Pre-Covid 1 in 5 people in Australia were suffering from a mental illness. At least 1 in 8 adults, 1 in 4 older adults in 1 in 30 children are on anti-depressant medications currently, and often without disclosure of potential side effects. There has been no innovation in existing treatments for 5 decades. The lack of effective treatments has most certainly contributed to Australia’s devastating mental health statistics, which position Australia as second worst amongst all OECD nations, only ahead of Iceland. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic many more Australians are experiencing anxiety, trauma, addiction, depression, loneliness and social isolation, and suicide rates could significantly increase in the absence of innovation in treatments.
In the quest for new treatment options for mental illness, attention is being paid to the potential role of psychedelic medicines as adjuncts to psychotherapy for a wide array of conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and some addictions. Trials are also underway for dementia, Parkinson’s, strokes, cluster headaches, OCD and eating disorders. A proactive approach to broadening the treatment options available for people who have a mental illness is desperately needed.
This keynote and Q & A is presented by Mind Medicine Australia. The session will provide an engaging and educational update incorporating new learnings, science and data about innovative, safe and effective treatments being used in a practical clinical setting. It will also provide information on how to access the TGA’s SAS-B pathway for psilocybin and MDMA assisted therapies for treatment-resistant patients on a case-by-case basis.
Learning objectives:
- Understanding the causes and severity of our mental health epidemic
- The urgent need for expanding treatment options for medical practitioners and their patients
- Identify the psychedelic medicines and how and why they work in the brain
- Acknowledgement of the role of psychotherapeutic input alongside the medicine itself
- Illustrate the overview of evidence from over 160 recent trials
- Ascertain the potential applications in depression, anxiety, trauma and addiction
- Clarification of the profile of people most likely to benefit and assessment of those who might experience adverse effects
- Understand key issues that remain to be elucidated about the potential use of psychedelics in the clinical environment
- Learn about the current policy and regulatory environment and how you can help make a difference
- Future directions and next steps to advance the field in Australia
The Presenters
Tania de Jong AM
LL.B (Hons), GradDipMus
Co-founder Mind Medicine Australia, Founder Creative Universe, Creativity Australia, The Song Room & Creative Innovation Global
Tania de Jong AM is the co-Founder and Executive Director of Mind Medicine Australia. She regularly presents on psychedelic-assisted therapies, mental health and wellbeing at major conferences and events around the world and to Governments, regulators, clinicians, philanthropists and the general public.
Tania is one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs and innovators developing 6 businesses and 4 charities including Creative Universe, Creativity Australia and With One Voice, Umbrella Foundation, Creative Innovation Global, Pot-Pourri and The Song Room.
Tania was named in the 100 Women of Influence, the 100 Australian Most Influential Entrepreneurs and named as one of the 100 most influential people in psychedelics globally in 2021. Tania’s TED Talk has sparked international interest. Tania has garnered an international reputation as a performer, speaker, entrepreneur and a passionate leader for social change. Her mission is to change the world, one voice at a time!
Dr Eli Kotler
MBBS MPM FRANZCP Cert. Old Age Psych. AFRACMA
Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Malvern Private Hospital
Eli is a consultant psychiatrist and psychodynamic psychotherapist. He is the Medical Director of Malvern Private Hospital, an addiction and trauma hospital in Melbourne. Eli completed the inaugural CPAT course, and has since been on its faculty. He was appointed as the course’s Australian Course Director in 2023.
As a psychiatric trainee, Eli was awarded the Royal College of Psychiatrists Trainee Prize for his Scholarly Project on Depression, as well as a Research Committee Trainee award for his work on Philosophy of Mind. As an adjunct lecturer at Monash University, he oversees medical students on their addiction medicine rotation. He has been invited as a key-note speaker to several conferences and meetings to discuss addictions, trauma and psychedelics. Eli sits on the Committee of the ANZMHA to help organise their yearly addiction conference. He also sits on the inaugural Clinical Advisory Group for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. Eli is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators, and is a member of the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs. He also has extensive research experience with novel therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
Due to his interest in trauma, Eli has been appointed an Independent Medical Examiner by WorkSafe Victoria. He has been appointed by the Minister for Workplace Safety to sit on the Victorian Medical Panels, and is an expert witness in historical abuse cases.
Clinically, Eli works in a psychodynamic framework, and attempts to help his patients find freedom from their addictions and trauma through relational experiences, and experiential self-awareness. He is part of the AFL Player’s Association referral network for addiction issues, and his interests in depth-psychology and neuroscience led him to found the Melbourne Neuropsychoanalytic Group.