Jean Addington

Jean Addington is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto where she heads the PRIME Clinic for young people at high risk for psychosis and the Psychosocial Intervention Service for the First Episode Psychosis Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Calgary in the schizophrenia field and has been actively involved as a researcher, clinician and educator for over 20 years.

In 1996, Dr. Addington was instrumental in founding the Early Psychosis Program in Calgary, Alberta and directed that program until her move to Toronto in July 2002. Both the Toronto and Calgary programs are widely acknowledged as leading Canadian models for the treatment and study of first episode and prodromal patients. Dr. Addington brings a broad range of clinical and research expertise to her work in the study of early psychosis. Her research spans a wide range of critical theoretical and clinical topics including first episode and prodromal studies, depression, cognitive and social functioning, group therapy, family treatment, substance abuse, and medication trials. Her broad experience in clinical care, research and teaching has led her to develop an active role in consulting to developing first episode psychosis programs throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Since 2003 Dr. Addington was the Vice-President North America for the IEPA. She organized and chaired the 4th IEPA Conference held in Vancouver in 2004.

As President Dr. Addington brings to the IEPA her experience in developing early intervention services, her interest in integrating psychosocial and medical treatments and her efforts to advance the research, clinical, educational and advocacy priorities of the early intervention movement throught the world.