Article archive / March 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 7. Source pages: 9, 10.
Dr. Lisa Bertman Pate, clinical psychologist and professor, died of melanoma on January 24, 2012, at the age of 44. Dr. Pate was an LSU graduate, an assistant professor at Tulane University School of Medicine, and a faculty member of Harvard University’s OCD Institute.
Her post-graduate emphasis was OCD and she quickly became a top professional in the field, serving on the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic OCD Foundation and the Scientific Advisory Board of the International OCD Foundation. She consulted with people from all over the country and taught alongside international experts at the Cape Cod Institute.
The consensus among friends and colleagues is that Lisa had a remarkable ability to engage people and was an exceptional and gifted therapist. “She really liked the complex, complicated cases,” said Dr. Phillip Brantley, an early supervisor. “She was absolutely challenged by complex cases and severe pathology.”
Lisa’s husband, Dr. Drew Pate, psychiatrist and graduate of LSU Medical school, said, “In this she was similar to her dad,”
remarking on Lisa’s ability to connect with difficult patients. “Something about her was very engaging and exciting. She could get people to do things and get them excited about their treatment. Person after person who could never engage with anyone else – she could get them to do it.”
Friends and colleagues noted to the Times that Lisa’s spirit, dedication, and her positive, contagious enthusiasm, which she freely shared with friends, associates and clients, was ever present in her character.
Dr. Lisa Bertman Pate graduated from Tulane University’s Newcomb College in 1989 and went on to earn her doctorate from LSU in 1999. From 1992 to 1996 she worked as a therapist at the LSU Psychological Services Center at LSU, a Psychology Extern at the Adult Treatment Unit at Greenwell Springs Hospital in Baton Rouge, and as a Medical Psychology Extern in the Behavioral Medicine Practicum at Earl K. Long Hospital, Psychology Consultation Service, in Baton Rouge, with Dr. Phil Brantley.
“I’ve never seen anyone more eager to learn and gain from clinical experience,” said Dr. Brantley. She loved “complex, complicated cases. Just a delightful person.”
Studying with LSU Professor Dr. Claire Advokat, Lisa coauthored a number of studies, including “Intrathecal co-administration of morphine and excitatory amino acid agonists produce differential effects on the tail-flick of intact and spinal rats,” and “Comparison of the antinociceptive and amispastic action of (-)baclofen after systemic and intrathecal administration in intact, acute and chronic spinal rats,” in Brain Research.
“I recall she was a very personable, intelligent, vibrant young woman,” said Dr. Advokat, explaining that Lisa’s efforts were crucial in their coauthored work, “Clinical outcome to clozapine treatment in chronic psychiatric inpatients,” research published in Progress in Nem- PchooMcologic & Biological Psychiatry.”
In 1994, working with Dr. Don Williamson, Lisa published “Body image, body dysphoria, and dietary restraint: Factor structure in nonclinical subjects,” in Behaviour Research and Therapy.
During ’96-’97, Lisa worked as an associate and extern at the Feliciana Forensic Facility in Jackson and completed efforts that led to her dissertation, “Effect of an Individualized Treatment Protocol on Competency Restoration in Pretrial Forensic Inpatients.” This study later evolved to a publication for The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, with coauthors including with Dr. William Waters and Dr. John Thompson.
She took her internship in clinical psychology at Harvard Medical School, the McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. There she facilitated psycho-educational and process groups for patients with severe illnesses. Rotating to the OCD Institute at Harvard she continued at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Institute in a post-doctoral fellowship, and then as a Behavioral Therapist at the Institute until 2001.
In 2001 she returned to Louisiana and became Assistant Professor at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, where she also provided assessment and treatment of forensic patients and also supervised interns.
Julie Graybilll, Senior Program Coordinator in Forensic Psychiatry at the Tulane Medical Center said Lisa was, “An amazing person, the way she touched people. She was so caring with them [clients] and would even go to their homes to help them – as a specialist in OCD. Everyone idolized her. A perfect doctor and a great friend.”
Dr. Daniel Winstead, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane, said, “Lisa was a truly gifted therapist with my OCD patients. She went out of her way to accommodate the patient initially and was then able to get them to make great strides in relatively short time periods.”
In July 2003 Dr. Pate became Clinical Assistant Professor, working with ambulatory patients with anxiety and affective disorders and supervising pre-doctoral psychology interns, and also working in her private practice.
After Katrina Lisa and Drew relocated to Baltimore. “Lisa was pregnant with our littlest, Ezra,” Drew said. The family went back and forth between Baltimore and New Orleans until Drew took a permanent position. Lisa added a Maryland license in 2007 and began a private practice, specializing in OCD. She was sought out as a consultant by people from all across the country, Drew explained, and also was being sought after by the producers of a television show for hoarding. During this time Lisa was also able to be “sort of a stay at home mom,” Drew said.
Dr. Lisa Pate was a member of the American Psychological Association, a member of the Genetic Consortium of the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, a member of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, and of the Society for Neuroscience.
With several colleagues, including close friend Dr. Gina M. Manguno-Mire from Tulane, Dr. Pate published “Are release recommendations for NGRI acquittees informed by relevant data?” in Behavioral Sciences & the Law (2007), and also “PCL-R Scores are Consistent with Release
Decisions in a Secure Forensic Hospital,” in the J. of the Am. Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. She was lead author for “The New Orleans Forensic Aftercare Clinic: A Seven Year Review of Hospital Discharged and Jail Diverted Clients,” in Behavioral Sciences and the Law.
During her career she also served as Research Coordinator at the Feliciana Forensic Facility in Jackson, as Research Assistant at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, as instructor and teaching assistant at LSU, and as quest lecturer at the Behavioral Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders: New England Educational Institute, Cape Cod Summer Symposia, Obsessive Compulsive Foundation National and Boston Affiliate, Grand Rounds–Lahey Clinic, and at Tulane Medical Center.
Friend and colleague Dr. Gina Gina Manguno-Mire noted that “Lisa was a very dedicated psychologist and accomplished professionally, and yes, LSU and Tulane/New Orleans were very important to her.”
“I can tell you she was one of a kind,” Dr. Gina Manguno-Mire said. Gina met Lisa in graduate school at LSU and quickly became friends. “Lisa made you feel like she had known you and liked you forever,” Gina said. “She developed a legion of friends wherever she went. She was one of the most positive and vibrant people I have ever encountered.”
“She moved back to New Orleans in 2001 and I had the pleasure of reconnecting with her and watching her marry the love of her life, Drew, and have two beautiful sons, Sam and Ezra, to whom she was devoted.”
Gina reflected the sentiments of many when she said, “… a tragic loss for all of us whose lives Lisa touched with her exuberance and passion for her life and her life’s work.”
Her husband Dr. Drew Pate, shared that, “She did everything to the fullest, one of those people that had no regrets. There was nothing she would have changed about her life.”
Our colleague Dr. Lisa Jo Bertman Pate is survived by her beloved husband Dr. Drew Pate and sons Samuel and Ezra, parents Skip and Sandy Bertman of Baton Rouge, and sisters Jan, Jodi and Lori.
Photo courtesy Dr. Drew Pate
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