Bulldog parent Dr. Elizabeth Ferguson, a board-certified and Harvard-trained forensic psychiatrist, visited the Upper School San Jose Campus on March 27 to speak with students about her expertise and mental health.
Students taught by upper school faculty members Michelle Miller and Jennifer Gomez listened to Ferguson’s engaging presentation, which gave them a deeper understanding of forensic psychiatry and more information about how to pursue a career in the field.
Ferguson discussed the three legs of forensic psychiatry – correctional psychiatry, the criminally insane and courtroom expertise – and shed light on the links between poverty, mental illness and substance abuse. She overviewed various mental illnesses, including depression, antisocial personality disorder and psychosis, and emphasized that mental illness alone does not make someone more likely to commit a crime.
Ferguson also shared anecdotes from different patients she has treated and cases in which she served as an expert witness. At the conclusion of each presentation held throughout the day, students had the opportunity to ask Ferguson questions about her career, the difference between forensic psychiatry and criminal psychology and more
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