GAP CL #675

PRE-MEETING SPRING 2026

FUTURE MEETINGS 2026

April 16-18 November 12-14

America’s Think Tank for Mental Health

www.ourgap.org

CIRCULAR LETTER #675

2027

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

April 8-10

The Happy Effort of Optimism

November 11-13 2028

I advanced my clocks this morning. Spring ahead. Time flies.

April 6-8

Exactly eighty years ago (1946), GAP was founded by a

November 9-11

group of psychiatrists who wanted psychiatry to reach

All meetings scheduled at the Sonesta Hotel White Plains, New York

outside the confines of the consultation room to inform and influence their colleagues and the broader culture. Since then, GAP members have assembled twice a year to sit with people who restore faith in humanity and to work on projects that share psychiatry’s insights with the wider world.

Just two years ago, I became GAP’s president. It’s been a tumultuous time: devastating fires, assaults on civil liberties, public displays of cruelty, new wars, anxiety about the impact of technology on the future

GAP OFFICERS: President Robert P. Roca, M.D. rroca2@jhmi.edu President Elect Sy A. Saeed, M.D. saeeds@ecu.edu Secretary David A. Sasso, M.D. david.sasso@gmail.com Treasurer Gail E. Robinson, M.D.

of work, and even on our ability to distinguish truth from artifice. Plenty for us and our patients to worry about. Fodder for pessimism. And over the past two years, as I’ve talked with GAP members, fellows, and guests, I have indeed detected a certain amount of pessimism. But it is a particular kind of pessimism—what Gramsci (I just learned about him) called “pessimism of the intellect”: clear-eyed perception of the peril we are facing on many fronts. Fortunately, it’s been counterbalanced by what Gramsci called “optimism of the will”: the understanding and confidence that we can act to mitigate harm and help change course. It takes effort, energy, and patience, but we can make things better.

It is this kind of optimism that I have witnessed over the past two years at GAP meetings and in the GAP work products I’ve reviewed for presidential approval. I’ve seen it at our plenary sessions on gun violence, on the power of advocacy, and on gender-affirming care. I’ve seen it in written work on the importance of restoring stability and predictability in public discourse (Ethics and Professionalism), contending with microplastics pollution (Neuropsychiatry and Climate committees), dealing with climate anxiety (Climate), and managing the scary promise of artificial intelligence. The last of these has received a

gail.robinson@utoronto.ca

lot of attention from GAP committees over the past few months. David Sasso (Arts and

Past President

versus Artificial Intelligence: Let’s Not Raise the White Flag”) challenging an editorial that

Humanities) published a letter in the British Journal of Psychiatry (“Psychotherapists

Calvin R. Sumner, M.D.

overlooked fundamental differences between psychotherapy and the mechanical outputs

docsumner@gmail.com

continued...

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Message from the President Continued. of AI chatbots. Steven Hyler (Technology and Psychiatry) published a Psychology Today blog post (“I Told the Bot, Not My Therapist”) highlighting AI’s critical inability to serve as a morally accountable psychotherapeutic agent. Helen Kyomen (Aging) published a letter in the NYT responding to an editorial on the use of AI in health care, suggesting that we need to make “clinically honest” comparisons, evaluating “AI against usual care by task and risk tier, and require stronger evidence and monitoring as autonomy and stakes rise”.

Helen developed these ideas further in an expansive piece on “humane intelligence” published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. And just last week, I approved a manuscript from Grant Brenner and fellow Varun Mehta (Disaster, Trauma, and Global Health) on the need to broaden our disaster psychiatry models to accommodate a new peril: AI-mediated disasters. Each of these efforts looks squarely at a vexing issue and sees a call to careful thought and action.

Underwriting the work has been the steadfast financial support of our members, present and past, and many great friends. GAP has recently received several very special gifts in memory of former members: an unrestricted gift from the estate of Sheila HafterGray and a donation to create two new funds in memory of Lois Flaherty. We continue to be the

beneficiaries of the extraordinary generosity of Jeanne Phillips (Dear Abby) and Wistar Morris (Cotswold Foundation). In addition, several current members have made substantial contributions to the GAP Guardian, Distinguished Guest, and Frances Bell Executive Director’s funds. We wouldn’t still be gathering to do this work if not for this support from all of them, and all of you.

