Our philosophy

We are a fluid and adaptable “team of teams” thriving together from our shared sense of mission, our interacting connections, and our overlapping projects and goals.

Our mission

  • Create and disseminate new knowledge in the science of mental health
  • Provide effective and innovative clinical care programs to alleviate the suffering of mental illness and promote mental resilience
  • Train the next generation of interprofessional experts who will be leaders in Minnesota and beyond
  • Engage in compassionate and vigorous outreach and advocacy on issues relevant to psychiatric illness, treatment, and research

What we stand for

The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences upholds the value that we all benefit from a multitude of areas of expertise, backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, as do our clinical, research, and educational goals and outcomes. We are committed to fostering a culture of mutual respect where excellent communication and problem-solving skills are actively valued and promoted, especially for topics that are complex or potentially divisive

Unequivocal scientific evidence affirms that physical and mental health are impacted by individual and community experiences. We commit to supporting all of the individuals and communities that we serve across Minnesota – rural and urban– and to seeking to understand their lived experiences. We pledge to take the lead in continually educating ourselves and others to address the relevant issues head-on, guided by science and by the needs identified by our fellow Minnesotans.

Our “ABCs”:
Appreciate differences.
Be kind and be curious.
Communicate directly, work collectively.
Do what’s right, not what’s easy.
Embody excellence.
Fail forward.

Our Science

We collaborate actively within the rich scientific ecosystem at the University of Minnesota (e.g., see NeuroPRSMH) and have a broad range of research programs that include:

  • Creativity Camps for suicidal adolescents | RAD Lab
  • Innovative invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation approaches, with projects ranging from basic science experiments to a focus on improving access for marginalized groups | NNL Lab | TNE Lab | IPL Lab
  • Cutting-edge neural recording, neuroimaging and data science methods for treatment-resistant depression, psychosis, eating disorders, and adolescent substance use | Schallmo Lab | Herman-Darrow Lab | Minnesota Center for Eating Disorder Research
  • Nationally networked learning healthcare system in early psychosis | CoTIPP Lab

Our clinical programs

  • Team-based care with specialized clinics for adult ADD, medically complex patients, addictions, treatment-resistant depression, psychosis across the lifespan, trauma/anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, childhood anxiety and mood disorders..
  • Nationally recognized expertise in adolescent depression, early psychosis, and treatment-resistant depression.
    State-of-the-art interventional psychiatry program offering TMS, ECT, VNS, PFCS, and ketamine.  Research trial in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.

Our educational programs

  • In addition to medical school courses, clerkships, and electives, we offer a General Psychiatry Residency and Fellowships in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Neuromodulation Medicine. 
  • We offer Clinical Training opportunities for learners in Psychology (pediatric internship, post-doctoral and practicum level), Social Work (internship), Marriage and Family Therapy (practicum), and Nurse Practitioner programs.
  • Research trainees at the post-bac, graduate student and postdoc level work with many of our research faculty. We also lead or participate in several T32 post-doc training programs, including T32s in Mental Health and Substance Use and in Computational Psychiatry.

How we work to foster excellence and well-being

The fourth pillar of our mission is inclusive excellence and well-being for all members of our department through individual and group activities. We have an active division of Inclusive Excellence and Well-Being (IEWB) which supports all of us to share our wisdom, expertise, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to ensure excellence in each of our mission areas. Members of our department are aslo actively involved in podcasts, social media outreach, and a range of community educational forums to help disseminate our work and meet the mental health needs of our community.

Contacts

Sophia Vinogradov

Sophia Vinogradov, MD
Professor and Head
Donald W. Hastings Endowed Chair
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Joseph LeGarde

Joseph LeGarde
Executive Administrative Assistant
612-273-9820
[email protected]