Psych Congress: The Big Tent of Psychiatry
When Orville and Wilbur Wright first launched their plane from a modest bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, they could hardly have imagined the aviation industry as it stands today. From tinkering with wood, canvas, and bicycle parts, the field has grown to produce the F-35 fighter jet, a technological marvel, supported by a workforce of over 16,000 employees at the Fort Worth factory alone and nearly 290,000 jobs across the platform. It’s fair to say that airplanes have gotten a bit more complicated.
Healthcare has undergone a similar transformation. Not so long ago, medicine was often practiced by the solo family doctor who served as the birth attendant, the town diagnostician, and the one who stood graveside when patients passed. Medicine was personal, local, and rooted in continuity. But as knowledge of diseases increased, populations grew, and science advanced, the system necessarily evolved.
Gone are the days when one clinician could realistically manage the breadth of human illness. Today, healthcare is labor-intensive, knowledge-heavy, and increasingly specialized. The workforce has adapted accordingly. Care delivery is now shaped by multidisciplinary teams that combine the expertise of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, therapists, and allied health professionals. Together, they share the responsibility of providing the comprehensive, high-quality care modern patients deserve.
Nowhere is this shift more visible than in psychiatry.
The mental health crisis facing our communities has made clear that no single professional discipline can meet the demand or complexity of patient needs. Psychiatrists bring diagnostic acumen and the ability to manage complex pharmacologic regimens. Social workers provide critical psychosocial support. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners expand access to psychiatric expertise, often serving as frontline providers. Case managers and peer advocates guide patients through systems and provide lived-experience mentorship. Each discipline contributes unique skills and perspectives, and together they form a net that can catch more patients and hold them with greater strength.
This is why I find Psych Congress so special.
Unlike most professional gatherings in our field, Psych Congress is not owned by one discipline. Psychiatrists have their annual meeting. PAs and NPs have theirs. Psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, and others each have their own conferences. But Psych Congress is where the professions converge under one roof. It is psychiatry’s “big tent” meeting, an environment where every discipline is valued, every voice is heard, and every professional role is recognized as part of the solution to the mental health crisis.
For me, this interdisciplinary spirit is the heartbeat of Psych Congress. Year after year, I circle the dates on my calendar, not just for the world-class educational content (which is consistently excellent), but for the chance to reconnect with colleagues across the spectrum of mental health professions. Some wear the same letters after their name that I do; many do not, and that is exactly the point.
Psych Congress is where silos fall away. It is where shared purpose outweighs professional boundaries. It is where innovation in psychiatric care is discussed in a way that accounts for the realities of team-based practice, because none of us can do this alone.
I always leave Psych Congress with fresh ideas, new collaborations, and a renewed sense of community. I’m reminded that while our healthcare system continues to grow in complexity, the most powerful innovations are often born from collaboration across roles, just as the Wright brothers’ humble beginnings eventually gave way to the advanced aerospace industry of today. Progress is not built by one pair of hands, but on the expertise and contributions of many.
As we gather in San Diego, I am energized by the opportunity to learn, to share, and to strengthen the professional ties that will carry psychiatry forward. This is the meeting I look forward to most each year, and I cannot wait to see friends and colleagues who fill different professional roles than my own but share the same mission.
We are all in this together, and at Psych Congress, that truth is on full display.
To view the agenda and register for Psych Congress 2025, visit the meeting website.
For news and insights direct from Psych Congress 2025, check out the conference newsroom here on Psych Congress Network.
Michael Asbach, DMSc, PA-C, serves as the Associate Director of Interventional Psychiatry at DENT Neurologic Institute, where he oversees the delivery of innovative and evidence-based treatments for patients with complex and refractory mental health conditions. With more than 12 years of experience as a board-certified psychiatric physician assistant and a Doctorate of Medical Science in healthcare leadership, Michael is dedicated to advancing the field of mental health care. In addition, Michael holds the role of medical liaison to the American Psychiatric Association on behalf of the American Academy of Physician Associates.
As the co-founder of The Non-Clinical Collective, Michael leads a medical education platform designed to support healthcare professionals in their non-clinical career development and wellness. Through this platform, Michael shares a deep passion for mental health advocacy, education, and engaging with a diverse and active audience. The mission is to foster a community where individuals can achieve meaningful and fulfilling careers through education and empowerment.
Combining a Doctorate of Medical Science in healthcare leadership with extensive clinical experience, Michael integrates expertise in healthcare policy, the business of medicine, and continuing education. A nationally recognized educator, Michael is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Physician Associates and the Association of Physician Assistants in Psychiatry. Their work reflects a commitment to excellence, leadership, and advocacy within the healthcare community.
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