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Dear colleagues,
I hope that you have been able to spend some quality time with friends and family this holiday season and you feel recharged as we move into 2026. And thank you to all of those who worked holiday shifts to ensure our patients received the care that they need.
It is in that spirit of service that I am looking to the future of our department in the new year. As you probably have heard by now, after much deliberation, the State of Texas has selected UT Southwestern to operate the new Texas Behavioral Health Center. This decision builds on your efforts over the past several years and provides us with a unique opportunity to improve the lives of countless patients, today and tomorrow. It will also mean a significant opportunity for novel education and research initiatives in close partnership with our clinical activities. The amount of work in the ramp up to opening this summer and over the next few years as new services come online will be a challenge, but I have no doubt that we will meet our goals and beyond.
Over the past year, our department has grown and adapted to an updated leadership structure, new services launched and existing ones expanded, and our faculty and staff have been recognized for their exceptional work. As we look forward to the new year, I am confident we will continue and expand on the excellence that we have started, driven by courage, compassion, and collaboration.
I wish you all a happy and safe holiday and I look forward to the privilege of working with you yet another year.
Cheers,
Tarek K. Rajji, M.D.
Professor and Chair
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Announcements - Welcome New Faculty and Staff
In the Media - Kudos - Presentations - Save the Date
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NEW! Be part of UT Southwestern Psychiatry's Project ECHO
Project ECHO® is a global movement in healthcare that the Department of Psychiatry is pioneering at UT Southwestern. Psychiatry Project ECHO is designed for interdisciplinary clinicians in the Department of Psychiatry (Hub team) to deliver education and case-based consultation to primary care teams in rural and other underserved communities across Texas with the goal of expanding access to high-quality psychiatric care and resources.
UT Southwestern's Project ECHO will meet virtually from Noon-1 p.m. on the fourth Mondays of each month. The following topics are planned for the first quarter of the 2026 series (with more linked below):
Jan. 26 – Social drivers of mental health (e.g., unhoused populations, food insecurity)
Feb. 23 – Polypharmacy in older adults: psychiatric side effects and interactions
March 23 – Psychotic disorders: early signs, managing acute presentations, referral pathways
See more here.
During an ECHO session, participants present real (anonymized) cases to the specialists — and each other — for discussion and recommendations. Participants learn from one another, as knowledge is tested and refined through a local lens. Continuing Education credits will be offered. For more information about the Project ECHO Model, visit https://projectecho.unm.edu/model/.
Project ECHO is seeking participation from the following disciplines: psychiatrists; advanced practice practitioners (NPs, PAs); clinical therapists (LPs, LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs); social workers (care management; LMSWs); and registered nurses. Faculty and staff interested in participating in one or more Psychiatry Project ECHO sessions as a Hub team member are encouraged to complete the Psychiatry Project ECHO Hub Team Interest Form below.
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NEW! Expand your leadership skills with the Psychiatry Department Leadership Series
The Psychiatry Department is starting a new leadership series to equip clinical, research, and academic faculty, staff, and learners in the department with practical skills to lead with self-awareness, communicate effectively, support teams, and foster well-being, belonging, and resilience. The Psychiatry Department Leadership Series will meet virtually from Noon-1 p.m. on the second Mondays of each month from January through October 2026 (excluding August). Continuing Education credits will be offered. Look for Outlook calendar invitations to follow.
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NEW! Be part of the Multisite Research Trial Investigators Focus Group
Help shape the future of multisite trials conducted at UT Southwestern by volunteering for the Multisite Research Trial Investigators Focus Group. The focus group is a platform to translate your experience and insights into network-wide solutions. Share your thoughts to directly shape research priorities. Gain access to centralized support and tools. Troubleshoot challenges with your peers. For more information, contact Josue Alicea.
| | | New Partial Day Absence SOP takes effect Jan. 1 | |
A new Partial Day Absence SOP that will affect all benefits-eligible faculty and exempt staff in the department and makes significant changes to how the partial day absences are handled goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026. The new SOP has been reviewed by department leadership and has gotten HR and Legal review and approval.
