Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 12.
Last month I described my experience on the Montel Williams Show and promised to tell you whether I had decided to pursue more appearances on the national scene. During the previous years I had limited myself to participation in local television, radio, and print media as I raised my children. Now that they were grown and gone I was reviewing my options.
In the fall of 2001, just before my trip to New York to be on Montel, I had returned to radio after many years on television. Radio is the preferred medium for intimate communications with an audience. After the attacks of 9/11 I had chosen radio to talk with my New Orleans community about that traumatic tragedy.
Now, despite the allure of the Big Apple, I returned home. I felt a strong need to continue that conversation. I chose Sunday mornings for my new program, a time most suitable for establishing a reflective tone with listeners. I wanted to engage my audience on intellectual, emotional, and spiritual levels, to provide information and inspiration.
I also knew with greater certainty that, rather than being the guest expert, the entertainment, or the feel- good story on someone else’s show, I wanted to run the show that had those segments. I still didn’t care about being on Montel. What I really wanted was to be Montel, or in my case, to continue to be Dr. Susan, producer and host.
I began my new radio show with one of my signature Musical Messages® features. As a musician I’ve always enjoyed analyzing music as much as people. Fats Domino, one of my hometown musical giants, gave me the perfect post 9/11 reflection and inspiration song, Walkin’ to New Orleans, with his lyrics “New Orleans is my home, that’s the reason why I’m goin’. Yes, I’m walkin’ to New Orleans.” These words became the hook to teach a psychological lesson about the search for safety in the face of trauma.
Remember that I said in my previous column that I was more excited about being a dancer on the Larry Kane Show in high school than about being on the Montel Williams Show? Well, when I returned to New Orleans, after I got my radio program underway, I was invited to produce a psychology segment for a local television station. And guess what the whole cast would do each week as we closed out that show? Dance!
Next month I will give you some tips on finding your place in the media.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 1.
Major – Dr. L. Eduardo Caraveo, a psychologist from Virginia, of the 467th Medical Detachment, was one of those killed in the Ft. Hood shootings. He earned his Ph.D. from U. of Arizona, and distinguished himself in the Bureau of Prisons as a Chief Psychologist. His colleague, Dr. Elaine Levine, said to Div. 31 members, “He was truly a wonderful, energetic, extremely intelligent, caring man…” She is helping to establish an award in his honor through APA sources.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
New Orleans clinical psychologist, Kathryn Nathan, PhD, had no idea that her efforts to find support for trauma burdened mental health professionals in post- Katrina New Orleans would lead to a non- governmentally funded longitudinal study of adult onset trauma among clinicians. Nor did she know it would continue into an active educational program aiding clinicians as they coped with the psychological impacts from Katrina on their patients and on themselves. As Dr. Nathan sees it, she simply put one foot in front of the other, searching for people who might help and for funding to support the effort. The APA meeting in New Orleans in 2006 brought her some unexpected catalysts.
The story of trauma begins before the storm, with the evacuation. In frantic efforts to move people out of harm’s way, many flew into action as Hurricane Katrina approached. Predictions said the storm would slam Southeast Louisiana, heading toward New Orleans, with Category 3 winds and dangerous tidal surges. People had to leave. Academic personnel moved masses of students out of the city’s universities and colleges. Hospital workers evacuated seriously ill patients and had to reconcile themselves to the horror of leaving behind those too ill to move. Mental health professionals evacuated, concerned for themselves, their families and their patients. The evacuation, though frantic, successfully relocated 90% of Southeast Louisiana people to other parts of the country.
Most people expected to return home in a few days and then the unthinkable happened. Levees failed leaving 80% of the city under as much as 15 feet of water. Everyone watched the catastrophe and worried about their homes, their work places, their schools. After weeks and months, they returned to find their city in shambles.
Upon her return, Dr. Nathan began reaching out to other therapists, hoping to create a community of mental health professionals who could support each other in re-establishing their lives in New Orleans, to aid in their recovery from the trauma while they helped their students, clients and patients to do likewise. Personal and professional life was hard, exhausting for all.
Dr. Nathan searched for people for guidance in addressing the emotional and intellectual needs of local therapists mired in Katrina. In 2006, at the APA meeting in New Orleans, Dr. Nathan became acquainted with Neil Altman, PhD, a psychologist/psychoanalyst from New York who works with inner city children in a program funded by the FAR Fund. He facilitated a connection with Shirlee Taylor, PhD, a psychologist and executive director of the FAR Fund. In 2007, under the auspices of The New Orleans-Birmingham Psychoanalytic Center, Dr. Nathan submitted a proposal for the FAR Fund Project (FFP) and earned a 5-year grant. In 2008, FFP engaged Ghislaine Boulanger, PhD, a psychologist/psychoanalyst who studies and treats survivors of catastrophe.
