Summary: We’ve heard the reports; we’ve seen the rising statistics. Mental Health issues in the military are on the rise. The lack of access to a full spectrum of treatment options isn't the real issue holding back out veterans' healing. The mental health stigma in the military causes thousands of veterans not to seek out. What's wrong with the system and how does it need to change? On today’s episode of Changing Direction, Kim Dennis, MD, CEDS, Medical Director and CEO, of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center joined me to discuss: illustrations of how the mental health stigma holds back veterans' recovery what's wrong with the military perspective on mental health how the system needs to be changed to better support our veterans how veterans can circumvent the stigma and heal About my guest: Dr. Kim Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorder treatment, addictions recovery, trauma / PTSD and co-occurring disorders. As CEO & Medical Director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, she supervises the medical staff and sets the overall vision and direction for the treatment program. Dr. Dennis maintains a holistic perspective in the practice of psychiatry. She incorporates biological, psycho-social and spiritual approaches into the individually tailored treatment plan for each resident. Dr. Dennis is published in the areas of gender differences in the development of psychopathology, co-occurring eating disorders and self-injury, and the use of medication with family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. She is also on the editorial board of Eating Disorders: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention. Dr. Dennis contributes regularly to news networks, such as ABC News and CNN, other national press such as the Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and WebMD, and professional magazines such as Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare. She contributes a monthly column to Daily Strength. She has been featured on TLC Discovery Channel’s “My Strange Addiction” and ABC’s “20/20.” In 2011, she was featured in NORMAL in Schools’ DVD ”ED 101″ and in the documentary “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments.” Dr. Dennis received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. She obtained her medical degree from the University Of Chicago Pritzker School Of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of Chicago Hospitals, where she served as chief resident. During her training, she was part of the multi-disciplinary eating disorders team specializing in treating adolescents with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and their families. She also conducted research with Daniel Le Grange who ran the unit. Dr. Dennis was awarded “Outstanding Clinician” by Addiction Professional magazine in 2013. She is a member of the American Medical Association, Academy for Eating Disorders, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, American Society for Addiction Medicine, and International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. She is the Medical Liaison Chair for the iaedp Heartland Chapter and serves on the medical advisory board for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
