09. Advocacy in Mental Health

“Every important change in our society, for the good, at least, has taken place because of popular pressure-pressure from below, from the great mass of people.”- Edward Abbey.  The editors of the new book A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Advocacy join Laura Roberts for a discussion exploring the diverse definitions of advocacy and how personal passions in medicine and life can have an impact on the world. During this spirited round table conversation, they discuss efforts to include advocacy training during residency, a blueprint to build best practices, making the material in the book applicable to any type of advocacy, public policy and medicine, the inspiration for bringing a volume that would work as a toolkit for mental health advocacy in its myriad forms. A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Advocacy is a call for action and a blueprint for change, providing clinicians with the foundation for recognizing their opportunities and embracing their roles as advocates.