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Welcome to the Department of Psychiatry
The Department of Psychiatry is a diverse community of staff and faculty dedicated to our mission. It is comprised of over 300 regular, affiliate, and volunteer clinical faculty, working at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, UCHealth/University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health Medical Center, and the VA Medical Center, as well as at the Department of Corrections and the Colorado Mental Health Institutes at Pueblo & Ft. Logan. Currently, the general adult psychiatry residency is ACGME accredited for 45 positions, the child and adolescent psychiatry residency is ACGME accredited for 14 positions, the addiction psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 3 positions, the consult-liaison psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 3 positions and the forensic psychiatry fellowship is ACGME accredited for 4 positions. The department is dedicated to serving a community in which we value all people and have a continued commitment to diversity and inclusion in our clinical, research, treatment and educational activities.
Dr. Neill Epperson
Chair, Department of Psychiatry
Our Vision
The CU Department of Psychiatry sets the standard for Education and Training of leaders in psychiatry and mental health care, conducts ground-breaking Research that aims to eradicate suffering due to psychiatric and substance use disorders, provides ready access to state of-the-art mental health preventions and interventions across the continuum of care, and collaborates with the community and other key stakeholders to promote well-being among all Coloradans. We accomplish this vision in a manner that respects, values and advocates for the dignity and worth of each individual and family.
Our Mission
Core Mission: We provide a safe, equitable and inclusive environment for trainees, faculty, staff, and patients. We bridge the gaps of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender, gender identity, ability status, religion, political beliefs, socioeconomic status and any other factors related to systemic oppression by trusting and honoring each other and our differences. Our Department promotes unbiased recruitment of qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds in all mission areas. We focus on retention, career advancement and promotion through empowering individuals and creating an environment that facilitates continuous growth and success.
Education and Training Mission: Through our educational programs, we train medical students, graduate students, residents, psychology interns, fellows, and practicing health care professionals to be future leaders in mental health and behavioral health disciplines. We train leaders who recognize and work to eradicate health inequities that weaken families and communities.
Research Mission: Our interdisciplinary research programs produce new knowledge regarding the causes of mental illness and substance use disorders as well as the psychosocial, behavioral and sociocultural aspects of physical and mental health conditions. We identify, develop, and implement new, early prevention strategies and novel interventions to improve the lives of all human beings. We seek to be rigorous and inclusive in all of our scientific endeavors.
Clinical Care Mission: Through state-of-the-art clinical services, we deliver a full range of mental health and behavioral health interventions for patients and their families. These include neurobehavioral assessments, psychotherapy, behavioral change and health promotion strategies, neuromodulation and psychopharmacology services that recognize the wealth of cultural knowledge on how social contexts impact physical and psychological well-being.
Community and Advocacy Mission: We work with our local communities, affiliated institutions, and state and federal government agencies to promote strategies for increasing mental health awareness, reducing stigma, identifying and eliminating health disparities, and standing against discrimination and harassment to all members in our community.
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Mind the Brain: What Brain Science Can Teach Us About Adolescent Stress and Resilience
Jul 22, 2020We can all agree that 2020 has been a real mess. The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused immense disruption to our daily routines, social connections, family relationships, working and academic goals, and plans for the future. In this episode, Dr. Epperson talks with Dr. Roselinde Kaiser, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UC Boulder, about what brain science can teach us about adolescent stress and resilienceFull story -
Mind the Brain: Sleep and Stress During COVID-19
Jul 16, 2020During a global pandemic, it comes as no surprise that getting good sleep can feel difficult. Decreased sleep quality and quantity including difficulty falling and staying asleep, sleeping too much, distressing dreams and sometimes nightmares are common during times of stress and the current period of prolonged urgency, uncertainty and heightened work/life demands. The following are concrete suggestions to help improve sleep during this challenging time.Full story -
Merlin Ariefdjohan newly elected 2020-2021 Secretary, Faculty Senate
Jul 13, 2020 byThe School of Medicine Faculty Senate will have two continuing faculty officers and two newly elected officers for the 2020-2021 academic year. Newly elected are Gregary Bocsi, DO, assistant professor of pathology, as president-elect, and Merlin Ariefdjohan, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry, as secretary. Continuing faculty officers are Jaime Arruda, MD, associate professor of clinical practice of obstetrics and gynecology, who will be president, and Nicole Draper, MD, associate professor of clinical practice of pathology, who will be past-president. Thanks to all for their leadership.Full story -
Mind the Brain: Anxiety and Cancer During COVID-19
Jul 7, 2020Fear and anxiety keep us safe from harm – they prevent us from running into the street when a car comes racing toward us, and motivate us to prepare well for a presentation we’re nervous to give. But fear and anxiety can also spiral into uncontrollable worry, endless internet searching, and avoiding valued life activities that connect us with the people we love. How do we harness the positive features of fear and anxiety without becoming trapped by their risks?Full story -
Mind the Brain: Reversing the Cycle of Depression Through Action
Jun 30, 2020We all know we live in challenging and uncertain times. The Renée Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder was established with a commitment to the vision of a world in which every young person thrives, supported by the caring relationships and inner resources required for a lifetime of wellness. The last few months have challenged this vision in profound ways. The pandemics of the coronavirus and systemic racism call upon us with urgency to attend to our individual and collective mental health and wellness.Full story -
Mind the Brain: Child and Adolescent Anxiety in the Time of COVID-19
Jun 23, 2020Anxiety helps us stay vigilant for potential future threats, and the COVID-19 pandemic brings with it significant uncertainty. We certainly expected a spike in reports of anxiety symptoms like worries, fear, irritability, and low mood in the children and adolescents we care for in the clinic and our homes.Full story