Difficult-to-treat depression: medication, meditation and transcranial direct current stimulation. Integrating new research into clinical practice.

Date: Thursday 18 June
Time: 10.33am - 11.45am

Overview

In this symposium, we will present you with the latest evidence on difficult-to-treat depression (DTD): 

Mary Ryan, former GP and Expert by Experience, talks from her first-hand experience of what it means to live with this condition. For Mary, as for many people, difficult-to-treat depression has been a recurrent problem throughout her adult life. She will talk about the ways in which mindfulness-based cognitive approaches have helped her become better at being herself, through learning new ways to navigate pervasive negative thinking and with less reliance on services. 

The scientific robustness of the mindfulness paradigm for DTD is outlined by Prof Thorsten Barnhofer, a leader in the science of mindfulness. Thorsten will talk about the latest research evidence, as he presents the latest trial data from his multicentre RCT, and the research that has led to NICE recommending mindfulness-based approaches for the treatment and prevention of depression.

Prof David Taylor presents the latest data on somatic and psychological acute treatments for DTD, including insights from research into transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). David presents a brief summary of the current thinking about the pharmacological treatment of DTD, including sequencing of interventions. David summarises the latest evidence in pharmacological treatments for DTD and the role of tDCS. Parallel usage of pharmacological and psychological approaches is considered.

Joy Patterson presents a case presentation of a patient with DTD, outlining how prescribing medication and psychological treatments, including meditation practices, can be integrated in clinical practice. Joy demonstrates how Psychiatric Formulation can be used to integrate the biological, psychological and sociocultural into holistic patient care and treatment of DTD.

In this session you will explore:

  • An overview of the scientific concept of pharmacological treatment of DTD, a review of the literature, and the latest data
  • Insights from research into transcranial Direct Current Stimulation as a treatment for depression
  • An overview of the scientific concept of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, a literature review and the latest evidence
  • In this session, you will learn about the practical consequences and impact of patients engaging with mindfulness meditation practice while also taking medication, and the impact on relapse prevention and the course of the condition from a community psychiatry perspective

Speakers

  • Chair: Dr Florian Ruths, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London
  • Mindfulness and medication: expert by experience perspective
    • Dr Mary Ryan, University of Exeter, Exeter
  • Mindfulness: new evidence for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in difficult to treat depression
    • Professor Thorsten Barnhofer, University of Surrey, Guildford
  • Difficult to treat depression: research updates on psychopharmacology and transcranial direct current stimulation
    • Professor David Taylor, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London
  • The biopsychosocial approach to DTD in clinical practice: a case presentation
    • Dr Joy Patterson, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast
  • Translating the evidence into day-to-day psychiatric clinical practice: how medication and meditation prescribing can be interwoven in a community psychiatry setting
    • Dr Florian Ruths, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London
Register for Congress 2026

Please email congress@rcpsych.ac.uk or call 020 8618 4120 with any enquiries.