Rethinking Psychiatric Medications with Author Brooke Siem: The 16th Annual Pat Risser RSVP Conference

What happens when a person decides to live without antidepressants after depending on them for 15 years?

Find out from author Brooke Siem when she delivers the keynote address at the 16th Annual Pat Risser RSVP Conference on Wednesday, March 26th, at the John C. Myers Convocation Center. Participants can attend in person or online.

About Brooke Siem

Siem, who wrote the critically acclaimed memoir May Cause Side Effects (Central Recovery Press, 2022), belonged to the first generation of teens to use prescription antidepressants. After relying on them for half of her life—and all of her adult life—she chose to leave them behind to discover who she was apart from them.

Siem’s thought-provoking narrative will invite attendees to embrace a deeper understanding of informed consent, consider a new perspective on psychiatric medications, and think critically about the care they receive from mental health professionals.

In discussing these subjects, the author will explore themes that exist at the heart of the RSVP Conference—themes that appear in the event’s acronym, which stands for “Respect, Success, Value, and Purpose.” 

Siem’s discussion will also resonate deeply with the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County’s commitment to the Three Legs of the Stool—the three core values that guide our approach to mental health and substance use challenges.

The first of these values is Trauma-Informed Care. The author began taking antidepressants following a traumatic event: the sudden death of her father. Her story therefore serves as a springboard for exploring how trauma should inform approaches to mental health care. 

In her willingness to walk away from psychiatric medications, build a new life for herself without them, and pursue healing, Siem explores the second of our three core values: Resilience and Recovery. 

Siem’s emphasis on informed consent and the careful consideration of psychiatric medications reflects our third core value: Medical Optimization. We encourage a cautious approach to using medicine for mental health and substance use challenges, and Siem’s words will serve as food for thought on this subject. 

By attending this conference, you will gain a deeper understanding of these three core values and how they drive our mission to provide transformative care to the Ashland County community. 

Conference Information

In addition to Siem’s keynote address, other cutting-edge speakers with lived experience will present throughout the day. Each one will challenge traditional perspectives on mental health care and psychiatric medications.

A featured speaker will be Siem’s mother, Dee Barbish. Dee and Brooke will co-present separately from the keynote, sharing the parents’ and children’s perspectives of Brooke’s story. This angle of exploring the difficult decision about medications may serve parents in a similar situation.

To participate in the RSVP Conference in person, you can register online for $20. You will enjoy breakfast, lunch, and the opportunity to participate in a book signing with the author. 

To attend virtually through ZOOM, you can register online for $10. While the event starts at 8:45 AM, online attendees can check in as early as 8 AM.

Whether you attend in person or virtually, we think this exciting event will help you learn to think more critically about the mental health care you and/or your loved ones receive.

Register today to attend the 16th Annual Pat Risser RSVP Conference. We think you will be glad you seized this incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and be inspired—we look forward to seeing you there! 

Event Details:
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 26th, 2025
🕗 Time: 8:45 AM – 4 PM (Zoom participants can check-in starting at 8 AM)
📍 Location: John C. Myers Convocation Center, 401 College Ave., Ashland, Ohio 44805