Presentations

Conference presentations

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Gomes de Siqueira, A., Johnson, B., Jones, A, Chen, J., Lok, B., & Galynker, I. The impact of patients’ race and clinicians’ implicit racial biases on the alliance and clinical judgment with high-risk patients: a cutting edge virtual human interactions study. In S. Eberhardt & T. Steinbrenner (chair) Preventing Setbacks: Using AI and LLMs to Address Negative Developments in Mental Health Care. Paper in a panel presented at the 2025 annual conference of SPR in Krakow, Poland.

Discussant in Structured Discussion: What’s Tricky about Transforming Training? A Discussion on Training Providers. Presented at the 2025 annual conference of SPR in Krakow, Poland.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Yao, H., Johnson, B., Schock, B., Wei, J. W., Prekas, S., Eid, T. , Lok, B., & Galynker, I. (2024, November 18). AI- driven virtual patients: a cutting-edge tool to investigate the impact of implicit racial biases on clinical judgment and clinical process with high-risk patients. Oral presentation paper presented at the 2024 meeting of the International Association for Suicide Prevention Pan-American Conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Yao, H., Johnson, B., Goncearenco, I. , Lok, B., & Galynker, I. (2024, June). Virtual human interactions: a cutting-edge tool to investigate the impact of cultural factors and implicit biases on the alliance and clinical judgment with high-risk patients. In S. Goldberg (chair) A New Era of Alliance Research. Paper in a panel that presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Ottawa, Canada.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Goncearenco, I. , Johnson, B., Yao, H., Lok, B., & Galynker, I. (2024, April). AI-powered virtual patients in the service of suicide prevention among diverse adolescents. In S. Bloch-Elkouby (chair) Using cutting-edge AI research to enhance clinical training and suicide prevention. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Boston, Massachusetts.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., & Barzilay, S. (2023, October). Combining Alliance-Focused Training principles with the Narrative Crisis Model to promote effective suicide risk assessments and interventions. In S. Bloch-Elkouby (chair), Working with patients at high-risk for suicidal behaviors and lethal overdoses across treatment phases: new conceptual developments. Paper in a panel presented at the Biennial Meeting of the North American Chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Amherst, Massachusetts.

Bloch-Elkouby S., Lokai, A., Chen, L., Urmanche, A., Eubanks, C. & Muran, C. (2023, June). The alliance among cross-cultural and White dyads: Alliance ruptures, resolutions, and microaggressions. In A. Gumz (chair), New Research on Alliance Ruptures. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Dublin, Ireland.

Bloch-Elkouby S. & Barzilay, S. (2022, July). Alliance-Focused Safety Planning and Suicide Risk Management. In R. Manubens (Chair) Patients’ interpersonal problems and the therapeutic alliance: Theoretical and empirical developments. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Denver, Colorado.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Kuma, N.A., Chen, L., Lokai, A., Lipner, L., Eubanks, & Muran, C. (2021, June). When racial biases stand in our way: An exploratory mixed-methods investigation of racial microaggressions in early phases of CBT. In S. Bloch-Elkouby (Chair) The impact of cultural differences and biases on the process and outcome of psychotherapy. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Heidelberg (Online event).

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Gorman, B., Schuck, A., Barzilay, S., Calati, R., & Galynker, I. (2019, May). The Suicide Crisis Syndrome: A Network Analysis. In L. Cohen (Chair) Catching the Ticking Time Bomb: Novel Means of Assessing Imminent Suicide Risk. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Organization. San Francisco, CA.

Galynker, I., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Barzilay, S. (2019, March). Imminent Suicide Risk Assessment in high-risk individuals denying suicidal ideation or intent: Introduction and Training. Workshop presented at the Annual meeting of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Chicago, Illinois.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Gorman, B., & Muran, J.C. (2018, September). Psychotherapy Outcome: Time to assess the assessment. In J. Boswell (Chair) Factors Associated with Outcomes Monitoring in Psychotherapy. Paper in a panel presented at the Biennial Meeting of the North American Chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Snowbird, Utah.

