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The Menninger Clinic announces opening of partial hospital for adolescents “This program is intended to assist local The Menninger Clinic selects top mental health advocates and professionals for 2009 Board of Directors “We are thrilled that each of our new directors has chosen to lend their time, talents and knowledge to supporting The Menninger Clinic,” said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. “These individuals were nominated to serve based on their passion to increase awareness of mental health issues in The Menninger Clinic Board of Directors is responsible for the governance and leadership of The Menninger Clinic. In order to carry out its mission, board directors will work together in committees to ensure the success of Menninger’s strategic plan, collaborative partnerships and patient focused treatment, research and education. The complete story including a list of Board of Directors can be found here. Scan casts new light on neurobiology of borderline personality disorder The Menninger Clinic specializes in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) through several techniques including mentalizing. Members of the media wishing to speak to a Menninger expert on either BPD or mentalizing may contact Sue-Ella Mueller, media relations specialist, at 281-300-0197 or smueller@menninger.edu. The Menninger Clinic ranks sixth in national survey
About The Menninger Clinic
“We are the first free standing psychiatric hospital to receive this designation,” says Pam Greene, PhD, RN, vice president of Patient Care Services at Menninger. “To be recognized on the national level for our commitment to supporting nurses as they provide safe, quality patient care is an honor.” Menninger achieved the Texas Nurse-Friendly designation from the Texas Nurses Association (TNA) in 2007. TNA recently transferred the designation program to the ANCC and the name was changed to Pathway to Excellence. “We are thrilled to be recognized as a Pathway to Excellence facility,” said Greene. “We’ll continue to ensure that, through our shared governance environment, we create a culture that is desirable and supportive of our nurses.” Pathway to Excellence About The Menninger Clinic Dr. Edythe Harvey named medical director on Hope Program Before coming to Menninger as a staff psychiatrist in 2006, Dr. Harvey was medical director of the psychiatric emergency center at A graduate of The University of Texas at “I’m excited about my new position with Menninger,” said Dr. Harvey. “Hope has a great staff and the patients are wonderful. I am also looking forward to helping with the transition from our current location to the new facility in 2010.” The Menninger Clinic is in the midst of a capital campaign to build the first international epicenter for mental health. The new location will encompass 50 acres in southwest About The Menninger Clinic Making peace with your college student “Often when young adults come home for their first extended leave from college, there can be some conflict in the family,” says Heather Stewart, LCSW, a social worker and primary clinician at The Menninger Clinic. “Roles have changed while the young adult has been away at school. The young adult has had a sense of becoming a true adult. They’ve tested the waters on their own and have set new boundaries like self-inflicted curfews. Where the conflict comes in to play is when these boundaries are not completely in line with the parents’ wants.” Stewart says some parents may struggle with still wanting to provide structure for the child and maintain the control in the relationship. At the onset of summer, many parents have preconceived notions of reverting back to the way things were when their child was in high school. However, the young adult may feel stifled by the attention. They have spent the last few months gaining independence and moving towards adulthood. “A parent may see the young adult staying up late and they are worried that their child is not getting enough sleep. Or perhaps the young adult is taking full advantage of the summer break and is just lying around the house during the day. It can be frustrating for a parent,” says Stewart. One suggestion Stewart has for parents is to set up a meeting before things get out of control. “The best time for the meeting to take place is at the beginning of the summer before there is ever even a problem,” she says. “However, it’s never too late to sit down together and talk about expectations for the remainder of the summer; just make sure you schedule the meeting and that it doesn’t take place during the heat of an argument.” Stewart encourages both parties to put some thought into what outcomes they would like to see take place. She says that parents need to come up with their game plan and what they want accomplished. Things to consider may include the following:
“Opening the dialogue with something like ‘this is what I’m seeing and this is why I’m concerned,’ may give the young adult a clearer understanding of the parents’ feelings,” Stewart said. “In return, let them know you are not trying to control them but are working to support them on this journey of independence and responsibility.” Stewart says it is important for a young adult to take into account that their parents’ have their own lives. Be prepared to compromise on issues such as curfews, realizing that on weeknights, parents are obligated to get up the next morning and go to work. “If the young adult wants to be seen as an adult, they need to be willing to take the necessary steps toward proving their maturity to parents,” said Stewart. A few suggestions for a young adult to keep in mind:
“Volunteering can have tremendous benefits for the young adult,” Stewart says. “It can help you connect socially with others, taking you out of your element and giving you exposure to a different side of life.” The family meeting will be a time to discuss these ideas. The biggest pitfall to families, Stewart says, is if the meeting turns into a power struggle. If that becomes the case, she suggests involving a third party such as a family friend. A therapist may also need to be brought in for conflicts that just can’t seem to be resolved. “This is a time of transition for everyone and it can be difficult,” says Stewart. “But it should also be a time of excitement. You are getting to experience your child in a whole new way. They’re just beginning to spread their wings. Acknowledge this change, this shift to adulthood and choose to celebrate it.” About The Menninger Clinic Connie Menninger dies at age 76 [1931-2008] Conference delves into new research and treatment of borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD), characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image and behavior, afflicts approximately 2 percent of the general population and is a leading cause of suicide. Eight to 10 percent of individuals with this disorder take their own lives. “A common misapprehension by family, friends and often by clinicians is that patients with borderline personality disorder are not likely to commit suicide since suicidal behavior is seen as a bid for attention, misjudged as not serious. The prevalence is more than 400 times higher than in the general population,” said John Oldham, MD, MS, senior vice president and chief of staff, The Menninger Clinic, and professor of psychiatry and executive vice chair, Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine. Despite the prevalence of BPD, its diagnosis by therapists is often impeded by the lack of awareness and frequent co-occurrence with other conditions, such as depression, substance abuse and anxiety. To help therapists diagnose this disorder and build an alliance with their BPD patients, new ways of categorizing and defining BPD are in consideration. Dr. Oldham is one of the consultants on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), expected to be published in 2011. BPD usually manifests itself in late adolescence or early adulthood, according to Dr. Oldham. “Patients with borderline personality disorder often have a stormy course, punctuated with episodes of high-risk behavior. The patient’s symptom profile as well as coexisting conditions, such as substance abuse, influence an individual’s course. Due to the disabling nature of the disorder, accompanied by high levels of emotional pain and distress, patients generally seek treatment and if they adhere to treatment and overcome high-risk behavior, they may ultimately do quite well.” Officially recognized in 1980 by the psychiatric community, borderline personality disorder is at least two decades behind in research treatment options and education compared to other serious mental illnesses. Congressional Resolution, H. Res. 1005, is awaiting final action to designate May as Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month. This resolution acknowledges the pressing burden of those afflicted with borderline personality disorder, confirms the widespread prevalence of this disorder and seeks to spread awareness of this under-recognized and often misunderstood mental illness. This Menninger Continuing Education Conference, offering continuing education credit to health professionals, is co-sponsored by the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD) and The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Metropolitan Houston. Topics and speakers include:
For the conference schedule or registration call Menninger Education at 713-275-5060. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to New book explores key to healthy relationships and self-awareness Peers reviewing the book recognize mentalizing’s potential for shaping mental healthcare:
Mentalizing in Clinical Practice is now available from American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. To order, visit: appi.org. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Overcoming an eating disorder: a glimpse into one woman’s journey Cynthia Nelson, a 31-year-old Houstonian, understands the impact of eating disorders. She struggled with anorexia nervosa for 11 years and says she still battles negative thoughts about her size almost daily. Nationally recognized experts will discuss eating disorders treatment at the 2008 Eating Disorders Conference of Houston: Perspectives on Treatment and Prevention, on Friday, February 22, at the “Negative self-image is one of the most difficult things to change when treating an eating disorder and is the last symptom to resolve from treatment,” says Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic, who will be presenting at the conference on self-image and the risk for relapse. “If a patient does not make some improvement on body image issues early in treatment, it is a significant risk factor for relapse into the eating disorder.” Cynthia attests to the difficulty of reaching the decision to “give up your eating disorder” in order to get on the road to a healthy weight and eventually, recovery. Cynthia explains that her eating disorder became such a part of her identity that the thought of giving it up seemed impossible. At age 17, when Cynthia was first diagnosed with anorexia, her eating disorder began to rule her life. As a perfectionist, being skinny became her way of trying to feel good enough at something, please everyone and eventually became her primary focus. “Being from an affluent area where everything is important, from your grades to how you look, I remember being self-conscious about my body beginning in junior high school,” says Cynthia. “My junior year is when I remember noticing models on TV and in magazines and thinking how great it would be if I looked like them. I started losing weight to look better and to be accepted by everyone. Eventually it was the only thing I could think about.” During her senior year in high school, Cynthia’s eating disorder escalated to the point her parents decided to find an outpatient treatment program for her. Because the eating disorder had consumed her entire identity, Cynthia didn’t care to engage in treatment. She was eventually hospitalized and fed through a feeding tube. Although she was close to dying, all she cared about was losing weight. She was stabilized enough to enter a treatment center specifically for people struggling with eating disorders. That is where she learned about anorexia and the underlying reasons for why she was starving herself. Treatment professionals helped Cynthia learn how to make use of therapy and gain weight. It would take 10 more years of therapy followed by relapses and several more hospitalizations for Cynthia to struggle through giving up, one piece at a time, the eating disorder that defined her. According to Dr. Fassihi, “on average, it takes three to seven years for people with eating disorders to fully recover and lapses or relapses are a common part of the process. With treatment and hard work, up to 90 percent of people with eating disorders can fully recover.” “I experienced a lot of self-hatred, mostly because I never thought I lost enough weight,” Cynthia explains. “My sister and friends didn’t like to go to the mall with me because the entire time I would compare myself to others, constantly afraid there was someone skinnier than me.” Cynthia counts her blessings that her family did not give up on her. She said it wasn’t easy for them. “It was difficult for my younger sister, who was afraid I was going to die. Plus, there was some denial from my family at first, but they got through that and learned how to offer support for someone with an eating disorder, which was critical during the long recovery process.” During her last hospitalization, Cynthia achieved a normal weight and has been able to maintain her weight for the past five years. Cynthia continues to see a therapist and dietitian to help her stay on track. She said her obsession with body image remains a challenging part of her life, but she is determined not to miss out on anything else in life like she did when her life was consumed by anorexia. Although Cynthia had to wait a year after high school to go to college, because of her struggles with anorexia, she was able to complete an undergraduate degree in philosophy and biology and obtain a master’s degree in public health. She is currently enrolled in a master of science physician assistant program. Upon graduating, she plans to work in pediatrics and clinical research. She believes the most important message she can convey to parents and families of people with eating disorders is to catch the signs of the disease early. Eating disorders experts agree, people with eating disorders have a better chance of recovering if they enter treatment within the first six months of any signs of an eating disorder. “Early intervention offers the best prognosis for recovery, and recovery tends to happen more quickly because the behaviors are not as entrenched,” says Dr. Fassihi. Additional topics to be covered at the Eating Disorders Conference of Houston include the prevention of eating disorders and obesity in children. In the More about the conference and speakers can be found at http://www.menningerclinic.com/calendar/EatingDisordersConf.pdf. The conference is underwritten by the Stanford and Joan Alexander Foundation of For more information, call Menninger at 713-275-5060. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to For interviews with Cynthia or other persons recovering from eating disorders, call Shelli Manning at 713-275-5031 or e-mail smanning@menninger.edu. Help your teen through a breakup “Some relationships may seem so intense and so necessary that teenagers harm themselves when the relationship ends,” says Norma Clarke, MD, a child psychiatrist at The Menninger Clinic and medical director of The Clinic’s Adolescent Treatment Program. Dr. Clarke says she has treated patients who have attempted suicide, cut themselves and abused alcohol or drugs because they have trouble dealing with a breakup. An argument with a boyfriend or girlfriend is the second most common reason that teens attempt suicide, according to an A breakup signals to parents to be alert for signs of trouble in their teen’s emotional health, because they often keep their feelings secret. “If your teen falls off the deep end and you have a sense that you are losing control of him or her, you need to intervene,” says Dr. Clarke, also an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Sudden changes in your teen’s behavior may also be signs that he or she is having relationship problems, she adds. Signs a relationship have gone too far
What parents can do
“Parents tend not to talk to kids about relationships or sexual behavior,” Dr. Clarke says. “Keeping an open line of communication about friends of all types, activities and expectations is more welcomed by your child than may be apparent. I don’t think parents realize the impact they have on their teenager’s behavior.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to
“Negative self-image is one of the most difficult things to change when treating an eating disorder and is the last symptom to resolve from treatment,” says Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic, who will be presenting at the conference on self-image and risk for relapse. The conference, open to health professionals for continuing education credit as well as families and the public, kicks off National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, February 24 to March 1. Additional topics covered at the conference will include the prevention of eating disorders and obesity in children. In the Award-winning author and eating disorders expert Margo Maine, PhD, will deliver the 9 am keynote address, titled, “What’s Age Got to Do With It? Adult Women, Eating Disorders & Body Image Despair.” Dr. Leslie Goldman, noted health writer and author of Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image and Re-imagining the ‘Perfect’ Body, will deliver the noon luncheon presentation. Goldman will share her personal experience with anorexia and her success after medication and therapy, and stories about the women she interviewed for her book. The conference will feature a panel discussion at 1:30 pm on prevention of eating disorders. Panelists include:
Between sessions, conference attendees may also view informational exhibits on eating disorders, including interactive exhibits on self-image, and obtain information about treatment resources. The conference is underwritten by the Stanford and Joan Alexander Foundation of The conference schedule and online registration form are accessible at: MenningerClinic.com, HPAonline.org; HAMFT.org and MHAHouston.org. For more information, call Menninger at 713-275-5060. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to
Don’t:
If you suspect someone at your dinner or party has an eating disorder, talk to that person at a later time about your concerns, Dr. Fassihi says. Encourage him or her to see an eating disorder specialist to be evaluated for an eating disorder. If your friend or loved one denies a problem, emphasize the tremendous health risks of eating disorders, especially heart problems, permanent bone loss and death. Early intervention offers people with eating disorders the best prognosis.
The Menninger Clinic unveils plans for Mental Health Epicenter;
Menninger’s Miracles in Mind campaign has raised $69.3 million, and is more than half way to its goal of $125 million. $65.8 million will go toward building the first phase of The Clinic’s new campus. $3.5 million will benefit treatment, research and education programs. Construction on The Epicenter is expected to begin in fall 2008, with a target completion date of summer 2010. “The Epicenter will be a beacon of hope to persons suffering from mental illness and the people who love them,” says Ian Aitken, Menninger CEO and president. “Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we will achieve our goal to improve mental health worldwide, prevent mental illness and eliminate stigma.” One in five Americans suffers from mental illness. The Menninger Mental Health Epicenter will provide much-needed mental health services for the Research and treatment priorities for The Clinic will include: substance abuse and addictions, personality disorders, mood disorders, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, trauma-related disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders. The Clinic will also continue to offer comprehensive diagnostic assessments for persons who have complicated symptoms or desire a second opinion. Menninger’s collaboration with “The Epicenter will help advance Houston as a center for excellence in mental health treatment, education and research and to continue to attract leading scientists and clinical specialists to Houston,” says Stuart Yudofsky, MD, D.C. and Irene Ellwood Professor and chairman of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, and chairman of Psychiatry at The Methodist Hospital. “By encouraging collaboration across disciplines, The Epicenter will be a catalyst for exciting new discoveries about the brain and behavior.” The Epicenter will significantly increase the number of mental health professionals Menninger will train to help alleviate shortages locally and nationally. Educating the public about mental health and effectiveness of treatments for mental illness will also be a major focus of The Epicenter, helping to erase the stigma that prevents many people from seeking treatment. Plans for Phase I of The Epicenter include a 144-bed inpatient specialty psychiatric hospital, a brain and behavior research center, administrative buildings, educational facilities, wellness center, nondenominational chapel, dining center and features including meditation and sculpture gardens. The Clinic will cover approximately half of the 50-acre campus. Phase II building plans include facilities for aftercare services for patients, headquarters for mental health organizations, training and education, and an international leadership program. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Psychiatric problems in teens difficult to pinpoint Does he have a learning disability? Depression? Or maybe he’s just a normal teen? Pinpointing a diagnosis of psychiatric and behavioral problems in teens can be tricky, even for experts in mental health. The human brain is still developing during adolescence, and as any parent of a teen can attest, mood and behavior can fluctuate wildly at this age. “Teens are by nature secretive and it is sometimes very hard to figure out what is normal and what is not about teen behavior,” says Norma Clarke, MD, medical director of the Adolescent Treatment Program at The Menninger Clinic in Houston. “Also, teens can behave very well in a psychologist’s or counselor’s office, which makes it harder to arrive at a diagnosis.” That’s the first challenge, Dr. Clarke adds, because an accurate diagnosis is an essential step in treating mental illness. For teens struggling with psychiatric or behavioral disorders it can mean the difference between progressing in treatment or remaining stuck in their current situation and often unhealthy pattern. By adolescence, many teens in treatment for behavioral or psychiatric issues have received multiple diagnoses—ranging from ADHD to bipolar disorder. Mood swings and irritability are a common symptom of many disorders, but, depending on the diagnosis, treatment can be drastically different, including the medication and therapy prescribed. When individuals don’t respond to treatment that is not suited for them, they feel like failures. “They feel that they are broken for life,” Dr. Clarke says. “They feel hopeless and think there is something so wrong with them. It affects their self-esteem and their ability to make friends and become the best they can be.” Many parents of teens struggling with psychiatric or behavioral disorders feel helpless because they can’t help their child, Dr. Clarke adds. Menninger recently launched its Adolescent Assessment Program to provide troubled teens and their parents with more clarity around the problems and issues confronting teens. An accurate diagnosis is one aspect of this clarification. While brief, the two-week evaluation is intense and allows the patient, parents and treatment team to get to the heart of the matter. The Program fits the needs of teens and families who aren’t making progress in their treatment and who desire a second opinion. During their two week assessment at Menninger, patients meet with members of the evaluation team, which includes a psychiatrist, psychologist, internist, social worker, rehabilitation specialist, addictions counselor, nursing and senior staff specialists. The treatment team considers patient and family history, parent and patient reports, psychological testing, past treatment records and observations during the patient’s stay. The Program also uses neuropsychiatric diagnostic tools including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to pinpoint the possible causes of behavioral and psychiatric problems in patients and rule out an underlying medical condition, such as a brain injury. Patients participate in individual, group and family therapies and learn about coping strategies. Mental health professionals also review medications and other prescribed interventions. Close to the end of the assessment period, team members share their findings during a conference and discuss the patient's diagnoses and treatment goals. Following this conference, the team shares these findings with the adolescent and the parents and involves them in discussing options for next steps in the treatment process and ways to support the teen academically and socially. Patients may continue treatment at Menninger or other programs if indicated. Armed with answers, teens and parents can make decisions about future treatment methods, schooling and life. With their newfound clarity, they also regain hope. “Once they are pointed in the right direction, teens can make positive strides toward recovery and learn how to lead successful lives,” Dr. Clarke says. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Self-injury not limited to teens “Stereotypically people think that self-injury happens only among teenagers and young women, but it also happens with older, middle-aged females and males,” says Harrell Woodson, PhD, director of the Menninger Hope Program, which treats adults with mental illness. The Program is participating in a Clinic-wide initiative to learn more about self-injury and to develop new protocols to treat it, since it is a frequent health issue among Menninger patients. Older patients who injure themselves—commonly by cutting or burning the skin, or banging their heads repeatedly against the wall—are more difficult to treat, Dr. Woodson says. They may have been injuring themselves for such a long time that the behavior has become deeply ingrained. Self-injury can be a sign of a psychiatric disorder, and is common among persons suffering from severe borderline personality disorder, depression or psychosis. While the number of adults who purposely injure themselves is unknown, the behavior may be underreported because many persons who self-injure hide it from others. Left untreated, self-injury and the mental illness that often accompanies it can become dangerous. While most persons who self-injure are not attempting suicide, they may accidentally kill themselves if their behavior goes too far. “Self-injurious behavior can cause irreparable physical damage and can even lead to death, from cutting too deeply, getting an infection or going into shock,” Dr. Woodson says. Why would adults want to hurt themselves?
