Day in Psychiatry Conference
- November 18, 2026
Bingemans Embassy Room
425 Bingemans Centre Dr, Kitchener, ON
8:00 A.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join us for the 2026 Day in Psychiatry Conference, an engaging and informative full-day educational event designed for primary care and other healthcare professionals with an interest in mental health and psychiatry. Hosted by the Department of Psychiatry and the Mental Health & Addictions Program at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), this conference brings together leading experts to explore emerging evidence, current best practices, and practical approaches to the assessment and treatment of common and complex mental health conditions.
The conference will explore current topics in psychiatric assessment, treatment, and emerging research, with sessions focused on GLP-1 receptor agonist and psychiatric care current evidence, trauma-related disorders, psychosis, ADHD, perimenopausal mental health, borderline personality disorder, and innovations in psychiatric care.
Attendees will also learn more about innovative initiatives and services within the WRHN Mental Health & Addictions Program.
- Early Bird: $175 | Student: $100
- Early Bird: $175
- Student: $100
Registration includes: Conference access, lunch, and snacks.
What to expect
- Full-day educational event
- Expand your knowledge
- Connect with colleagues
- Lunch + snacks provided
Whether you are a physician, nurse, allied health professional, learner, or mental health practitioner, the Day in Psychiatry Conference offers an opportunity to expand your knowledge, connect with colleagues, and enhance your ability to provide compassionate, evidence-informed care to individuals experiencing mental illness.
Full-day agenda
8:00 a.m.
Registration, refreshments, displays
8:30 a.m.
Opening address
8:45 a.m.
Our GLP1 Receptor Agonist, Psychiatric drugs: a review of the science and clinical research opportunities - Dr. Roger McIntyre
9:45 a.m.
Trauma & Stress related disorder (45)- Dr. Olusola Awoniyi
10:30 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.
Severe and persistent Mental illness: Psychosis - Dr. Sukhmeet Bedi
11:30 a.m.
ADHD assessment & Management - Dr. Jay Kothari
12:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 p.m.
Mental health disorder in Perimenopausal population - Dr. Leanne Martin
2:00 p.m.
WRHN MHA Program Information
2:30 p.m.
Break (Snacks)
2:45 p.m.
Borderline personality disorder - Dr. Andrew Ekblad
3:45 p.m.
Closing remarks
Speakers
Dr. Roger McIntyre: Our GLP1 Receptor Agonist, Psychiatric drugs: a review of the science and clinical research opportunities.
Roger S. McIntyre, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Roger McIntyre is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. Dr. McIntyre was named by Clarivate Analytics in for a decade as one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds”. This distinction is given by publishing the largest number of articles that rank among those most frequently cited by researchers globally in 21 broad fields of science and social science during the previous decade. Dr. McIntyre has authored/co-authored more than 1200 articles/manuscripts and has edited and/or co-edited several textbooks on mood disorders.
Dr. McIntyre is involved in multiple research endeavours which primarily aim to characterize the phenomenology, neurobiology, and novel therapeutics of mood disorders. Dr. McIntyre has been especially interested in identifying innovative, rapid acting psychotropic treatments for mood disorders. Dr. McIntyre’s research has also extended into public health and implementation research at the population-based level.
Dr. McIntyre is extensively involved in medical education. He is a highly sought-after speaker at both national and international meetings. He has received several teaching awards from the University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry and has been a recipient of the joint Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) / Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Psychiatry in Canada. Additionally, Dr. McIntyre was awarded the Colvin Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Mood Disorders Research from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation in 2023.
Dr. McIntyre has also contributed extensively to clinical practice guidelines. For example, Dr. McIntyre is the lead author the Florida Best Practice Psychotherapeutic Medication Guidelines for Adults with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. In addition, Dr. McIntyre is also the lead author of the International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation of Ketamine and Esketamine in Mood Disorders. Dr. McIntyre is also a contributor to the CANMAT guidelines for the treatment of Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders as well as the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Clinical Practice Guidelines for Mood Disorders.