In summary, faculty and exempt employees may take occasional partial-day absences of less than 4 hours without using their accruals with supervisor approval. “Occasional” is defined as no more than twice in a calendar month. This does not change the university policy for usage of accruals for absences of 4 hours or more per work shift.
Employees taking more than two partial-day absences in a calendar month must use accruals. Time for absences of more than two partial-day absences per month may be made up/worked to avoid using accruals at a supervisor’s discretion if doing so was approved prior to the partial day. This option is to be communicated and administered fairly and consistently to all faculty and exempt staff employees affected by this SOP.
It is very important that supervisors and affected employees review the new expectations prior to implementation on Jan. 1. Yolanda Barner-Thomas, Assistant Director of Operations, is available to meet with your group or discuss individually with supervisor/faculty member/exempt staff members.
| | | New templates help ensure digital accessibility | UT Southwestern is working to ensure all digital documents are accessible per updated federal guidelines. To assist in that effort, the UTSW Brand team has put together accessible PowerPoint and Word templates for employee use. These templates are part of a broader effort to provide a welcoming workplace in which diverse needs are met. For more information about UT Southwestern's efforts to expand digital accessibility and the standards behind it, please visit Campus Updates. The page hosts tips, the latest information on training, and the UTSW compliance process. | | | Department introduces changes to The Pulse | |
In response to feedback from our readers, The Pulse will now run items for three weeks consecutively instead of four. This move maintains the visibility of newsletter items while shortening the length of the emails and improving readability.
Please note that new items will continue to be marked with a "NEW!" tag for easy recognition. Past editions of The Pulse are also available to view on the Psychiatry Department's news page.
Watch for The Pulse a day early for the next couple of weeks to ensure delivery before the upcoming holidays. Next week's edition will be sent on Wednesday, Dec. 24, and the following week's will be sent on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Submissions for each of those editions should be received by Noon on the Friday before that week's send.
| | | Department marks holidays with annual party | The Psychiatry Department celebrated the end of the calendar year with its annual Holiday Party on Dec. 10 at the A.W. Harris Faculty-Alumni Center. There was music, food, and fun for everyone who attended. | | | Welcome New Faculty and Staff | | |
NEW! Jalisa Clark has joined the Student Wellness and Counseling Center as a Certified Medical Assistant. An Alabama native, she has a bachelor's degree in Recreational Therapy from Alabama State University in Montgomery. She earned her CMA from Jes Health Services, LLC. She is also a licensed natural hair stylist that specializes in locs and is a salon owner in Montgomery, Alabama. Jalisa said she looks forward to making lasting contributions and having a positive impact at UT Southwestern while supporting the department's work.
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| |  | Dr. Ruth Asch, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor in the Neuroscience Division. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati and completed postdoctoral training at Yale University in the Department of Psychiatry’s Translational Brain Imaging Program and Molecular Psychiatry Division. Dr. Asch’s research lies at the intersection of psychology, biology, and technology, leveraging multidisciplinary collaborations to develop cutting-edge neuroimaging approaches – particularly positron emission tomography (PET) – that are integrated with molecular and systems neuroscience approaches in translational animal models. The goal of this work is to help provide a better understanding of how stress and trauma shape brain function and mental health outcomes and ultimately aims to uncover mechanistic pathways underlying vulnerability and resilience that can be leveraged to inform novel interventions and improve psychiatric care. Outside the lab, Dr. Asch is a retired pre-professional dancer, avid baker and quilter, and devoted animal lover.
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Tracey Peacock has joined the Psychiatry team as the new Graduate Medical Education Program Coordinator II for the general program. She is an internal transfer from the Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility program. She has been a GME Program Coordinator with UTSW for more than five years and has a strong background in higher education administration and digital communications. She currently serves on the UTSW GME CAP committee and aspires to seek further networking opportunities. She is also working to complete a Master’s degree in Library Sciences, so that when she retires, she can retire as a librarian.