Treatment Instead, mental health professionals work together with patients to determine how motivated they are to stop their self-injurious behavior. The desire for behavior change needs to come from the patient rather than as a demand from the mental health professional or family members, Dr. Woodson says. Motivational interviewing techniques put the majority of the responsibility for behavior change in the hands of the patient. “With motivational interviewing, you capitalize on the patient’s ambivalence—in terms of the pros and cons of continuing that behavior, in a non-confrontational way,” Dr. Woodson continues. “Traditionally, admonishing people about the consequences of self-injurious behavior doesn’t work very well.” The treatment team on Hope works with patients to discover what triggers a person to self-injure and to develop alternative coping strategies meaningful to that person. One alternative some mental health professionals suggest is to have patients place a rubber band around their arms. Snapping the rubber band creates some pain but no lasting injury. Treatment may also include medication, especially when self-injurious behavior is tied to psychosis, and group therapy. Patients in group therapy discuss what they could do differently in response to particular stressors, situations, thoughts and feelings rather than harming themselves. Groups are an effective form of treatment for self-injury, Dr. Woodson says, because patients learn new insights and adaptive behaviors from their peers as well as receiving support and encouragement. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to High-tech diagnosis yields vital clues into mental illness “Even though a patient may have a straightforward mental health diagnosis or diagnoses, the neuropsychiatric approach can help us rule out medical or neurological reasons for the patient’s symptoms before we settle on a psychiatric reason,” says Florence Kim, MD, director of the Menninger Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment Service. Launched in April, the Assessment Service provides adults who have behavioral and psychiatric issues with a thorough two-week assessment, including extensive neuropsychiatric testing. The service is designed as one stop for thorough assessment for individuals who are not making adequate progress in other treatment settings, desire a second opinion, require a thorough psychiatric assessment to determine what treatment program may fit their needs or who were referred by their clinician. Patients in the program also undergo a psychiatric evaluation, extensive neuropsychological testing, psychological testing, psychosocial evaluation, a family system study and a neurological consult. Menninger’s affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine provides patients with access to consultants in neuropsychology and neurology for help with brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. The Assessment Service also offers genotyping for patients who don’t respond well to psychiatric medications. A simple blood test can reveal whether a patient may metabolize a drug too fast, which provides the patient with little benefit, or metabolizes the drug too slowly, which can increase the amount of drug that builds up in the body, causing side effects such as nausea. Currently, doctors prescribe psychiatric medications based on their experience of what works best, but they can’t predict how medications will work in each individual patient. As a result, patients may spend several months or years trying to find the best medication with the fewest side effects. The battery of tests used in the assessment yields a wealth of information, providing unique insight into the patient’s mental and behavioral health, in addition to the patient’s personal history. In some cases, the information may reveal an underlying medical condition, such as dementia or damage caused by a brain injury. It may also help better diagnose the type and the severity of mental illness or behavioral disorder the patient may have. The evaluation looks at all facets of a patient’s life and clinical picture before making treatment recommendations. “One of our recent patients, an 18-year-old, came into the program as result of an intervention,” Dr. Kim says. “He had been labeled with a diagnosis, but as a result of our examinations, we were able to clarify that diagnosis. He told us, ‘finally, someone understands what’s going on.’” As a result of his assessment, the patient changed his plans and immediately sought treatment. At the end of a two- to three- week evaluation, the assessment team provides patients with findings and recommendations for their next steps. About half of patients choose to remain at Menninger for their treatment. Patients may also use the assessment to help guide their treatment at other psychiatric facilities, or outpatient treatment. Dr. Kim sees the Assessment Service as an increasingly valuable tool to diagnosis and treat patients with psychiatric disorders. “We are at the beginning of a new age in terms of what we can do for people with psychiatric illnesses,” she says. “In the next 20 to 30 years, we are going to see an explosion in brain research, and we’ll understand so much more about the genetic basis for many conditions. It’s a very exciting time.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to The Menninger Clinic ranks 7th in national survey of best psychiatric hospitals Psychiatric hospital ratings are based on the cumulative results of board-certified psychiatrists surveyed in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The psychiatrists were asked to list the five psychiatric hospitals in the Menninger’s six inpatient programs and two diagnostic services specialize in treating adolescents and adults who have a difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorder that may also be complicated by an addiction or other co-occurring psychiatric disorders. The Clinic also operates active research and education programs through its affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine in “Consistently ranking among the best psychiatric hospitals in the country is especially gratifying, because it validates the high quality of care we provide to persons with serious mental illness,” said Ian Aitken, Menninger president and CEO. “Menninger will continue to build on our more than 82-year legacy as a leader in mental health and develop new advancements in mental health research and treatment that will benefit patients.” A complete list of rankings is available from U.S. News & World Report. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Painkiller abuse continues to grow; new treatments offer hope More than 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. One in 10 teenagers admits to abusing painkillers, such as Vicodin and Oxycontin. Painkillers cause more overdoses than cocaine and heroin combined. "Access to prescription painkillers has never been easier," says addictions psychiatrist Donna Yi, MD, associate chief of staff and clinical director for The Menninger Clinic and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. "Many people start taking prescription painkillers for a legitimate reason, for pain after surgery or childbirth, or to deal with chronic pain. As the sense of euphoria and relaxation provided by the drugs gets reinforced, they become increasingly reliant on the drugs even when they no longer need them for pain." Once hooked, patients may doctor shop to get multiple prescriptions to painkillers, forge prescriptions, order painkillers from web sites that don't require prescriptions or take a road trip to Mexico to supply their habits. Teenagers can get prescription painkillers from their parents' medicine cabinets and their friends—even dealers. Because prescription painkillers are so readily available, they don't have the stigma of illegal drugs, like heroin. Yi adds that it may seem much easier and acceptable to swallow a pill than to find a vein, inject yourself with a drug and risk getting AIDS or overdosing. The word "heroin" instantly evokes a negative image—usually that of someone homeless and on the street. However, like heroin, prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin stimulate opiate receptors in the brain, relieving pain and providing a sense of euphoria, and are highly addictive and difficult to quit without medical intervention. Because opiates are so rewarding and reinforcing, once a person stops using them, the body goes into shock and withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal are similar to a severe case of the flu and may include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, cold flashes with goose bumps and involuntary leg movements. To avoid pain, many people abusing painkillers keep using. New medications help painkiller abusers avoid the painful symptoms of withdrawal and cut the time of withdrawal. The drug buprenorphine was approved by the FDA in 2002 to help ease the symptoms of detoxification and radically decreases the time of detox from an average of two weeks to one or two days. Buprenorphine is a safer alternative to methadone and is available in a convenient pill form. The medication speeds a patient's entry into treatment, cutting down the time he or she is in bed and feeling uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. Staff at The Menninger Clinic, trained by addictions psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Kosten, began administering buprenorphine to patients undergoing detox in 2007. Kosten, Jay H. Waggoner Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at BCM and research director of the Veteran Affairs National Substance Use Disorders Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, played an instrumental role in discovering the proper dose of the drug to treat humans with opiate dependence. Patients may have accompanying mental illness and issues driving their addiction, such as anxiety, depression, life stresses, relationship problems, personality disorders or poor coping skills. A successful treatment program for addiction includes a thorough patient assessment and offers group and individual therapy, psychoeducation and access to self-help groups. Patients' families are also involved in the treatment process. Relapse rates for patients who abuse painkillers are high, so creating a relapse prevention plan is crucial. Patients at Menninger leave with a wellness plan that might include appointments with therapists, support group meetings and exercise to improve their mood and health. Patients also learn the signs and symptoms that constitute a lapse, so they can stop a full-blown relapse. Some patients may also need medications on a continual basis, such as prenorphine or naltrexone, to help them avoid relapse. Both buprenorphine and naltrexone block the effects of opiates on the body. Patients who take buprenorphine, however, will feel mild withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking the drug—reminding them to consistently take their medicine. Doctors often prescribe a version of buprenorphine, combined with another opiate-blocker, naloxone, to guard against the intravenous use of buprenorphine. If the drug combination is injected, the naloxone can cause that person to quickly go into withdrawal. "As the supply and variety of painkillers increase, more people will try them for non-medical reasons, and some will become addicted," Yi says. "Increased awareness, new medications used to treat painkiller abuse and novel therapies offer hope for people struggling with painkiller abuse." (Editor's note: For more news on addiction, visit Baylor College of Medicine's addiction Web package. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Hoarding behavior poses health risks, needs professional help But the problems of people who compulsively hoard clutter go beyond a disorganized home and can’t be solved neatly in a half-hour home organization show or magazine article. Hoarders have a brain disorder resulting in an all-consuming compulsion to collect that often cuts them off from society and damages their relationships. In severe cases, clutter can get so out of control it can endanger lives—as in the case of a “Hoarding is different from being disorganized or not prioritizing,” says John Hart, LCPC, a behavior therapist with the Menninger Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Treatment Program who treats patients who hoard. “If there is a pathological accumulation of stuff in their home, then something has gone pretty desperately wrong.” A sub-type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding is the compulsion to collect and store items considered by most people to be worthless or useless. Little is known about what causes hoarding, but like many mental disorders, it is believed in part to have a genetic cause. In some cases, a loss or other significant life event can trigger hoarding behavior. Hoarding behavior may also be present in persons with dementia. The motivation driving the compulsion to hoard varies among persons with the behavior. Some persons who hoard receive pleasure out of collecting items they want, for example a person who loves to shop sales. Even when their purchases begin to overtake their house, they may not think they have a problem. “Friends and family may see the hoarding as a bigger problem than the person who hoards,” Hart says. “They come to visit and there is no place to sit down because of all the clutter.” Other persons who hoard may feel they have no control over their behavior, for example, they feel they must hold on to every piece of mail with their names on it, in case they need it some day, or out of fear of someone using that information against them. Some persons, out of love for animals, may keep too many pets in their home—another form of hoarding. Persons who hoard often have extreme problems with making decisions. Instead of facing the decision to throw something away, they just avoid it. “They have a hard time seeing the big picture,” Hart says. “They don’t see how a little decision, like keeping an old magazine because they haven’t yet read it, can turn into a whole big mess. They have a hard time moving from the particular to the general.” Well-meaning family and friends may try to help by clearing all the clutter away from the hoarder’s home—a temporary solution at best. Without mental health counseling, hoarders usually will go back to hoarding again. For severe cases of hoarding, inpatient treatment may help by removing the person from their hoarding environment and evaluating whether they may also have a co-occurring psychological problem, such as depression or anxiety, Hart says. Patients in the Menninger OCD Treatment program who hoard participate in cognitive behavioral therapy and learn decision making skills. They also work on their beliefs about hoarding, and learn to understand their emotional reaction when they throw items away. For treatment to be successful, it must also happen where the patients hoard. “It is important that they receive some sort of therapeutic help in the home,” Hart says. “It is usually the best strategy for the therapist to train family or friends or volunteers how to help.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Web site to mark progress, promote Epicenter The site:
As the campaign moves forward, we invite you to visit MiraclesInMind.com. This summer, Menninger will expand the site to spotlight philanthropic gift announcements, comments from donors and the forthcoming campaign newsletter. Second annual Menninger luncheon exceeds expectations The event raised $150,000 to support research for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. The luncheon, presented by the MBM Foundation Board of Visitors, was chaired by Charles LeMaistre, MD, and Andreae Behlen LeMaistre. The highlight of the program was the presentation of the Menninger Hope Award in memory of the late Lee Hage Jamail for her exemplary achievements in mental health. Can you exercise too much? Mental health experts say yes. Are you exercised obsessed, or just an avid exercise enthusiast? That depends on your attitude, say mental health experts. If you exercise frequently because you enjoy it and you like the health benefits it provides, you have the right reasons in mind. If you exercise because you feel compelled to do so, and in spite of having injuries, you may be at risk for developing an exercise disorder. “There is no set formula or standard that reveals how much exercising is too much,” says Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic. “But if exercising is interfering in a person’s life, and it is compulsory, then it may be a problem.” Dr. Fassihi treats patients in the Eating Disorders Program who over exercise in an attempt to burn off calories, build muscle or attain physical perfection. It is common for patients with exercise disorders to also have an eating disorder, Fassihi says. Problems occur when body perception doesn’t match reality. As with eating disorders, persons involved in activities or professions that require physical beauty or high levels of physical performance—such as athletes and dancers—are particularly vulnerable to developing exercise disorders. High achievers with perfectionist personalities are also vulnerable. Both men and women can have an exercising disorder, but they often have different goals for their exercise regimens. Women seek the “lean look” and typically exercise aerobically to become thin. Men want to bulk up and lift weights to increase muscle mass. “If you have an exercising disorder, you also may be very preoccupied about your body’s appearance, weight and muscle mass.” Dr. Fassihi says. “You spend a lot of time looking at yourself, scrutinizing yourself, measuring yourself and constantly working out to create the muscle mass or lean body that you want.” Distorted body image, also called body dysmorphia, is a common component of an exercising disorder. Persons with body dysmorphia have a distorted view and exaggerated vision of their appearance—thin women may think they are too big, and muscular men may think they are too puny or scrawny. The obsession with being too small or frail is a subtype of body dysmorphia called muscle dysmorphia, nicknamed bigorexia, which is most common in men. Men with muscle dysmorphia constantly weight train and exercise to achieve a more muscular or perceived “manly” body. To achieve their ideal body or fitness goals, many persons with exercise disorders also restrict their calories, based on the mistaken belief that they will build a higher proportion of muscle if they restrict their food intake while exercising, Dr. Fassihi says. Instead, they lose both muscle and fat, putting their health at risk. “Over exercising can cause significant damage to the body,” Dr. Fassihi adds. “It can increase the risk of injuries for both men and women. Women may be more at risk for osteoporosis if they are over exercising and restricting their food intake, and they may stop menstruating completely. Men may use steroids and protein powders to help them achieve their goals, leading to other health problems.” Over exercising can also cause stress fractures, which can impede walking. Constant repetitive exercise can cause wear and tear on the body’s muscle, bones and joints--in severe cases making joint replacement surgery necessary at a young age. Despite their health problems, many persons who over exercise are reluctant to admit their behavior is problematic, Dr. Fasshi says. Exercise provides them with a sense of control, power, and in some cases, superiority. Exercise also relieves anxiety and releases endorphins, which provide a sense of euphoria. Because of the positive aspects of exercise, and its value in our achievement and appearance oriented-society, treatment for exercise disorders can be difficult. “If you give up an addiction that is bad for you, you give it up cold turkey. However, you can’t give up exercise completely, because it is healthy,” Dr. Fassihi says. “You want to learn how to exercise moderately in a healthy way. That’s very tough without help from a professional.” Staff members with the Eating Disorders Program at Menninger work with patients who over exercise to help them recognize normal levels of exercise. At the beginning of treatment, patients are limited to the mildest physical activity, such as walking, in an attempt to increase their body weight to normal levels. As treatment progresses, patients may increase their amount of exercise. By the time they leave Menninger, patients are exercising moderately every other day, for about four hours a week. Men and women also learn to confront their anxiety about not exercising, and learn other methods to help them relieve their anxiety—such as relaxation and breathing exercises. They may also participate in a body image group to identify negative beliefs they have about their bodies and how to dispute those beliefs. With treatment, patients realize the toll that over exercising has taken on their lives. “Over exercising interferes with their quality of life because they devote so much of their time to exercise to the exclusion of anything else,” Dr. Fassihi says. “Their time is not available for socializing, relationships or work. It is all consuming.” Sidebar:
If you believe you have an over exercising disorder or at risk for developing an over exercising disorder, seek help from a trusted advisor, such as a coach or teacher, or a doctor or mental health professional. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Houston in 2003 and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital. For 16 consecutive years, Menninger has been named among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of America’s Best Hospitals. Dr. Aaron T. Beck chosen to receive Menninger award Dr. Beck is University Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is one of the pioneers of cognitive therapy for mental health problems, which transformed psychology and psychiatry around the world and is now considered the psychological treatment of choice for many disorders. The late Dr. William Menninger, co-founder of The Clinic along with his brother Karl and their father C.F., was president and vice-president of the college. When he died an award was established in his honor as a way of helping to facilitate the interaction between psychiatry and medicine. For more than 50 years, Dr. Beck has been influential in changing the psychological understanding and treatment of depression and other psychiatric disorders, developing sophisticated instruments for assessing the severity of specific syndromes. He has also made seminal additions to the understanding of suicide classification, assessment, prediction and prevention. He is president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and the More about American College of Physicians Awards Menninger experts discuss effects of Virginia Tech shooting Survivors of Virginia Tech shooting may be traumatized
Each person will respond in his or her own way to the effects of the tragedy. Persons who have been through previous traumatic losses or events may experience more intense reactions and need more time to recover. However, most survivors have resilience and skills that will keep them from developing long-term effects or mental health disorders Achieving a balance between grieving for losses and participating in activities that take the mind off of intense feelings can help restore survivors’ well being. Finding meaning and benevolence in the world will provide hope necessary for recovering from the effects of the Virginia Tech shooting. Posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, depression, self-harm and chemical dependency may result from surviving a traumatic event. For more than a decade, Menninger clinicians have been developing and applying interventions for individuals with trauma-related disorders. “Our goal in processing trauma is to make sense of trauma as a meaningful experience. The goal is not to rid the mind of traumatic memories, but rather to make it more bearable to have the memories in mind when inevitable reminders occur. A trusting environment for treatment, social support, a safe place to express emotions, a daily routine, and an understanding of the effects of trauma and treatment are so important to trauma recovery,” said Jon Allen, PhD, senior Menninger psychologist, author of Coping With Trauma and co-author of Restoring Hope and Trust. “It’s unrealistic to expect that you can bleach the trauma out of your mind. What treatment can help you do is learn how to cope with the experience, with the memories and to live in the present,” added Lisa Lewis, PhD, Menninger psychologist and co-author of Restoring Hope and Trust. Impact of Virginia Tech media stories on Americans Repetitive images of the Virginia Tech shooting can have the same effect as seeing the 9-11 terrorist attack aftermath. Menninger experts advise:
