Top of Mind

What’s the Difference Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)?

      By Jennifer B. Wilcox Berman, PsyD, Lindner Center of HOPE   OCD and OCPD are often mistaken for one another or used interchangeably. Although there is some overlap between the two disorders, it’s important to distinguish between them because they are quite different in many ways. It is important to note that […]

The metamorphosis of motherhood

Kaila Busken, Lindner Center of HOPE, Licensed Independent Social Worker One moment you are bursting at the seams with overwhelming joy. Every fiber of your being is filled with love for this tiny human being in your arms. Looking in your baby’s eyes, you feel like you have found your life’s purpose. And still, motherhood […]

The Two Spectrums of Bipolar Mood Disorders

By Peter White, M.A., LPCC, LICDC, Lindner Center of HOPE Outpatient Therapist The problem during Bipolar Mood Disorders is a pattern of swings of the essential elements of mood between the two poles, like the North Pole and South Pole, of Mania and Depression. These swings are not moodiness, which are swings of mood throughout […]

Feeling Blue vs. Being Depressed: What Is the Difference?

Almost everyone has felt “down in the dumps” at times or had a case of “the blues.” In this state, you may have referred to yourself as feeling depressed.  But is this really clinical depression? An estimated 25 percent of Americans suffer from major depression. So what distinguishes the common “down” feelings felt by most […]

Dangers of Dieting: Why Dieting Can Be Harmful

BY: Anna Guerdjikova, PhD, LISW, CCRC, Lindner Center of HOPE, Director of Administrative Services, Harold C. Schott Foundation Eating Disorders Program University of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry, Research Assistant Professor   An estimated 45 million Americans diet each year and spend $33 billion annually on weight loss products. WebMD lists over 100 different diets, starting […]

Is it Trauma?

                Sidney Hays, MSW, LISW, DARTT, Outpatient Therapist, Lindner Center of HOPE “Trauma” has been a buzzword in recent years. Accompanying it has been discourse around what counts as trauma. From the extreme of exaggerating minor inconveniences as trauma to the opposite end of the spectrum which attempts […]

Managing your mental health while coping with chronic illness

Heather Melena, APRN, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Lindner Center of HOPE           Living with a chronic illness can be difficult to manage not only physically but also emotionally and mentally as well. The challenges that can come with chronic illness include learning to cope with the symptoms of that diagnosis, figuring […]

Postpartum Depression Facts

By Danielle Beltz, MSN, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Lindner Center of HOPE Pregnancy and childbirth can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things a woman can do in her lifetime but can hand in hand be one of most challenging and emotionally taxing times. A female goes through not only physical changes throughout […]

Coregulation

  by Dawn Anderson, LPCCS Humans are a very resilient species. We have overcome generations of burdens to accomplish family unity, and yet this effort renews with new barriers and challenges each year. A vital component of a thriving family unit is the ability to co-regulate. Co-regulation describes the process in which a parent can […]

How to Know When Residential Treatment May be Necessary

What is Residential Treatment? A loved one is experiencing mental health problems – or perhaps you are dealing with mental illness yourself.  As you look into treatment options – outpatient, inpatient, etc., one option that may be recommended is a residential treatment center. Residential treatment is a specialized form of inpatient care. It typically includes […]

Ketamine Treatment for Mental Illness

                    By: Laurie Little, PsyD Chief Patient Experience Officer and Staff Psychologist, Lindner Center of HOPE In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring alternative and innovative treatments for mental illness. Among these novel approaches, ketamine has emerged as a promising treatment for […]

Understanding Psychological Evaluation

People often wonder what “psychological evaluation” is, what it is used for, and how it can help. This blog post is written by Jennifer L. Farley, PsyD, Lindner Center of HOPE, Staff Psychologist. We’ll dive into the varying answers to those questions, learn more about referral questions, testing settings and why psychological evaluation is important. […]

Understanding Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

What is Panic Disorder? Panic Disorder is an anxiety disorder that occurs when someone experiences recurrent, spontaneous, unexpected, and untriggered panic attacks. This leads to preoccupation with and fear of experiencing another attack. Panic attacks occur when there is an intense physical surge of symptoms that quickly reach their peak, usually in a few minutes. […]

Demystifying Bipolar Depression

  By: Zachary Pettibone, MD Staff Psychiatrist, Lindner Center of HOPE Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry University of Cincinnati Bipolar depression has been gaining attention recently in popular culture and the profession of psychiatry. New medications have emerged to manage this often difficult to treat illness. Bipolar depression denotes a specific type of “depression,” a […]

Body Image in a Culture of Fat Phobia

                          At times it can feel like it’s impossible to have a positive relationship with our body image. We are inundated with ads that encourage us to lose weight via this supplement or that diet/wellness program, guaranteed to give you results. Diet Culture […]

Weight gain in bipolar disorder

One of the greatest challenges in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) is the significant weight gain associated with psychotropic medications.  Mood stabilizer medications with antimanic activity, which include lithium, valproate as well as atypical antipsychotics, remain the mainstay of treatment despite being associated with different degrees of significant weight gain.  This is particularly notable […]

What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and How Does it Help with OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder that presents in many forms. OCD is comprised of obsessions, which are persistent and unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, or urges. In OCD, these intrusive thoughts are considered ego-dystonic, meaning they are inconsistent with someone’s self-image, beliefs, and values. Therefore, these obsessions cause significant distress, anxiety, and worry […]