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NEW! Dr. Joy Neumann, Psy.D., has achieved board certification in clinical neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN).
| | | The following UT Southwestern psychiatrists were selected for the 2025 Best Doctors list published in the November issue of D Magazine: Dr. Kala Bailey, M.D., M.B.A.; Dr. Mary "Molly" Camp, M.D.; Dr. Andrew Diederich, M.D., Dr. Stephen Elliott, M.D.; Dr. Joseph. D. Gaspari, M.D.; Dr. Leslie H. Secrest, M.D.; Dr. Shalini Shetty, M.D.; Dr. Lee Spencer, M.D.; Dr. William L. (Larry) Thornton, M.D.; Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, M.D.; Dr. Sidarth Wakhlu, M.D.; and Dr. Matan White, M.D. The list is compiled by the magazine based on peer nominations and tallied by the magazine staff. See the full list here. | | | |
Dr. Alyssa Shaffner, M.D., received the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Assembly's Catchers in the Rye Award to an AACAP Component for the Committee on Medical Students and Residents. The award is in recognition of the committee's advocacy work organizing learning, mentorship, and community building for all child and adolescent psychiatry-oriented trainees.
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Reagan Volzer, Lead Research Coordinator for Dr. Sherwood Brown's Lab, has been selected as the Rising Star Award winner by the Clinical Research Professionals Day Award Committee. Her achievement will be recognized at the Clinical Research Professionals Day event on Jan. 27.
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December's Golden Heart Award for Clinical Excellence goes to Nana Agyemang, LMSW, for her work in the Multispecialty Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic.
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Dr. Shawn McClintock, Ph.D., has received the Mid-Career Award from the International Neuropsychological Society in recognition of his meritorious contributions to the field and to INS.
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Dr. Joseph Guillory, M.D., has been selected as the keynote speaker for the Metrocare ACER Research Symposium on April 10. The symposium is focused on advancing the field of mental health research within the Dallas area and fostering the growth of mentorship and academic partnerships.
| | | UT Southwestern faculty, staff, and students in the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 59th Annual Convention from Nov. 20-23. Drs. Lynnel Goodman, Ph.D., and Betsy Kennard, Psy.D., presented in a symposium titled “Expanding Access to Evidence-Based Intervention: Adapting Behavioral Activation for Diverse Groups Across the Lifespan.” Clinical Research Assistant Yasmin Alzubi presented a poster titled “Expanding Access to Behavioral Activation: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent and Caregiver Experiences in Activ8.” Graduate Student Researcher Maya Hubbard presented a poster titled “Understanding Suicidal Outcomes Across Psychiatric Diagnoses in a TX-YDSRN Clinical Sample of Female Youth.” | | | | |
Dr. Kipp Pietrantonio, Ph.D., ABPP, was the closing keynote at the Texas Psychological Association Annual Convention at the end of November. His talk was on "Social Class Considerations within Psychotherapy."
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Dr. Jamie Becker, Ph.D., participated in a panel discussion representing the Texas Psychology Board at the Texas Psychological Association Annual Convention at the end of November.
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| | | UT Southwestern Psychiatrists made a strong showing at the 2025 American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) conference in Chicago in October. Dr. David L. Atkinson, M.D., (pictured above) gave three presentations at the weeklong convention: "Applying Motivational Interviewing to Problematic Digital Media Use: Family-Based Strategies for Healthy Screen Use," "Psychedelic Hallucinogens in Youth: History, Current Perceptions, and Future Risk, Psychedelics in Recent and Remote History: A Guide for the Future," and a workshop, "Practical Skills for Addressing Adolescent Substance Use/Misuse in Outpatient Clinical Practice." Dr. Alyssa Shaffner, M.D., presented "Authenticity in Mentorship: Cultivating a Brave Space Utilizing Vulnerability and Self-Compassion. She also oversaw a poster presentation titled, "Enhancing Pediatric Psychopharmacology Education: Evaluating the Waco Guide as a Clinical Decision Support Tool" with contributions by H. Stokan, M. Mallya, I. Aly, J. Escalante, and J. Liu-Zarzuela. Dr. Kathlene Trello-Rishel, M.D., participated in a two-day MSR Mentorship Program and worked with Dr. Eric Shute, M.D., in the AACAP Resource Room during the conference.
