Dr. Irene Tobis joins Cedar Springs Austin as the clinical director of the OCD and Anxiety Programs
Dr. Tobis is a licensed psychologist, a seasoned therapist with breadth of experience in treatment of anxiety disorders and depth in behavioral treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She has extensive experience and a strong track record in designing and building psychology research and clinical programs. She directs the OCD and Anxiety Programs at Cedar Springs Austin and provides clinical consultation for the Eating Disorders Program.
Cedar Springs Austin hosts Open House, October 16
Join us at our Open House on Sunday, October 16th from noon to 4:00 pm to celebrate the opening of the OCD and Anxiety Programs.
Brad Kennington Named Executive Director
Brad Kennington, LMFT, LPC has been named the executive director of Cedar Springs Austin. Before joining our team, Brad served as the executive director of an eating disorder residential treatment center. As a clinician, Brad specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, with a special focus on male eating disorders.
Telemedicine Now at Cedar Springs Austin
With the introduction of telehealth at Cedar Springs Austin, patients and their families have the opportunity to consult with psychiatrists Drs. Weltzin and McCallum, both nationally recognized experts in the eating disorders field, via live two-way audio and video. This new technology will enhance patient care by allowing the exchange of information which can be used for diagnosing, continuing care and patient and parental education.
Cedar Springs Austin Partners with the Fit Institute of Texas (FIT)
To help bring the highest quality care to our patients, Cedar Springs Austin partners with the Fit Institute of Texas (FIT). FIT, which is part of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas, provides our patients with a fitness assessment, including resting metabolic rate and a DEXA scan, at a greatly reduced cost.
Cedar Springs Austin sponsors America the Beautiful screening
Cedar Springs Austin is a Diamond Sponsor for the screening of the film America the Beautiful on April 16, 2010, in Austin, Texas. The film examines America's obsession with "photoshop" perfection. It portrays how increasingly unattainable images contribute to the rise in low self-esteem, body dysmorphia and eating disorders for girls and women who are the beauty industry's largest consumers. Body Positive Dance is partnering with the Feminist Action Project at the University of Texas at Austin to air the screening. For more information, visit www.americathebeautifuldoc.com.
New Leadership Team in Place
Cedar Springs Austin recently named Theodore Weltzin, MD., Executive Medical Director for its day treatment eating disorder program. Effective January 1, 2010, Dr. Weltzin will provide clinical consultation to Cedar Springs Austin and oversee its medical director, Dr. Dale Hsieh. Dr. Weltzin is board-certified in adult psychiatry and licensed in the states of Texas and Wisconsin. He also serves as Medical Director of the Eating Disorder Program at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, WI.
Kimberli McCallum, M.D., recently was named Chief Executive Officer of Austin Eating Disorder Partners, a group of individuals who founded Cedar Springs Austin. Dr. McCallum is founder and Medical Director of McCallum Place in St. Louis, MO. She is board certified in both child and adolescent psychiatry and in adult psychiatry.
Rozana Zaifer-Sims, Psy.D., was recently named Clinical Director of Cedar Springs Austin. She is an experienced Licensed Clinical Psychologist and will oversee the day-to-day activities of the program. She currently is a full member of the American Psychological Association, a member of the National Eating Disorders Association, and a member of the Austin Eating Disorder Specialists.
Cedar Springs Austin partners with Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Effective December 10, 2009, Cedar Springs Austin partnered with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas. All in-network members will be offered benefits provided by BC/BS. Please contact Cedar Springs Austin or your insurance provider for more information.
Nationally-known author visits Cedar Springs Austin
Anita Johnston, Ph.D., author of Eating in the Light of the Moon, delivered a talk on issues affecting eating disorders. Dr. Johnston teaches people how to free themselves from disordered eating by discovering the metaphors that are hidden in their own life stories. The talk, “Finding Freedom from Food, Fat and Dieting,” was attended by 75 local and regional eating disorder specialists and sponsored by Cedar Springs Austin.
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Irene Tobis, PhD
Clinical Director, OCD and Anxiety Programs
Dr. Tobis is a licensed psychologist, a seasoned therapist with breadth of experience in treatment of anxiety disorders and depth in behavioral treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She has extensive experience and a strong track record in designing and building psychology research and clinical programs. She directs the OCD and Anxiety Programs at Cedar Springs Austin and provides clinical consultation for the Eating Disorders Program.
Dr. Tobis received her doctorate in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991. A pioneer in the treatment of Hoarding Disorder, she served as an adviser to the innovative Hoarding Task Force of Dane County (Wisconsin) and also the Advisory Council of the National Study Group for Chronic Disorganization. She has written extensively, including a book on stress and productivity for small teams in the workplace, Managing Multiple Projects (McGraw-Hill, 2002). She has often been interviewed for local and national media. She is a clinical assistant professor of Psychology at the University of Texas in Austin, providing clinical supervision for doctoral students. She has extensive experience in in-home treatment for OCD and related disorders and has special interests in scrupulosity, perfectionism, procrastination and underachievement.
