Rogers experts speak on depression signs, weight stigma, more in March

04/16/21 04:45:pm

Each month, Rogers psychologists and psychiatrists share their perspectives in the community by participating in media interviews, webinars, and Facebook Lives. Here is what they spoke on in March:

As the pandemic has led to a secondary crisis of mental health, Rachel Leonard, PhD, executive director of clinical services for the Regional Division, and Sim Yin Tan. PhD, clinical supervisor in Tampa, explored the signs, symptoms, and treatment for depression in a Rogers Behavioral Health Facebook Live.

Generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder are commonly co-occurring disorders typically treated with cognitive behavioral therapies, but the overlap in treatments can cause difficulties for the patient and clinician. In a recent webinar, Brett Johnson, MD, from San Diego, and Stacy Shaw Welch, PhD, clinic director in Seattle, discussed the most common dilemmas that arise when treating patients with co-occurring disorders and strategies to optimize the chances of success with treatment.

In the Milwaukee Magazine “Q&A: Kids and COVID,” Amanda Heins, PsyD, the supervising psychologist for OCD and Anxiety Center Adolescent Residential Care in Oconomowoc, explained how the pandemic is affecting children and what parents can do to help.

Prior to Wisconsin vaccine eligibility opening to everyone 16 and older, those with a higher body mass index were among the groups able to receive the vaccine, which led some to feel shame over their weight. Richa Aggarwal, MD, from Appleton spoke to the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and WLUK-TV (FOX 11, Green Bay) on how this could affect those with eating disorders.

Finding your balance during the pandemic can be difficult, but Rae Anne Ho Fung, PhD, LP, shared with WITI-TV (FOX 6, Milwaukee) some ways people can find peace such as mediating and engaging in creative virtual or socially distant get-togethers. Dr. Frey-Ho Fung is a clinical supervisor for adult and adolescent Trauma Recovery partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care in Brown Deer and West Allis and the Herrington Center for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery adult residential care in West Allis.