We hope you're having a lovely fall season! It's a busy time of year at the NNDC as we've just wrapped up two big conferences in Salt Lake City and Chicago. Now, we're kicking off strategic planning and laying the groundwork for 2025 events!

We also recently launched a fundraising campaign that will run through the end of the year titled 'Open Minds, Open Doors: Uniting for Stigma-Free Depression Care for All.' With this campaign, we aim to continue to lift the burden of depression and bipolar disorder, increase innovations in treatment and further awareness of the stigma that surrounds this issue by raising $100,000 in the next 100 days. Several generous lead donors have already contributed and we've received more than $25,000 in pledges toward our goal. Learn more about the campaign here.

Thank you for being a valued member and follower of the National Network of Depression Centers. Let's make this month one of growth, resilience, and above all, kindness toward ourselves and one another.

Open Minds, Open Doors Campaign Video

Check out more about the campaign with this quick video from our Executive Director, Matt Samocki on why this effort is important and how you can get involved.

Open Minds, Open Doors Fundraising Progress

We're already a quarter of the way there with $25,000 raised. Learn more about how you can get involved at nndc.org/donate.

Donate Here

Job Opening: Executive Director of the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center

We are pleased to share an exciting opportunity with you that has recently become available at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus!

Read more below for additional information from our friends in Colorado:

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is thrilled to announce its search for the next Executive Director of the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center (JDC). The role offers the chance to lead one of the nation’s premier centers for mood disorders, with a strong reputation in clinical care, research, and community outreach. The position involves steering the JDC’s strategic growth while fostering collaboration with key stakeholders across the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and beyond. With millions in donations supporting the JDC's work and one of the largest endowments at CU Anschutz, this role promises an exciting opportunity to expand impact, including advancing cutting-edge clinical programs, fostering community engagement, and building a robust research portfolio in mood disorders.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to nurture relationships across SOM departments and with external partners, while embracing a visionary approach to integrating research, clinical care, education, and outreach. As a leader, the Executive Director will guide the JDC's faculty, support faculty development, and oversee operations, all while maintaining a strong presence with the National Network of Depression Centers. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of mood disorder treatment and research on a local, regional, and national level.

We are open to MD and/or DO or MD/PhD candidates at the Associate Professor and Professor level, dependent upon experience.

We invite you to explore what it’s like to work with us at CU Anschutz in beautiful Colorado.

Learn more about this job here.

NNDC Member: Neural & behavioral markers of inhibitory control predict symptom improvement during internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for depression

This study looks at how certain brain functions related to controlling impulses can affect how well people respond to online therapy for depression. Specifically, it examines the link between "inhibitory control" (the ability to manage thoughts and emotions) and treatment outcomes from internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT).

Researchers focused on participants with major depressive disorder (MDD) who were divided into two groups: one receiving iCBT and another participating in a monitored attention control (like a placebo). They used various measures to assess factors like demographic information, baseline depression scores, and specific brain activity patterns.

Key findings revealed that certain predictors—like treatment group, gender, and specific brain connectivity—were important for understanding who benefited most from the therapy. Those with better inhibitory control and certain brain activity patterns tended to see greater improvements in their depression symptoms after iCBT.

Overall, the study suggests that stronger impulse control can lead to better outcomes in therapy, reinforcing the idea that how our brains manage emotions and thoughts can influence our mental health treatment success.

Read the full article in Nature here.

Donation of $8 million to ‘first-of-its-kind’ pediatric health center at Pine Rest

The David and Carol Van Andel Family Foundation has donated $8 million to the Pine Rest Pediatric Center of Behavioral Health, a facility the family says will provide “compassionate and expert care” to children with mental health issues.

The gift is the largest by a single private donor in Pine Rest’s history. The two-story, $98 million pediatric behavioral health center is expected to open in spring 2026 at Pine Rest’s main campus in Gaines Township.

Once open, it will feature a pediatric psychiatric urgent care facility as well as outpatient services for children with eating disorders, substance use disorders, and autism spectrum disorder. An estimated 10,000 children are expected to be treated there annually.

A Podcast We Love: Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Looking for a pick-me-up this fall?

We've been loving – and we mean LOVING – the Wiser Than Me podcast from Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She sits down with some great women to discuss trials, tribulations, things they've come to know with age and more. It's hilarious, insightful, moving and salty. It's also a great reminder to take time to have a meaningful conversation with the wise people in our lives.

The podcast is entering its third season and features women including Jane Goodall, Alice Waters, Debbie Allen, Billie Jean King and others. You won't be disappointed diving into this one with all the lively discussions.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Jonathan Haidt | The Anxious Generation

Ted Talks Daily Bookclub: The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's latest book, “The Anxious Generation,” is shaping cultural conversations – and sparking fierce debates. The #1 NYT best seller investigates the mental health crisis among young people, and argues the cause is clear: a smartphone-based childhood, amplified by overprotective parenting.

Informed by Jonathan's work, there is an international movement to limit cellphones in schools and families. But is that the right path forward? And if it is, how do you shift something so socially entrenched? There are plenty of interviews with Haidt on this topic, but we found this one interesting on the Ted Talks Daily Bookclub.

Listen on Apple Podcasts