Faculty

Holly A Swartz, MD

Holly A Swartz, MD

Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

3811 O'Hara Street
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15213
Email

Education & Training

MD
Albert Einstein School of Medicine
Psychiatry, New York Hospital, Payne Whitney Clinic
Readers Digest Research Fellowship, Cornell University Medical Center

Current Appointments

Director, Center for Advanced Psychotherapy
Medical Director, Depression and Manic Depression Prevention Program

Professional Affiliations

President, International Society for Bipolar Disorders
Treasurer, American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology
Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Psychotherapy
Past President, International Society of Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Selected Honors & Awards

Gerald L. Klerman Senior Investigator Award, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
Exemplary Teaching Award for Adult Faculty, Western Psychiatric Hospital Psychiatry Residency Program
Top 10 Advancements & Breakthroughs, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Klerman Interpersonal Psychotherapy Award, International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Research Interests

Bipolar disorder; Maternal depression; Psychotherapy research
Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Swartz HA, Suppes T. Bipolar II disorder: Understudied and underdiagnosed. Focus 2023; 21:354-362; doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20230015; PMID: 38694998; PMCID: PMC11058947.
  2. Swartz HA, Bylsma LM, Fournier JC, Girard JM, Spotts C, Cohn JF, Morency LP. Randomized trial of brief interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for depression delivered both in-person and by telehealth. Journal of Affective Disorders, 2023; 333 (15 July): 543-552; PMID: 37121279; PMCID: PMC10228570
  3. Swartz HA, Rollman BL, Mohr DC, Sadow S, Frank E. A randomized pilot study of Rhythms And You (RAY): An internet-based program for bipolar disorder administered with and without clinical helper support in primary care. J Affect Disord 2021, 295:183-191. PMCID: PMC8551063
  4. Swartz HA, Rucci P, Thase ME, Wallace M, Carretta E, Celedonia KL, Frank E. Psychotherapy alone and combined with medication as treatments for bipolar II depression: A randomized controlled trial. J Clin Psychiatry; 2018; 79 (2): 7-15. PMCID: PMC5823786
  5. Swartz HA, Cyranowski JM, Cheng Y, Zuckoff A, Brent DA, Markowitz JC, Martin S, Amole MC, Ritchey F, Frank E. Brief psychotherapy for maternal depression: Impact on mothers and children. J Am Acad Child Adol Psychiatry 2016; 55 (6):495-503 (PMCID: PMC4886238)

Clinical Interests

Bipolar disorder; Depression; Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Selected Clinical Publications & Products
  1. Singh B, Swartz HA, Cuellar-Barboza AB, Schaffer A, Kato T, Dols A, Sperry SH, Vassilev AB, Burdick KE, Frye MA. Bipolar disorders. Lancet, in press
  2. Swartz HA. The Social Rhythm Therapy Workbook for Bipolar Disorder. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2024.
  3. Ravitz P, Flores L, Novick D, Watson, P Swartz HA. Psychotherapies at-a-glance: Consensus guideline-recommended evidence-based psychotherapies for adults with psychiatric disorders. Am J Psychotherapy; 2024; Jun 15;77(2):79-87. doi: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20230004. PMID: 38487817.
  4. Swartz HA, Suppes T., eds. Bipolar II Disorder: Recognition, Understanding and Treatment. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2019.

Education Interests

Resident psychotherapy training; Resident pharmacology education; Psychology internship pharmacology education
Selected Education Publications & Products
  1. Swartz HA Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for depressed adults: Indications, theoretical foundations, general concepts, and efficacy. In: Roy-Byrne PP, Solomon D, eds., UpToDate; Waltham, MA: 2010-2025. www.uptodate.com
  2. Swartz HA Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for depressed adults: Specific interventions and techniques. In: Roy-Byrne PP, Solomon D, eds., UpToDate; Waltham, MA: 2010-2025. www.uptodate.com

Congratulations to the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital Resident and Fellow Class of 2024!

2024 Resident Graduation

Graduates of the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) residency training program gathered with friends, family, loved ones, and supporters at the Pitt University Club on June 12, 2024. Below are the awards and honors presented at the 2024 graduation ceremony. 2024 Psychiatry Student Interest Group Exemplary Service Award for Excellence in Teaching Faculty: Daniel Bender, DO Residents: Jessica Stephens, DO, and...

Holly Swartz, MD, Elected President of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders

Holly Swartz, MD

We are pleased to announce that Holly Swartz, MD (Professor of Psychiatry) has been elected President of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD). The ISBD fosters international collaboration in education, research, and clinical care to improve the lives of those with bipolar disorder and related conditions. Dr. Swartz is an internationally recognized expert in optimizing psychosocial and...

Randomized Trial of Brief Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression Delivered Both In-Person and by Telehealth

Swartz et al. Journal of Affective DIsorders 2023

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with substantial psychosocial impairment, increased risk for suicide, and morbidity. As a first-line treatment for MDD, many patients receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), interventions that have been typically delivered face-to-face. Despite the ubiquity of telehealth following the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about...

Congratulations to the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital Resident and Fellow Class of 2022!

Resident & Fellow Graduation – Class of 2022

Graduates of the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) residency training program gathered with friends, family, loved ones, and supporters at the Pitt University Club on June 16, 2022. The ceremony was livestreamed for those who could not attend in person. Michael Travis, MD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Senior Director for Postgraduate Physician Training) opened the ceremony remarking, “As I have...