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.
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 clients seen in psychotherapy are concurrently prescribed psychiatric medications, yet therapists often see these clients more frequently than the prescribing clinician and are well positioned to notice side effects, adherence problems, or emerging safety concerns between medication visits. This course, presented by a board-certified psychiatrist, provides LMFTs and other psychotherapists with a working knowledge of the major classes of psychiatric medications — antidepressants, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and sleep agents — including their mechanisms of action, common indications, expected timelines, and side- effect profiles. Particular attention is given to safety issues therapists should be able to recognize in session, including the FDA black box warning for suicidality, serotonin syndrome, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, and teratogenic risk. The course closes with practical guidance on what to monitor during sessions and how to communicate effectively with prescribers to support collaborative, team-based 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:
1. Identify the major classes of antidepressant medications (SSRIs, SNRIs, bupropion, mirtazapine, TCAs, MAOIs) and describe their general mechanisms of action.
2. Differentiate common, manageable SSRI/SNRI side effects from serious side effects that warrant urgent prescriber contact, including the FDA black box warning for suicidality in patients under age 24.
3. Describe antidepressant discontinuation syndrome and explain why a client's report of stopping medication abruptly should prompt referral back to the prescriber.
4. List at least three classes of anxiolytic medications (SSRIs/SNRIs, benzodiazepines, buspirone, hydroxyzine, beta-blockers) and describe the dependence and withdrawal risks associated with long-term benzodiazepine use.
5. Describe the role of lithium, valproate, and lamotrigine in bipolar disorder treatment, including key monitoring requirements and teratogenic risk.
6. Identify the metabolic and neurological side effects associated with second-generation antipsychotics, including tardive dyskinesia and extrapyramidal symptoms.
7. Recognize the signs and symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and serotonin syndrome as medical emergencies requiring immediate referral for evaluation.
8. Distinguish between stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medications, including differences in onset of action and side-effect profile.
9. Identify at least two clinically significant drug-drug interactions (e.g., MAOI + SSRI/SNRI, benzodiazepine + opioid) relevant to client safety.
10. Apply a structured framework — monitoring adherence, side effects, suicidality, mood switches, substance use, and pregnancy plans — to support collaborative care with a client's prescribing clinician.
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ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
"Dr. Kirsten Thompson, MD is a board certified psychiatrist, founder of Remedy Psychiatry and Thompson Psychiatry and former Clinical Instructor at UCLA.
Dr. Thompson began her professional life as a Wall Street analyst at JPMorgan Chase, on September 11, 2001. As a result of being two blocks from the world trade towers and having to run as they fell, it was an emotionally harrowing day, though led to the personally valuable sentinel moment of realization that a career in Wall Street was not a personal fit.
After 9/11 she began volunteering at night, including at Mount Sinai hospital assisting patients. A love of medicine and caring for others led her to leave JPMorgan to pursue premedical classes at Columbia University, and then medical school at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York. While originally planning to be a surgeon and completing residency training as a surgeon at USC Keck hospital in Los Angeles for 2 years, she became more intrigued by the emotional trauma and mental health of her patients and completed training as a psychiatrist at UCLA.
Dr. Thompson opened a private practice for psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy (Thompson Psychiatry), and continues to see patients currently. Additionally, she has worked in the wide array of mental health care delivery systems in Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the VA system, UCLA Women's life clinic, UCLA Simm's Mann Cancer Center, Homeboy industries and Bridges to Recovery residential treatment center.
In all experiences, Dr. Thompson realized that each individual sought personalized, effective, affordable mental health care. As a result, in 2020 Dr. Thompson started Remedy Psychiatry (www.remedypsychiatry.com), a telehealth-based mental health care company focused on medication management for all individuals aged 6 and up, serving both children, adolescents and adults.
Dr. Thompson specializes in patients dealing with, but not limited to: Mood disorders (depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder), Peripartum mental health issues (pre-pregnancy, intrapartum and postpartum mood disorders), Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobias), Psychotic disorders (schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and delusional disorders), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Eating disorders, Psychiatric oncology (helping patients cope with the multifaceted impact of cancer), Sleep disorders (including insomnia and hypersomnia)"
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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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EVENT SPONSORS
If you would like to sponsor this event, please email
sponsorship@occamft.org
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.