Psychologists cited in the news release are Menninger mental health professionals and faculty members of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. The Menninger Clinic is a nonprofit international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Rice historian to speak about impact illness on Rice University founder, at second annual Menninger luncheon The public is invited to the luncheon, which is sponsored by the Board of Visitors, whose members support the work of The Menninger Clinic. The luncheon begins at noon at the Houston Marriott Medical Center Hotel, In his keynote address, Dr. Boles will draw on information from his upcoming biography on Dr. Lovett titled, “University Builder: Edgar Odell Lovett and the Founding of the Rice Institute.” Individual tickets for the luncheon start at $150. Table prices range from $1,000 to $15,000. Deadline for reservations is May 1. For more information, or to make reservations, call 713-275-5028. “University Builder,” to be published by Louisiana State University Press in November 2007, covers how Dr. Lovett brought a world-class institution of learning to “In some ways his family’s mental illness didn’t affect Dr. Lovett’s career,” Dr. Boles says. “In subtle ways it changed him. It made him more serious, less contemplative. Dr. Lovett had to learn to compartmentalize. At one point in his life, his son was in a mental institution and his wife was bed ridden, but no one knew about it.” The stigma of mental illness continues to this day. Through events like the Menninger Luncheon, The Menninger Clinic is working to overcome stigma and increase awareness about mental illness in the community. Proceeds from the luncheon will fund continuing hospital-based research for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. The Menninger Clinic is a nonprofit international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to Families need help to deal with aftermath of suicide attempts The repercussions from a suicide attempt can go on for years, according to treament team members with the Adolescent Treatment Program at The Menninger Clinic. Guilt and shame over a suicide attempt prevent many families from getting the help they need to work through the crisis. An estimated 30 percent of families of children who attempt suicide seek family therapy, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 1997, and about 77 percent of families referred to treatment after an adolescent attempts suicide drop out according to a 1993 Journal study. Many families don’t pursue treatment because they deny or minimize their child’s suicide attempt. Teenagers who attempt suicide may also not admit they tried to kill themselves. Complicating matters, teenagers may attempt suicide while in treatment for mental illness, such as depression or substance abuse. Families are reluctant to put their trust in the mental health system again--feeling it failed them. That’s unfortunate, because families desperately need support and direction after a child attempts suicide. Depression, which leads to suicidal thinking, affects the entire family unit. To move past the tragedy, families must address the issues that the suicide caused, and continues to cause, in their lives. Chief among the issues is the family’s increased sense of responsibility for the child who attempted suicide. Worried about a repeat suicide attempt, family members, and parents in particular, feel that they have to watch their child constantly—in some cases, sleeping at the foot of the child’s bed every night to make sure he or she won’t attempt suicide. Parents feel a huge obligation to watch over their child. At first it may seem somewhat comforting to the child, but then the parents become so intrusive in the child’s life he or she thinks, "I can’t live like this anymore." Helping families reach that middle ground between protecting and smothering their children is a main goal for family therapy at the Menninger Adolescent Treatment Program, which treats adolescents age 12 to 17. Patients in the inpatient treatment program struggle with family, school and social difficulties because of depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric illness or substance abuse. Some patients also have attempted suicide once or multiple times. The treatment team recommends individual therapy as well as appropriate psychiatric medication for children who attempt suicide, as most are quite depressed and feel hopeless. Their parents and other children in the family may also benefit from individual therapy, especially if they found them after the attempt. Often siblings are just as stressed out as the parents because they find the brother after the overdose, or they are the ones in the background while Mom and Dad and the brother are having all of the conflict. Working with therapists at Menninger, patients in the Adolescent Treatment Program learn to develop agency, or the ability to take action and exert control, over their mental illness and suicidal feelings. They learn skills to cope, ways to self-soothe and to seek out sources of support other than their parents. They also learn to share their thoughts and feelings with their parents, and to communicate with their parents if they are feeling suicidal. Parents, in turn, learn how to listen and not overreact. When parents witness that their child is handling his or her feelings better, and knows when to seek help, it lowers their anxiety. Family therapy immediately following a suicide attempt may not be productive, because emotions are raw, and the suicide attempt is still fresh in the family members’ minds. Once the child who attempted suicide learns how to deal with his or her hopelessness and depression, and the parents begin to deal with their own anxieties and guilty or angry feelings, then they may be ready for family therapy. Family therapy helps family members learn how to communicate better with each other and express their feelings more constructively. Sidebar: Is my child contemplating suicide? Even in the most open families, teens may still be hesitant to tell their parents they are depressed or thinking about suicide. However, an estimated 80 percent of individuals who attempt or commit suicide give out signs. Following are warning signs of suicide to watch for from the National Youth Prevention Commission:
Extreme distress over the breakup of a relationship, or conflict with friends, may also be a warning sign of suicide. If you suspect your child may be contemplating suicide, treat it seriously. Ask directly if he or she is considering suicide and whether he or she has made a specific plan and has done anything to carry it out. Then, get professional help for your child from a psychologist, therapist, primary care doctor, community mental health provider or call a suicide hotline or local crisis center. If your child has a detailed plan or you suspect he or she will commit suicide, seek help immediately, taking your child to a hospital emergency room if necessary. The Menninger Clinic is a nonprofit international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to HOUSTON In her new position as program director, Dr. Lloyd will supervise administrative and clinical aspects of the program and provide group and individual therapy. Dr. Lloyd has consulted with the business community on issues such as improving workplace communication, enhancing employee satisfaction and providing assistance and clinical services to employees coping with traumatic incidents in the workplace. She is a Dr. Lloyd was previously an administrator and long-time faculty member at The University of Texas Health Science Center at As the founding director of the Student Counseling Service, she was responsible for mental health services for more than 3,500 health professional students and graduate students pursuing careers in medical research. Dr. Lloyd’s special interests include depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and providing mental health services to healthcare professionals. She is an active researcher and has published extensively on stress and mental health problems among health professional students. Dr. Lloyd has also studied psychosocial risk factors for depression, including the study of stressful life events, personality factors, parenting experiences during childhood and social support. In addition, Dr. Lloyd has served as a reviewer for several prominent psychiatric and psychological journals. The Menninger Clinic appoints O’Malley director of Compass Program
As director, Dr. O’Malley will manage all administrative and clinical aspects of the program and provide services including group and individual therapy. Dr. O’Malley also is an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. In his new position he will continue to provide supervision and teaching for mental health professionals in training at Baylor College of Medicine. Previously, Dr. O’Malley served as clinical director for the Adolescent Treatment Program and interim director for the Hope Adult Program at Menninger. Since he joined Menninger in 1981, Dr. O’Malley has been highly involved in the diagnosis and treatment of young people. He specializes in trauma, anxiety and depression in teenagers; suicide prevention and treatment; sexual and gender issues; and diagnosis and treatment of complex clinical disorders. A teacher as well as a clinician, Dr. O’Malley was a member of the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry & Mental Health Sciences for 18 years. In 1993, he was honored as the John H. Scudder Supervisor. In 2001, Dr. O’Malley was awarded the Barbara Davis Spencer Professorship. Dr. O’Malley completed his postdoctoral psychology fellowship in child and adolescent psychology at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the The Menninger Clinic is a nonprofit international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to
In her new role, Dr. Yi serves on the Menninger leadership team, is the consulting psychiatrist to the Admissions Office and is clinical representative for adult services on the administrative council of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Yi previously served as interim chief of staff for Menninger, following the retirement of former chief of staff, Richard Munich, MD. “Dr. Yi has done an excellent job providing interim leadership,” said John Oldham, MD, senior vice president and chief of staff of The Menninger Clinic. “Her dedication to patient care and the continued growth and excellence of The Clinic is much appreciated and will be sustained in this new position.” Dr. Yi has 20 years experience in addiction psychiatry and caring for patients with addiction and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. She teaches at national conferences on the challenges of treating individuals with co-occurring disorders. From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Yi served as addiction psychiatrist for the Menninger Professionals in Crisis Program, a specialty inpatient treatment program for women and men in high-performance fields who are experiencing difficulty managing their career and relationships because of co-occurring psychiatric disorders that may include addiction. Dr. Yi is certified in addiction medicine by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is board certified in adult and addiction psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology. She completed her psychiatric residency at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and the Before joining Menninger in 2003, she served on the faculty at the Keck School of Medicine of the
Improving body image key to treating eating disorders In addition to the concern with body shape and size that is a symptom of all eating disorders, approximately 40 percent of patients also have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a distorted view and exaggerated vision of their appearance. Changing that distorted image is an important part of the treatment process for patients with eating disorders. “Body image disturbance is one of the most difficult things to change when treating an eating disorder and is the last symptom to resolve from treatment,” said Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at Menninger. “If a patient does not make some improvement on body image issues early in treatment, it is a significant risk factor for relapse into the eating disorder.” Dr. Fassihi and mental health counselor Deborah Henderson developed a 12-week program to help patients improve their body image, based on the work of British psychiatrist and researcher Christopher Fairburn. Patients in the program meet twice a week for cognitive-behavioral therapy and experiential therapy. In the cognitive-behavioral therapy group, patients learn to identify negative beliefs about their body image and dispute those beliefs. For example, one exercise asks patients to estimate how much string it would take to wrap around a certain portion of their body that they are concerned about, such as their thigh or waist. Patients often think the amount is three times more than what it actually takes. When they measure the string, they realize the circumference is much smaller than imagined. “With the dispute step, patients may begin to see their distorted thoughts become more balanced,” Patients also participate in a body image party, in which they must come up with one word that describes their appearance. For example, a female patient may choose “grotesque” as her word. The group then gives her feedback that she is not in fact grotesque. As a result, the patient learns that the standard she has set for herself is too high, and her image of herself is different from the reality of what others think of her. During the body image party, patients are also challenged to come up with a positive word about themselves, not related to their appearance. The positive words help patients see themselves as creative, funny or compassionate. In experiential group therapy, patients assist one another to trace their bodies onto paper. At the beginning of the tracing exercise, patients draw what they think they look like, and then contrast it with an actual outline of their body. Often patients overestimate the size of their bodies. Seeing the difference between their estimated size and their real size can be enlightening for patients. “Patients gain some important insights through the body image groups while at Menninger,” Dr. Fassihi says. “They learn about how their body image issues impact their lives, and most seem to re-evaluate the importance they have been placing on appearance.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Kansas, Menninger relocated to HOUSTON, TX—(December 21, 2006)—At first, it seemed easier to give in, easier to wash Rachel’s* jeans an extra time a day, than to deal with her meltdown if her jeans were “contaminated.” Then, two times a day became three times a day or more, until Rachel’s parents spent all of their free time doing laundry. Like many parents who have children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Rachel’s parents never intended for the situation to get so out of control. But the time and energy spent accommodating a child’s OCD behavior quickly becomes exhausting and affects the whole family. “Often parents don’t know what OCD is and they don’t know how to effectively manage it,” said Thröstur Björgvinsson, PhD, director of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Treatment Programs at Menninger. “Accommodating their children’s behavior is their way of coping with the situation, but unfortunately, the symptoms of OCD will continue to get worse without treatment.” Children with OCD have intrusive, obsessive thoughts or impulses such as fear of dirt or contamination, a concern with order or fear of harming a family member. To relieve that fear, they compulsively perform rituals such as excessive hand washing, counting to the same number repeatedly or praying constantly. OCD often starts in childhood, typically between ages 9 and 13. Dr. Björgvinsson stated that nearly 90 percent of families, according to one study, accommodate their child’s OCD. They may find themselves going to extremes to help their child with OCD--like going on a fast food run at 3 a.m. to buy their child an “uncontaminated” meal. In severe cases, parents may quit their careers to stay home and take care of their child, because accommodating OCD rituals becomes a full-time job. “Parents get drawn into the rituals whether they like it or not,” Dr. Björgvinsson said. “By the time they seek professional help for their child, their lives are on hold.” The Menninger Clinic’s OCD Treatment Program uses intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy to help patients with OCD face their fears. Accommodation of rituals and avoidance behaviors cannot be stopped all at once. Gradually, patients are exposed to the source of their fear, for example contamination from germs. With the support of program staff and family, they learn how to resist performing the ritual that relieves their fear, such as washing their hands. “The first week or the first few days in treatment, we meet the patients at the point where they are with their OCD struggles,” Dr. Björgvinsson said. “We may allow patients to wash their hands and use rubber gloves, in extreme cases, all with the intention of removing those accommodations and systematically increasing their exposures.” Patients who fear contamination from doorknobs practice touching doorknobs at different levels of perceived contamination. They may practice touching a doorknob in a doctor’s office, then a doorknob in a train station and finally a doorknob in a public restroom. By repeatedly not washing their hands afterwards, they get used to the anxiety. Research shows that an estimated 60 to 70 percent of patients with OCD improve with cognitive-behavioral therapy, Dr. Björgvinsson said, adding that the families of children with OCD play an important role in the therapy’s success. Parents of patients in Menninger’s adolescent OCD Treatment Program meet frequently with program staff to learn more about their child’s progress, and how to help their child, while not accommodating their OCD behavior. Therapists help patients and families create behavior contracts that target areas of family life affected by OCD, helping parents coach their child and disentangle themselves from OCD symptoms. Staff also encourages parents to take care of themselves, take trips they postponed and seek therapy for themselves to deal with the overwhelming stress of caring for a child with OCD. For more information on treatment programs and support groups for obsessive-compulsive disorder, visit Menninger’s Web site or the OC Foundation. * Composite patient case used for illustrative purposes only The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
The Menninger Clinic announces Woodson and Steele appointments The Hope Program treats adults from 18 and older with mental illness including personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, long-standing mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders and substance abuse or addiction that co-exists with psychiatric disorders. Throughout his 20-year career, Dr. Woodson has developed a strong repertoire of clinical, administrative and research skills. He most recently served as director of specialty psychiatric services for the Dr. Woodson earned his doctorate in counseling psychology from the
“Dr. Woodson and Ms. Steele each possess a unique combination of managerial skills and clinical acumen that will complement the Hope Program’s reputation for professional excellence,” said Donna Yi, MD, interim chief of staff of The Menninger Clinic. “They will continue to make substantial contributions to the field that will enrich our fundamental and foremost goal, exemplary patient care.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
“Many persons with eating disorders love to cook and will constantly cook and bake for their family or friends,” said Theresa Fassihi, PhD, a psychologist with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic in She added that some persons with eating disorders may get vicarious pleasure from watching others eat, and enjoy being in control while others give in to the fattening foods. While baking is a normal, enjoyable part of the holiday experience, it could be a warning flag if coupled with other signs and symptoms of eating disorders. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and overexercising. While eating disorders occur more frequently in women, men may also develop an eating disorder. Nearly 10 million females and 1 million males are currently struggling with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. “College is a major life transition, and some young adults develop eating disorders during this time,” Dr. Fassihi said. “They may be scared that they will gain the infamous ‘Freshman 15,’ they may be influenced by their roommates or peers who diet or they may feel pressure to be a certain weight to compete athletically.” College kids may also believe choosing what to eat and not to eat gives them some sense of control over their new lives and makes them feel safe, Dr. Fassihi added. Parents may notice changes in their college-aged child’s eating behavior during the holiday season, because many students return home for more than a day or so for the first time since summer. Other signs of eating disorders include:
If you suspect an eating disorder, talk to your child about your concerns and encourage him or her to see an eating disorder specialist to be evaluated for an eating disorder. If you child denies a problem, emphasize the tremendous health risks of eating disorders including heart problems, permanent bone loss and death. “Early intervention offers people with eating disorders the best prognosis,” Dr. Fassihi said. “The majority of people who get treatment for eating disorders recover.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Dr. John Oldham named chief of staff of The Menninger Clinic An authority on personality disorders and a psychoanalyst, Dr. Oldham will also serve as a senior vice president for The Clinic and as executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs and Development and professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at BCM. Dr. Oldham is a Baylor College of Medicine alumnus and is currently professor and chairman of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and a clinical professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. At MUSC he oversees an active psychiatry department consistently ranked among the top departments in the “Dr. Oldham brings to Menninger a wealth of clinical expertise and experience working with complex medical and psychiatric systems,” said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. “His international reputation as a leader in psychiatric medicine and specialization in personality disorders is a tremendous asset to The Clinic and our affiliations with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital. We are pleased he is joining our team at this exciting time in our history.” Prior to working at Medical University of South Carolina, Dr. Oldham served as the Elizabeth K. Dollard professor and acting chairman of the department of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and chief medical officer of the New York State Office of Mental Health. Under his leadership at New York State Psychiatric Institute, the organization successfully built a new $113 million facility. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to join the leadership team at Menninger,” Dr. Oldham said. “The Menninger Clinic is a landmark institution in American psychiatry. All of us in the field have been influenced by the pioneering work at The Clinic, and many of my teachers and professional colleagues are Menninger trained or have participated in the work of The Clinic.” In his new role, Dr. Oldham’s goals include continuing Menninger’s shared vision with its partners to build a new international behavioral health campus located near the “Dr. Oldham brings exceptional leadership experience and skills to The Menninger Clinic and the Menninger Department of Psychiatry of Baylor College of Medicine,” said Stuart Yudofsky, MD, D.C. and Irene Ellwood Professor and chairman of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at BCM and chief of the Psychiatry Service at The Methodist Hospital. “Additionally, his expertise in personality disorders research is a perfect fit for the research strengths and initiatives of the Child and Family Program and the Brown Human Neuroimaging Laboratory programs of The Menninger Clinic and the Menninger Department.” After receiving a master’s degree in neuroendocrinology from Baylor College of Medicine in 1966 and a medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1967, Dr. Oldham completed his psychiatric training at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and his psychoanalytic training at the An international leader in the psychiatric community, Dr. Oldham is active nationally as an educator and lecturer, and is author and editor of more than 200 journal articles, books, book chapters and editorials, including the Textbook of Personality Disorders, published by American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. in 2005, and The New Personality Self-Portrait, continuously published by Bantam from 1995 until the present. Oldham also serves as treasurer of the Dr. Oldham and his wife, internal medicine physician Karen Pacella Oldham, MD, plan to relocate to The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Love your body this holiday season “The victory of fitting into that dress isn’t so sweet, if you feel too guilty to enjoy any sweets,” says Janice Poplack, primary clinician with the Eating Disorders Program at The Menninger Clinic. “Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays, including eating special holiday foods. You will go back to eating healthier after the holidays end.” If only more women would follow that advice, they might enjoy the holidays more, Poplack says.
