Open Therapy Institute

If you’ve been waiting to register for the OTI Inaugural Conference, now is the time. The full speaker lineup is set, the panel and podcast are confirmed, and the best price you’ll get is the one that expires in a few hours.

Register now — before 12:00am ET

We’d love to have you in the room, October 9–11.

Take an additional $100 off any ticket until July 31st as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $499 → $399 early bird
Non-Member*: $549 → $449 early bird

Professional (25% off = $299) and Premier (50% off = $199) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

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The Internet Broke Human Intimacy

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:55:14 GMT

Watch The Open Therapy Podcast's Latest Episode

ALL PODCAST EPISODES

Early bird pricing ends tomorrow! Register now

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Rob Henderson, Erica Komisar, and Andrew Hartz — live, in-person

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:02:27 GMT

Some conversations are better in a room than in your headphones.

This October, Rob Henderson, Ph.D. and Erica Komisar, LCSW join Andrew Hartz, Ph.D. for a live recording of the Open Therapy Podcast — in front of an audience, at our OTI Inaugural Conference. This special session brings together three respected voices for a timely conversation on therapy, society, and the ideas shaping mental health discourse.

Henderson writes about human nature, psychology, and privilege in the social structure. Komisar is a clinician and author whose work on families and child development has made her a candid, and sometimes contrarian, voice in public conversation. Hartz is a clinical psychologist who has spent years pressing the mental health field to reckon with its own blind spots.

Put the three of them in front of a live audience and you get the kind of exchange that doesn’t happen when everyone’s on separate screens.

You’ll be in the room for it, along with:

12 speakers on politics, faith, identity, and bias in clinical practice
Panel discussing the national patient survey on bias in mental health
A room full of clinicians, researchers, and academics who take these questions seriously

If you’ve been wondering if there’s anywhere these conversations happen in person — this is it. We hope to see you at the OTI Inaugural Conference on October 9-11.

Register now — early-bird pricing ends in 7 days

1 week until Early Bird pricing ends

Take an additional $100 off any ticket until July 31st as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $499 → $399 early bird
Non-Member*: $549 → $449 early bird

Professional (25% off = $299) and Premier (50% off = $199) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

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The Strange Psychology of Cancel Culture

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 17:31:06 GMT

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New data: what patients say about bias in their care

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:17:26 GMT

We talk a lot about bias in mental health. This October, we’ll have the data.

At the OTI Inaugural Conference, we’re unveiling findings from the National Survey of Patient Experiences — what patients themselves report about how their values, beliefs, and backgrounds have shaped the care they’ve received. It’s a rare look at the field from the other side of the room, and we’ll be discussing it with a featured panel.

Four voices will make sense of what the survey shows:

Sally Satel, M.D., Yale School of Medicine
Omar Sultan Haque, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
Michael Strambler, Ph.D., Yale University
Richard Redding, J.D., Ph.D., Chapman University

Together they’ll dig into what the survey reveals, where it challenges our assumptions, and what it means for how we practice.

Register to join us October 9–11 in Washington, D.C.

If you want to be in the room, now’s the time — early-bird pricing ends in ten days, on July 31.

10 days until Early Bird pricing ends

Take an additional $100 off any ticket until July 31st as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $499 → $399 early bird
Non-Member*: $549 → $449 early bird

Professional (25% off = $299) and Premier (50% off = $199) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

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Why You Overthink Everything

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:44:07 GMT

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Culture, identity, and the future of mental health

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:56:22 GMT

We’ve already introduced the first half of our speakers and topics.

Now, here’s our remaining lineup of speakers — six voices on culture, identity, and where mental health field goes from here.

Andrew Hartz, Ph.D.: Reforming Mental Health in the Coming Years
William C. Sanderson, Ph.D.: Importance of Psychological Differences Between Men and Women
Joshua Aronson, Ph.D.: Anti-Male Bias and Aggression in Higher Education
Omar Sultan Haque, M.D., Ph.D.: Anti-White Bullying in the School System
Michael Strambler, Ph.D.: Agency versus Victimhood Narrative
J. Ryan Fuller, Ph.D.: Understanding Political Violence and Anger

These programs meet accreditation standards for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and counselors: 9.25 CE credits available.

Don’t miss out. Join us for the OTI Inaugural Conference in Washington, D.C.

2 weeks until Early Bird pricing ends

Take an additional $100 off any ticket until July 31st as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $600 → $499 ($399 early bird)
Non-Member*: $649→ $549 ($449 early bird)

Professional (25% off = $299) and Premier (50% off = $199) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

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Join Our Team: Now Hiring a Marketing Specialist

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:57:00 GMT

We’re excited to share that Open Therapy Institute is growing!

OTI is looking for a full-time, fully remote Marketing Specialist to join our team and help us bring our mission to more people who need it.

If you know someone who’d be a great fit — or if that someone is you! — we’d love for them to apply. Full details and application instructions are here: https://talentmarket.org/job-opening/oti-marketing/

Thanks for helping us spread the word. We can’t wait to grow the team!

VIEW FULL DESCRIPTION AND APPLY

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The conversations most therapy rooms avoid

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:39:04 GMT

Every clinician knows the moments a session veers toward politics, religion, or identity — and knows how rarely our field gives us honest guidance on what to do next. The OTI Inaugural Conference takes those moments head-on.

Talks meet accreditation standards for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and counselors: 9.25 CE credits available.