Dr. Boulanger conducted extensive interviews with New Orleans clinicians which provided the information for two free lectures she offered to therapists: “I Don’t Want This Knowledge: Understanding the Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Therapists and Therapy in New Orleans,” and “Let’s Talk About It: Survivor Therapists Working with Survivors of Hurricane Katrina.”
Dr. Kathryn Nathan, leader of FFP, reading to nephew and niece, in her New Orleans office.
The FFP continues. It continues because the therapeutic community still deals with the aftermath of Katrina. FFP is currently conducting a reading/discussion group for therapists based on Dr. Boulanger’s book, “Wounded by Reality: Understanding and Treating Adult Onset Trauma.” The numbers of New Orleans clinicians wanting to enroll was so great; there is a waiting list for a repeat of the series in the spring of 2010.
Dr. Nathan attributes the FAR Fund Project’s success to all the professionals who combined their minds and energies to create and implement the programs of the FFP. She shies away from taking credit for the leadership, always an essential ingredient of any mission, which resulted in this exemplary community mental health project.
Learn more about The FAR Fund Project by going to www.farfundprojectnola.com Or read more at Dr. Boulanger’s website, www.ghislaineboulanger.com and the FAR Fund’s website, www.farfund.org.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Application materials for medical psychologists are now posted on the State Medical Board’s webpage. Materials include a list of qualifications for licensure as a medical psychologist (MP) and for the Certificate of Advanced Practice.
The instructions noted that MPs need a license in psychology issued by LSBEP, a post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology, and to have passed a national exam in psychopharmacology approved by the board.
Also noted was “Each applicant must pass the Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists (PEP) offered through the American Psychological Association's College of Professional Psychology.”
For the Certificate of Advanced Practice, recommendations of collaborating physicians are required. “The recommendation of two collaborating physicians”…“who are familiar with your competence to practice medical psychology is required for a certificate of advanced practice.” MPs with three years from the issuance of the original Certificate of Prescriptive Authority from the psychology Board, may qualify for Advanced Practice.
A listing of the key provisions of the Medical Psychology Practice Act was given beginning with the introduction, “Act 251 (2009) provides for the regulation of medical psychologists by Board of Medical Examiners and for further development of medical psychologists as a profession.”
Also mentioned on the site was the first meeting of the Medical Psychology Advisory Committee, held on September 16, 2009 in Baton Rouge at the Office of the Louisiana State Medical Society at 6767 Perkins Road.
This and other information can be found at http://www.lsbme.louisiana.gov/index.html.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 2.
While raising our three teenagers in the ‘90s, a favorite of both generations in our household was American humorist and writer, Jack Handy, famous for his SNL “Deep Thoughts.” One in particular has always been a useful tool.
Handy begins the story with a person walking past a “river of molten lava.” We used it so much that we jumbled it to “You’re walking along the edge of a volcano…” But the next part of the story is the same for everyone. You drop your keys in. Everyone knows about dropping keys. Almost always you are going to do whatever is needed to fish them out of anywhere they’ve escaped, but molten lava is the line.
Handy set the image so absurdly, thinking of someone reaching down into molten lava to retrieve their keys, that we’d all bust out laughing and chime in to the last part of the story, “Let it go, ‘cause man it’s gone,” about whatever was the loss du jour.
It’s that way with Prescriptive Authority for some of us, those of us who felt this was a feather in the cap for psychology, and had been worth fighting for. Ten plus years of work, over .5 million dollars of other people’s money and maybe that much home grown, the creation of training, testing, and standards, models and legislative support. All for psychology to become an entry level position to something else, and to have a mini-board under medicine.
After hearing the rationale, seeing the new forms on the Medical website, learning that the Advisory Committee met at the Medical Society, I think the best approach is to review Handy’s punch line. Because man, it’s gone.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 2.
A critique of last month’s PT editorial appeared in a letter to LPA Listserv (11/4). An alternative explanation for the apparently crude comments referenced in the editorial is that they were a joke referring to the picture of the rocking horse in PT No. 1, not the Editor. So, any resulting rumors about the Editor may be due to what the writer noted as tunnel vision of those opposed to Act 251.