You could ignore those well-meaning, but misguided friends and relatives or try to direct the conversation to another subject. If those close to you talk about weight and food on a regular basis, tell them ahead of time not to talk about these subjects in front of you. Poplack offers additional strategies to help women not obsess about weight or appearance during the holidays.
Being a little self conscious about weight and appearance is normal in this age of skin-and-bones celebrities. But constantly thinking about how you look and what you should or shouldn’t eat could be a sign of a bigger problem. If you talk or think about food more than five to 10 times a day, you may need professional help. For more information on The Menninger Clinic’s Eating Disorders Program, visit the Menninger Web site or call For health's sake, give thanks this Thanksgiving You will if you know what’s good for you, say mental health experts. Being thankful or grateful encourages people to think more positively about themselves, their lives and the people around them. Research even shows that gratitude may extend your life. “Gratitude allows you to take good things in,” says Lisa Lewis, PhD, director of psychology at The Menninger Clinic in Dr. Lewis is researching positive psychology in group therapy at The Menninger Clinic, based on the research of The study’s goal is to help patients with mental illness focus on what’s right about themselves as well as wrong, and to build a reserve of positive experiences and emotions. Exercises in the study encourage expressing gratitude to build positive feelings and foster positive emotion. One such exercise is called the gratitude letter and visit. Patients pick a person who has influenced them and write a letter to that person, including details about how that person has had an impact on their lives. Any person, not just patients with mental illness, can benefit from sending a gratitude letter, Dr. Lewis says. The key is to be specific. “You don’t just want to say, ‘You are a wonderful person and I want to thank you,’” Dr. Lewis says. “Think of the things you have done together and what he or she has done for you or with you. Then you call them up and ask to see them. When you visit, you read the letter out loud. It is very powerful experience.” Dr. Lewis also recommends another gratitude exercise developed by Dr. Seligman called “Three Good Things and Sweet Dreams.” Each night before you go to bed, write down three things for which you are grateful. They can be simple, for example, you might be glad that you saw a Monarch butterfly. Also write down what about you contributed to that good thing. For example, you saw the Monarch butterfly because you were mindful of your surroundings. Dr. Lewis says Thanksgiving is a natural time to express our thanks and establish a ritual of giving thanks for the past year. “Before you dig into the turkey and stuffing, you could all go around the room, and each person could say what they are grateful for,” Dr. Lewis says. “It doesn’t have to be something spectacular. You can be grateful that you can breathe. You can be grateful that you have food to put on the table. You can be grateful for the simple things, for everyday life. That is really the key.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Test your drug slang IQ Here’s a translation: Special ‘K” is slang for Ketamine, a powerful hallucinogenic drug similar to PCP and LSD. A biscuit, or a tab, is a hit of the hallucinogenic drug ecstasy, commonly used at all-night dance parties or raves. Like fashion, slang terms for drugs constantly change and evolve. Staying abreast of current slang terms for drugs, and which drugs are popular, can be challenging for parents. Some parents mistakenly believe their children share their naiveté about drugs. But a new study in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research found that parents substantially underestimate their children’s use of alcohol and other drugs. An estimated 23 percent of adolescents in the study, for example, admitted to using marijuana, while only 13.2 percent of their parents were aware of it. Authors of the study said parents of younger teens were less likely to be aware that their children were using drugs. “Teens are beginning to experiment with drugs and alcohol as early as 10, 11 and 12 years of age,” said Lynn D’Antoni, an addictions counselor with the Adolescent Treatment Program at The Menninger Clinic. “Today it is not just alcohol and marijuana any more, it is also cocaine and street drugs like crystal meth (methamphetamine) and ecstasy.” Some drugs terms linger from the hippie-era. Marijuana is still weed or pot, but these days it is also known as schwagg or chronic. Heroin is still called smack, but depending on the type of heroin it is, it may also be called brown sugar or black tar. What else has changed? Take the following quiz to test your drug IQ, based on drug slang terms commonly heard by staff at The Menninger Clinic treating teens for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders such as depression. Answers follow the quiz. 1. “K-Hole” is slang for: a. A type of “Special-K,” or Ketamine b. Periods of Ketamine induced confusion 2. The pain killer OxyContin is also called: a. Oxies b. Cotton 3. Rophies is the nickname for: a. Rohypnol, the date rape drug b. The rush you feel after using cocaine 4. Fry sticks are: a. The act of injecting yourself with speed b. Marijuana cigarettes dipped in formaldehyde and sometimes laced with PCP 5. Inhaling a small amount of cocaine is called a: a. bump b. blip 6. Combining the prescription drug Viagra with Ecstasy is called: a. 24-7 heaven b. Sextasy 7. Amped out is: a. Fatigue after using amphetamine b. Using the maximum amount of steroids your body can take 8. “Working Man’s Cocaine” is a nickname for: a. Crack cocaine b. Methamphetamine, a powerful stimulant 9. A marijuana cigarette rolled with cocaine is called a: a. Primo b. Speedy 10. Juice is a slang term for: a. Steroids b. PCP Answer key: 1 (b), 2 (b), 3 (a), 4 (b), 5 (a), 6 (b), 7 (a), 8 (b), 9 (a), 10 (both a or b). How did you do? If you need to brush up on your slang, two good resources are the White House Office of Drug Control Policy http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse http://www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages.html. Remember, slang terms for drugs vary regionally and change frequently. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
New book covers mentalizing in mental health treatment Book editors Jon Allen, PhD, and Peter Fonagy, PhD, bring together an international group of experts to provide information on mentalization, development of mentalizing skills, and how mentalizing can be used in treatment. The editors, psychologists and researchers for The Menninger Clinic in The book’s publication coincides with a rising wave of international interest in mentalizing in the mental health community. In June, Drs. Allen and Fonagy spoke to more than 250 of their peers at the “I felt we needed a very readable book on the subject of mentalizing that would be of interest to clinicians of diverse theoretical orientations,” Dr. Allen says. “The concept and this way of working with people can be used in many clinical contexts.” He added that Handbook’s target audience includes mental health practitioners such as psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, nurses and academic researchers studying mentalization and attachment. An international group of experts, including current and former Menninger staff members, contributed to the book. Chapters cover current research and knowledge about mentalizing, and mentalization-focused treatments such as psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. Handbook devotes particular attention to mentalizing in childhood development, and psychiatric disorders such as borderline personality disorder. Drs. Allen and Fonagy also are working on an additional book on mentalizing geared to clinicians, tentatively titled, Mentalizing in Clinical Practice, to be published by American Psychiatric Publishing. While Drs. Allen and Fonagy are two of mentalization-based treatment’s many advocates, “we claim no innovation,” they state in the book’s preface. “On the contrary, mentalization-based treatment is the least novel therapeutic approach imaginable…Nonetheless, fostering the capacity to mentalize might be our most therapeutic endeavor: cultivating a fully functioning mind is a high aspiration indeed.” More information on mentalizing is available on Menninger’s Web site in the Resources section. An order form for the book is also available in the Resources section under Professional Papers and Books. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Parents: Think like a teen to help child recover from substance abuse Easy access to drugs and alcohol and social pressures to conform complicate recovery for teens and young adults. And with college and adulthood ahead of them, the idea of not drinking or using drugs for the “rest of their lives,” can seem like an eternity. “Telling them they will never be able to drink in college, socialize with friends over a beer or celebrate their 21st birthday with a drink is a hard sell for young adults in recovery,” says Michael Rios, an addictions counselor who treats young adults age 18 to 30 in The Menninger Clinic’s Compass Program. Rios says recovery from substance abuses involves preparing for relapse. He adds that many young adults don’t think they are addicted because they are experimenting with many different drugs, instead of abusing one drug. Teens or young adults who have experienced few consequences from using drugs or alcohol may not see the need for staying sober. Adding to their feelings of invincibility, many teens and young adults don’t experience painful withdrawal symptoms when they stop using drugs because their bodies are young and strong. “Teens don’t have as much physical addiction to drugs and alcohol, but their psychological dependence is great,” says Lynn D’Antoni, an addictions counselor for Menninger’s Adolescent Treatment Program, which treats young adults age 12 to 17. “Teens (using drugs or alcohol) lose control very quickly. Once they control the way they feel through chemicals, they get hooked.” Ongoing treatment support is essential for recovery, and may be a challenge to find because few support groups and 12-step groups are geared to young adults and teens. At The Menninger Clinic, D’Antoni and Rios work hard to place young adults in support groups with people their own age and look for group meetings and activities held on Friday and Saturday nights, critical times when teens are more likely to drink or use drugs. The goal is to help teens and young adults learn that they can socialize without abusing substances. “Many young adults think everyone they know is drinking or smoking pot, because everyone in their world of 20 or 30 people are,” Rios says. “They are surprised to learn that the majority of people outside of their social circle do not use drugs or alcohol.” Support groups are also helpful for parents of teens and young adults in recovery. For parents of teens in recovery, D’Antoni recommends they attend support groups and 12-step programs together with their teen and attend family counseling. Vulnerability to addiction often runs in families. Also, the family environment influences the coping strategies a person develops in life. Counseling can help family members communicate with each other in a more constructive manner. “Dysfunctional communication is common in families who have children who are battling addiction,” D’Antoni says. “Feelings aren’t expressed, needs aren’t asked for and unhealthy patterns of communication are the norm.” Counseling can also help parents learn how to establish boundaries for their teens that will make them feel secure, but not too restricted. Parents have less control of what their child does once he or she turns 18, but their support is still critical to a young adult’s recovery from addiction. Because relapse is very common in the first year of recovery, parents should be attuned to how their child’s life is going, and recognize signs of relapse such as changes in mood and behavior, depression, irregular attendance at treatment meetings and lying. “Trust your gut if you think something is wrong, and talk to your child,” Rios says. “The key to a successful recovery is communication.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Transitions: What You Should Tell Your Child Before College “The world is maturing at a fast clip, but the move from high school to college is still a major transition, even for teens who are well adapted,” Dr. Stein says. “College is likely to be the first time they will be making decisions on their own.” But what does your child need to know before he or she leaves, and how do you set limits without squelching your child’s newfound freedom? Instead of telling your child what he or she should or shouldn’t do, communicate your own experiences and fears from your college days, Dr. Stein explains. This approach can open the door for your child to talk about his own fears. It also will give your child permission to be less than perfect in his new world. “Whatever you do, don’t ignore issues,” Dr. Stein adds. “Your kids will think they can’t talk about them. If you haven’t talked about safe sex or drugs and alcohol, you’re being naïve. Do it now. Discuss how your child might handle these concerns because they will come up if they haven’t already.” At the same time, you must set clear guidelines, Dr. Stein says. Take money, for instance. Will your child get whatever money he or she requests or receive an allowance? If so, how much? What will you expect the money to cover? Books and fees? Clothes? An occasional pizza? What about the credit cards so easily available to college students? If your child runs out of money, then what? Grades are another issue. Do you expect a B average? Your child needs to know, Dr. Stein explains. Also keep in mind that college should be a time to experiment. Your child might start in premed, but encourage your child to take a class like poetry. College is the last time to explore various careers and interests. Visits home can cause hurt feelings if guidelines aren’t set, Dr. Stein said. Some college students see home as a quick stop between visits with high school friends, while you’re left with only a bulging laundry bag. If you feel ignored and disappointed, help your child understand your feelings, she says. Tell child you’ve missed him and that you really want him home for meals–or whatever you expect–while your child is in town. Finally, no matter what the issue, tell your child that if there’s a problem in college, the time to renegotiate is before it gets out of hand. Think your child won’t listen to you? Not true, says Dr. Stein. “Kids want to hear you, even though they pretend they don’t,” she says. Gender confusion distresses teens Yet, he knew he was not gay, as his parents had suggested. Feeling misunderstood, Rob sank into depression and isolated himself from his family and friends. His schoolwork and social life suffered from his confusion and distress about his gender, a psychiatric condition also called gender identity disorder. “A lot of kids with gender identity issues keep very quiet about their feelings,” says Flynn O’Malley, PhD, clinical director of the Menninger Adolescent Treatment Program; interim director of the Menninger Hope Program; and an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. “Their parents may suspect that they are gay, but they are not. Teens with gender identity issues usually remain secretive about their feelings. As they get older they may try to “pass” as the other sex, and then are often ostracized. They don’t know where they belong.” This cycle of isolation and experimentation may result in troubling health and mental health consequences. Teens with gender identity disorder (GID) feel or believe like they should be the opposite sex of what they are. A biological girl feels like she should be a boy. A biological boy feels like he is a girl. That disconnect between brain and body can be troubling to teens already struggling with their identity. While the condition is rare--an estimated one in 35,000 males and one in 100,000 females have gender identity disorder—Dr. O’Malley has treated a number of teens with GID during his more than 20 years at The Menninger Clinic. Most are admitted to the hospital because a serious psychiatric illness or behavioral disorder such as depression is having a significant effect on their daily lives. As treatment progresses, patients may admit that they also have problems with their gender identity. “Gender unhappiness manifests itself in different ways,” Dr. O’Malley says. “Teens with gender issues may also have mood disorders, substance abuse disorders, serious family problems and a history of multiple suicide attempts.” In working with these patients, Dr. O’Malley and the treatment team of the Adolescent Treatment Program first treat their serious psychiatric and behavioral issues, also called coexisting conditions. Then they address the gender issues patients may be facing and educate them about treatment options, including the realities of hormone therapy or a sex change. The Menninger Clinic does not operate a gender clinic or create hormone therapy plans for patients, but can refer patients for specialized treatment on an outpatient basis after they are discharged. Also, some patients may be in the process of hormone therapy when admitted to Menninger. “We try to help them gain some realistic perspective about their condition and give them information about their various options so they can decide what to do next,” Dr. O’Malley says. “We help patients tackle questions such as, ‘What can I do about my condition?’ ‘How will various decision likely affect my life?’ ‘Who do I talk to?’” The treatment team also provides family therapy and education about GID to parents who may just be coming to grips with heir child’s gender issues. Most parents suspect their child is grappling with some kind of sexual or gender confusion, Dr. O’Malley says, but many think their child is gay. Once they understand that their child has issues of gender identity, they may then struggle with their child’s request for hormone therapy, and are uncomfortable with the knowledge that their child’s body will change. Before proceeding with treatment, Dr. O’Malley recommends teens with gender identity issues undergo a thorough assessment to see if they meet the criteria for gender identity disorder (see sidebar). Teens in early adolescence may be experiencing some gender confusion, which may pass as they grow older. If patients truly have gender identity disorder, they may work with an endocrinologist to begin hormone therapy to suppress biological sex characteristics and help them acquire those of the opposite sex. Teens can pursue sex reassignment surgery once they turn 18, after living a year or more as a member of the opposite sex and taking additional hormones that may have irreversible effects. Many adults who receive sex reassignment surgeries report feeling more at home in their bodies, O’Malley says. Others may choose not to have surgery, but continue hormone therapy, or try to accept their body for what is and simply dress like a member of the opposite sex. Today’s teens with GID have more options as they plan for their futures. “There are a lot of people who are well-adjusted and happy human beings who have gender identity disorder,” Dr. O’Malley says. “Help is available.” Diagnostic criteria for GID
The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in * Composite patient used for illustrative purposes only.