Rudenstine, S., Muran, J.C., Eubanks, C., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Constantino, M.J., Wallner Samstag, L. (2018, June). Training in Psychotherapy Integration at the Doctoral Level. Structured discussion at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. New York, New York.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Muran, J.C., Gorman, B., Tufekcioglu, S., Safran, J., Eubanks, C., & Winston, A. (2015, June). Patients’ and therapists’ agreement about patients’ interpersonal problems and therapy outcome: A method paper. In J. Barber (Chair) Understanding the underlying patterns of interpersonal distress and its impact on the therapeutic alliance, diagnosis, and process and outcome of psychotherapy. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Knopf, L., Muran, J.C., Eubanks, C., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Safran, J.D., & Winston, A. (2015, June). Personal agency as a change factor in cognitive-behavioral therapy for personality disorders. In J.C. Muran (Chair) The alliance and patient and therapist interpersonal behaviors as predictors of change. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Taylor, J., Muran, J.C., Eubanks-Carter, C., Safran, J. (2014, June). Treatment deterioration and psychotherapy process: A case study. In A. Werbart (Chair), Treatment failures and non-responding patients: lessons from qualitative and quantitative studies. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Copenhagen, Denmark.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Gold, J. (2014, April). Assimilative psychodynamic psychotherapy: A case study. In S. Bloch-Elkouby (Chair), One complex case, three integrative theory options. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Montreal, Canada.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Muran, J.C., Knopf, L., Safran, J. (2014, April). Deterioration in psychotherapy and incongruence between therapists’ and patients’ subjective experience. In C. Eubanks-Carter (Chair), When the best laid plans go awry: an exploration of patient deterioration and therapist noncompliance. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Montreal, Canada.

Eubanks-Carter, C., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Hungr, C., Muran, J.C., Safran, J. (2014, April). A closer look at deterioration and noncompliance: An evidence-based case study. In C. Eubanks-Carter (Chair), When the best laid plans go awry: an exploration of patient deterioration and therapist noncompliance. Paper in a panel presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Montreal, Canada.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2013, June). Integrative therapy in effect: A case study. Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Barcelona, Spain.

Panels chaired

Aafjes-van Doorn & Bloch-Elkouby, S. & (2025, June). “The impact of AI on psychotherapy: New developments and future directions.” Invited Semi-Plenary at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. & Aafjes-van Doorn (2024, June). “I don’t want to talk to a robot”. Can artificial intelligence research promote more effective treatments and clinical training approaches? Structured discussion at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Ottawa, Canada.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2024, April). Using Cutting Edge Ai Research to Enhance Clinical Training and Suicide Prevention.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2023, October). Working with patients at high-risk for suicidal behaviors and lethal overdoses across treatment phases: new conceptual developments. Panel chaired at the Biennial Meeting of the North American Chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Amherst, Massachusetts.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2021, June). The impact of cultural differences and biases on the process and outcome of psychotherapy. Panel chaired at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Heidelberg, Germany (online event).

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2015, June). Can the twain actually meet? Integrating psychodynamic & cognitive-behavioral Treatments. Structured discussion chaired for the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration.

Bloch-Elkouby, S.. (2014, April). One complex case, three integrative theory options. Panel chaired at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Montreal, Canada.