Dr. Tobis is the Founder and current President of OCD TEXAS, the Texas affiliate of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), a non-profit support and advocacy organization for people with OCD and related disorders, their families and treating professionals.
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Theodore E. Weltzin, MD.
Executive Medical Director
Theodore E. Weltzin, M.D., was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. He is board certified in adult psychiatry and licensed in Texas and Wisconsin. He earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis in 1984; completed his residency at St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center, where he served as chief resident in psychiatry, and a post-doctoral fellowship at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City in 1988.
As Executive Medical Director, he provides clinical consultation to Cedar Springs Austin and oversees the role of its medical director, Dr. Dale Hsieh. Weltzin currently serves as Medical Director of Eating Disorder Services at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, WI, where he is president of the medical staff. He serves on the board of directors for the Eating Disorder Coalition (EDC), is a member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Dr. Weltzin has contributed to the research and treatment of eating disorders with 45 peer-reviewed publications, 12 invited book chapters and international lectures. He has trained more than 100 clinicians in the field and developed innovative inpatient, residential and partial hospital programs for patients with eating disorders, anxiety, excessive exercise and males with eating disorders. He has appeared as an expert on CNN, CBS and Good Morning America.
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Kimberli McCallum, MD.
Chief Executive Officer of Austin Eating Disorder Partners
Kimberli McCallum, M.D., is founder and Medical Director of McCallum Place in St. Louis, MO. She is board certified in both child and adolescent psychiatry and in adult psychiatry. She received her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and completed her training in general psychiatry at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Washington University. Dr McCallum has been nominated as one of the Top Docs by her peers in both child psychiatry and in eating disorders for the past fifteen years.
Dr. McCallum is a certified eating disorders specialist (CEDS) and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University. Dr. McCallum has lectured across the country on a variety of topics, achieving national recognition for her skills and knowledge in treating eating disorders.
She serves on the board of directors of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP). Dr McCallum has also completed specialist psychotherapy training through the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institution and has completed various courses in CBT, DBT , family therapy, Maudsley Family Based Therapy, and interpersonal therapy.
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Rozana Zaifer-Sims, Psy. D.
Clinical Director
Rozana Zaifer-Sims, Psy.D., a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, is Clinical Director of Cedar Springs Austin (CSA). In that role, she oversees all aspects of clinical care and treatment for patients at CSA.
Dr. Zaifer-Sims brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise. Born and raised in South Florida, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Boston University in 1991. She received both a Master of Science degree in clinical psychology and, in 1999, a Doctor of Psychology degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Dr. Zaifer-Sims has vast clinical and supervisory experience in the field of eating disorders. Before coming to CSA, she maintained a successful private practice in Boca Raton, FL, for eight years. In that capacity, she provided therapy to children, adolescents and adults, which included addressing issues related to eating disorders, body image, separation and individuation, infertility, post-partum depression, and parenting skills training. Dr. Zaifer-Sims completed her pre-doctoral internship in 1999 at Miami Children’s Hospital. In September 2000, she completed her postdoctoral residency at the Renfrew Center in Coconut Creek, FL., providing individual and family therapy to adult and adolescent clients presenting with eating disorders, substance abuse and mood disorders. She continued working at Renfrew, providing outpatient therapy, until 2004.
She currently is a full member of the American Psychological Association, a member of the National Eating Disorders Association, and a member of the Austin Eating Disorder Specialists. In 2009, she became a Health Service Provider with the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Dr. Zaifer-Sims professional interests include family treatment of eating disorders, adolescent body image issues, and the use of metaphors in therapy with children and adolescents.
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Brad Kennington, LMFT, LPC
Executive Director
Brad Kennington, LMFT, LPC serves as the executive director of Cedar Springs Austin and manages the overall operations of the facility. Brad earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his Master of Arts at Texas State University in San Marcos.
As a therapist Brad specializes in the treatment of eating disorders with a special focus on male eating disorders. Because of his work with male eating disorders, Brad has been interviewed by Reuters, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ, as well as local area television and radio stations. He has also has provided numerous presentations on this topic, both locally and nationally. Prior to joining Cedar Springs Austin, Brad designed, developed and served as the executive director of an eating disorder residential treatment program, one of the few in the country that treated both males and females.
In addition to his work with eating disorders, Brad has experience in working with trauma and anxiety, mood disorders, grief/loss, substance abuse, and relationship issues. He has also provided critical incident consultations to several Austin law firms. Currently, he is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders, and a founding member and vice president of Austin Eating Disorder Specialists. Before entering the behavioral health field, Brad worked as the chief of staff to a state representative. He is currently the chair of Governmental Affairs for the Texas Division of AAMFT and advocates for mental health issues before the Texas Legislature.
Brad is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor and a board approved supervisor for both disciplines.
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