John M. O’Quinn Foundation pledges $25 million to future international mental health campus O’Quinn presented Menninger officials this week with the initial $5 million toward the $25 million gift, which will be fulfilled over 5 years. “Understanding the complexities of human issues requires extraordinary expertise,” O’Quinn said. “I strongly support a new campus that will bring together all of the research, training and treatment in one place. The work that goes on at Menninger is good for The $25 million gift from the John M. O’Quinn Foundation is one of the largest gifts received by Menninger in its 80-year-legacy of serving as a leader in mental health. As a long-term supporter of Menninger, O’Quinn is among the inaugural members of the Board of Visitors for Menninger. “We are grateful to John O’Quinn for his support of our mission,” said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. “In supporting the strategic goal to build a campus, Mr. O’Quinn’s gift will meet the needs of patients who seek quality care and who will benefit from exciting new treatments and understanding of brain-behavior disorders through research and education.” Menninger, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital are working on the details required for planning a campus. The goal is to locate the campus near the Menninger currently operates its specialty inpatient psychiatric programs for adolescents and adults about 40 minutes from the U.S. News & World Report has ranked Menninger among the leading psychiatric hospitals since it began the rankings in 1991. Menninger offers specialty inpatient treatment for adolescents and adults. Menninger relocated to
The Menninger Clinic ranks 6th in national survey of best psychiatric hospitals Psychiatric hospital ratings are based on the cumulative results of board-certified psychiatrists surveyed in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The psychiatrists were asked to list the five psychiatric hospitals in the Menninger’s six inpatient programs specialize in treating adolescents and adults who have a difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorder that may also be complicated by an addiction or other co-occurring psychiatric disorders. The Clinic also operates active research and education programs through its affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital in “We are proud to repeatedly rank among the top 10 psychiatric hospitals in the country, continuing The Menninger Clinic’s more than 80-year legacy of providing individualized psychiatric care to persons who have a history of serious mental illness,” said Ian Aitken, Menninger president and CEO. “We press on to gain more knowledge and develop new advancements in mental health that will expand opportunities for patients and overcome stigma.” “I credit our dedicated staff, scientists and educators with the success of The Menninger Clinic,” added Donna Yi, MD, interim chief of staff and medical director. “The U.S. News & World Report ranking reflects a growing appreciation of our expanded research and education at Baylor College of Medicine and our affiliation with The Methodist Hospital.” A complete list of rankings is available online at U.S. News & World Report. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Nearly half of elementary school teachers admit to bullying The study surveyed 116 teachers from seven elementary schools. While more than 70 percent of teachers believed that bullying was isolated, an estimated 45 percent of teachers admitted to bullying a student themselves. “It didn’t surprise me that nearly half of teachers admitted to bullying, because they are aware it is a problem,” says former teacher Stuart Twemlow, MD, lead author of the study and director of the Dr. Twemlow is professor of psychiatry of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Peter Fonagy, PhD, collaborated with him on the study. Dr. Fonagy directs the Menninger Child and Family Program and is the Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis and director of Clinical Health Psychology at University College London. Drs. Twemlow and Fonagy surveyed teachers who taught kindergarten through fifth grade. They asked teachers about their job satisfaction, experience with bullying teachers, personal experience bullying students and being bullied by students and whether or not schools had a written procedure for handling problem teachers. The authors found a strong correlation between teachers who were bullied in their past and teachers who bully students. The findings suggest that teachers, who were bullied while they were children, are more likely to be trapped in bully-victim relationships as adults and are more alert to the bullying of others around them. “If your early experiences lead you to expect that people will not reason, but respond to force, then you are at risk of recreating this situation in your classroom,” says Dr. Fonagy. “The climate you remember from your childhood may even make you feel safe because it is familiar and consistent with your expectations.” Additional study authors include Frank C. Sacco, PhD, president of the Community Services Institute and adjunct professor at See more information on The Menninger Clinic’s Child and Family Program on the Menninger Web site. For a full text copy of the article contact Anissa Orr, media relations specialist for The Menninger Clinic, phone: 713-275-5038. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Easy access makes Internet gambling a dangerous addiction But convenience can be costly. Easy access to Internet gambling increases opportunities for players to become addicted to gambling. “You can gamble on the road. You can gamble on the fly. You can gamble sitting in the airport or anywhere there is an Internet hot spot, 24/7,” says John O’Neill, LCSW, LCDC, CSAT, director of the Professionals in Crisis Program at The Menninger Clinic who specializes in treating addictions. “But gambling on the Internet is very different than going to a casino. People are less inhibited when they are at home or on their computer.” An estimated 85 percent of adults in the Television shows like the “World Series of Poker” and “Celebrity Poker,” and television and radio ads fuel the Internet gambling craze. Web sites lure players in, letting them play for free to practice their gambling skills. As players gain experience, they can opt to gamble for money. Players download the software, give the Web sites their credit card numbers and they are ready to go. “On the Internet, gambling and paying with credit cards--which doesn’t really feel like you are handing out that $20 bill--is a powerful mix,” O’Neill says. “You think, ‘What’s $20 on my credit card? I will pay it off.’ Next thing you know it is $50, then $100 and then you don’t care how much you spend. You’re focused on winning it back.” Like any addictive substance or behavior, Internet gambling can pack a powerful high. Once the initial high wears off, players gamble more and more to try to recreate that rush. “In the back of their minds there is always that possibility that the next time they gamble they will strike it rich,” O’Neill says. “That’s pretty exciting. All of us want to win.” Many people who gamble on the Internet don’t think they have a problem until they fall seriously in debt. O’Neill says the screening process used by the Menninger Professionals in Crisis Program often uncovers gambling problems in patients who were admitted for other psychiatric or behavioral problems, such as depression. They begin gambling over the Internet to cope with their depression and escape the stress and struggle of their daily lives. Treatment for patients with gambling problems may include attending Gambler Anonymous meetings and therapy to determine what triggers their gambling. To reduce temptation, patients at Menninger are not allowed access to the Internet during their treatment and are taught strategies on how to develop a plan to use the Internet once discharged. Involving the family in the treatment process is also crucial to the success of recovery from a gambling addiction. Therapy can be a struggle if the individual goes back home to an environment in which family members also gamble. Do I have a gambling problem?
If you or someone you know answers “yes” to any of the statements, seek further screening and help from a mental health professional that specializes in gambling or addictions. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Noonday Demon author to speak about depression The luncheon is sponsored by the Menninger-Baylor College of Medicine-Methodist (MBM) Board of Visitors, whose members support the work of The Menninger Clinic. In its 80th year, Menninger is consistently ranked among the best psychiatric hospitals in the nation. Since its publication in 2001, Noonday Demon has won 11 national awards in addition to the 2001 National Book Award, has been published in 21 languages and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Larry McMurtry and William Styron have enthusiastically endorsed the book as an engrossing examination of depression, mental illness and the way we live. Solomon has lectured on depression around the world and is a board member of Tipper Gore’s National Mental Health Awareness Campaign. The luncheon begins at noon at the Hilton Houston Post Oak, Tickets for the luncheon cost $150 for a single seat, $500 for a half table of four seats and $1,000 for a full table of eight seats. Attendees can also purchase the book at the luncheon for $28. Deadline for reservations is May 11. For more information, or to make reservations, call Natalie Caddick at 713-275-5028. Proceeds from the luncheon will go to the Menninger - Baylor College of Medicine - Methodist Hospital (MBM) Foundation to benefit mental health research, education and treatment. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Menninger offers psychiatric second opinion for troubled teens The Adolescent Treatment Program at Menninger offers a three-week evaluation for adolescents ages 12 to 17 who are not progressing in their current treatment for psychiatric and behavioral difficulties. Menninger mental health professionals developed the evaluation based on feedback from referral sources. “Many of our referral sources have told us that the service we provide they value most is our thorough diagnostic evaluation,” says While brief, the three-week evaluation is intense and allows the patient, parents and treatment team to get to the heart of the problem. Treatment team members include a psychologist as the team leader, child psychiatrist, social worker, internist, activity therapist, addictions specialist, nurses and mental health counselors. The program also has access to on-campus specialists regarding obsessive-compulsive disorders and eating disorders. During the three weeks, patients meet with members of the evaluation team to pinpoint their diagnosis. When formulating the assessment, the treatment team considers patient and family history, parent and patient reports, psychological testing, past treatment records and observations during the patient’s stay. Patients participate in individual, group and family therapies and learn about coping strategies. Mental health professionals also review medications and other prescribed interventions. Patients who come to Menninger for the assessment program live with those participating in the long-term adolescent inpatient specialty program. An accredited on-site school provides academic services for the patient. Close to the end of the assessment period, team members share their findings during a conference and discuss the patient's diagnoses and treatment goals. Following this conference, the team shares these findings with the adolescent and the parents and involves them in discussing options for next steps in the treatment process. Patients may continue treatment at Menninger or other programs if indicated. For more information about the adolescent inpatient evaluation service, visit The Menninger Web site or call the Menninger Admissions staff at 800-351-9058 and 713-275-5000. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Symposium covers borderline personality disorder Titled "Recent Scientific & Treatment Advances in Borderline Personality Disorders," the program will feature presentations on current research, developmental issues, pharmacotherapy, neuroimaging, treatment methods and perspectives of patients and families. The symposium, which begins at 7:30 a.m., is co-sponsored by The Menninger Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine, the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder and NAMI Metropolitan Houston. People with borderline personality disorder experience problems because of unstable relationships, emotional disconnection from family, friends and loved ones and a distorted sense of reality. Although the cause is unknown, both environmental and genetic factors may predispose patients to borderline personality disorder. Studies show that many, but not all individuals with borderline personality disorder report abuse, neglect or separation as young children. Borderline personality disorder is less well-known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depression), but more common, affecting 2 percent of adults, mostly young women. Individuals with the disorder need extensive mental health services and account for 20 percent of psychiatric hospitalizations. With help, many people can lead productive lives. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in Parents: Don’t call it puppy love But to teenagers, the intense emotions they feel about the object of their affection are real and powerful. The feelings can be too much for some teenagers to handle. “Very often, children with poor self-esteem end up in bad relationships or sexual relationships,” says Norma Clarke, MD, a child psychiatrist at The Menninger Clinic and medical director of the Clinic’s Adolescent Treatment Program. “Some relationships may be so intense and so necessary to children that they harm themselves when the relationship ends.” Dr. Clarke says she has treated patients who have attempted suicide, cut themselves and abused alcohol or drugs because they have trouble dealing with a break up. An argument with a boyfriend or girlfriend is the second most common reason that teens attempt suicide, according to an Teens may “act out” in secret, so parents need to pay attention to pick up signs of trouble. "If they fall off the deep end and you have a sense that you are losing control of your child, you need to intervene,” says Dr Clarke, an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Sudden changes in your teen’s behavior may also be signs that he or she is having relationship problems, she adds. Signs a relationship has gone too far
What parents can do
“Parents tend not to talk to kids about relationships or sexual behavior,” Dr. Clarke says. “They may be embarrassed about sex, so their kids get all their information from their peers. I don’t think parents realize the impact they have on their teenager’s behavior.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Overcoming the catch-22s of depression “To recover from depression you should eat well, sleep well, be active and think realistically,” says Jon Allen, PhD, senior staff psychologist at The Menninger Clinic and Professor of Psychiatry in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. “Yet the typical symptoms of depression include poor appetite, insomnia, lethargy and negative thinking. Above all, you should maintain hope, but depression can bring hopelessness.” Since depression runs in families, many people who are depressed may attribute their illness to a “chemical imbalance,” and discount their active role in treatment. While depression has biological origins, Dr. Allen says, the illness develops from a pileup of psychological and interpersonal stress over the patient’s lifetime. Dr. Allen writes about stress pileup and how to overcome the catch-22s of depression in his latest book, Coping with Depression: From Catch-22 to Hope, published this month by American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. He draws upon decades of experience at The Menninger Clinic treating patients with depression and teaching them about managing their illness. “In teaching depressed patients about depression, I quickly learned that merely talking about all the things that they needed to do to recover was futile,” Dr. Allen says. “I realized that we needed to start with the obstacles to recovery. I started using the concept of catch-22, from the Joseph Heller book.” Common catch-22s
Baby steps “I think underestimating the difficulty of recovering from depression contributes to hopelessness,” Dr. Allen says. “Understanding the seriousness and complexity of the illness prepares depressed persons to take an active role in their recovery by working on their physical health, negative thinking, emotional conflicts and relationship problems.” More information about depression is available on The Menninger Clinic’s Web site. Coping with Depression: From Catch-22 to Hope, is published by American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Teachers who bully more common in schools with high suspensions The study surveyed 214 teachers in a Midwestern school district about their perceptions of teachers who bully students and their own practices. The authors defined a bullying teacher as one who uses his or her power to punish, manipulate or disparage a student beyond what would be a reasonable disciplinary procedure. Most teachers claim to have worked with bullying teachers and a small minority admits to bullying. “Some teachers who bully are sadists. They enjoy hurting and humiliating kids,” says Stuart Twemlow, MD, lead author of the study and director of the Dr. Twemlow is professor of psychiatry of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. Peter Fonagy, Ph.D. collaborated with him on the study. Dr. Fonagy directs the Menninger Child and Family Program and is the Freud Memorial Professor of Psychoanalysis and director of Clinical Health Psychology at University College of London. Drs. Twemlow and Fonagy grouped teachers as to whether they taught at schools with low, medium or high rates of suspensions. Seventy-five percent of the teachers responded. The questionnaire covered teachers’ experience with bullying teachers, their personal experience of bullying students and the characteristics of bullying and non-bullying teachers. The findings suggest that teachers who work in problem schools may assimilate to their culture of violence, or that teachers with a predisposition to bullying may be drawn to work in violent environments. Teachers from schools with high rates of suspensions experienced more bullying when they were students, had worked with more bullying teachers during the past three years and had seen more teachers bully students during the past year. Study results also suggest that bullying is not an effective form of discipline, and may negatively affect the students’ behavior and ability to learn, according to the authors. “An adult who acts in a physically dominating way to a child inevitably elicits fear and stops that child from being able to use his or her mind fully,” Dr. Fonagy says. “The reason for this is linked to the way the brain functions. At high levels of arousal the brain prepares itself for fight or flight, and is no longer able to think in terms of abstractions or function efficiently symbolically. A bullying teachers might achieve his aim of controlling his student’s behavior, but not to free the student to think in creative and original ways.” Visit the Menninger Web siter for more information on The Menninger Clinic’s Child and Family Program. To download an abstract of the study, visit The American Journal of Psychiatry. For a full text copy of the article contact The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in
Resolve to quit smoking “A more productive approach than quitting cold turkey is to think about tobacco dependence as a chronic disease, and expect that there might be periods of relapse and remission,” says Patricia Daza, PhD, staff psychologist for the Hope Adult Program at The Menninger Clinic. “On average, most smokers make between five and six attempts to quit before they are successful.” An estimated 25 percent of people in the Dr. Daza studied smoking cessation before coming to Menninger, and counsels patients working on mental health issue who also want to quit. Cigarette smoking is common among psychiatric patients. For patients with schizophrenia, the rate of cigarette smoking can be as high as 88 percent. The smoking zone is often the busiest area in a psychiatric hospital. “A key factor with addiction to cigarettes is that not only is there a physiological craving for the tobacco, but there is also a psychological craving for social interaction and camaraderie,” Dr. Daza says. Dr. Daza recommends making a plan for quitting smoking. She offers the following suggestions for smokers who want to quit on their own:
Nicotine replacement aids such as nicotine gum and the patch, help with withdrawal symptoms and can be purchased over the counter. Smokers can also ask their doctor to prescribe them the drug Buproprian SR (Zyban). Zyban stimulates the release of a feel-good chemical in the brain, called dopamine, to simulate the effect of nicotine. Studies have shown that the use of the drug doubles quit rates when compared with quitting cold turkey. Most relapses occur within the first three months after a person stops smoking. One third of relapses occur because of alcohol use, Dr. Daza says. If you do relapse, treat it as a bump in the road rather than proof that you can’t quit. “Although this can be difficult to hear, relapse is common to smoking cessation,” Dr. Daza says. “The best course of action if you relapse is to set a new quit date ASAP. More importantly, try to ask yourself what might have led to the relapse. Were smokers around you or were you drinking at the time? Quitting is a process and most people make several quit attempts before they are finally successful. Each quit attempt gets easier.” The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded in 1925 in J-word makes people with holiday blues see red If only shaking the holiday blues were “just” that easy, says Dr. Jon Allen, senior psychologist at The Menninger Clinic and professor of psychiatry in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He refers to the word “just” as the “j-word.” “Just is a criticism,” Allen says. “If you say to someone who has the holiday blues, ‘Just cheer up,’ it is actually going to make that person more upset.” The j-word minimizes a person’s sad or down feelings and the effort it takes to overcome them, he continues. People often feel sad or blue during the holidays because the season doesn’t live up to their expectations. “We all have fantasies that the holidays should be glorious and fulfilling,” Allen says. “Some people may have an idyllic experience. For most people, however, the holidays will fall short of expectations. This year they will fall extremely short for many people who are dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They have reason to feel badly.” In some cases, people cannot tolerate a friend or family member being unhappy during what they believe is supposed to be the happiest time of year. They may use the j-word to try to spur action and good feelings in someone who is feeling blue. “Just get out of the house,” they say, or “You just need to have some fun.” A better approach is to invite your friend or loved one to spend time with you. People who are feeling depressed seek seclusion and avoid the company of others. However, low-key activities can help elevate their mood. “People who are feeling sad appreciate any effort you make to engage them, like asking them out for coffee, because it activates them,” Allen says. “They don’t have the steam to do it on their own. With encouragement they can do it.” Allen offers tips to help a friend or loved one with the holiday blues:
“Being with people who are feeling down and listening to them is really the most helpful thing, period,” Allen says. “Depression tends to create isolation, so spend some holiday time together.” If your friend or loved one’s holiday blues don’t go away after the holidays, it may be a sign of something more serious that requires professional help. “There is a difference between having depressed feelings, which are temporary, and being ill with depression,” Allen says. “The diagnosis of depression is based on at least two weeks of persistent symptoms of depression, which include depressed mood, problems eating and sleeping and diminished interest or pleasure in activities and friends.” Other symptoms of depression include significant decrease or increase in weight or appetite, insomnia or sleeping too much, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, difficulty thinking or concentrating and recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal thinking or behavior. For more information on depression see The Menninger Clinic’s Web site and the Baylor College of Medicine’s Web site. Dr. Allen is author of the book Coping with Depression: From Catch-22 to Hope, which will be published in January 2006 by American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
Watching Wilma: Tips to cope with disaster news Americans are in a constant state of alertness – waiting for the next disaster to hit. Each new hurricane keeps terrifying memories fresh in the minds of hurricane survivors, and erodes the sense of safety most Americans take for granted. How do we cope? Turn off the television. Take action to help survivors. Talk. The repetitive images of the effects of hurricane coverage can have the same impact as seeing the 9-11 terrorist attack aftermath, according to trauma experts at The Menninger Clinic. Use the following tips as a guide to cope with news about the 2005 hurricane season, and disasters in general.
