Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department of Psychiatry

08/11/2025

Over the last few months, there have been many heavy topics covered on news outlets and across social media platforms. We wanted to provide an important reminder on the impact these images can have on one's mental health. Grab those headphones! 🎧 You'll want to hear this before you keep scrolling.

Natalie Scanlon, Ph.D., a Clinical Psychologist in the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, explains what impact "doom scrolling" can have on our mental health and on young, developing brains. She also recommends helpful ways to start setting boundaries for yourself before getting back online.

Listen here >> https://loom.ly/g1_h_V0

08/07/2025

As the first day of school nears for many children, it's important to keep their mental health top of mind! 🧠 We're sharing some valuable mental health resources available for your children. To learn more about these resources, visit the links below:

CPAN >> https://loom.ly/CP3Kzzk
TCHATT >> https://loom.ly/GlDbiXM

08/05/2025

The Perinatal Psychiatry Access Network, PeriPAN, can enhance your capacity to provide the perinatal mental health standard of care your patients need. There is no cost to you or your patients for this evidence-based, clinician-to-clinician program. PeriPAN is for a variety of clinicians serving pregnant and postpartum women, including:
♥️ OB/GYNs
♥️ Pediatricians
♥️ Family Practice Clinicians
♥️ Psychiatrists
♥️ Psychologists
♥️ Midwives
♥️ Other Primary Care Physicians
♥️ Nurses and Other Clinicians

To find out more about PeriPAN, visit >> https://loom.ly/dcZIJK0.

07/29/2025

Using FDA-approved breakthrough technology, Deep TMS therapy is a non-invasive treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Performed under a health careprovider’s supervision, it does not require anesthesia or sedation. Patients are awake and alert during treatment sessions and are able to continue their activites as normal during treatment. You can fill out the Deep TMS Interest Form here >> https://loom.ly/SsPXgAc

07/23/2025

On a recent episode of the TTU Health Check podcast, David Pfaff, Ph.D., Clinical Mental Health Therapist with the School of Health Professions Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, shares how you can identify and set boundaries with these relationships, practice mindfulness techniques to manage emotional reactions, and treat yourself with compassion in order to conquer energy draining situations. He also gives tips on how to be more self-aware and avoid draining other people's energy. Listen here >> https://loom.ly/IPMvUp4.

07/21/2025

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective procedure, performed under general anesthesia. ECT causes changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions. It can provide rapid and significant improvements in severe symptoms of several mental health conditions:

- Severe depression
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Mania associated with bipolar disorder
- Catatonia
- Agitation and aggression associated with dementia

To find out if ECT is right for you, visit >> https://loom.ly/saFDg6U

07/17/2025

Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) provides telemedicine or telehealth programs to school districts to help identify and assess the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provide access to mental health services.

⚫ When is TCHATT used? ⚫ School counselors can call TCHATT any time behaviors are seen or reported that cause concern for a student’s mental health.

🔴 How to Use TCHATT? 🔴
- Share your concern with your school’s designated TCHATT liaison or refer the student to your school’s designated TCHATT liaison. (The school liaison is often the school counselor.)
- The school TCHATT liaison will obtain verbal consent from the parent/guardian to make a referral to TCHATT. If the parent/guardian agrees to refer their child to TCHATT, the liaison will collect some basic information to share with TCHATT.
- The school TCHATT liaison then submits the referral via the TCHATT portal.
- A TCHATT staff member will contact the parent/guardian to review the information in the referral and determine the next steps for treatment and services.

Parents, guardians and students interested in utilizing TCHATT should connect with the student’s school counselor to confirm if the school has an existing TCHATT partnership. Families in schools where TCHATT is active who are interested in receiving services for their student should contact their school counselor to learn more and to have a referral submitted. Learn more >> https://loom.ly/GlDbiXM

07/15/2025

Financial insecurity can negatively affect our sleep and nutrition and cause social isolation. All of these take a toll on our mental health. Michele Mahr, Ph.D., assistant professor at the TTUHSC School of Health Professions in the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Department, joins the Health Check podcast to discuss the importance of open communication about financial stress with families and relationships. She also advises seeking professional help when financial stress significantly impacts our mental health and daily functioning. To hear more from Dr. Mahr on working through financial insecurity, grab your headphones and take notes >> https://loom.ly/F6MoQYY.

07/11/2025

✨ Feature Friday ✨
Cynthia Herrera is currently serves as a Program Coordinator for the CPAN and PeriPAN programs, where she focuses on data tracking, outreach coordination and provider engagement. Throughout her time at TTUHSC, she has grown professionally through a variety of roles that have deepened her understanding of healthcare operations and patient support.

The most rewarding part of her time at TTUHSC Psychiatry has been knowing that she is a part of something truly meaningful. Supporting the CPAN and PeriPAN programs allows her and her team to contribute to improving mental health care for children, adolescents and mothers across Texas.

"Every task I complete contributes to a larger mission: making mental health care more accessible, coordinated, and proactive," she says. "Through organization, communication, and outreach, I am proud to help lay the foundation for a healthier future – one relationship, one data point, and one provider at a time."

Cynthia earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration from Wayland Baptist University, graduating with high honors. She is happily married, and she is also a proud mother to four children, grandmother to eight grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys reading and crocheting. 📖 Family, faith and lifelong learning are the center of who Cynthia is!

07/10/2025

Our hearts are deeply saddened by the events happening in Kerr County and New Mexico, and our thoughts are with all of those impacted.♥️ Some parents may be wondering how to help their children process this tragedy.

In a recent interview with KCBD, Natalie Scanlon, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at TTUHSC, talks about the tole unrecognized trauma can have on the brain and body over time. She stresses the importance of direct and open communication with your children. Dr. Scanlon also addresses warning signs that your child might be struggling to process this grief. Watch the full interview here >> https://loom.ly/UsqPjXk

07/09/2025

Did you know the PeriPAN and CPAN offer countless downloadable resources to help guide your clinical practice in mental health care, webinars, continuing medical education resources, and even screening tools for clinical use?

To explore PeriPAN's resources, visit https://loom.ly/TwrZ6xM.

To explore CPAN's resources, visit https://loom.ly/CP3Kzzk.

07/07/2025

Mental illness can affect everyone, and access to care is critical for all. But some of us have more difficulty accessing care than others. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 4 US adults live with a mental illness. n 2020, fewer than one in every two African American adults got care for mental health. In 2018, Asian Americans were 60 percent less likely to receive mental health treatment than non-Hispanic Whites. It will take our entire community to come together in raising awareness and improving these disparities. If you or someone you know needs support, we want to help! Find out more about our services here >> https://loom.ly/3TZwdXM

At Texas Tech Physicians, our experienced doctors and licensed providers are dedicated to providing superior service and patient care for individuals with psychological or physical concerns. Our medical professionals are equipped to help patients who seek treatment for a variety of common and specif...