Contextual Psychiatry Special Interest Group

Affiliated 2026

Click Here to join the Contextual Psychiatry SIG and its Listserv!

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SIG Leaders
Ethan Short Rainer Sonntag
Niklas Törneke
Kenneth Fung

Mission/Objectives

The ACBS Contextual Psychiatry SIG aims to support the development of a more nuanced, inclusive, and effective approach to mental healthcare that includes the values and competencies of contextual psychiatry. This includes recognizing the complex interplay of individual, family, community, and structural influences, and promoting care models that foster resilience, equity, and empowerment at both individual and collective levels. We acknowledge the importance of diverse epistemologies and ways of knowing, moving beyond solely Eurocentric models to engage with global, Indigenous, and culturally grounded perspectives.

Potential SIG Activities

• SIG listserv
• Special events (speakers, webinars, etc.)
• Sponsor sessions at the ACBS World Conference
• Work with other ACBS SIGs to make sure the voice of psychiatry is heard within the association.