To schedule an interview with an expert on coping with trauma, call Anissa Orr, media relations specialist. Office: 713-275-5308, Cell: 832-434-8928 The Menninger Foundation discontinues Kansas health care plan for small group of former employees After Menninger relocated to Houston in 2003, the plan had more than 75 participants. Since then the number of participants has steadily decreased as individuals have reached age 65, becoming Medicare eligible, and others have found less-expensive health insurance. The Menninger Foundation of Kansas chose to end the plan because it was no longer cost effective to the participants or The Foundation to continue to self-insure such a small group. The Foundation is providing the plan’s participants with contact information for Menninger’s benefits consultant and broker, as well as the Kansas and Missouri Departments of Insurance. These resources are available to assist each participant in seeking new health insurance options. Existing state and federal regulations assure all affected participants have access to alternative health coverage. “Throughout our transition that resulted in Menninger’s move from Kansas to Texas, we have provided assistance to affected staff. For this group, we are taking an extra step by offering to assist each individual with identifying health insurance options in the private and public sectors. We encourage the remaining participants to take advantage of the services,” said Shawna Morris, spokesperson and corporate secretary for The Menninger Foundation in Kansas. Retirement benefits remain unaffected by the discontinuation of the Kansas healthcare plan.
Menninger trauma experts discuss short- & long-term effects for survivors as well as Americans viewing the aftermath
Each person will respond in his or her own way to the effects of Katrina. Persons who have been through previous traumatic losses or events may experience more intense reactions and need more time to recover. Achieving a balance between grieving for losses and focusing on attaining basic human needs with participating in activities that take the mind off of intense feelings can help restore evacuees’ well being. Finding meaning and benevolence in the world will provide hope necessary for recovering from Katrina’s effects. “We’re accustomed to thinking of traumatized persons as survivors rather than victims. Yet mere surviving is not enough: we must aspire to thrive,” said Jon Allen, PhD, senior Menninger psychologist, author of Coping With Trauma and co-author of Restoring Hope and Trust. Coping strategies
Reaching out & giving to survivors overcomes helplessness Impact of media stories on Americans
Psychological effects of trauma are treatable “Our goal in processing trauma is to make sense of trauma as a meaningful experience. The goal is not to rid the mind of traumatic memories, but rather to make it more bearable to have the memories in mind when inevitable reminders occur. A trusting environment for treatment, social support, a safe place to express emotions, a daily routine, and an understanding of the effects of trauma and treatment are so important to trauma recovery,” Dr. Allen said. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research, and education. Founded in 1925 in
Coping With The Effects of Katrina—The Menninger Clinic, staff & patients answer Texans Care challenge with $43,080 Houston Texans owners Bob and Janet McNair will match Menninger’s gift, increasing the total to $86,160. The McNairs launched the Texans Care Campaign August 31 and will match pledges by Texans fans made during tonight’s game up to a total of $1,000,000. For every $1 donated by an employee or patient, Menninger matched it. “Menninger has a long history of serving the needs of our community. In a single day, The Clinic’s staff and patients stepped up and showed their generosity. Our staff recognizes the health and mental health toll of such a traumatic event and are willing to share their knowledge, their time and their contributions to help,” said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. Additional Menninger aid to Katrina evacuees
The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center for the treatment of adolescents and adults. Founded in 1925, Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the The Menninger Clinic promotes Greene and Trowbridge Dr. Greene has responsibility for the therapeutic environment for adolescents and adults in treatment at Menninger. She oversees clinical programming in nursing, rehabilitation therapy and addictions counseling; nurse training and research programs; and progress toward Magnet Recognition, a measure of quality patient care, from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She succeeds Mary Wentworth, R.N., M.S., who is retiring September 30. Since joining Menninger in 2003, Dr. Green has served in two nursing leadership positions, nurse manager for the Professionals in Crisis Program and director of nurse practice and research. A nurse for 29 years, she has worked in various inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment settings. Dr. Greene received a doctorate in nursing in 2004 from Texas Woman’s University in Denton and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Ohio State University. Promoted from communications manager, Trowbridge plans and directs public relations activities, constituent and employee communications and the brand identity of The Menninger Clinic. She manages four communications professionals and coaches fellow managers and spokespersons on effective communications. During her 15 years at Menninger, Trowbridge has served in numerous corporate communications positions and held a variety of leadership roles in the International Association of Business Communications’ (IABC) Topeka, Kan., and Houston chapters. She holds a bachelor of science degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and worked as a reporter five years at two daily Nebraska newspapers. The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, is an international psychiatric center for the treatment of adolescents and adults. Founded in 1925, Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. The Clinic’s research and training programs are part of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Since 1991, U.S. News & World Report has consistently named Menninger among the leading psychiatric hospitals in its annual rankings of America’s Best Hospitals.
News statement: Yates trial increases awareness about human cost of mental illness “This tragic case illustrates the need for patients with mental illness to receive quality treatment from trained professionals in a supportive setting,” says psychiatrist Donna Yi, MD, interim chief of staff and medical director for The Menninger Clinic in “The verdict offers hope that mental illness is more understood than five years ago,” Yi adds. “But there’s still work to be done.” * Contact Anissa Orr, media relations specialist, at 713-275-5038 if you would like to interview Dr. Yi about the impact of the Yates verdict. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Menninger among the leading psychiatric hospitals since it began the rankings in 1991. Menninger offers specialty inpatient treatment for adolescents and adults. Menninger relocated to Psychiatric hospital ratings are based on the cumulative results of board-certified psychiatrists surveyed in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The psychiatrists were asked to list the five psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. they consider best for difficult cases. Psychiatry is one of five medical specialties measured solely on reputation among physicians surveyed nationwide. Menninger’s six inpatient programs specialize in treating adolescents and adults who have a difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorder that may also be complicated by an addiction or other co-occurring psychiatric disorders. “Here at The Menninger Clinic, we have preserved our 80-year tradition of treating the needs of each individual medically, emotionally and socially and integrated evidence-based therapies which are supported by the research and training programs with our partners here in Houston,” said Ian Aitken, Menninger president and CEO. “The Menninger Way suits the needs of our patients, many of whom have lost hope and have tried other courses of treatment.” Psychiatric hospital ratings: The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, is an international psychiatric center for the treatment of adolescents and adults. Founded in 1925, Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. The Clinic’s research and training programs are part of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.
Viewpoint: The Lost Lessons of Terri Schiavo We shouldn’t overlook the lesson from Terri Schiavo’s life that an eating disorder can kill you if left untreated. Despite the media coverage of Mrs. Schiavo, few people understand the condition that caused her to wind up in a coma at the age of 26. Mrs. Schiavo’s coma was found by the Florida courts in 1992 to be partially related to substandard care when Mrs. Schiavo’s health care providers failed to figure out that she had bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder. As a result, her health care providers failed to refer her to an eating disorders specialist who could treat the bulimia. (The court also determined that Mrs. Schiavo didn’t pursue treatment for her eating disorder and reduced the original $6.8 million settlement to Terri and her husband, Michael, to $2 million dollars.) Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which chronic vomiting or other means of purging (exercise, starvation, diet pills, etc.) occurs. The individual at times cannot control his or her eating and eats large amounts of food (binging) at one sitting; then gets rid of it by one of the purging methods. Mrs. Schiavo used vomiting as her preferred method of purging. The binge and purge cycle takes a huge toll on the body. Chronic vomiting is probably the scariest eating disorder symptom there is. Vomiting causes the electrolytes that are critical in cell functioning to become abnormal. The electrolyte potassium that is depleted affects fluid amounts in the body and diminishes muscle functioning. The heart muscle is especially affected. A low potassium level detected because of chronic vomiting can lead to heart irregularities, cardiac arrhythmias and even heart attacks. This is what happened to Mrs. Schiavo: Her potassium level dropped low enough to cause a heart attack. Her brain was deprived of oxygen long enough to cause catastrophic brain damage. If her bulimia nervosa had been treated, Terri Schiavo could be alive and healthy today. Most health care practitioners do not know eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric illnesses. An estimated 5% to 18% of persons with an eating disorder dies from resulting health problems. Eating disorders can cause health consequences, like kidney stones, kidney malfunction, brain atrophy, seizures and pancreatitis, that may have lifelong effects without medical and mental health interventions. Nutritional depletion, which is especially common with anorexia nervosa, leads to osteoporosis and other serious health concerns. Binge eating disorder (binging without purging) can lead to morbid obesity and all of the debilitating health problems associated with obesity. Night eating syndrome is a proposed eating disorder that is in the process being scrutinized through the rigors of scientific research to determine if it qualifies as a separate disorder. With night eating syndrome, an individual eats 50% to 70% of his or her daily calorie intake after 7 p.m. The sufferer experiences a sleep disturbance as well, waking up on the average of two times per night. The person must eat a lot or binge to get back to sleep. Individuals with this illness usually have a high obesity rate to battle. Treatment for eating disorders saves lives and improves health for 75% to 85% of the children, adolescents and adults who complete treatment. If eating-related problems are causing you to worry about whether you or someone you know may be headed toward an eating disorder, tell your primary health care provider. Your primary health care provider can refer you to a specialist in eating disorders. Most importantly, take action! Shame can prevent you from telling others and getting treatment. Terri Schiavo’s shame may have prevented her from getting the treatment she needed.
Norman C. Schultz elected to Board of Directors, Menninger-Baylor College of Medicine-Methodist Hospital Foundation The nonprofit charitable Foundation was formed in 2003 with the affiliation of The Menninger Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital. Schultz joins directors Hill Feinberg, chairperson, Dallas; Daniel C. Arnold, Houston; John F. Bookout, Houston; John E. Hagale, Houston; Howard M. Koff, Malibu, California; Harvey Kurzweil, New York City; John McKelvey, Kansas City, Missouri; Roy Menninger, M.D., Topeka, Kansas; Corbin J. Robertson Jr., Houston; Lynn Schroth, Dr.P.H., Houston; and Peter G. Traber, M.D., Houston. Schultz knows Menninger, having served as a Trustee from 1978-2002 while the psychiatric hospital operated in Kansas. Active in the governance, he was vice chairman of The Menninger Foundation’s Board of Directors and chairman of The Menninger Fund, whose members managed the Menninger endowment. A career banking executive in Kansas City, Missouri, and the San Francisco Bay Area, Schultz is immediate past chairman of First Community Bankshares of San Francisco. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the University of California, San Francisco Foundation, which supports the University’s strong biomedical research and health science education programs. Schultz’s healthcare experience also includes being director and president of Menorah Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri. Additionally, Schultz was a trustee of University High School in San Francisco and a former trustee and president of The Barstow School, trustee of Midwest Research Institute and regent of Rockhurst College, all in Kansas City, Missouri. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research, and education. Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Letter to the editor: Stories running nationwide in the media about the “Crazy for You” bear have opened healthy discussion required to change social attitudes toward persons with mental illness. We urge you to consider that:
The Company’s bear inaccurately portrays persons with mental illness as hopeless, violent and unable to control their behavior. The good news is that mental illnesses are treatable. Through treatment and support, people with mental illnesses are empowered to recover and resume normal activities. In contrast, the “Crazy for You” marketing campaign underscores the belief that individuals with mental illness are not worth the investment in funding new knowledge through research and new treatments. This is very disturbing and contributes to the misinformation about mental illness that exists in our world today. The facts are that through programs of treatment, research and education, Menninger and countless other provider, advocacy and academic organizations continue to change public attitudes about mental illness. Together we share a common goal of a mentally healthy world and unfettered, compassionate access to services for persons unfortunate enough to experience mental illness.
Trauma expert emphasizes importance of giving tsunami survivors hope, empathy The psychological trauma for the tsunami survivors will have catastrophic effects for many for years to come. But before actual mental health treatment is needed, Dr. Allen explains that the children and adults affected require the most basic human psychological needs: To be heard, to be understood, to regain hope. For the tsunami survivors, he said, “even before the intervention of therapists, fellow human beings have the capacity to help with the recovery process and will play a critical role in starting the healing. We have learned in our research that pure human connection is vital for recovery.” Traumatized persons, Dr. Allen adds, “must develop the skills others naturally take for granted, not the least of which is making use of one another.” Dr. Allen is the author of the new second edition of Coping With Trauma: Hope Through Understanding and coauthor of Restoring Hope and Trust: An Illustrated Guide to Mastering Trauma. Both books were released in late 2004. In addition to specializing in the treatment of adults experiencing severe effects of trauma, he is a researcher and educator on attachment theory and mentalization as professor and Helen Malsin Palley Chair in Mental Health Research in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He also serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation and Psychiatry. In due time, when governments request assistance from the world’s mental health community, treatment will be required to help individuals recover from the severe effects such as posttraumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders, chemical dependency, family relationship problems and depression or suicidal thoughts. Treatment will benefit present and future generations because trauma can cause lasting adverse effects. With recurrent activation of brain systems that mediate the stress adaptation response, actual physical and physiological changes occur in the brain. This recurrent activation can be caused by repeated trauma exposure or to various forms of reliving such as nightmares and flashbacks. These changes occur in the areas of the brain involved in emotion and in memory and can lead people to be sensitized emotionally and to have poorer ability to lay down new memories. Substance abuse can accelerate these negative changes in the brain. But the good news is that the brain has the capacity to normalize with successful recovery from trauma-related psychiatric disorders. “Now more than ever, we must understand psychological trauma for the sake of prevention as well as healing. Fortunately, professional knowledge about trauma and its treatment has burgeoned since the American Psychiatric Association formalized the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 1980. Yet, professionals must make this knowledge available to those who most need it: trauma sufferers and those who care for them.” The relief effort places another group is at risk for experiencing effects of the trauma. With all of the aid workers, military service personnel and journalists who have gone to the stricken countries to assist the survivors in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, some can be expected to experience the effects of trauma much as soldiers do after witnessing horrific scenes. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research, and education. Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the
Stop before politicizing friendships With nearly half the electorate supporting the other candidate, sadness, anger, disappointment and a growing sense of futility may be pervasive in nearly half the population now and for the immediate future. So how do we all get along again, especially following such a caustic political cycle that has left friendships, neighborhoods, families and whole communities strained? Dr. Twemlow, an internationally recognized expert in community interventions and the roots of violence, says if your goal is regaining a friendship lost in the political heat of this election year, temporarily setting aside politics altogether is a prudent strategy. Choose to discuss subjects that are safe and unlikely to create tension, Dr. Twemlow said. That will smooth the transition back into a friend’s life. If you simply can’t avoid more political debate, he said, then take care to first congratulate the victor or soothe the vanquished. Whatever you do, don’t gloat. Term limits are not only good for elected officials, Dr. Twemlow said, but also for celebrating what can be interpreted as your friend’s loss. Friendships, after all, are designed to last longer than elected officials. Avoid such statements as, “This is not the America I know,” which is counterproductive. Americans do share a core set of values, despite differences, so finding common ground is the best avenue to follow in restoring order to friendships. Politics employs the art or compromise, which is also useful in relationships, as well, Dr. Twemlow said. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research, and education. Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Set a New Year's resolution that really works for you Menninger Clinic psychologist Theresa Fassihi, PhD, explains why: “Change is difficult, so it’s not surprising that most of us can’t keep our resolutions, but making a resolution and not keeping it is disheartening. We feel discouraged and disappointed in ourselves. “It is a tradition to take stock of our lives and think about ways we can improve,” she added. “We make New Year’s resolutions, which means we are making a commitment to change.” Most resolutions are really commitments to a goal–-to lose weight, to finish a project, to create more balance in our lives. Common mistakes are setting:
However, there are proven strategies that can improve your chances of keeping those promises you’ve made,” according to Dr. Fassihi, who is also assistant professor the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine. Good goal setting happens in five stages and involves:
NOTE: Dr. Fassihi can comment on how to accomplish each of these stages, as well as the value of goals in making personal dreams and necessary changes a reality. The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center, providing innovative programs in treatment, research, and education. Menninger is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the
Howard Koff elected to Board of Directors, Menninger-Baylor College of Medicine-The Methodist Hospital Foundation The nonprofit charitable Foundation was formed in 2003 with the affiliation of The Menninger Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital System. Koff joins directors Hill Feinberg, chairperson, Dallas; Daniel C. Arnold, Houston; John F. Bookout, Houston; Donald G. Girotto, Houston; John E. Hagale, Houston; Harvey Kurzweil, New York City; John McKelvey, Kansas City, Missouri; Roy Menninger, M.D., Topeka, Kansas; Corbin J. Robertson Jr., Houston; and Peter G. Traber, M.D., Houston. Koff has been a member of Menninger since 1982 after meeting then-President and CEO Dr. Roy Menninger at an international seminar for members of The Young Presidents’ Organization. He was elected in 1988 to the Menninger Board of Trustees, which governed Menninger until it relocated from Topeka, Kansas, to Houston in June 2003. The financial services leader served 10 years on the Board of Directors for The Menninger Fund, whose members managed the Menninger endowment. He also was a member of the Visiting Committee for Prevention and Applications Programs and led the Los Angeles Committee, helping introduce individuals to mental health issues and the national patient care, research and training taking place at Menninger. In 2004, Koff continued his advocacy and charitable support on behalf of Menninger as a charter member of the Board of Visitors for the Menninger-Baylor College of Medicine-The Methodist Hospital Foundation. Koff, 56, brings planned giving and asset management expertise to the Foundation. He became a leader in financial services early in his career. In 1978, he was a founding member of the M Financial Group, a national network of over 100 independent, diversified financial planning firms. During the 1980s, Koff built a large, diversified financial services organization that he ultimately sold to American Express in 1989. He founded Westbury Financial in 1991, which operates near his home in Malibu, California. A qualifying and life member of the Million Dollar Round Table since 1971, Koff also is a charter member of the Top of the Table. He is active in the graduate groups of The Young Presidents’ Organization and Association of Life Underwriters. He also has served on the Board of Directors of the University of the Pacific and the University’s finance, investment and Regents committees. Koff’s civic service includes Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, D.A.R.E. California and Jewish Big Brothers of Los Angeles. The Menninger Clinic is a national specialty psychiatric hospital for adolescents and adults in Houston and is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. Menninger is consistently named among the leading psychiatric hospitals in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of America’s Best Hospitals. Menninger was founded in 1925 in Topeka, Kansas, by Drs. C.F., Karl and Will Menninger and relocated to Houston in 2003. Antidepressants for teens have their place alongside talk therapy “Taking an antidepressant comes with risks. When deciding whether an antidepressant is right for a son or daughter, parents should discuss with the physician the possible alternatives, including psychotherapy. Research by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that combining talk therapy and an antidepressant is the most effective treatment for teens battling depression,” said Joyce Davidson, MD, staff psychiatrist at The Menninger Clinic and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. “At The Menninger Clinic, we carefully evaluate youth and use only the necessary treatments that are likely to benefit a particular adolescent. If we believe an antidepressant is warranted, we provide a written fact sheet and discuss why the medication would be beneficial, the side effects and the importance of vigilant monitoring of the teenager’s response to medication. The patient and family make the choice.” The FDA hearings in October 2003 and earlier in September confirmed that depression among children and adolescents is a serious mental health issue in America. It is estimated that 11 million young Americans took antidepressants in 2002. Equally important is the risk of suicide.
