Dr. Nick Obradovich of LIBR is at the forefront of research showing how rising temperatures are disrupting our sleep. With warmer nights becoming more frequent, climate change isn’t just about the environment—it’s also impacting our health on a personal level. 🛌

This year, Dr. Obradovich ​introduced a new sleep indicator in the Lancet Countdown, a global initiative tracking the health impacts of climate change. The addition is already drawing global attention, helping people recognize that climate change’s effects aren’t just long-term—they’re affecting us now, night by night. 🌡️

Explore the latest coverage:
🔗 Time
🔗 Bloomberg
🔗 The Guardian
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How well did you sleep last night? 🌙
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#ClimateChange #LancetCountdown #SleepHealth #GlobalWarming #LIBR

​Hurricane Helene left a trail of devastation across the Appalachian Trail region, with widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage. Beyond these visible impacts, the storm underscores the emotional and psychological challenges faced by affected communities—a critical aspect that Nick Obradovich, a chief scientist here at LIBR, brings to light in his work.

Dr. Obradovich focuses on how climate events—like hurricanes—affect human well-being. His research reveals that extreme weather disrupts emotional stability and impairs mental health, contributing to increased anxiety and decreased social cohesion.

In the context of Hurricane Helene, Obradovich’s findings are particularly relevant. As communities along the southern Appalachian Trail—such as Asheville and Damascus—work to rebuild, addressing mental health will be just as crucial as restoring infrastructure. "Recovery is not just about clearing roads and reopening businesses," Obradovich’s work suggests. "It’s about recognizing and mitigating the emotional toll these disasters impose on individuals and communities over time."

The Laureate Institute’s mission to advance mental health research aligns with these insights, offering a deeper understanding of how climate-related stressors can affect long-term well-being. Recovery efforts, therefore, should consider both physical repairs and emotional support to ensure resilience in the face of future disasters. 
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To read more, please visit The Washington Post, who has featured Dr. Obradovich's findings. 

Today is World Mental Health Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues and promoting support for those who need it.

It's time to break the stigma surrounding mental health. Everyone deserves to feel supported and understood. Whether you're struggling yourself or know someone who is, remember that it's okay to ask for help.

• Tulsa County Health Department Mental Health Services: https://tulsa-health.org/
• The Mental Health Association of Tulsa County: https://mhaok.org/
• The Tulsa Crisis Line: 918-596-2222
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): https://afsp.org/

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealthMatters #BreakTheStigma

"Disorders, Dimensions, Hierarchies, States or Traits - How Should We Define Mental Health and Illness"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program in the LPCH auditorium  

Claire Gillan is a Professor in Psychology at Trinity College Dublin (www.gillanlab.com). Her work has a dual focus on developing our understanding of basic mechanisms that give rise to disorders of the mind, but also in developing novel tools to assist in prevention and intervention research. Her group has helped developed a range of novel internet-based methods to facilitate the gathering of large and ecologically valid data. Notable examples in this area include the smartphone app Neureka, which has engaged thousands of citizen scientists in brain health research (www.neureka.ie) and studies using natural language (e.g. Twitter, therapy data) to understand the dynamic properties of mood. The lab uses a range of analytical techniques such as computational modelling and machine learning to understand and predict mental health problems, and developed a now widely-used technique called ‘Computational Factor Modelling’ that identifies transdiagnostic dimensions in psychiatry from normative samples. Claire has received numerous awards, including the Early Career Researcher of the Year from Science Foundation Ireland (2022) and the Early Career Award from the Society for Neuroeconomics (2022). She holds funding from Science Foundation Ireland, the European Research Council and the Irish Health Research Board.

Learning objectives:  

1. Understand the limitations of our current diagnostic system in psychiatry.
2. Critically evaluate emergent alternatives based on factor analysis.     
3. Learn about casual inference in observational studies in psychiatry and how to distinguish within and between person processes.

For Physicians: Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the Oklahoma State Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Saint Francis Health System designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
For Psychologists: The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the American Psychological Association and the Oklahoma Psychological Association recognize AMA PRA Category 1  credit™. Saint Francis Health System is accredited by the OSMA
 
For Social Workers: The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers has approved this event for 1 hour Category 1 Clinical. (20240007)

For CADCs and LADCs Saint Francis Health System is accredited as a provider of continuing education programs for CADCs and LADCs through the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors.      (1 hour)
 
The LPC/LMFT This event as been approved by the State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (BBHL) for 1 hour of CE.  

For questions, email:  Lauren Haguewood at [email protected]