About The Presentation

Dr. Guerra will present a general outline of indications for electroconvulsive therapy with an emphasis on how patients are selected for treatment. He will spend most of the session responding to questions regarding ECT and reflecting on the relationship between somatic brain therapies, brain versus mind, psychotherapy, and existential considerations. His experiences in both anesthesiology and psychiatry will be brought to bear in the discussion. His hope is to engage in a lively interaction on such matters as he hopes to challenge and be challenged.

About the Presenter

Dr. Frank Guerra is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed residencies in psychiatry and anesthesiology at the Universities of Colorado and Pennsylvania. He has been twice elected President of the Colorado Psychiatric Society and is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Guerra is the recipient of The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Colorado Psychiatric Society in April 2012.

Dr. Guerra brings over forty years of consultative experience in psychiatry and anesthesiology. Dr. Guerra served in The United States Navy and the former Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Guerra was Chief of Anesthesiology from 1973 to 1975 of Naval Hospital Lemoore in Lemoore, California.  He has participated in over 65,000 electroconvulsive therapy procedures as a consultant for patients who are either treatment resistant or experiencing life threatening psychiatric illness. Prior to pursuing full time psychiatric consultative work, he was President of Metro Denver Anesthesiologists. Dr. Guerra represented the Colorado Psychiatric Society in the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association for ten years.

Dr. Guerra evaluates patients who are referred by other psychiatrists, treating often life-threatening psychiatric illness. These include major depression, bipolar disorder (manic, depressed, or mixed/rapid cycling), catatonia, and suicidality. Patients are given a thorough evaluation with emphasis on diagnosis, treatment history, medical conditions, and appropriateness for electroconvulsive therapy. Patients and their families are educated in detail regarding reasons for recommending treatment, potential side-effects and complications. The history and effectiveness of ECT is detailed as is the likelihood of success in each case.