Psychopharmacology Masterclass: Drug Classes, Mechanisms of Action, and What Every Psychologist Needs to Know for Clinical Practice and the

Psychopharmacology is one of the most heavily tested and clinically consequential domains in professional psychology, covering everything from the neurochemical mechanisms behind antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and anxiolytics to the pharmacokinetic principles that determine how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated in ways that directly affect treatment outcomes and patient safety. This lecture-style episode breaks down the major drug classes tested on the EPPP and encountered in integrated care settings, including SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics, MAOIs, first and second generation antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and lithium, covering their mechanisms, therapeutic windows, side effect profiles, and the clinical decision-making frameworks psychologists need to consult competently with prescribing professionals. Whether you are preparing for licensure, refreshing your pharmacology knowledge for supervision or consultation, or building the scientific foundation you need to practice in an era of increasingly integrated behavioral health care, this episode delivers the core content in a focused, high-yield format designed to make complex neuroscience and pharmacology accessible and retainable.