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I’ve spoken with a number of folks over the years about the growing shift to a dimensional model of mental health. Today’s guest has literally written the book on this topic! Dr. Ben Lahey has been researching and writing about dimensional concepts for years and years, and I’m so fortunate to have him here to share some thoughts. If you’d like to check out Ben’s newly released book, you can find the link in the show notes. These are a few areas that we touch on:

• The influence of genes and environment on psychological problems
• Why the dimensional model is a “positive revolution” in the mental health world
• Downsides of the dimensional model
• Why now could be the tipping point in moving from a categorical model to a dimensional one

Cool Things Mentioned

• Bob Krueger
• Leanna Clark
• Tom Whitaker
• Thomas Szasz 
• Achenbach
• Moffit and Caspey
• Psychiatric Genomics Consortium
• HiToP
• TTP episode on the SPECTRA
• TTP episode with Dr. Katherine Jonas from HiTOP
• TTP episode on RDoC with Dr. Jenni Pacheco
• Pre-order Ben’s book here!

Featured Resource

I am honored to partner with PAR for 2021 to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com.

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Ben Lahey is a clinical child psychologist who is the Irving B. Harris Professor of Epidemiology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. His research has focused on the identification of dimensions of psychological problems across the life span, but mostly in children using longitudinal studies of population-based samples. He will speak with us about his new book, Dimensions of Psychological Problems: Replacing Diagnostic Categories with a More Science-Based and Less Stigmatizing Alternative.

Get in touch: [email protected]

I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents.

As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids.

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