As I wrote in the fall, we have been looking into new sources of revenue to support our semiannual meetings. I am very pleased to report that the April plenary session on Friday afternoon will be sponsored by the MindWork Group, the Baltimore-based intensive treatment program founded by GAP member Tom Franklin. We will have the opportunity to hear a little about Tom’s work immediately prior to the presentation, which is entitled “Leadership in Psychiatry: Perspectives from the Next Generation”, moderated by Carol Bernstein. We hope that other organizations and businesses will respond to our invitation to sponsor future plenary sessions and/or set up exhibits at our meetings.

As I mentioned at the beginning, GAP turns 80 this year. The founders recognized the audacity of the name they chose. How could a little band of “young turks” make a difference? But they believed passionately that society could benefit from psychiatry’s insights and that they could help spearhead the advancement

G r o u p f o r t h e A d va n c e m e nt o f P s yc h i at r y

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of that understanding into the broader culture. Being part of GAP is an exercise in optimism—an expression of the conviction that we can help make things better by sharing our perspective with the wider world. Like all exercise, it entails effort. But like other forms of exercise, it’s good for our health.

I’m looking forward to working out together in April.

EPILOGUE Finally, I asked AI to help compose an endnote on the “happy effort of optimism”, with a nod to Gramsci:

The mind surveys the weather: low clouds, long odds, a wind that argues with every fragile plan.

So be it, says the willlight the lamp, carry the ladder, bring the seed anyway.

We know the ledgers of loss, have read the footnotes of history; still, we embrace the effort, whistle while we work.

For sometimes, in due season, a small green answer appearsand the stubborn light we carried turns out to be the dawn.

See you in White Plains

Bob

2026 Circular Let ter #675

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Nominating Committee chaired by Calvin Sumner, MD proposes the following slate for election at the Membership Meeting on Friday, April 17 at 8 am.

President:

Sy A. Saeed, MD

President-Elect: Gail E. Robinson, MD Secretary:

Katherine Kennedy, MD

Treasurer:

David Sasso, MD

Board of Directors: David Adler, MD, Kenneth Fung, MD, Susan Hatters-Friedman, MD, and Nubia Lluberes, MD

MEET THE BOARD NOMINEES DAVID ADLER, MD

Awards from TUSM, the Mass Psychiatric Association,

David is well known to GAP

and GAP, as well as 2010–2026 Best of Boston

having joined as a Ginsburg

Physicians and Best Doctors USA.

Fellow in 1974, chaired the

KENNETH FUNG, MD FRCPC MSC DFCPA DFAPA

Psychopathology Committee since 1981 and was the Chair

Dr. Kenneth Fung is Staff

of the Publications Board

Psychiatrist at the Toronto

from 1996–2023. “GAP has been my writing group, my

Western Hospital, University

support group, and a work family.”

Health Network. He is

Dr. Adler received his M.D. from Yale and trained in

Professor and Director of

Psychiatry at Harvard. He is Professor of Psychiatry and

Global Mental Health with

Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM),

the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.

His research, teaching, and clinical interest include

Senior Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, Tufts

both cultural psychiatry and psychotherapy, especially

Medical Center (TMC). Dr. Adler has held a variety of

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), CBT,

administrative positions at TMC where he has worked

and mindfulness, with projects and collaborations

since 1976. He is a nationally recognized leader with

locally, nationally, and internationally, including China,

over 50 years of experience as a master clinician,

Hong Kong, and South Korea. He champions cultural

teacher, supervisor, clinical scientist, executive coach

competence and conducts community-based research

and organizational consultant. With over 30 research

projects in Asian mental health, mental health and HIV

awards including six NIH/NIA and CDC multi-million-

stigma, resilience, mental health promotion, trauma,

dollar grants, his extensive writings include over 100

caregivers for children with ASD, immigrant and

publications. Dr. Adler is Co-founder of Health and

refugee mental health, and pandemic response.

Productivity, Inc. He has received Distinguished Service G r o u p f o r t h e A d va n c e m e nt o f P s yc h i at r y

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MEET THE BOARD NOMINEES Continued.

He is the Block Co-coordinator of the Sociocultural Dimensions of Psychiatry for residents at the university and the seminar co-lead and psychotherapy supervisor

SUSAN HATTERS FRIEDMAN, MST, MD, DFAPA

in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He is also

Dr. Friedman is a forensic and

psychiatric consultant to HF Care, an ethno-

reproductive psychiatrist, past

specific mental health organization for East and

president of the American

Southeast Asians.

Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL), and has served

Dr. Fung was a past president and current Co-chair of

as Chair of the Law and Psychiatry committee at the

the Education Committee of the Society of the Study

Group for Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP). Susan

of Psychiatry and Culture (SSPC), Co-chair of the

currently serves as the inaugural Phillip J. Resnick

Cultural Psychiatry Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP), past Board Member of the World Association for Cultural Psychiatry (WACP), and for the American Psychiatric Association (APA),

Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University, where she also has appointments in the departments of Pediatrics, Reproductive Biology (Obstetrics/ Gynecology), and Law. Dr. Friedman also

Member of the Future of DSM Steering Committee,

continues to serve as honorary faculty at the University

Member of the Council on International Psychiatry and Global Health, and a Mental Health Equity Ambassador.

For the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science

of Auckland (New Zealand). She has received the AAPL award for the Best Teacher in a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship, the Red AAPL award for outstanding

(ACBS), Co-Lead of the Asian Culture and CBS SIG

service to organized forensic psychiatry, the Seymour

and member of the Scientific Strategic Council. He is

Pollack Award from AAPL, the Manfred Guttmacher

the Historian of the Federation of Chinese American and Chinese Canadian Medical Societies (FCMS)

Award for editing the book Family Murder: Pathologies

and a trustee of the Federation of Chinese Canadian

of Love and Hate with GAP, and the Association of

Professionals (Ontario).

Women Psychiatrists’ Marian Butterfield Award for her contributions to women’s mental health.

He is recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the American Psychiatric Association, and Fellow of Association of

NUBIA LLUBERES, MD

Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS). His awards

Dr. Lluberes is a double Board-

include the 2015 Social Responsibility Award from the

Certified Psychiatrist with

University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine; the 2016

specialized training in General

American Psychiatric Association Foundation Award

Psychiatry from the University

for Advancing Minority Health; the 2017 College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Council Award; the 2018 Psychotherapy Award for Academic Excellence from University of Toronto; the 2020 Colin Woolf Award For Sustained Excellence in Teaching; and the 2024 American Psychiatric Association Kun-Po Soo Award, 2025 Chinese Canadian Legend Award, 2025 Kamaldeep Bhui Academic Award, 2025 Creative Education in Cultural Psychiatry Award, and the

of Texas in Houston, and in Forensic Psychiatry from the University of Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.

She is a passionate advocate for holistic mental health approaches, emphasizing individualized treatment and the integration of biopsychosocial care models. With a

Canada 150 Medal.

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2026 Circular Let ter #675

MEET THE BOARD NOMINEES Continued. diverse clinical background, Dr. Lluberes has developed

• Clinical Director at the Wayne Scott Unit for the

extensive expertise in treating Bipolar Disorder,

University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional

Depression, Anxiety Disorders, and Substance Use

Managed Care (UTMB-CMC)

Disorders. She is also skilled in advanced treatment

• Associate Director for Mental Health within the Texas

modalities, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Department of Criminal Justice under UTMB-CMC

and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

In 2016, Dr. Lluberes was honored with the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious “Advancement of Minority Mental Health” award for her exceptional efforts in raising mental health awareness in

Dr. Lluberes is also an esteemed Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch and serves as the Program Director for the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX.

underserved minority communities.

For over five years, Dr. Lluberes has held influential leadership roles in correctional healthcare, serving vulnerable populations within the criminal justice system. Her notable positions include: • Medical Director for Mental Health at Harris County Jail in Houston, TX • Director of the University of Texas Competency Restoration Unit

PLENARY PROGRAM SPONSOR The Plenary Program for the Spring Meeting will be sponsored by the MindWork Group, which is a nationally recognized, psychiatrist-owned and led outpatient practice in Baltimore, Maryland. With them, patients with complex psychiatric needs find high-level expertise, extensive individual attention, and intensive treatment in a community setting. Our thoughtfully curated treatment options include personalized assessments, an intensive outpatient program with a 9-patient cohort, and advanced Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) offered within the context of comprehensive evaluation and treatment. With nearby supportive housing, MindWork Group treats people from all over the country who are seeking comprehensive assessment or an alternative to or a step down from inpatient or residential care. Contact Thomas N. Franklin, M.D. at tfranklin@mindworkgroup.com to discuss potential admissions.

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2026 Circular Let ter #675