Editorial introductions

Abstract

Current Opinion in Psychiatry was launched in 1988. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of psychiatry is divided into 13 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Winfried RiefWinfried RiefWinfried Rief, PhD, is currently Chair of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Head of the Outpatient Clinic of Psychotherapy at the Philipps University, and Head of the Postgraduate PhD-Program for Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Marburg, Germany. After completing his training in psychology at the University of Trier (Germany) he passed his postgraduate training and PhD program at the University of Konstanz, the Psychiatric Hospital Reichenau, and the Psychiatric Hospital Rottenmünster (Rottweil, Germany). Afterwards, he was Head of the Psychology Department of the Psychosomatic Hospital Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany. From 1991 to 2000, he was a lecturer at the University of Salzburg, Austria. He is a licensed psychotherapist (cognitive behavior therapy) and supervisor. In 2001, Dr Rief moved to the University of Marburg. Dr Rief has contributed significantly to the field of medically unexplained symptoms. His publications address aspects of classification of somatoform disorders, psychobiological and psychological features of medically unexplained syndromes, training of general practitioners, how to manage this patient group, and cognitive behavioral intervention trials. Just recently he also published in the field of placebo and nocebo mechanisms, and he chairs a nationwide research group funded by the German Research Foundation DFG since 2010. His studies were supported by the German Research Foundation DFG as well as the German Ministry of Education and Research BMBF. Dr Rief was invited guest professor at Harvard Medical School/Harvard University in Boston, USA from September 2004 to January 2005. He was also visiting professor of the Medical School of the University of Auckland, New Zealand from September to October 2002 and at UCSD San Diego from September 2009 until January 2010. He received the Award of Excellent Scientific Contribution from the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe (Winterthur 2004) and as Outstanding Scientist in the field of behavioral medicine from ISBM in 2014. Dr Rief has also been active as a member of the editorial board or reviewer of more than 30 scientific journals. He was Head of the German Society of Behavioral Medicine from 2001 to 2005. In 2006, he was nominated as Invited Expert for the conference on “somatic presentations of mental disorders” under the auspices of the American Psychiatric Association APA, the National Institute of Health NIH, and the World Health Organization. He also co-chairs the ICD-11 working group “Chronic Pain Diagnoses” since 2013. Mohan IsaacMohan IsaacMohan Isaac, FRCPsych, FRANZCP, is Professor of Psychiatry and Graduate Research Coordinator at the School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth and Consultant Psychiatrist, Fremantle Hospital and Health Services, Fremantle, Australia. After completing his medical training at the Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore, India, Mohan obtained postgraduate training and qualifications in psychiatry (Diploma in Psychological Medicine and Doctorate in Medicine –Psychiatry) from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore. He joined the teaching faculty of NIMHANS in 1979 as a lecturer and subsequently worked there for over 25 years in various capacities and chaired the Department of Psychiatry for numerous years. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS. Mohan has contributed significantly to the development and implementation of the ‘National Mental Health Programme’ in India. Mohan has assisted the World Health Organization (WHO) as a temporary adviser and consultant in mental health on numerous occasions and in different parts of the world including Afghanistan and Jordan. He has also worked as a staff member at WHO's headquarters in Geneva. He has assisted numerous other international organizations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, United Mission to Nepal, Kathmandu, Royal Netherlands Embassy in India, New Delhi, etc., on matters related to mental health. Mohan supports the work of various non-governmental organizations in the field of health and mental health, in developing countries. He is the President of the Medico-Pastoral Association (www.medicopastoralassociation.com) and the “Society for Community Health Awareness, Research and Action” (www.sochara.org), in Bangalore, India. He has a special interest in delivery of mental health care in resource poor settings. He is currently involved in a project on “Capacity building for mental health care services, training and research in Asian countries”.