Stigma surrounding mental illness and its treatment can be pervasive and negatively impact the quality of life of patients suffering with mental health problems. What role do psychiatric healthcare providers play in addressing and combating mental illness stigma? How do cultural factors influence the perception of mental illness and stigma? What are the best strategies for reducing stigma related to mental illness?

Dawn I. Velligan, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Chief of the Division of Community Recovery, Research and Training, and the Henry B. Dielmann Chair at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Velligan’s internationally recognized research program focuses on the development and testing of psychosocial treatments to improve medication interest, follow-through, and outcomes for people with schizophrenia. She developed cognitive adaptation training; a treatment designed to improve functional outcomes for people with serious mental illness. Dr. Velligan is an author of numerous publications in high impact journals and has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, industry, and private foundations.