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NEW! Career Development Institute application deadline is Jan. 9
As noted in earlier editions of The Pulse, applications for the Career Development Institute (CDI) for Psychiatry are due by Jan. 9, 2026. CDI is a 24-month program designed for early career mental health researchers led by organizers from Stanford University and the University of Pittsburgh. The CDI begins with a four-day workshop from April 12-16, 2026, followed by two years of long-distance mentoring and interactive webinars held in a supportive community of alumni and faculty.
Click here for information and a QR code to apply. If you have difficulty logging in, please email CDIPsych@pitt.edu.
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NEW! Early Career Faculty Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop
Drs. Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., and Stuart Ravnik, Ph.D., will host an in-person Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) workshop on Thursday-Friday, Jan. 15-16 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in room NL03.214. The workshop will offer tips and best practices for labs. It is designed for early-career faculty, postdocs, or instructors who need RCR education for their K-Awards or who are writing an award. This will be the fifth time the pair have been offering this workshop.
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Ethics Grand Rounds: Community-Engaged Research
"Community-Engaged Research: Building Trustworthiness through Shared Ownership," the next Ethics Grand Rounds lecture, is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 13 from Noon-1 p.m. Dr. Ryan Spellecy, Ph.D., the Ursula Von der Ruhr Professor of Bioethics and Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities in the Center for Bioethics and Humanities Institute for Health and Equity at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will present via Zoom webinar. There is no registration fee, but participants must register. For more information about this lecture, email Ruth Vinciguerra or click this link.
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Check the calendar for Psychiatry Grand Rounds
Have you been taking advantage of visiting expertise? Psychiatry Grand Rounds will continue each Wednesday at Noon through May, with the exception of holidays and Psychiatry Department Town Hall dates. Details on individual presentations will be shared as they become available. Please watch for more information via calendar invitations or by checking the UT Southwestern Events Calendar.
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Data Resources at UTSW: Utilizing Internal EMR Data and Beyond
Learn to make the most of internal UTSW and affiliated hospitals' data with the "Data Resources at UTSW: Utilizing Internal EMR Data and Beyond." This didactic session for researchers at any stage is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2026, from Noon-1 p.m.
Participants will: learn about the various data platforms available at UTSW and affiliated hospitals, with insights directly from experts who manage and support these systems; learn how to formulate and submit effective internal data queries from experts who can clarify access processes, governance requirements, and integration between institutional data sources; learn how to access and use institutional data more effectively for research, quality improvement, and operational projects, including practical tips from those who manage the systems every day. Those who sign up but cannot attend will be able to access a recording of the session.
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Mark your calendars for in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds
Don't miss your opportunity to learn from visiting physicians and educators when they come to UT Southwestern for in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds. In-person attendance offers you the opportunity to interact with the visiting speaker and reflects well on the Psychiatry Department. In an effort to promote in-person events, please mark your calendars for the following Psychiatry Grand Rounds scheduled in the coming year.
Feb. 18, 2026
Dr. Zafiris "Jeff" Daskalakis, M.D., Ph.D., UC-San Diego Department of Psychiatry
Presenting "Harmonizing effectiveness & physiology: an exploration of magnetic brain stimulation in depression"
o Location: NG3.112
o Food will be: NG3.108
March 11, 2026
Dr. Chadi Calarge, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Presenting "Iron deficiency and adolescent brain development"
o Location: NG3.112
o Food will be: NG3.108
March 25, 2026
Dr. Benoit Mulsant, M.D., M.S., FRCPC, DLFAPA, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Presenting "Can we predict the future of psychiatry?"
o Location: NG3.112
o Food will be: NG3.108
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