American Parkinson Disease Association Announces New Training Course for Mental Health Practitioners

Free five-part course will provide valuable insights into the mental and emotional experiences of people with Parkinson's and offers a CE credit for each session.

NEW YORK, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) will soon launch a free five-part training course designed for mental health practitioners who work with individuals and families affected by Parkinson's disease (PD). Bridging Mental Health and Parkinson's Care will provide valuable insights into the mental and emotional experiences of people with PD, as well as the unique needs of care partners. Each session will offer practical knowledge and strategies to help mental health professionals better understand this population, strengthen their clinical skills, and provide more compassionate, informed support.

APDA will release one training session per month, beginning July 22 and ending November 18, 2026. Each session will offer one CE credit.

Training Course Overview:

Session One – Understanding PD: A Foundation for Mental Health Practitioners
Available beginning Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Presented by Melita Petrossian, MD, Director, Pacific Movement Disorders Center, this session will provide a comprehensive introduction to PD, covering symptoms, disease progression, psychosocial impacts, and the complex relationship between PD and mental health.

Session Two – Mental Health & PD
Available beginning Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Presented by Gloria Lebeaux, LCSW, Director of Social Services, Friedberg JCC, this session will offer practical guidance for addressing depression, anxiety, and apathy in people with PD, including a clinical approach to treatment and best practices for therapy interventions.

Session Three – Supporting Family Caregivers
Available beginning Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Presented by Sheila Moore, MSG, LCSW, Pacific Movement Disorder Center and Maureen Feldman, MA, Director of the Social Isolation Impact Project, this session will explore the psychological toll of caregiving, strategies to build caregiver resilience and well-being, and effective caregiver support systems and referral pathways.

Session Four – Age & Cultural Considerations in PD Mental Health Care
Available beginning Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Presented by Natalie Diaz, MD, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, this session will provide an understanding of how age-related and cultural dynamics shape the mental health needs of people with PD and will highlight ways of providing equitable, culturally-responsive support.

Session Five – Addressing Grief & Loss
Available beginning Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Presented by Lori Nisson, LCSW, Banner Health, this session will explore the concepts of anticipatory grief and ambiguous loss – and strategies for supporting quality of life – for people with PD and care partners.

"The mental and emotional aspects of Parkinson's are often overshadowed by the physical symptoms, even though they can have a profound impact on daily life," said Rosa Peña, MSW, Senior Vice President of Programs & Services at APDA. "By creating this course specifically for mental health practitioners, APDA is helping to ensure that more professionals have the insight they need to provide meaningful support to people with PD and those who care for them."

This new course join's APDA's existing library of professional training courses, including:

• Parkinson's Disease Training for Fitness Professionals: Exercise is one of the most effective ways for people with PD to combat their symptoms. This course helps fitness, health, and wellness professionals safely and effectively work with people with PD to develop exercise regimens that will support treatment of their symptoms and substantially improve their quality of life.
• Parkinson's Disease Awareness for First Responders: The unique symptoms of PD can be mishandled and misunderstood in emergency situations. This course helps police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service providers recognize the unique symptoms and needs of those with PD, enabling them to provide the best and most appropriate care.
• Taking Care of the Person with Advanced Parkinson's: Caring for someone with advanced PD can be complex. This course helps those who care for people with PD – particularly home health aides, nursing home staff, and visiting nurses – better understand the symptoms and challenges that come with advanced PD and how to best manage them as the disease progresses.

All of APDA's professional training courses are web-based, free of charge, open to all, and can be completed at each participant's convenience.

APDA offers a wide range of PD programs, resources, education, and support for the PD community. To learn more, visit www.apdaparkinson.org, email [email protected], or call 800-223-2732.

About the American Parkinson Disease Association

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting Parkinson's disease (PD) by providing the support, education, research, and community that helps everyone impacted by PD live life to the fullest. Through a nationwide grassroots network of Chapters and Information & Referral (I&R) Centers, APDA works tirelessly to raise public awareness of this chronic neurologic movement disorder and deliver outstanding patient services, resources, and educational and wellness programs to the approximately one million people living with PD in the United States and their care partners and families. Envisioning a world without PD, APDA's national research program and Centers for Advanced Research aim to provide better treatments and unlock the mysteries of the disease. APDA is also committed to advancing public policy solutions that improve lives and move us toward a cure. Founded in 1961, APDA has raised and invested more than $338 million in its efforts to support the PD community. Learn more at www.apdaparkinson.org.

SOURCE American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc.