In this episode, Psychiatric News Editor-in-Chief Dr. Adrian Preda speaks with Dr. Anna Westermair, a psychiatrist and researcher whose work focuses on the emerging field of palliative psychiatry. Drawing on her recent Psychiatric News Special Report, Dr. Westermair offers a compelling case for considering quality of life—not just symptom remission—as a meaningful goal in treating individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Dr. Westermair emphasizes that palliative psychiatry is not about abandoning care—but about reframing goals to improve life meaningfully for patients often left behind by the traditional system.

Read the Full Report: 👉 Palliative Psychiatry: An Innovative Approach to Severe and Persistent Mental Illness

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PsychNews Special Report” is a production of Psychiatric News, a media platform dedicated to serving as the primary and most trusted source of information for APA members, other psychiatrists and physicians, health professionals, and the public about developments in the field of psychiatry and mental health that impact clinical care and professional practice. Learn more at psychiatryonline.org/journal/pn.