Top of Mind

Trauma-Focused Therapy for Children

By Megan Schrantz, Ed.D., LPCC Lindner Center of Hope Outpatient and Residential Therapist Many children and adolescents undergo difficult life experiences during their growing up years. Children may encounter a variety of events that are stressful to varying degrees, such as the divorce or separation of parents or the death of a beloved relative or […]

Child Mental Health Therapy Types and Applications

By Dawn Anderson, LPCC-S Lindner Center of Hope Staff Therapist/Supervisor         Child mental health therapy is a specialized form of counseling that helps children and adolescents cope with emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges. It provides a safe and supportive space for young individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with a […]

Weight Gain in Patients With Psychiatric Conditions: The Need for a Systematic Approach

By Nicole Mori, RN, MSN, APRN-BC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Lindner Center of Hope       The prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders is significantly higher among people with bipolar disorder than in the general population (McElroy and Keck, 2012; Taylor et al., 2012). In addition to contributing to medical comorbidities (such as […]

PANS & PANDAS- from symptoms to diagnosis and treatment options.

Heather Melena, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC   PANS stands for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome and encompasses cases of strep induced neuropsychiatric presentations (PANDAS), as well as presentations brought on by other infections, toxins, or stress. To understand the mechanism in which this autoimmune response is triggered, we must understand how and what our immune system does. […]

The Power of Kindness

By Kristina Tracy, LISW-S Outpatient Therapist         What is kindness? Kori Miller defines kindness as a benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed towards another person, it is motivated by the desire to help another and not to gain explicit reward or to avoid explicit punishment. Kindness is about showing up in the […]

More Darker Days Ahead: Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder

By Jennifer Farley, PsyD Associate Chief of Psychological Services, Lindner Center of Hope       In many areas, autumn’s colorful trees and darker mornings are reminders of the transition from summer to winter. Evening hours just don’t feel the same compared to the long days of summer when people are more active from sunrise […]

Persistent Depressive Disorder and Cyclothymic Disorder

                  By Danielle Johnson, MD, FAPA Chief Medical Officer, Lindner Center of Hope Mood disorders have distinct disturbances in emotions. Low moods are called depression and high moods are called hypomania or mania. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) categorizes mood disorders into bipolar […]

Medications for the Treatment of OCD

By Angela Couch, RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Lindner Center of Hope The goal of treatment for OCD is not to get rid of the thoughts but to learn to tolerate uncertainty. For someone who struggles with OCD, the idea of this, of tolerating uncertainty, can create a lot of discomfort.  Medications will not get […]

Is This OCD? Diagnosing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

  By Whitney Peters LPCC OCD Specialist, Lindner Center of Hope  Beginning a successful journey in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment starts with the right diagnosis. OCD occurs in people from any gender, age, or ethnicity, and happens to approximately 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 200 kids and teens. Many people think of […]

Brief Introduction to Nutritional Psychiatry

By Nik Raju, MD Lindner Center of Hope Staff Psychiatrist Disclaimer: This was written for general informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice. Please consult with your personal physician/care provider and/or registered dietitian for specific recommendations tailored to your individualized needs. As the saying goes, food is medicine. While we often […]

Connection as the Key to Well-Being

Harnessing the power radical openness to enhance connection and psychological well-being. We as humans, from a biological perspective, are meant to be vulnerable and connected beings. We aren’t the strongest or fastest species, and yet humans dominate the animal kingdom. We do this because of our ability to have and express our emotions and thoughts […]

Why Diets Do Not Work

By Lauren Neiser, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC Keto. Atkins. South Beach. NutriSystem. Weight Watchers. Intermittent Fasting. Paleo. Low-Carb. The HCG Diet. Raw. Jenny Craig. Slim Fast. What do all these diets have in common? They are all ineffective and potentially harmful. We live in a diet culture driven society that celebrates thinness and is abundant with […]

Demystifying Mental Health Partial Hospitalization for Adolescents

An Untapped Resource in the Treatment Journey  According to a February 2024 article in the Journal of American Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the prevalence of mental health conditions in adolescents has been increasing worldwide, outpacing the availability of effective mental health care. More adolescents require acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, but do not have resources for […]

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 Executive Functioning Skills and Self-Regulation in Children and Teens

By Stacey Spencer, EdD Lindner Center of Hope, Staff Psychologist       Executive functioning and self-regulation are crucial skills for children and teens to learn to best manage their academic, social and personal lives. These skills are not just abstract concepts but are foundational to a child’s ability to succeed in various aspects of […]

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 […]

Hope: The Expectation of Good Things To Come

  Cultivating hope to improve wellbeing By Elisha Eveleigh Clipson, Ph.D. Child and Adolescent Psychologist Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience     Why hope? Daring to hope improves our overall well-being. People with more hope report less anxiety, depression and stress.  Hopeful employees are more productive […]

Cannabis Withdrawal

By Erin Snider, APRN, PMHNP-BC             With the increased availability and potency of cannabis, the potential for “addiction” has never been more relevant. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-V (DSM-V) does not use the term “addiction” but classifies the diagnosis as “Cannabis Use Disorder” from mild to severe. The diagnostic criteria […]

Depression in Young Adults: How to Help

        By Laurie Little, PsyD Lindner Center of HOPE, psychologist   Depression can occur at any age. It does not discriminate. However, recent research suggests that young adults are experiencing symptoms of depression at higher rates than ever. There are many theories about why this is so, including the proliferation of social […]