Lessons from ADAA 2022
With the COVID-19 pandemic winding down in some areas of the world, I had the opportunity to travel to Denver, Colorado for this year’s Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Conference in March. I was so happy to be back among other clinicians and researchers to learn about the treatment of anxious and depressive symptoms. Here are a few of the lessons I learned on this trip:
1. COVID-19 is still affecting the mental health of kids, teens, and young adults.
A common theme in the sessions I attended and the conversations that I had was that our kids, teens, and young adults continue to struggle with their mental health following the 2020 shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While these shutdowns and safety precautions may have increased our physical safety, they clearly led to increases in anxiety and depression symptoms worldwide. Many of the clinician-led sessions at ADAA involved discussion of the realities of the mental health world - telehealth, masking, long waiting lists, difficulty navigating insurance - and it seems that so many of these changes are here to stay for a while. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer headline news every day, it is still so important to address symptoms of anxiety and depression that have increased in the past two years.
2. Therapists need the help of researchers to do the most good.
Though we have all felt the shifts caused by the world around us, the gap between research and practice feels wider by the day. When I was a PhD candidate and early career professional, I thought I knew how research would impact my clinical practice - but I hadn’t considered how spending all day with clients would all but remove me from the world of research. I met several wonderful practitioners and researchers who are developing books, treatment programs, and studies to address the very questions that myself and my clients are facing: “How do we do exposure therapy when kids aren’t motivated?” “How can we continue to use telehealth to treat anxiety and depression?” To find the answers to these questions, I am feeling renewed energy to continue reading, learning, and growing to bridge the gap between research and practice however possible.
3. Kids, teens, and young adults need the help of parents and teachers to reach their mental health goals.
Because young people necessarily rely on their parents/guardians and educators for support, it is still our role as clinicians to work with these adults to recover strength and resilience after such a difficult few years. The work that is done in a one-on-one therapy session can be life-changing, but when young minds are struggling they will almost always need support from the adults in their lives. Therapists must continue to learn about reducing family accommodation and empowering young people to take control of their mental health. The success and healing of our clients depends on it.
As I sit here with my conference program, I am reminded that the ADAA 2022 Conference Theme was “Common Psychopathology: What Can Our Past Tell Us About Our Future?” Looking back at the past two years during the peaks and valleys of the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lot about how change is constant, learning new things is critical, and maintaining connections to our loved ones is key. As we prepare to close out the 2022 school year, we are looking forward to a future with fewer COVID-19 cases. I’m sure that all of the clinical practice and research over the past two years will continue to inform and improve the practice of therapy and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, if we only allow those lessons to teach us.