Psychiatric Medications Every Therapist Should Understand
with Dr. Kirsten Thompson
Date: Friday, September 11th, 2026
Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Check-in/Networking from 11:00 am - 12pm. Presentation from 12pm - 1:00pm. Networking time does not count toward CE credit.
Zoom Link: provided after registration.
Location: The Chicago School in Anaheim
CE: 1.0 (1 hour)
Participants must attend 80% of the presentation to earn continuing education credit.
AUDIENCE
Course is designed for mental health professionals of all levels.
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COURSE DETAILS
Many psychotherapy clients are also prescribed psychiatric medications, and therapists may see them more frequently than their prescribing clinician. This places therapists in an important position to notice side effects, medication adherence concerns, or emerging safety issues between prescribing visits.
Presented by a board-certified psychiatrist, this course provides LMFTs and other psychotherapists with a practical overview of commonly prescribed psychiatric medications, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and sleep medications.
Participants will learn to recognize common side effects, important warning signs, and situations that may require prompt communication with a prescriber or referral for medical evaluation. The course will also offer practical guidance on what therapists can monitor during sessions and how to communicate effectively with prescribing clinicians as part of collaborative care.
EDUCATIONAL GOALS
Upon completion of this course, therapists will be better equipped to:
- Understand the major classes of psychiatric medications commonly prescribed to psychotherapy clients and how they work.
- Recognize medication side effects and safety concerns that may present during therapy sessions.
- Identify psychiatric medication emergencies that require immediate referral for medical evaluation.
- Support more effective, collaborative communication between therapists and prescribing clinicians.
MEASURABLE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify the major classes of psychiatric medications and their common uses and side effects.
- Discuss medication-related warning signs and serious adverse effects that may require prompt medical or prescriber follow-up.
- Describe how therapists can monitor medication concerns and collaborate effectively with prescribing clinicians to support client safety and care.
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ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Dr. Kirsten Thompson, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, founder of Remedy Psychiatry and Thompson Psychiatry, and a former Clinical Instructor at UCLA.
Dr. Thompson began her career as a Wall Street analyst at JPMorgan Chase and was working near the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. That experience became a turning point, leading her to volunteer in healthcare, pursue medicine, and ultimately specialize in psychiatry. After medical school at SUNY Downstate and two years of surgical residency training at USC Keck, she completed her psychiatry training at UCLA.
Throughout her career, Dr. Thompson has worked across a wide range of mental health settings, including UCLA, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the VA system, Homeboy Industries, Bridges to Recovery, and private practice. In 2020, she founded Remedy Psychiatry, a telehealth practice providing psychiatric medication management for children, adolescents, and adults.
Her clinical expertise includes mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, perinatal mental health, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, sleep disorders, trauma-related conditions, and psychiatric care for individuals coping with cancer.
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REGISTRATION
In person registration includes lunch.
OC-CAMFT Members:
- In person (lunch included) early bird (until 9/4/26) - $25
- Virtual early bird (until 9/4/26) - $15
- In person (lunch included) - $35
- Virtual - $25
OC-CAMFT Guests:
- In person (lunch included) early bird (until 9/4/26) - $35
- Virtual early bird (until 9/4/26) - $25
- In person (lunch included) - $45
- Virtual - $35
Walk-ins (in-person) - $45
Please Note: any in-person registrations after Wednesday 9/9/26 will be registered as a Walk-in
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Menu
Assortment of sandwiches, salads, sides, cookies, and beverages. Will add vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options as needed (please contact us below).
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ADA POLICY
Please review our policy HERE.
If you have a special need or need special accommodations, please click HERE. Please advise us of your needs no later than 7 days prior to the event so that we may be able to accommodate you.
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PAYMENT & CANCELLATION
Please make a separate transaction for each and every reservation requested. If you are paying by credit card, the receipt you receive at the end of your payment is your confirmation reservation. Any payments not received by deadline are not reserved and will be considered walk-in status.
Cancellations are made by leaving a message at 714-556-7129 no later than 2 days prior to the event by 12 PM. A refund less $5.00 processing fee will be returned to you. There are no refunds for cancellations made past this time. Need to update the phone number.
If you registered to attend in-person but can no longer attend, you may attend virtually or view the recording but no refund will be given past 12pm 2 days prior to event.
For grievances, please leave a message at 714-556-7129 or email admin@occamft.org.
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CE CREDIT INFORMATION
Note: Participants are required to attend 80% of the presentation to earn CEs.
- Course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
- Orange County Chapter of CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (Provider #59405) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Orange County Chapter of CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.
- Course completion certificates will be awarded at the end of the program to those attendees who sign-in within 10 minutes of the commencement of the program, sign-out after the program is concluded, and complete and return an evaluation form.
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IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION:
Designated parking for The Chicago School is located on the top level of the parking structure located immediately behind the Stadium Tower building (go around the right side of the building).
Please pull a ticket at the parking gate and proceed to the top floor of the parking structure. Parking is free with validation, or $15 without.
Please do not park in the surface level visitor or restaurant lots!
On site: Please look for OC-CAMFT board members that will guide you to the elevator and correct classroom. You will be unable to gain access to the correct floor without assistance. If you are running late, please check in with the security desk.
EVENT SPONSORS
If you would like to sponsor this event, please email
sponsorship@occamft.org