Menninger to host international conference The Houston workshop, titled “Mentalization, the State of the Art: From Basic Science to Clinical Applications,” will offer mental health professionals new directions in treatment and prevention strategies based on new research on mentalization. Participants may receive continuing education credits. The Menninger Clinic’s partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital has provided an opportunity to enhance dramatically the research capacity of the Child & Family Program, Menninger’s research entity. The Child & Family Program is directed by Peter Fonagy, PhD, an international expert in developmental psychopathology, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Under Dr. Fonagy’s leadership, an international consortium was developed to advance the understanding and application of mentalization. The consortium includes the Yale Child Study Center, the Anna Freud Centre and University College London as well as Menninger, Methodist and Baylor College of Medicine. Baylor’s Human Neuroimaging Laboratory uses functional neuroimaging, called hyperscanning, to study brain-related impairments in mentalizing capacity in relation to psychiatric disorders. Hyperscanning allows researchers to view real-time brain activity as research subjects interact with one another. This two-day workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of theory and research on mentalizing capacity as well as including the most up-to-date developments in applying these concepts to clinical practice. The December workshop will include presentations on neuroimaging and traumatic brain injury. A focus on prevention strategies will include presentations ranging from enhancing mother-infant interactions to violence prevention in schools. Presentations covering clinical interventions will include child and family therapy, individual psychotherapy with adults, treatment of borderline personality disorder, applications of mentalizing to Dialectical Behavior Therapy and psychoeducational approaches to enhancing mentalizing capacity. The 2003 affiliation of Menninger, Baylor and Methodist and the establishment of the international consortium supporting the work of the Child & Family Program is the occasion for a third mentalization conference in a series. The conferences bring together international experts with mental health professionals nationwide to consolidate and share knowledge as well as furthering applications for patient care. Over the past several years, clinician-researchers in the Child & Family Program have used this burgeoning research knowledge to enhance treatment provided at The Menninger Clinic. Two previous symposia were held at The Clinic, both of which assembled an international group of experts to chart the course of future research and to enhance applications to clinical practice. Scholarly articles from both symposia were published. Consortium researchers are planning to publish the December proceedings in book form, making the knowledge available to the wider professional community. For more information or to register call Pat McElliott at 800-351-9058, ext. 5506, or log onto www.menningerclinic.com for a complete schedule and conference details. Founded in 1925, The Menninger Clinic is among the top psychiatric hospitals in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. One year ago, Menninger moved to Houston from its Topeka home of 78 years.
Menninger Web site offers more about mental illness Confidential patient focus groups and additional research helped Menninger Web site planners determine content enhancements. “Detailed information about treatment programs is critical to those entering treatment,” said Shawna Morris, vice president of marketing and public affairs. “Potential patients visiting our Web site want to see our campus, understand our treatment philosophy and meet program leaders, among many other details.” Visitors to the site will discover:
For the media, the Menninger Web site offers an updated Newsroom. New features provide journalists with a full range of organizational information and story tips on mental health topics. Two-ton sculpture lands in Houston Named The Vital Balance after a book of the same title by Clinic co-founder the late Karl Menninger, MD, the 21-foot abstract artwork is built of copper sheets covered by a coating of nickel bronze in brush-like strokes, an effect achieved with a welding torch. The piece was created in honor of Menninger’s founding family by Kansas sculptor John Whitfield, who attempted to portray balance without symmetry and was dedicated on Dr. Menninger’s 90th birthday, July 22, 1983. The sculpture has resided for more than 20 years in a courtyard-like setting on Menninger’s Topeka campus. Once installed in Houston, the abstract art will be located in the southeast corner of the facility near the entrance. The Clinic, affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital, opened its doors one year ago at 2801 Gessner, after relocating from Topeka, its home for more than 78 years. Begun in 1925, The Menninger Clinic is among the top psychiatric hospitals in the nation.
U.S. News & World Report ranks Houston’s Menninger Clinic one of the top psychiatric hospitals in America The annual survey asks psychiatrists across the nation to list up to five of the top psychiatric hospitals in the country. The resulting score reflects the percentage of psychiatrists who named Menninger a best hospital. The score is a culmination of results over a three-year period (2002, 2003 and 2004). Psychiatry is measured differently than most other categories and is ranked solely on its reputation among psychiatrists. "This exceptional ranking is proof that working with great people you can move a superb facility and successfully recreate it in another place,” said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. “Despite an exceptionally challenging year in which we broadened our educational and research missions through new collaborations, patients seeking premiere treatment continue to come to us from around the country and beyond. They are not coming here by accident. The U.S. News ranking confirms that. The mental health community has confidence in our staff, as they have since Menninger opened its doors in 1925.” In 2003, Menninger affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital System in Houston to continue its mission of treatment, research and education. In Houston, Menninger and its affiliates share compatibilities in cultures, treatment and education concepts and strong research with a top-ranked medical school. All of these factors have enabled Menninger to continue recruiting world-class clinicians and researchers. New research at Menninger and the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Baylor College of Medicine focuses on brain and behavior studies. "Frankly, I’m not surprised that Menninger continued to rank so high, even in an historic year in which we moved The Clinic without losing one day of caring for our patients,’’ said Richard Munich, MD, medical director and chief of staff. “There’s a good reason we are among America’s best hospitals according to psychiatrists nationwide. We work with them and understand the needs of their patients. And we appreciate their excellent opinions. Being considered one of the leaders is rewarding to all our staff members.” Each year, consumers and health professionals look to surveys such as the U.S. News & World Report ranking lists for information on top-quality institutions. Founded in Topeka, Kansas, The Menninger Clinic has served 250,000 patients nationwide since 1925. Now in Houston, Menninger offers specialty hospital treatment programs for teens and adults. Find more information, on our Web site, or call 713-275-5000 or 800-351-9058. A complete list of rankings is available from U.S. News & World Report by contacting Richard Folkers, 202-955-2219.
Depression & dementia can be confused Mental health professionals at the nationally known Menninger Clinic alert families to become more informed of the similarities of depression and the early onset of Alzheimer's and dementia. Other shared symptoms include forgetfulness or lapses in memory, withdrawal from daily activities, indecisiveness, reduced sense of self-esteem, change in sleep patterns, agitation or decrease in energy and change in weight. All of these are symptoms of depression that may or may not be seen with early Alzheimer's, says Alice Rogan, M.D., psychiatrist at The Menninger Clinic and assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Alzheimer's affects 4.5 million Americans 65 or older. Serious symptoms of depression affect nearly 5 million in the same age group. Neither disease is a normal part of aging. "People with Alzheimer's can become depressed. This is especially true in the early stages of Alzheimer's when they remain self-aware and know that something is wrong with them and that their competence in living is declining," says Lisa Lewis, neuropsychologist at Menninger and associate professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. Early diagnosis and treatment of either illness is important to making daily life more enjoyable. No person with Alzheimer's should have to suffer from depression as well. Feeling depressed, anxious and helpless in addition to being aware of the loss of memory and orientation often makes living with the illnesses worse both for the person who is suffering and the immediate family members. "What families need to know is that these illnesses can and should be differentiated. Seek out health and mental health professionals who are familiar with depression and Alzheimer's. Choose someone who's willing to take a careful history with family input to make a thoughtful diagnosis and treatment plan. For depression in the elderly, there are psychiatrists who specialize in geriatric psychiatry," Dr. Rogan explained. Medications have been proven to treat depression effectively. In these instances, treating the depression not only improves the person's perceived well-being, but it can reduce or eliminate the mental functioning issues resulting from the depression. Talk therapy can supplement medical treatment for both illnesses when individuals have mild Alzheimer's, Lewis and Rogan said. Working with a psychotherapist can be valuable for coping with the adjustment of having a mortal disease and preparing to make decisions with family during progression of Alzheimer's.
International brain-behavior research launched by Menninger, Baylor College of Medicine & Methodist Hospital System By joining forces, the team plans to accelerate translation of what it learns studying the brain and behavior to preventing and treating mental illness in children and families. The project fits into a research strategy that focuses on the links between the brain and behavior. At Baylor, the team will capitalize on the latest technology at the Brown Human Neuroimaging Laboratory generously funded by the Brown Foundation of Houston. Patients at Baylor's Outpatient Clinic, The Menninger Clinic and The Methodist Hospital who qualify will be eligible to participate in the study. Experts at the University College of London, Anna Freud Center and Yale Child Study Center are collaborating to study the mind-brain interface. The announcement marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of The Menninger Clinic in Houston as an affiliate with Baylor and Methodist. Funding for the joint research will be spearheaded by a new Board of Visitors, led by 71 philanthropists and business, mental health and community leaders from Houston, 20 other cities nationwide and British Columbia. Officers of the Board of Visitors are W. Walter Menninger, M.D. of Topeka, Kan, retired third generation CEO of The Menninger Clinic, and Corbin J. Robertson Jr., Baylor's Board of Trustees chair. Baylor's Chancellor Emeritus Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., is the first charter member of the Board of Visitors. "We are grateful to the Board of Visitors for their commitment to our vision for reducing the suffering of persons devastated by the effects of mental illness," Dr. Menninger said. The Board of Visitors' efforts are essential to building on The Menninger Clinic's mission of providing the highest quality of patient-focused care, research and training of tomorrow's mental health professionals. "Together, our supporters and everyone at Menninger, Baylor and Methodist plan to harness our expertise and resources to create the world's preeminent behavioral health care system," said Stuart Yudofsky, M.D., the D.C. and Irene Ellwood Professor and Chairman of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor and Chief of Psychiatry at The Methodist Hospital System. "We have a bold vision for our partnership," Dr. Yudofsky explained. "We are setting a course for providing mental health care that will meet patients' needs with leading-edge services—from the least to most intensive—all delivered in unparalleled programs and facilities, taking place on a new behavioral health campus here in Houston. We will propose to our Board of Visitors that a new campus also encompass the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences, where preeminent research and education will be conducted. The clinical, research and training programs will be a hub for many of the finest scientists and clinicians in the world, as well as an educational resource in the behavioral sciences for the Houston community, the state of Texas and the nation." The Menninger Clinic treats adolescents and adults who have complex psychiatric diagnoses in six specialty hospital programs. It currently operates 123 beds. The Methodist Hospital operates a short-term crisis hospital unit with 24 beds for adults. Baylor's Outpatient Clinic treats children, adolescents and adults.
Statement about affiliation between The Menninger Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital I have been in conversation with the leaders of both of our partners, and the affiliation agreement is strong and will not be affected. Since Menninger's opening in Houston last summer, the three organizations have offered a continuum of psychiatric services: acute inpatient psychiatric care at Methodist, specialty inpatient psychiatric treatment at Menninger and outpatient psychiatric programs at Baylor. Shawnee Co. Sheriff's SWAT team training on Menninger campus "We are pleased that the facilities are being put to good use for the community," said John McKelvey, president of The Menninger Foundation in Kansas. "The training activities help the Sheriff's Office prepare to serve the county residents, as well as dissuade any vandals or trespassers by the deputies' presence on the property." Deputies on the SWAT team have been training for building searches and other activities for the past three months, according to Capt. Rick Hladky who oversees the team. Additionally, deputies patrol the former Menninger campus during their routine patrols and stop vehicles that trespass on the property. "We want Shawnee County residents to be aware that our deputies are training at Menninger. We don't want people to be alarmed because the deputies on the SWAT team can look intimidating dressed in their black uniforms and equipment. We appreciate the opportunity to train on the former Menninger grounds. We are taking advantage of it while we can," said Deputy Martha Lutz, public information officer for the Sheriff's Office. Training may take place day or night as the team prepares for situations that call for the team's support and expertise. Members of the SWAT team often respond when a suspect is barricaded in a building, a hostage has been taken or when deputies want the support for a drug raid. The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office trains in vacant facilities on the former Topeka State Hospital grounds and previously trained in unoccupied buildings at Forbes Field. Deputies in the Sheriff's Office volunteer for the SWAT team and must be selected based on completion of a battery of interviews, skills and physical requirements. Upon selection to the team, the deputies add the SWAT duties to their day-to-day responsibilities and remain on call around the clock. The Menninger Foundation in Kansas has retained Opus Development to market the Menninger property in Topeka as part of the River Hill development. Menninger moved from Topeka to Houston on World Mental Health Day Symposium focus is children's mental health The symposium is part of World Mental Health Day, a global mental health public awareness and education campaign, which began October 10. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has organized the campaign since 1992. This year, WFMH joined with PAHO to present the symposium focusing on identification, treatment and prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents. Symposium speakers include:
More information about the World Mental Health Day campaign can be found at www.wmhday.net, and more about WFMH at www.wfmh.com. The World Federation for Mental Health is an international interdisciplinary organization founded in 1948 to advance, among all people and nations, the prevention of mental and emotional disorders, the proper treatment and care of those with such disorders, and the promotion of mental health.
Having peaceful schools means taking on the bullies Bullying is a pervasive behavior problem with profound and long-range consequences that can influence and shape the lives of young children. Bullies have been linked with school shootings and child and adolescent suicides. Interrupting the tendencies of bullies and their victims is important and possible, said Stuart Twemlow, MD, a Menninger psychiatrist and an international authority on community and school violence. "Bullying is nothing but child abuse by peers," said Menninger Child & Family Center Director Peter Fonagy, PhD, an internationally recognized authority in infant and child development. "In a typical Midwest school, 88 percent of the children are likely to observe bullying, and 77 percent are likely to be victims of it at one time or another. Bullying leads to violent crime. Sixty percent of playground bullies will have a criminal conviction by age 24, and 90 percent of young offenders were themselves found to be victims of bullying.'' "In more than two thirds of school shootings," Drs. Twemlow and Fonagy wrote in a published paper on threat assessments, "there was clear and obvious bullying by social groups and individuals. The larger social and environmental issues involved in school shootings include factors such as easy access to violent and hate-laden media, weaponry and information on strategies for terrorist attacks. Less frequently noted is the school's response to fixed patterns of teasing, ostracism and bullying among various groups in the school. A school climate that tolerates physical and relational aggression, especially by popular groups such as athletes or economic elites, is at high risk for violence." From a three-year, ongoing study known as the Peaceful Schools Project, Menninger researchers have devised an integrated set of low-cost school violence prevention techniques developed under the rigorous scrutiny of scientific evaluation. Since so few programs develop their interventions relying on evidence based on randomized, controlled studies, the ongoing Peaceful Schools Project is believed to be the most ambitious privately-funded study of its kind. In ongoing studies at The Menninger Clinic, researchers have concluded that bullying behavior, especially in schools, requires three participants: a bully, a victim and an observer or bystander. Take one role out of the mix and bullying can be stymied. Involve the whole school in a comprehensive antiviolence program and bullying may be virtually eliminated. "There are literally hundreds of anti-violence and anti-bullying programs across the U.S.," Dr. Twemlow said, "but the number that have been as thoroughly evaluated as this one has is very, very small." Some of the program's learned lessons include:
Additionally, the study's findings indicate that the Menninger approach effectively improves school atmosphere, raises academic scores, and perhaps more importantly, breaks "a natural underlying process of deterioration" in the behaviors of elementary school children, Dr. Fonagy said. The program halts a natural inclination among children to gradually feel less and less responsible for intervening when other children are victimized. "Children begin to share a different set of social customs about what is the right thing to do.'' Dr. Twemlow said. "And when they do that, they feel better; they enjoy school more and they want to go to school. They learn more and classes are better and the whole thing sort of snowballs." The Peaceful Schools Project contrasted Menninger's anti-violence program with two others, each in three sets of elementary schools in a Topeka, Kansas, district involving more than 3,000 students. Changing behaviors in the early grades leaves behind a more peaceful sense of community that produces a more rewarding academic experience. And not only for students. One classroom teacher who worked in the Peaceful Schools Program summed up her experience in five joyous words: "I can finally teach again," she said. Further research will test the results at sites in various demographic settings. The Menninger Clinic is ranked among the best psychiatric treatment hospitals in the nation, according to an annual review by U.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News and World Report Ranks Houston's Menninger Clinic One of the Top Five Psychiatric Hospitals in America This is the 13th consecutive year that Menninger has been ranked among the top five psychiatric hospitals in the country The Menninger Clinic's reputational score in U.S. News and World Report rose from 22.1 percent last year to 23.5 percent in 2003's score. Psychiatrists across the nation were asked to list up to five of the top psychiatric hospitals in the country. The reputational score reflects the percentage of psychiatrists who named Menninger a best hospital. The score is a culmination of results over a three-year period (2001, 2002 and 2003). Psychiatry is measured differently than most other categories and is ranked solely on its reputation among specialists. "I'm proud of our staff for earning this recognition from psychiatrists nationwide. Their dedication and expertise makes The Clinic a truly patient-centered place for someone who comes here for treatment," said Ian Aitken, president and CEO of The Menninger Clinic. "Through research with our partners, we are working to understand devastating disorders that affect so many people and develop effective treatment." "The Menninger Clinic's top five ranking is wonderful news for Houston," said Ron Girotto, president and CEO of The Methodist Hospital, which ranked 21st in psychiatry for its acute hospital program. "Our city is so fortunate to have been chosen as the new location for this world-class psychiatric hospital." Last fall, Menninger solicited and received proposals from more than 56 medical schools and research universities from around the nation. Menninger selected Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital in Houston because of Houston's internationally recognized medical center; compatibilities in cultures, treatment and education concepts; and a strong research center with a top-ranked medical school. All of these lead to the ability to recruit world-class clinicians and researchers, and fulfill the mission that was set by Drs. C.F., Will and Karl, and continued forth by Drs. Roy and Walt Menninger. "Each year, consumers and health professionals look to surveys such as the U.S. News & World Report ranking lists for information on top-quality institutions. We are proud of our newest affiliated institution, The Menninger Clinic, as well as The Methodist Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, TIRR and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, all of which placed on this year's list," said Peter G. Traber, M.D., president and CEO at Baylor College of Medicine. "Together with Baylor College of Medicine's outpatient psychiatric clinic, the three institutions provide world-class treatment for psychiatric, behavioral and addictive disorders," said Aitken. Founded in Topeka, Kansas, The Menninger Clinic has served 250,000 patients nationwide since 1925. Menninger offers specialty diagnostic and hospital treatment programs for teens and adults. For more information, visit our Web site www.menningerclinic.com, or call 713-275-5000 or 800-351-9058.
