Psych Congress Family & Friends Podcast, Episode 4: Every Pill is a Choice

In this episode, Drs Rakesh Jain and Craig Chepke discuss what it means to bring humanity into clinical care—from treating complex mood disorders with mixed features to carefully deprescribing benzodiazepines. Through a positive psychiatry lens, they reflect on recent research, the challenges of psychiatric diagnosis, and why every treatment decision should begin with a deep understanding of the person in front of us. Throughout the conversation, they honor the lasting influence of their late friend and mentor, Dr Vlad Maletic—a reminder that while death may end a life, it doesn’t end a relationship. His spirit of curiosity and compassion continues to inspire how we practice, teach, and care.

Episode Highlights:

• Reflections on the legacy and influence of Dr Vladimir Maletic and the power of community in practice
• Clinical insights on diagnosing and treating mood disorders with mixed features
• Discussion of new data on lumateperone as monotherapy for bipolar and unipolar depression with mixed features
• Why kappa opioid receptor antagonists are facing setbacks in clinical trials
• A practical, human-centered approach to prescribing and deprescribing benzodiazepines
• The importance of psychoeducation, alliance-building, and individualizing taper plans
• A call to balance pharmacology with empathy, and precision with presence

Rakesh Jain, MD, MPH, attended medical school at the University of Calcutta in India. He then attended graduate school at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston, where he was awarded a “National Institute/Center for Disease Control Competitive Traineeship”. His research thesis focused on impact of substance abuse. He graduated from the School of Public Health in 1987 with a Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree.

Dr Jain served a 3-year residency in Psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He followed that by obtaining further specialty training, by undergoing a two-year fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. In addition, Dr Jain completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Research Psychiatry at the University of Texas Mental Sciences Institute, in Houston. He was awarded the “National Research Service Award” for the support of this postdoctoral fellowship.

Craig Chepke, MD, DFAPA, is a Board-Certified psychiatrist in clinical practice as the medical director of Excel Psychiatric Associates in Huntersville, NC, and is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry for the Sandra and Leon Levine Psychiatry Residency Program at Atrium Health. He attended NYU School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry training at Duke University. As part of an interdisciplinary treatment team in his practice, he employs a person-centered care model to tailor treatments to each individual's needs, integrating traditional pharmacotherapy with psychotherapeutic and physical health and wellness interventions. His clinical and academic interests include serious mental illness, movement disorders, ADHD, and sleep medicine. Dr Chepke is the Scientific Director for the Psych Congress portfolio of CME conferences, and he has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.