After years of expectation, we now have the DSM-5 in hand. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual was released at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting in San Francisco at the end of May.

Following my participation as a collaborating clinical investigator during the field trials I began training mental health professionals in what was expected to be in the manual. I was able to attend the APA conference where the DSM-5 was launched, and went to all the sessions I could on the content of the new manual.

 I’ll be continuing to provide training on the DSM-5 since all mental health clinicians will transition to using this manual at a date to be determined. There are significant changes, including changes to the multiaxial system (it’s gone), and the elimination of Asperger’s Disorder, several new diagnoses, and a new chapter organization. These changes are the most substantial revisions in decades.

 To learn more about training opportunities, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. You can also visit www.cmieducation.org to learn about CMI-sponsored workshops. CMI will sponsor a 90-minute webcast on the changes on June 19 at 1:00 p.m. EST for $39.99.

 There’s a lot of new information to learn, and the changes will impact how we practice in the future. Join in on some training soon!