Invited lectures

Upcoming: Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025, November 18 th ). The therapeutic alliance with High-Risk Patients: Challenges and Opportunities. Invited keynote speaker at the University Institute of Psychotherapy of Lauzanne University, Switzerland.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2023, March 1). Alliance-focused techniques to promote collaborative suicide risk assessment and safety planning. Invited training at the Addictions Institute, Mount Sinai Beth Israel. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2023, January 25). From the therapy room to the lab and back: integrating alliance and suicide prevention research. Colloquium at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2023, January 20). Best practices in suicide risk assessment and prevention. Invited lecture at the Mount Sinai Health Solutions. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2023, January 11). Suicide prevention in rabbinic work and pastoral counseling. Invited lecture at Yeshivat Maharat, a Jewish Orthodox Rabbinical School for Women. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2020, January 22). Understanding the progression from adversity to self-harm. Invited lecture given at Yeshivat Maharat, a Jewish Orthodox Rabbinical School for Women. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2019, June 1). “You shall choose life”: The Lessons Learned from Recent Suicide Research. Invited lecture at the congregation Darkhei Noam for Mental Awareness Month. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S., Constantine, S., Harrison, D., Mahmoudi, V., Belser A., Michl, A., & Guerrero, R. (2017, April 20). I Need You, You’re The Worst, Please HELP Me: Using DBT Skills Group In an Outpatient Setting. Grand Rounds at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. New York, NY.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2017, March 16). Moderator for the panel: Striving and Struggling: Stories from Schechter Manhattan Parents about Race. Panel hosted by Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan. New York, NY

Posters

Bhise, A., Baruch, L., Datta, S., Eid, T., Wei, J. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025, June 25-28). The Impact of Virtual Patients’ Race on Clinical Judgement: A Qualitative Analysis of 150 Case Conceptualization Narratives. Poster presented the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Kraków, Poland.

Chen. P., Shi, R., Wei, Datta, S. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Do virtual patients’ inaccurate responses and technological problems impede clinicians’ engagement and perception of the therapeutic alliance? Poster presented at The Society of Psychotherapy Research Krakow, Poland.

Eid, T., Prekas A.S, Barnes, R., Bhise, A. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Moderators of the Relationship between Implicit and Explicit Racial Bias Among Clinicians. Poster presented at The Society of Psychotherapy Research Krakow, Poland.

Guo, W., Prekas, S., Wei, J., Maryam, A. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Does clinicians’ emotion regulation (trait) predict clinicians’ experience of the alliance with high-risk virtual patients? Poster presented at The Society of Psychotherapy Research Krakow, Poland.

Prekas, A.S., Eid, T., Chen, P. Maryam, A., Guo, W. & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Suicide risk assessment among adolescent virtual patients: The role of implicit racial biases. Poster presented at the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.

Shvarzman, R., Baruch, L., Rosen, T., Wei, J. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Implicit Racial Bias and Clinician’s Observed Emotional Responses in Psychotherapy: A Virtual Interaction Study. Poster presented at the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.

Wei, J., Shi, R., Chen, J., Tortora, J. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2025). Does mindfulness moderate the impact of patients’ race and clinicians’ implicit racial biases on clinicians’ emotional response to minoritized youth? Poster presented at the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland.

Aberman, A. Jones, D., Shvarzman, R. , & Tortora, J. & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2024, June). The role of self-compassion in evidence-based suicide-specific interventions: a critical review. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Ottawa, Canada.

Goncearenco, I. , & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2024, April). Hidden Barriers: Exploring Self-Disgust/Hatred and Disgust with Others in Individuals with Concealed vs. Disclosed Past-Month Suicidal Ideation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. New York, NY.

Gordon, G., Samstag, L., & Bloch-Elkouby, S. (2022, March). Explicit and Implicit Racial Bias in Nursing- Can Mindfulness Mitigate Aversive Racism? Poster presented at 93rd Annual Eastern Psychological Association Conference the New York, NY.

Forestal, C., Schuck, a., Bloch-Elkouby, S., & Galynker, I. (2019, May). Extreme anxiety moderates the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Poster presented at the American Psychiatric Association. San-Francisco, US.

Ying, G., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Galynker, I. (2019, May). Perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness mediate the relationship between depression and the suicide crisis syndrome. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. San-Francisco, US.

Schuck, A., Barzilay, S., Bloch-Elkouby, S., Calati, R., Mahato, R., & Galynker, I. (2019, May). Association between Clinicians’ Emotional Response, Therapeutic Alliance and Patient Suicidal Ideation. Poster presented at the upcoming Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. San-Francisco, US.

Bloch-Elkouby, S. , Muran, J.C., Gorman, B., Safran, J., and Winston, A. (2013, October). Concordance between measures of outcome and assessment of possible deterioration. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Memphis, Tennessee.