Program

The Scientific Committee has endeavoured to present a program that will be useful to clinicians whilst inspiring us with some of the latest advances.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM – SYDNEY ANXIETY, OCD AND RELATED DISORDERS CONFERENCE 2025 11 – 12th September, 2025
DAY 1 – 11th September, 2025
830am – Registration 900am – Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country – Prof Vlasios Brakoulias 905am – Special Guest to Open the Conference –Mental Health Commissioner, Jennifer Black.
Thursday	Presenter	Title of talk
RAPID UPDATES 1 – Chaired by Prof Vladan Starcevic
915am	Richard Bryant	PTSD – Key developments and issues
945am	Ross Menzies	OCD – Key developments and issues
1015am	Alice Norton	Social Anxiety – Key developments and issues
1045am – MORNING TEA (45 minutes)
RAPID UPDATES 2 – Chaired by Dr Alison Mahoney
1130am	Maree Abbott	GAD – Key developments and issues (via video)
1200am	Melissa Norberg	Hoarding – Key developments and issues
1230am – LUNCH AND POSTERS (One hour)

INNOVATION IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENTS – Chaired by Evelyn Kandris
130pm	Isaac Sabel	Imagery rescripting for hoarding
150pm	Emily Dewar	Family interventions for hoarding
210pm	Andrew Phipps	Schema informed CBT
230pm	Yasmeen El Masry and Evelyn Kandris	Transdiagnostic group therapy
250pm – AFTERNOON TEA (30 minutes)
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS – Chaired by Prof Vlasios Brakoulias
320pm	Mike Millard	TWU clinic
340pm	Anthony Joffe	Patient-facing AI interventions
400pm	Erika Penney	GenAI, psychological practice and ethics
420pm	Gary Galambos	Virtual reality for OCD
*700pm – Networking dinner (venue not yet confirmed).

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM – SYDNEY ANXIETY, OCD AND RELATED DISORDERS CONFERENCE 2025 11-12th September, 2025
DAY 2 – 12th September, 2025
Friday	Presenter	Title of talk
RAPID UPDATES 2 – Chaired by Dr Mike Millard
830am	Jill Newby	Health Anxiety – Key developments and issues
900am	Vlasios Brakoulias	An update on the diagnostic classification of anxiety disorders
930am	Vladan Starcevic	Pharmacotherapy update for anxiety, OCD and related disorders
1000am	Janardhan Narayanaswamy	Update on stimulation therapies for anxiety – TMS, DBS, tDCS
1030am- MORNING TEA (30 minutes)
COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS – Chaired by Dr Denise Milicevic
1100am	Valsa Eapen	Tics, ASD and anxiety in childhood (via video)
1120am	Elizabeth Mason	Sleep and anxiety
1140am	Lexine Stapinski	The link between anxiety and substance use disorders, and implications for treatment.
1200am	Leah Curran	Anxiety and advanced cancer
1220pm	Jessamine Chen	Anxiety in old age
1240pm – LUNCH AND POSTERS (One hour)
HOT TOPICS – Chaired by Dr Yasmeen El Masry
140pm	David Castle	Psychedelics and anxiety
220pm	Lynne Mason	Neurodivergence and Anxiety Disorders
250pm	Gordana Jovanova	Anxiety Disorders and ADHD
320pm – AFTERNOON TEA (30 minutes)
Announcement of poster winner
PANEL DISCUSSION WITH CASE PRESENTATIONS – Chaired by Prof Vlasios Brakoulias
350pm	Panic disorder, Separation anxiety, Trichotillomania/               Skin-picking.	Brief vignettes presented by clinicians with discussion points.   Aiming to cover disorders not covered elsewhere.
450pm	Vlasios Brakoulias	CLOSE CONFERENCE

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