Another month has come to a close and another edition of Psyche has hit your inbox. Today, before you skim through the items (or, heaven forbid, press delete) please pause to consider what each edition represents.

Among the glut of emails you receive in your personal and business lives – and yes, I know many of these are from RANZCP and we are working to improve this – Psyche is designed to offer a handy digest for time-poor professionals to stay connected to their peers and profession. Each newsletter includes a selection of important happenings around the College and outlines what’s coming up of interest.

Psyche is a list of stories, people and events… but it is also much more than that! When I read each edition of Psyche, I get another glimpse of the passion of my colleagues and peers across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. While our mental health systems continue to face real and ongoing challenges, what stands out to me is the dedication and hard work of our members, carers, and communities.  

From the Barton Pope Lecture being successfully delivered (for the 66^th time!) in South Australia through to Branch-led advocacy outcomes and meritorious awards, and the thought-provoking offerings of recent conferences, the common theme is it cannot be done without you. Your work is on display in Psyche, and for that I thank you.

We had successful turnouts at the Faculty of Psychotherapy 2025 Conference and the Section of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation 2025 Conference. Work is in full swing to confirm our events calendar for 2026 and ‘save the dates’ have been announced for many conferences. Early bird registration for RANZCP 2026 Congress in Melbourne is now open.

The RANZCP Foundation is presenting a virtual masterclass on sleep disorders on 22 November. It aims to equip psychiatrists with practical, evidence-based approaches to assessing and managing sleep disorders in clinical practice, and will cover topics such as insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, excessive daytime sleepiness, parasomnias, and the role of sleep in psychiatric conditions.

The psychiatrist of today also needs to be attuned to the work and voices of people outside of the profession. During National Carers Week from 12–18 October, we heard from Kirsty Rosie, the College’s first Lived and Living Experience Advisor (Carer), who shared why carers’ voices must be included in shaping the future of mental health services. The unique insights and lived expertise of carers are not only invaluable, they are essential to delivering compassionate and effective care.

Moving on to a few practical reminders – the way you access RANZCP systems has now changed due to an important system upgrade. To update your login with your unique username and set a new password, refer to the instructions on our website or contact memberhelp@ranzcp.org for support.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has so far contributed to our 2026–30 Strategic Plan consultation, and it is not too late to share your perspectives. Members can log on to the RANZCP Consultation Hub or email strategicplan@ranzcp.org by tomorrow Friday 31 October.

I thank each of you for the work that you do every day – whether you're providing care, advocating for change, or supporting a colleague – and look forward to continuing this important work together.

If you know a colleague or peer whose work deserves recognition, there’s still time to nominate them for the 2026 RANZCP awards program. This is your chance to celebrate achievement, honour service, and spotlight extraordinary contributions. Applications for the 2026 awards program close tomorrow, Friday 31 October. 

I look forward to seeing your applications and learning more about the dedication of my colleagues in next month’s Psyche.

Dr Astha Tomar
President