Menninger presents group home to Florence Crittenton Services John McKelvey, chairman of The Menninger Clinic Board of Directors, and Ian Aitken, president and CEO, The Menninger Clinic, presented the keys and deed to the home today to Karen Wakefield, executive director for Crittenton Services, and representatives of the agency's board and staff. The group home had been one of a network of homes in the Menninger Community Residence Program. Two years ago, Menninger transferred the program, staff, and two of the homes to Valeo Behavioral Health. Valeo continues to operate the Community Residence Program. The home given to Crittenton is valued at $600,000. It will enable the agency to grow and serve up to 23 adolescent girls and five infants from the Topeka area and elsewhere in Kansas, according to Wakefield. As Crittenton expands its services, it also plans to hire up to five additional staff. Currently, Crittenton employs a total of 30 full- and part-time staff. "The Menninger Board of Directors, along with Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, worked diligently to ensure that the Menninger mission continued here after our facility relocates to Houston this weekend," McKelvey said. "Florence Crittenton Services has a long tradition of meeting the needs of teenage girls who have significant behavioral and emotional difficulties," Aitken added. "We are pleased to give Crittenton this home so it can continue meeting the needs of adolescent girls and their infants." Crittenton has needed a different location for providing its services. "This gift from Menninger to Crittenton enables us to move our residential treatment setting to a more appropriate and fitting facility," Wakefield explained. "Our current home is 73 years old, very crowded and in need of constant repair. We will be able to provide care for additional clients and offer an environment much more conducive to our therapeutic mission. There are no words to convey our appreciation!" Florence Crittenton Services of Topeka has been meeting the needs of young women since 1900. Menninger opened therapeutic programs for children and adolescents in 1926, a year after it was founded. Dr. Karl Menninger championed the services for youth at the urging of Dr. Elmer Southard, his mentor at Harvard University, who told Dr. Karl, "don't forget the children." Through the years, Menninger has provided a wide range of treatment programs for youth, a school program named after Dr. Southard, research on children and families and child psychiatry training. Facts about the organizations
For more information, visit www.flocritkansas.org.
Menninger Partners With Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital This partnership will enhance Menninger's capabilities as a center of excellence in psychiatry and the behavioral sciences by combining Menninger's clinical program with Baylor's College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital's educational and research environment. Menninger will move its Topeka, Kansas-based clinic to 2801 N. Gessner Drive, Houston, during the spring and be fully operational in its "Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital were selected because their proposal best reflected a true partnership among equals and enabled Menninger to preserve its treatment approach," said John McKelvey, Menninger Foundation president and chief executive officer. "They fulfilled the required criteria, which included an internationally recognized medical center; compatibilities in cultures, treatment, and education concepts; and a strong research center with a top-ranked medical school. All of these lead to the ability to recruit world-class clinicians and researchers, and fulfill our mission that was set by Drs. C.F., Will and Karl, and continued forth by Drs. Roy and Walt Menninger." "The board of trustees of Baylor College of Medicine is confident that bringing together these three leading institutions will result in the best possible research and treatment programs," said Corbin J. Robertson, Baylor College of Medicine chairman of the board. "We are pleased to join forces in this important mission." "Baylor College of Medicine pursues this partnership knowing that the combination of these three very strong entities will offer patients around the world the best in research and clinical care," said Ralph Feigin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine president and chief executive officer. "By combining the latest science on how the brain functions with leading new treatments for patients, this endeavor will present the strongest possible approach in the field." "As chairman of Baylor's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, I and our faculty are delighted and enthusiastic that Menninger will be joining us in Houston to advance psychiatric treatment locally, nationally, and internationally," said Stuart Yudofsky, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry chairman and chief of psychiatry service at The Methodist Hospital. "We respect the accomplishments of the Menninger team, and we feel honored and look forward to continuing to build on the richly deserved Menninger reputation and heritage," said Yudofsky. "This historic partnership among Menninger, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital brings together the most highly qualified healthcare professionals to care for those among us who suffer from psychiatric illnesses. We intend to provide the most effective, patient-centered psychiatric care available anywhere -- care informed and enriched by breakthrough research from our science laboratories." Echoing comments from the Baylor College of Medicine was Ronald Girotto, The Methodist Hospital president and chief executive officer. "This presents another opportunity for Methodist to continue to work collaboratively with Baylor College of Medicine in developing world class centers of excellence," said Girotto. Last fall, Menninger solicited and received proposals from more than 32 medical schools and research universities from around the nation. The Menninger Boards of Directors and Trustees approved the partnership at meetings earlier today. Previously the Boards of Directors at Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital approved the partnership. "This is the right move at the right time for Menninger," said Ian Aitken, Menninger Clinic president and chief operating officer. "Menninger is a world-renowned treatment and care facility, and our partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital adds world-class educational and research capabilities, while advancing the prestige of the Menninger care program." Today's agreement differs significantly from Menninger's previously announced intention to partner with the same institutions in 2000. The improved financial and operational performance at Menninger, the guidance and counsel provided to Menninger by Bear, Stearns, Co., Inc., and extensive involvement of the Menninger Board's steering committee, ensure this transaction will be completed. In addition, the Menninger leadership team will remain intact and play key roles in the new organization:
Founded in Topeka, Kansas, by Dr. C.F. Menninger and his sons, Drs. Karl and Will, the Menninger Clinic has served nearly 250,000 patients since 1925. "On behalf of John E. Hayes, Jr., chairman of the Menninger Foundation Board, and all the members of our Boards of Directors and Trustees, I'd like to express our enthusiasm for this alliance," said Walter Menninger, M.D., grandson of Dr. C.F. and chairman of the Menninger Trustees. "This partnership positions us for unprecedented success in mental health treatments and has my full support and endorsement." Dr. Walt will remain chairman of the current Menninger trustee group. "We have concluded that the organization cannot continue to fulfill its mission of providing patient care, accredited professional education and extensive research programs here in our hometown of Topeka," said Roy Menninger, M.D., grandson of Dr. C.F. and chairman emeritus, Menninger Trustees. "I am confident that the leadership and staff who follow the Clinic to Texas, and who embrace our essential professional values, will again enable Menninger to become a beacon of hope for our patients, and a magnet for professionals interested in our special kind of clinical teamwork." Dr. Roy will serve as a member of the Menninger-Baylor College of Medicine-The Methodist Hospital board of directors. U.S. News & World Report magazine consistently has ranked Menninger as one of the top psychiatric hospitals in the country in its annual review of the "Best Hospitals in America." Baylor College of Medicine ranks 13th in U.S. News & World Report magazine's 2002 list of top medical schools for research. The only private medical school in the Greater Southwest, it is among the top 10 of the 125 U.S. medical schools in federal research funding. The Methodist Hospital is a non-profit, comprehensive medical services and health care organization that strives to provide high quality, cost-effective health care in a spiritual environment of caring, in conjunction with internationally recognized teaching and research. Financial terms of the partnership are not being disclosed. For more information, contact:
Bully Prevention Program "Not only is bullying frequently the cause of distress, it is also the known precursor of much more serious school violence," said Peter Fonagy, PhD, director of the Menninger Child and Family Program. "Preventing bullying is a key step in reducing violence in our schools." The Menninger Peaceful Schools research project, which began in 1999, is believed to be the most ambitious privately-funded study of its kind. It was designed to compare an anti-violence/bullying intervention to an intervention that focused on individual students and schools conducting business as usual. Researchers aimed to determine which intervention was more effective at reducing bully-victim problems. Schools were divided into three intervention study groups, including an anti-violence/bullying intervention. This environmental intervention focused on the entire school climate with the behaviors and attitudes of all persons in a school building (students, teachers, even administrative and other support staff). The intervention assumed all could potentially be part of the solution. Preliminary findings indicate that this group was the more effective of the three interventions. Some of the findings from the student are:
Dr. Peter Fonagy was the principal investigator on the project. He collaborated with co-principal investigators, Stuart Twemlow, M.D., Menninger staff psychiatrist, and Eric Vernberg, PhD, a professor in Clinical Child Psychology at the University of Kansas. The project involved 11 elementary schools, over 300 teachers and 3,000 students. Menninger is taking the next step to develop an implementation protocol for other school districts to use. Support for this project has been provided by a grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund in Jacksonville, Florida. District representatives from a diverse sampling of schools from across the nation are consulting on the project. Most schools are using some type of bullying or violence prevention programs. "A great deal of wisdom can be gained from the experiences districts have had training, implementing and bringing their own districts on board to this type of thinking," said Fonagy. "Our principal hope is that early intervention in elementary schools will create a cascade effect that carries into middle schools and high schools."
Coping with the 9-11 anniversary: Read, listen and plan a personal strategy "The key will be for Americans to achieve a healthy balance of honoring the nation's losses, remaining informed about ongoing dangers and managing your own feelings to minimize undue distress," said Jon Allen, PhD, author of two books about treatment of trauma at the nationally recognized Menninger Clinic. "Watching the planes crash into the buildings over and over again or hearing the survivors and rescuers recount their losses can bring any one of us to a point of being unduly distressed or, at worst, overwhelmed. We can observe and pay tribute in our own ways." The best strategy is to manage exposure to the happenings in the days and weeks surrounding the anniversary, Dr. Allen said, regardless of a person's proximity to the attacks. To cope during September, plan on getting plenty of sleep, going to a movie, reading a book or doing an activity that your family enjoys. Also talk about how the events of 9-11 changed your life—especially any way they changed your life for the better such as a renewed perspective on the importance of family and friends, said Lisa Lewis, PhD, who also specializes in the treatment of trauma at Menninger. The Menninger psychologists note that self-management is especially important for people who are feeling they cannot let their guard down a year after the attacks, for those who are now afraid to fly or who are worried about how they will react upon the anniversary. "It's normal for triggers of distress to vary widely from person to person. Some people react immediately to an event while others may experience adverse effects months or years later," Dr. Lewis explained. "The goal is to voluntarily be able to put troubling thoughts about 9-11, or any tragedy, out of your mind over time, rather than be haunted by them." If a person continues to experience intrusive thoughts, feel numb or on edge, rely on alcohol or drugs to cope, suffer from headaches, chest pains or ailments that have gotten worse or do less with friends, family and favorite activities, Drs. Lewis and Allen suggest getting a professional assessment to determine if treatment may be needed. "Getting help isn't a sign of weakness," Dr. Lewis said. Make a call to your physician or to a local mental health professional or facility. Research demonstrates treatments are effective for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and anxiety, which may develop after a traumatic event or loss. Tips for coping with 9-11 anniversary events
More about our trauma experts Lisa Lewis, PhD, is a senior psychologist with the Menninger Hope adult treatment program, a specialist in neuropsychology and the treatment of trauma, as well as a faculty member in the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry & Mental Health Sciences.
Menninger named among best psychiatric hospitals 12th year in a row Menninger has ranked among the top four psychiatric hospitals for 12 consecutive years. In 1995, Menninger placed first. Rankings for psychiatric hospitals are based on the percentage of psychiatrists surveyed in 2000, 2001 and 2002 who chose Menninger as one of the best hospitals. Menninger's score increased from 21% to 22.1% in this year's rankings. "We are thrilled about the results! It is an honor to be associated with outstanding hospitals, such as Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston), New York Presbyterian Hospital and Johns Hopkins (Baltimore)," said Ian Aitken, president and chief operating officer of The Menninger Clinic. Richard Munich, MD, vice president, medical director and chief of staff, noted that the Menninger staff throughout the departments deserve credit for Menninger being consistently ranked among the nation's best psychiatric hospitals. "Our staff members have remained dedicated and focused on providing outstanding care to our patients," Dr. Munich said. "We have exceeded expectations for the number of patients we have served this past year because of the staff and the confidence of mental health professionals across the country who have sent their patients to us for treatment. We also appreciate the support from the psychiatrists who have made these high rankings possible." The Menninger Clinic operates 95 beds for five specialty psychiatric treatment programs and two diagnostic and assessment programs. Menninger held commencement exercises in June for the post-doctoral clinical psychology training program in the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry & Mental Health Sciences. In research, the Menninger Child and Family Program continues a number of studies, including the Peaceful Schools Project that has been a joint project with Topeka USD 501 elementary schools. Menninger remains committed to partnering with a medical research university to continue its mission of providing the highest quality of treatment, research, and education. U.S. News & World Report launched its annual survey of "America's Best Hospitals" in 1991 to assist consumers in making health and mental healthcare. This year's rankings cover 17 specialties, including psychiatry. Menninger honors graduate at 55th annual graduation ceremony of the Karl Menninger School of Psychiatry & Mental Health Sciences In addition, the School observed the 50th anniversary of the post-doctoral clinical psychology training program. Irwin Rosen, PhD, the first graduate of the program, assisted in the presentation of the certificate to Dr. Haslam-Hopwood. Dr. Rosen is a retired Menninger psychologist and a resident of Topeka. Dr. Haslam-Hopwood is joining the Menninger staff and will be a member of the Professionals in Crisis Program treatment team. He received master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Denver before coming to Menninger two years ago. A native of Cornwall, England, he earned his bachelor of science degree in psychology and anthropology from Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, England. "We are pleased to honor Dr. Haslam-Hopwood upon the completion of his training. This ceremony recognizes the educational legacy of Menninger," said Efrain Bleiberg, MD, director of Education and Research. "Menninger is committed to expanding professional education, as well as research," added John McKelvey, chief executive officer. "Our efforts to affiliate with a medical research university will allow us to fulfill the organization's mission of education, research, and quality patient care." During the process to select a partner, Menninger has continued its commitment to the post-doctoral psychology program with a full psychology faculty on the staff. Dr. Haslam-Hopwood gave credit to his faculty and colleagues on the treatment team for the Professionals in Crisis program. "There were more opportunities to work intensively with the senior staff and work concurrently with the patients," he said. "There's probably no other program with the broad focus that Menninger offers in its training program." Dr. Haslam-Hopwood represents a bridge to the future of advanced training for mental health professionals at Menninger. "The program has been important in training psychologists to join our treatment teams," said Dan Hoover, PhD, director of the post-doctoral program in clinical psychology. "Many of our staff members through the years have come from the training program. This helps us continue the Menninger approach to treating the medical, emotional, and social needs of our patients. Other alumni who have left to practice elsewhere have taken this approach with them." Applications for the post-doctoral clinical psychology training program will be accepted beginning in December. The new class will be announced in spring 2003 and begin their training in September 2003. Top teacher selected
Writing awards revealed
New alumni members announced
New Menninger Human Resources director seeks One of Davis' highest priorities is to recruit talented candidates for open positions throughout Menninger departments and programs. Applications are accepted from Davis has four years of experience in the Menninger Human Resources Department, coupled with 15 years in the field at Kansas City area employers. She holds a master's degree in management and an undergraduate degree in business/human resources. The management team of The Menninger Clinic remains unchanged with Ian Aitken as president and chief operating officer, Richard Munich, MD, as vice president, medical director, and chief of staff, and Mary Wentworth, MS, ARNP, CS, vice president of patient care services. McKelvey has 25 years of executive experience as president and CEO of Midwest Research Institute (MRI) of Kansas City. He retired in January 2000 from MRI, an independent, not-for-profit organization that conducts contract research on environmental issues, medical and health sciences, and solar energy for business, industry, government, as well as for private and public groups. While with MRI, McKelvey developed successful alliances with other organizations. As CEO of Menninger, he will focus on exploring and finalizing an affiliation with a medical school/research university to fulfill the Menninger Trustees' strategy to enhance the national center's standard of psychiatric and behavioral health treatment, research, and education. McKelvey has chaired every major Menninger Trustee board and committee. Currently, he serves as vice chairman of Trustees and as a member of The Menninger Foundation Executive Committee. From 1999-2001, he chaired the Menninger Strategic Planning Committee. Dr. Menninger will become chairman of Menninger Trustees, succeeding his brother and retired CEO Roy Menninger, MD. Dr. Roy Menninger has served as chairman since he retired in 1993 and will remain involved with Trustees as the chairman emeritus. Dr. Walt Menninger has served more than eight years as the CEO of the organization founded in 1925 by his grandfather, C.F. Menninger, MD, his father, William C. Menninger, MD, and uncle, Karl A. Menninger, MD. As chairman of Trustees, Dr. Walt Menninger will focus on raising funds for Menninger programs and continue as the editor of the Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, a scientific journal for mental health professionals.
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Menninger will be located within a 10-minute drive from the Texas Medical Center on South Main Street, 
HOUSTON, TX—(February 28, 2007)—The Menninger Clinic announces the appointment of Donna Yi, MD, to the position of associate chief of staff and clinical director of The Menninger Clinic.
HOUSTON, TX—(December 12, 2006)—The Menninger Clinic announces the appointment of Harrell Woodson, PhD, and Terrilynn Steele, RN, MSN, to The Clinic’s 
Steele is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Nursing and the University of Texas Health Science Center at 