Dr. McIntyre completed his medical degree at Dalhousie University. He received his Psychiatry residency training and Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacology at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Jay Kothari: ADHD assessment & Management
Dr. Kothari was born in Mumbai, India, and earned his medical degree in Russia before completing his Psychiatry residency at Yale University in the US, where he specialized in Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and ketamine therapies.
He pursued further training through a fellowship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, integrating these practices into his work.
Dr. Kothari made significant contributions to the field at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where he was instrumental in establishing the first ketamine clinic dedicated to treating treatment-resistant suicidality, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Currently working at WRHN-Midtown Hospital, he also continues to teach child psychopharmacology to OHSU fellows.
Dr. Leanne Martin: Mental health disorder in Perimenopausal population
Dr. Martin is originally from St. John’s, NL and completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours), Master of Science degree and completed her medical training at Memorial University in Newfoundland.
She began her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology before discovering her passion for mental health and then completed her residency in psychiatry at Memorial University in 2018. She practiced at Cambridge Memorial hospital for one year before joining a private practice in Waterloo, ON.
Previously, she has also worked in a shared care practice in Cambridge at the Waterloo Region NP led clinic as well as having experiencing with ketamine treatment in patients with mood disorders.
She currently focuses on general adult outpatient psychiatry.
Dr. Sukhmeet Bedi: Severe and persistent Mental illness: Psychosis
Dr. Sukhmeet Bedi is a psychiatrist with WRHN. His roles include inpatient addiction consultation service
and adult outpatient psychiatry, including COTT, Hazelglen, concurrent clinic, and CDS injection clinic.
He completed his psychiatry residency at Griffin Memorial Hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, and Addiction Psychiatry subspecialty at UTSW in Dallas, Texas.
He has a special interest in helping the vulnerable population in our community.
Dr. Andrew Ekblad: Borderline personality disorder
Andrew Ekblad, Ph.D., C.Psych. is the Founder and Director of Broadleaf Health, a multi-disciplinary emotional and behavioural care clinic.
He has over 20 years of clinical and research experience in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) through Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). He also has extensive experience in the application of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness Based Therapies (MBT) for trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders. He is a Certified Clinician with the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). Broadleaf Health is one of two DBT-LBC Certified Programs in Canada.
Dr. Ekblad leads educational seminars and workshops for hospital, university, and community mental health practitioners throughout Canada. Dr. Ekblad has presented original research at international conferences and published academic articles on DBT, BPD, emergency department care of suicidal patients, substance abuse, mindfulness and mentoring.
A related interest in emotional skill use for developing resilience in first responders has led him to join standing committees with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Police Association of Ontario.
He is registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and the Newfoundland and Labrador Psychology Board. He is an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at McMaster University. Dr. Ekblad received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke University. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Dr. Olusola Awoniyi: Trauma & Stress related disorder
Dr Olusola Awoniyi graduated from the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, before relocating to the United Kingdom, where she completed specialist training in Old Age Psychiatry.
She moved to Canada 8 years ago and has provided psychiatric care across a diverse populations in both rural and urban settings.
Dr Awoniyi currently works at Midtown WRHN as a general psychiatrist with special interest in geriatric psychiatry, with a focus on improving the mental health and quality of life of older adults. She is committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care and working collaboratively with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams.
She moved to Canada 8 years ago and has provided psychiatric care across a diverse populations in both rural and urban settings.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Awoniyi is passionate about medical education and is dedicated to fostering engaging, practical learning experiences and is delighted to share her knowledge and expertise.
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Hosted by the Department of Psychiatry and the Mental Health & Addictions Program at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN)
This program is pending accreditation by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Ontario Chapter for up to be confirmed Group Learning credits.
For more information and other inquiries, please contact:
Melissa Raghunandan
Senior Secretary, Mental Health and Addictions