PT checked with the author of Rumors in the Marketplace, Professor Emeritus of Social Psychology at Tulane University, Dr. Fredrick Koenig, who noted that this is part of in-group, out- group dynamics, where any derogatory comments serve to distract from real issues.
In this case the real issue would be the impact of Act 251 on psychology in Louisiana.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 3.
A meeting for interested LPA members and others will be held on Sunday, December 13th.
Previously Dr. Levy announced a special meeting to “Discuss constructive ways for LPA to move forward, given the controversies of the last several months.” The meeting was tentatively set for November 21st. However, this date did not allow the thirty days advance notice required for conducting business, as directed in the bylaws.
Dr. Levy posted a second announcement on Listserv on November 16th, indicating a new meeting date of December 13th. She wrote that this meeting is for member input. Members may speak on any subject for up to three minutes, and again if time permits. The memo said a parliamentarian would be present to help all concerned. It is not clear if questions or discussion will be allowed. This notice was also short of the 30 days required for conducting formal business.
According to a letter from Dr. John Simoneaux, the meeting is to be held at the Baton Rouge Marriot (Beauregard Room) at 1:30 pm. In his letter, he encouraged all those interested to attend and participate and said it was his understanding that non- member psychologists may attend. Dr. Simoneaux is the recently appointed LPA Chair of Professional Affairs.
Dr. Michael Chafetz, President of Grassroots, said that although the meeting would not be official, a delegation from the Grassroots’ Executive Committee would be attending.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 4.
Based on the Treasurer’s report for 2008, and 2009 (January through September), the association spent $153.00 and $81.00, respectively, on Public Education Campaigns.
For 2008, $57,000 from grants and $15,000 from other sources was spent on lobbying. In the last decade, $527,000 in grants from APA was spent for what Dr. Tom Hannie called, “…to create a new profession.”
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 5.
A group of LPA members have requested the LPA EC to create a bylaw revision committee to study and improve the bylaws of the association, for action by the membership at the 2010 annual meeting or at a special meeting. The request included the option that membership on this committee could be open to any interested member with voting rights that attends the first meeting or is approved by the bylaws revision committee.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 4. Source pages: 5.
Ms. Tara O’Leary has joined Grassroots as a student member, under the direction of Dr. Susan Dardard’s Media Services, and will also work as a campus reporter for Psychology Times. Tara will assist in contacting potential members for Grassroots and investigating news leads from state campuses, while applying her background in journalism from high school and her career interest in psychology. Currently she is an undergraduate psychology major at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, and plans to enter a graduate program in counseling psychology in the fall of 2011.
To talk with her, you might not realize that Dr. Dena Matzenbacher is the head of the innovative, thriving psychology department at McNeese State University in Lake Charles. Approachable and down-to-earth, Dr. Matzenbacher heads up the Psychology Department and while she told me that she decided on her career in a very “plain way,” choosing her direction in high school, then only making one slight shift from clinical to academics, it is quickly apparent that she brings a spark of fun and inspiration to her duties at McNeese.
In the multi-tasking, growing department that Dena leads, undergraduates are prepared to enter the workforce in a wide variety of settings. The Master’s degree offers concentrations in Addiction Treatment, Applied Behavior Analysis, Counseling Psychology, and General/Experimental Psychology. Dena explained that all the students master the basics then develop a specialization with the help of their advisor, and finish with either an internship or a thesis, leading to work in human services agencies, practice or to a doctoral program. Dena’s team currently assists 241 undergraduates and 66 graduate students along their careers.
Keys to this innovative department are the training and service programs available at MSU, including the Kay Dore’ Counseling Clinic. Developed in 2001 with grants from the Dore’ family, the clinic is the in-house training center for the department as well as a community service agency. “We train our graduate students in the clinic,” Dena said, “and also provide low cost services to the community, under the supervision of our faculty.” The mission of the Center is to provide affordable counseling services for those of low income, no medical insurance, the unemployed and others in need.
Housed in the Clinic is the McNeese Autism Program, which is dedicated to improving the lives of young children with autism and other developmental disorders, following the scientist-practitioner training model and relying on Applied Behavior Analysis. MSU’s program also includes the Project for the Treatment of Problem Gambling, as well as their Crisis Intervention Team, a collaborative effort between Dena’s department and many other groups, including the Lake Charles Police Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. The Crisis Intervention Team is under the direction of Dr. Cam Melville, and provides training for law enforcement personnel in areas related to mental illness.
