In his discussion with Dr. Gratzer they touch on the following:
“It’s no accident that Alexa and Siri have names… so I suspect that technology will also morph to be more and more human-like.”Dr. David Goldbloom, CAMH Senior Medical Advisor, and Dr. Gratzer have a light-hearted conversation in which Dr. Goldbloom predicts 5 things that may be in store for the future of medical education and they consider how technology challenges the norms and expectations of the role of clinicians.
“I’m not sure we’re there yet, in psychiatry, in having that kind of useful information to make it really ‘just-for-me’ learning. I think ‘just-in-time’ is here, but ‘just-for-me’ I don’t think has arrived yet.”In a lively conversation with Dr. Gratzer, Dr. Ivan Silver, former CAMH VP Education, shares his thoughts on how medical education has been reshaped by technology.
In this discussion, Dr. Silver:
AI. Apps. Simulation.In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Drs. Ivan Silver, Peter Selby, Sanjeev Sockalingam, and David Goldbloom. This esteemed group of influential educators discuss how technology has changed medical education, and some of the potential and pitfalls of future changes.
In this episode the following was discussed:
Out of respect to what each of these educators had to say, we will be releasing their full interviews in four separate Double Take episodes. You’ll hear their responses to how technology functions in medical education (past, present and future) in our main Quick Takes episode, but their individual episodes offer far more substance. We highly recommend you listen to them all!
Double Take with Dr. Ivan Silver
Double Take with Dr. Peter Selby
Double Take with Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam
Double Take with Dr. David Goldbloom
“How many more patients?How much time is left in my day?”Sound familiar? Hopefully not too familiar – such thinking may indicate burnout.In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Dr. Treena Wilkie, Deputy Physician-in-Chief, Medical Affairs and Practice at CAMH to talk about burnout: what the signs are, and what can – and is – being done to help doctors avoid it.
In this episode the following was discussed:
To hear a story of one physician’s experience with burnout, check out our bonus track Episode #5 Double Take
Physician burnout is real – and on the rise.Our bonus content for this episode is a true “bonus” as you get to hear from a psychiatrist who not only experienced burnout, but who successfully bounced back and is thriving. Dr. Murray Erlich is open and honest as he tells his own personal story: what he went through, how he dealt with it, and his advice to all physicians on what warning signs to look out for.
When there is no psychiatrist, how do people get the mental health care they need?This special edition of Quick Takes covers this topic as Dr. David Gratzer interviews Prof. Vikram Patel – 2019 winner of the prestigious John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award – about how his ground-breaking research has helped with the prevention and treatment of mental health in low-income countries. This conversation breaks our 10 to 15-minute format and runs around 26 minutes – but the time flies by as Prof. Patel details his award-winning research projects and what inspired him to push his ideas out on a global scale.
In this episode the following was discussed:
The future of psychiatry is now.In this episode of Quick Takes Dr. David Gratzer sits down with one of the leading experts in digital psychiatry, Dr. John Torous of the Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, to discuss how digital tools are now being used in patient care, and what tomorrow may bring. They talk about apps, virtual reality, e-therapy, chatbots, data and, of course, privacy and ethics. Learn what apps you can incorporate into your practice today, and why your patients’ data could be at risk in a digital world.
In this episode the following was discussed:
To hear more about the potential of digital psychiatry, check out our bonus track Episode #3 Double Take
Are you curious about things like how cell phone charging data may help psychiatrists predict psychosis in patients with schizophrenia? Then download our bonus Double Take episode for more information on psychiatry in the digital realm.
In this bonus episode:
The rules have changed.This summer, the Ministry of Transportation changed the reporting requirements for Ontario drivers.
In this episode of Quick Takes: A podcast by physicians, for physicians, Dr. David Gratzer interviews Dr. Brittany Poynter, Associate Chief and Medical Head of the Emergency Department at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and Dr. Travis Barron, CAMH Resident, for their thoughts on when to report a patient. Reviewing real-world examples involving people with mental illness, they discuss the new (and not so new) obligations to report – and the impact reporting may have on your patients’ lives.
In this episode the following was discussed:
The impact of the language in the legislation and how that may impact your decision to report.
What constitutes "acute" psychosis?
Defining engagement and treatment under these guidelines.
Understanding that the absence of a mandatory duty to report does not mean the absence of a duty to report
To hear more about the legal side of mandatory reporting, check out our bonus track Episode #2 Double Take
If you have another 8 minutes to spare, and you want to know what the legal department at CAMH has to say about mandatory report, then download our Double Take episode. In it, Dr. Gratzer speaks with CAMH legal counsel, Kendra Naidoo.
In this bonus episode:
For listeners who have another 8 minutes to spare – Dr. David Gratzer and Dr. Jonathan Bertram carry on their conversation on cannabis legalization in Canada.
In this clip they have a more in-depth discussion on hyperemesis syndrome, dealing with sub-populations and the benefits of ginger – stat!
In this episode:
It's October 17, 2018.On this historic day Dr. David Gratzer hits the ground running in his new podcast series as he and his guest, Dr. Jonathan Bertram, discuss Canada’s new cannabis policy. By the end of this short and intimate discussion you’ll quickly learn what you need to know to screen, assess and treat cannabis intoxication. You'll also get valuable insight into dealing with new or existing patients thinking about cannabis as a treatment method.
Dr. Bertram is an Addictions Medicine Physician at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) with a special interest in First Nations Outreach & Older Adults population in the context of Pain & Addictions Treatment.
This episode covers the following:
To hear more of this conversation on the impact of cannabis legalization, check out our bonus track Episode #1 Double Take