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Preventing Mental Illnesses and Substance Use Disorders
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has a unique mandate in our City to prevent illness and disability. How does this mandate translate to our work in behavioral health? This inaugural publication of Behavioral Health News, with its focus on the interconnectedness...
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Intentional Peer Support: Using a Crisis as an Opportunity for Growth and Change
In January 2013, Community Access, in partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, launched the first alternative to hospitalization program in New York City. Called a crisis respite center, the new program has several unique features that, compared to “treatment as usual,”...
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Web-Based Virtual Humans for Supporting Healthcare and Medical Needs
The rapid pace of Virtual Reality (VR) and interactive computer games advancements are producing significant opportunities for the health and medical communities. The Department of Defense (DoD) is capitalizing on these advancements through research centers such as the Institute for Creative...
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Challenges for the Treatment of Chemical Abusers with Mental Illness
People struggling with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders (SUDs) have unique problems that when addressed simultaneously will likely result in the most desirable outcomes. Historically, mental health services as a whole have not been prepared to deal with people who have both...
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From Psychoanalysis to CBT: One Psychiatrist’s Journey
By now, most professionals in the mental health field acknowledge that psychotherapy treatments grounded in cognitive behavioral principles are effective for a wide range of common conditions. Their efficacy in anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and...
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A Comprehensive Overview of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” is a way to treat people with a mental disorder by helping them understand their illness. It teaches people strategies and gives them tools to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. Psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and...