Even with all this to coordinate, Dena is the faculty advisor for Psi Chi. As a long time member of Southwestern Psychological Association, she regularly takes a group of her students to present posters at the annual convention in the spring. “It is a strong research push for the department,” she said. “All the Psi Chi students travel together to the conference and present their research.”
Dr. Matzenbacher obtained her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from Stephen F. Austin and her doctorate in experimental psychology (with an emphasis in child development) from Texas Christian University. A sampling of her publications and presentations include her regular contribution to Training Resources, “Readings in Developmental Psychology,” research into gambling treatment, mentoring and self- esteem in childhood, gender differences in leisure activities in childhood, college students’ perceptions of textbook and course material, and the effects of exposure to toxic chemicals on psychological functioning.
An interest of Dr. Matzenbacher is her work in the use of film for teaching and therapy. She has written a companion text, The Blockbuster Approach: A Guide to Teaching Introductory Psychology with Video, published by Allyn & Bacon, as a resource for psychology professors. She has also presented “Psychology in the Movies,” at the Lamar University Education Research Conference, and presented at Training Resources’ Summer Symposium.
Each summer, she teaches a class called “Psychology in the Movies,” a senior level undergraduate class. “As a three-week mini term,” she says, “you can actually watch a movie in class each day.” Some days she’ll show a whole movie, other days, clips of two or three. “I do it by themes,” she noted. “One week I’ll show movies illustrating themes of mental illnesses. Then I’ll do developmental psych topics movie clips with family dynamics, parenting, and then another week I might do social psych with everything from prejudice to discrimination to aggression to prosocial behavior and group behavior.”
Dena teaches Intro, all the Developmental courses (Child Psychology, Lifespan Development, and Adolescence), and Abnormal Psychology. “Even in my regular classes, Psych 101, I use movies,” she said. “They watch two entire movies in abnormal psych. For example I use Mr. Jones for bipolar disorder and I use A Beautiful Mind for schizophrenia. They watch the movie in it’s entirety and then write an essay where they identify what symptoms were portrayed, what symptoms were not portrayed, what was the first sign in the movie that the person had a mental illness. Something to make them think.”
“Dr. Brannon and I have also gotten into the idea of ‘Myth Busting.’ Because students come in with preconceived ideas, as you can imagine. So one of the questions I ask them to answer is ‘What in this movie is realistic and what in this movie is not realistic?’ A lot of times there is a Hollywood ending. Sometimes the story is true but you get to the end and the person doesn’t need medication anymore and they’re magically cured because they fell in love.”
Dr. Matzenbacher is married, and has a precious, five-year old son, Andrew, whose favorite movie is Disney/Pixar’s Cars. No one has to guess if he has fun learning.
McNeese faculty: L to R: Drs. Cam Melville; Charles Robertson; Jan Disney; Carl Bartling; Linda Brannon; Dena Matzenbacher; and Denise Arellano.
Dena and son Andrew at home.
Some of Dr. Matzenbacher’s Ideas for Teaching, Therapy
Schizophrenia: Benny & Joon ‘93, A Beautiful Mind ‘01
Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Boy Who Could Fly ’86, Rain Man ’88
Mood Disorders: Garden State ’04, Mr. Jones ’93
Addictions: Clean & Sober ‘88
Abuse: The Burning Bed ’85, Fried Green Tomatoes ’91
Disabilities: Mask ’85, David’s Mother ’94, I am Sam ’01
Family Dynamics, Marriage: Ordinary People ’80 Kramer vs Kramer ’79, War of the Roses ’89
Prejudice and Discrimination: Crash ’04, Gran Torino ’88
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 3. Source pages: 11.
We’re introducing a new feature, to see if readers will like it. It was brought to our attention that there are times when someone wants to know what his or her peers are doing or thinking. This section is to help psychologists survey other psychologists and psychology professors. First we wanna know, “What do you wanna know?” So send your survey ideas to PsychologyTimes@gmail.com.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Originally published: . Volume 1, No. 3. Source pages: 11.
Omega-3 fatty acids may be therapeutic in cases of childhood depression. Twenty children with childhood major depression were given 400 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 200 mg docosapentaenoic acid (DHA) daily for 1 month. Seven out of ten children taking the omega-3 fatty acids showed a 50% reduction in depression scores and 4 children achieved remission. Highly significant differences were found for omega-3 supplementation on symptoms of childhood depression when compared to placebo.
