Josh Hamilton, DNP, APRN-BC, CTMH, CNE, CLNC, FAANP, presented “Unraveling anxiety and compulsion: Contemporary diagnostic and pharmacogenomic strategies for Nurse Practitioners” at the 2025 AAPPN Annual Conference in Seattle on October 4.
Anxiety disorders and compulsive conditions are among the most common—and often misdiagnosed—mental health challenges seen in psychiatric and primary care. Hamilton’s session highlighted how nurse practitioners can apply updated DSM-5-TR criteria, neurobiological models, and pharmacogenomic tools to refine diagnosis and personalize treatment.
Through clinical vignettes and discussion, Hamilton guided participants in:
- Differentiating between anxiety-related and compulsive disorders using frameworks such as the fear-avoidance and habit-centered models.
- Applying pharmacogenomic data to inform psychotropic prescribing, including CYP450 pathways and serotonin transporter polymorphisms.
- Expanding treatment planning beyond SSRIs to include adjunctive pharmacotherapies, psychotherapy modalities, neuromodulation, and emerging agents.
Recognized nationally for his expertise in psychiatric pharmacology and named “America’s Top Psychiatric NP” in both 2021 and 2024, Hamilton offered practical strategies to improve patient outcomes and strengthen shared decision-making in clinical practice.
For those who could not attend in person, a recorded webinar of the full conference will be available in November 2025.