DON'T TRY HARDER, TRY DIFFERENT

The Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Program at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital (ABBHH) offers a comprehensive course of treatment for those in need of specialized services. The program provides care for a number of common anxiety disorders including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD), Phobias, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Offering a day hospital program, our therapists are trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP). CBT and ERP are the most effective and evidence-based therapies for anxiety, and our treatment team will work with other programs that focus on developmental issues, eating disorders, chemical dependency, or self-injury to provide a truly individualized approach for the complex patient.

The program's director, Dr. Patrick McGrath, was recently featured in the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation's (OCF) OCD Newsletter. Dr. McGrath is the author of the self-published workbook "Don't Try Harder, Try Different"  and "The OCD Answer Book" (published by Sourcebooks). "Don't Try Harder, Try Different" is also the title of the presentation Dr. McGrath gave at the OCF Annual Conference this year, and he summarized his talk in an article for the Fall 2008 OCF Newsletter.

In the article, Dr. McGrath discusses a few basic techniques for dealing with OCD including eliminating the words "SHOULD" and "CAN'T" from one's vocabulary. Dr. McGrath further contends that control is an illusion, and that all things people are anxious about are actually neutral and are purely subject to their own perception.

To read Dr. McGrath's article in its entirety, please click here. To learn more about the Anxiety and OCD Program at ABBHH, please visit our website or call 847-755-8566.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Alexian Brothers regularly offers excellent continuing education opportunities for CEU's. Here's what's coming up:

Dec. 5th: Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities   8:30-10:30am

A New Look at a Poorly Defined Disorder. Amy Davis, Ph.D will discuss  a variety of issues relevant to non-verbal learning disorders including: a new classification system, neuroanatomy, and comorbities with psychiatric disorders. She will also highlight case examples and discuss clinical applications and interventions. Time is running out, email Donna Siegler to register now.

Dec. 11th: Goth, Emo and Self-Injury   10am - Noon

Denise Styer, Psy.D will discuss teen subcultures with specific attention to the music and rituals of Goth and Emo. These subcultures will be examined within the context of self-injury. Participants will be given ideas for understanding and intervening with this client population. Email Donna Siegler to register now.

Jan. 30th: Self-Regulation   8:30am - Noon

Discussion on Self-Regulation: Why this Model Works When Others Fail. Gain an understanding of the Self-Regulation Model and get an inside look at how we at Alexian Brothers use this model with patients in our Eating Disorders and Self-Injury Programs. Registration information for this program coming soon.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can now view past                                e-newsletters on our website!

Accidentally deleted your email?

Forgot the date of an upcoming event?

Now, accessing that information is easier than ever. Just click on the past newsletter archive link from any page on our website. Add www.abbhh.org to your favorite bookmarks today.

Alexian Helps Veterans Overcome War Trauma

Recognizing a growing need for specialized care for veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network (ABHN) is developing a comprehensive plan for diagnosing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and depression.

An estimated 30 percent of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans suffer from PTSD, mild TBI or depression. To treat these individuals, ABHN has developed a diagnostic triage plan including a psychiatric evaluation, advanced neuroimaging (including specialized MRI and ABHN's magnetoencephalography (MEG) system), and a neurological examination. The specialized team will then collaborate on each case, analyzing and assessing the diagnostic data to develop an appropriate treatment strategy.

To learn more about this remarkable program, please click here to read the full article.