References
Nemets, H., Nemets, B., Apter, A., Bracha, Z., & Belmaker, R. H. (2006). Omega-3 Treatment of Childhood Depression: A Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. Am J Psychiatry, 163, 1098-1100.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
Representing different specialties and work settings, seven psychologists volunteered to become nominees to serve on the Board of Examiners to fill three positions. Ballots were mailed Friday to licensed psychologists throughout the state.
Nominees volunteering are Dr. Glenn Ahava (CL, Lafayette), Dr. Mkay Bonner (IO, West Monroe), Dr. Rita Culross (ED, Baton Rouge), Dr. Gary Jones (CL, Shreveport), Dr. Lee Matthews (CL/CN, Kenner), Dr. John Simoneaux, (CO, Pineville), and Dr. Tony Young (CL, Ruston).
Three positions are to be filled. A regular opening for July 2010 is created by Dr. Jillandra Rovartis in completing her term. The Governor will appoint one individual for this five- year position, which ends in June 2015. Additionally, recent resignations require two more appointees to fill unexpired terms of Dr. Glenn Ally and Dr. Paul Dammers. Dr. Ally resigned effective September 15th and Dr. Dammers has given his resignation for December 31st. The position vacated by Dr. Ally ends in June, 2012 and that of Dr. Dammers ends in June, 2013.
Dr. Rovaris is currently Chair of the Complaints and Long-Range Planning Committees for the 2009-2010 assignments. Dr. Ally was Chair on Legislative Oversight, Oral Examination, Liaison to Professional Organizations and Boards, Vice Chair for Supervision and Credentials Review, and Jurisprudence Examination. Dr. Dammers will leave as Chair of Supervision and Credentials Review, Continuing Education, and Vice Chair of Oral Examination.
Dr. Joseph Comaty remains on the board, in Complaints and Long- Range Planning. And Dr. John Courtney remains, on Legislative Oversight, Continuing Education, and Jurisprudence Examination Committees.
Recent controversy about Act 251 had highlighted the imbalance in the board, predominately composed of psychologists with the MP credential, and concerned some that the Board had had a part to play in the negotiation of Act 251. However, in an interview with Psychology Times, Jaime Monic, Executive Director, noted that the LSBEP was never contacted or consulted on the legislation leading to Act 251.
Board members serve without compensation, and meet on a regularly scheduled basis each month, to establish rules and regulations for administering the law, examining candidates and investigating complaints and violations.
Editors Note: The Times would like to thank and honor all seven of our colleagues for unselfishly offering to serve.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.
I was on the Montel Williams Show. Julie, our esteemed publisher, has been pressing me to write about the experience in my column. I’m more impressed that I danced on the Larry Kane Show, the Houston equivalent of American Bandstand, in high school. But this is the Psychology Times and I am writing for psychologists, so here’s what happened.
Before 9/11 I had enjoyed many years in the New Orleans media, as the guest expert on numerous radio and television programs, producer and host of a classical music radio show, regular guest host of a jazz radio show, psychologist and consulting producer for a teen television talk show, and producer and host of a television call-in health show. I’d even gotten a couple of awards for producing a television show on which I interviewed various psychologists, promoted community events, and featured musical performances.
I had been invited to be on Montel many years earlier, but had declined this and other chances to be on the national media scene. Except for trips to cities across the country, to train others in media skills and to present my own media research, my focus was on the local media and on raising my children. Then came the destruction. Like many others, I began to re-evaluate what I was doing with my life. Was this the time to shift gears?
So off to New York I went, where the show put me up in a fancy hotel, a driver ferried me to the studio, and an assistant escorted me to the green room, where a generous array of snacks, sandwiches, desserts, and beverages awaited me. After signing all the requisite paperwork, a staff member took me to the in-house salon, the hair and make-up people fixed me up, and out I went, in front of a sea of audience members, to talk to Montel’s guests.
I had been briefed on their problems before my trip, felt right at home in my “natural habitat”, and had a lot of confidence in my recommendations. Everything went smoothly. A media colleague of mine, who’d been a respected television news anchor, saw the program and called to say “Susan, the camera loves you!”
The feeling is mutual. I love the camera, and the microphone, and the opportunities the media provides for communicating with the public, which is my real passion.
As I was on the plane headed back home my re- assessment of my life continued. By now my children were grown and gone, and I had enjoyed a satisfying local media career. Was now the time to pursue this national opportunity?
Next month I will tell you what I decided, and what happened.
Media Psychologist Dr. Susan Dardard gets ready to introduce celebrity guest. See her column about media psychology, page 12.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.