Here’s the first half of our speaker lineup: six voices tackling bias, belief, and politics in the therapy room:

Omar Sultan Haque, M.D., Ph.D.: Faith and Meaning in the Mental Health System
Richard Redding, J.D., Ph.D.: Psychotherapy with Conservative Patients
Pamela Paresky, Ph.D.: The Role of Queer Theory in the Mental Health System
Jill Cermele, Ph.D.: Politics and Emotion Dysregulation in the Therapy Room
Lawrence Ian Reed, Ph.D.: Minorities with Heterodox Viewpoints
Nina Silander, Psy.D.: Secular Bias in the Mental Health System

This is only half the program. Part 2 lands this week, along with our national survey panel and a live podcast taping later this month.

If these are the conversations you wish our field had more of, join us October 9–11 for the OTI Inaugural Conference in Washington, D.C.

Through July 31st, take an additional $100 off any ticket as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $600 → $499 ($399 early bird)
Non-Member*: $649→ $549 ($449 early bird)

Professional (25% off) and Premier (50% off) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

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What's New at The Open Therapy Institute

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:01:06 GMT

Latest OTI articles in Psychology Today

“Is Biased Research Misleading Therapists? Probably” based on work by OTI Faculty Benjamin Lovett, Ph.D.
“The Mental Health Field Has a Trust Problem with Police” based on work by OTI Faculty Kristopher Kaliebe, M.D.

EXPLORE OTI ON PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

More News & Media

“Psychotherapy populations that are overlooked due to sociopolitical bias” in Current Opinion in Psychology, co-authored by OTI Founder & President Andrew Hartz, Ph.D.
“Racialized Psychotherapy: Understudied Risks and the Case for Empirical Scrutiny” in Current Opinion in Psychology, authored by OTI Senior Advisor Michael Strambler, Ph.D.

EXPLORE MORE OTI MEDIA

READ OUR PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL

Open Therapy Podcast

w/ Rob Henderson, Meghan Daum, and Andrew Hartz

ALL PODCAST EPISODES

Early Bird Pricing Until July 31st

Anyone can apply to attend!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

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The Childhood Patterns Controlling Your Adult Life

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:02:41 GMT

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WATCH EPISODE 7

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Early Bird Registration is Open to the OTI Inaugural Conference!

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:57:24 GMT

We lowered ticket prices! Plus, through July 31st, take an additional $100 off any ticket as a part of our special early bird pricing. Learn more and register.

Member: $600 → $499 ($399 early bird)
Non-Member*: $649→ $549 ($449 early bird)

Professional (25% off) and Premier (50% off) tier members may use the discount code in their member dashboard for further savings!

*Non-Member conference registrants need to complete a background screening form and their purchase may be declined.

Event Details

Anyone can apply to attend!

October 9–11, 2026

Historic Decatur House, Washington, D.C.

What to Expect

• CE credits for psychologists, physicians, counselors, social workers and nurses

• New talks from OTI faculty members

• Group discussions about the future of OTI and mental health care

• Robust time for building social and professional connections

Programming begins Friday evening with a welcome reception and continues through full-day sessions Saturday and Sunday, including meals and a hosted dinner.

Attendance space and special hotel group rate is limited.

We look forward to convening a wonderful weekend of solutions-oriented dialogue — and to having you in the room!

Conference Accommodations

A room block has been secured at the Sofitel Washington, DC Lafayette Square (806 15th St. NW) at the rate of $289/night. Please use the button below to secure your room before September 18, 2026.

BOOK HOTEL

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Your AI Therapist Doesn't Care About You (And You Know It)

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:30:55 GMT

Watch The Open Therapy Podcast's Latest Episode

WATCH EPISODE 7

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Why Leaders Don't Fix Homelessness

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:26:22 GMT

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WATCH EPISODE 6

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What's New at The Open Therapy Institute

Open Therapy Institute (OTI) — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:15:56 GMT

Gender Therapy at a Crossroads

WATCH HERE

Latest OTI articles in Psychology Today

“Why It’s Hard Being on Our Own: The Black Sheep Problem,” based on work by OTI Faculty Lawrence Ian Reed, Ph.D.
“The Mental Health Field Has an Anti-Police Problem” based on work by OTI Faculty Kristopher Kaliebe, M.D.

EXPLORE OTI ON PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

Why Conspiracies Are Gratifying

Open Therapy Podcast #4

ALL PODCAST EPISODES

More News & Media

“Is the victimology worldview of many young therapists ill-suited for cognitive behavior therapy?” in ScienceDirect, co-authored by OTI Head of Research Richard Redding, J.D., Ph.D.
“Smile. You’re Hired” in The Wall Street Journal, authored by Open Therapy Podcast Co-Host and OTI Editorial Board Member Rob Henderson, Ph.D.

OTI Inaugural Conference

Anyone can apply to attend!

A conference exploring socio-political bias in mental health care through CE credit talks, participatory dialogue, and community.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Join OTI for a Dinner in London

OTI members are invited to a dinner on the evening of Thursday, June 25, coinciding with the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship Conference (June 23–25). Rob Henderson (co-host of the Open Therapy podcast) will be presenting at the conference. We’re looking forward to gathering with members who are attending or nearby.

We’ll share details on time and location soon, but space is limited so please RSVP to reserve your spot by June 12th.

RSVP HERE

New Ways to Become an OTI Member

LEARN MORE & APPLY HERE

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