Conversations With a Leader: Excerpts from an Interview With Past IACAPAP President Prof Helmut Remschmidt

In a deeply engaging conversation with Dr. Yewande Oshodi, Secretary General of IACAPAP, Prof. Helmut Remschmidt, one of IACAPAP’s longest-serving Presidents, reflected on the formative experiences, global collaborations, and enduring initiatives that shaped his remarkable career in child and adolescent psychiatry. Below are selected excerpts from the full interview. 

To watch the full interview, visit: https://youtu.be/LaaWHnuFCWY

A pivotal moment early in his training opened Prof. Remschmidt’s path into the field. 
“This little girl with epilepsy stimulated my interest to then become a child psychiatrist… exactly.” 

Guided by mentors, including the founder of the German Child Society, he chose to train in Marburg, a decision that set the tone for decades of leadership in the discipline. 

At just 35 years of age, he was invited to establish a new Chair of Child Psychiatry and Child Neurology at Freie Universität Berlin. 
“I had to establish this clinic from the bottom. There was nothing.” 

To build a world-class service, he travelled across Europe, the United States, and Canada – visiting Boston, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, Toronto and more – seeking the latest developments in the field. 

One encounter left a lasting mark: 
“One person impressed me very much – that was James Anthony… He influenced me very much, and he became a kind of mentor for me.” 
“Later, his co-workers even asked him if I would be a spy from Germany!” 

Together with Donald Cohen, Prof. Remschmidt is one of the few to have served a six-year presidency. 
“There were many things that were of great importance… I would like to mention a few.” 

Some of the most enduring contributions from his tenure include: 

• Developing the research seminars and establishing the Donald Cohen Fellowship Program, launched at the 2004 Berlin Congress. 
  “I’m very satisfied that I was able to implant these two initiatives… long-lasting and going on hopefully.” 
• Support for the WHO–IACAPAP Atlas Project with Myron Belfer. 
• The IACAPAP Book Series, strengthening education and research. Founding the European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Journal, along with Herman van Engeland, Philip Graham and others. 
  “This is a flourishing journal, and I’m very proud that it was so successful.” 

His initiatives continue to benefit child psychiatrists globally, including many who first encountered IACAPAP through the study groups he helped create. 

Reflecting on the present and future, his advice remains clear: 
“We have to stick very carefully to the individual patient… not look primarily only at scales, but see the patient in his personality.” 

He emphasized the need for evidence-based guidelines, integrated psychotherapy training, and global perspectives for all young professionals. 
“Child psychiatrists have also to be psychotherapists… to integrate psychotherapy into their training.” 
“To have a worldwide perspective – this is very important.” 

He also stressed the importance of including child and adolescent psychiatry in medical curricula worldwide. 
“This is important… the children are our capital.”

As the interview closed, Prof. Remschmidt reflected on what he hopes will continue: 
“The World Congresses can and should be a good forum for child psychiatrists… and our educational activities should go on.” 

“That seems to me a good perspective.” 

These excerpts capture only a glimpse of Prof. Remschmidt’s depth, humour, and historic contributions to global child and adolescent psychiatry. To experience the full conversation, watch the complete interview here: 

👉 Access the full interview here: https://youtu.be/LaaWHnuFCWY

IACAPAP Bulletin, Issue 80