Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common diagnoses this time of year as children are going back to school. Dr. Mark Westfall plans to demystify the clout around it at Homewood Public Library.
The psychiatrist hopes not only parents of children with ADHD will attend his lecture/discussion event but also adults with ADHD.
“A lot of people think ADHD is a childhood disorder,” Westfall said. “It starts in childhood but is a condition that spans throughout life.”
Westfall will hold the latest in his House Calls lecture/discussion series Aug. 22 from 6-8 p.m.
Participants should walk away with an overall understanding of the biology behind ADHD, its symptoms and its treatment, he said.
A psychiatrist with 20 years experience in private practice, Westfall is passionate about educating the public on mental health and wellness.
“What I hope to do is engage people in the process of learning about it and talking about it, and to lower the stigma of these types of symptoms,” he said.
Westfall said his lecture style is very interactive; he wants to engage the audience and rely on those attending to guide the direction of the talk.
“It’s really about meeting participants’ needs and figuring out what they want to get out of it,” he said.
Education is an important part of Westfall’s practice.
“I always wanted to be a teacher, and I love the education process,” he said.
When he had both inpatient and outpatient work a few years ago, he realized he was missing that part of his vocational goal. It was then that he backed out of inpatient work to focus more on education.
In addition to the public education series, Westfall now works with local college counseling centers.
His first House Calls talk on the teenage brain in May attracted 30 people, and Westfall said he received a good response from evaluations. In fact, he said interest at that session was so strong he now plans to launch a seminar series with four to five lectures on the topic. If interest proves similarly strong for ADHD, he will also plan a seminar series on the topic.
Following the August event, Westfall plans to continue to cover common diagnoses including depression, bipolar and anxiety disorders for future House Call lectures.
Twenty to 30 percent of the population has depression at some point in their life, he said.
“My hope for people is to demystify and destigmatize discussions about mental health,” Westfall said. “I want to engage in discussion that will open up more discussion after the meeting so people will continue to learn themselves and share it with others.”
Westfall, a Homewood resident, runs Westfall Psychiatric Services in the Regions Bank building in downtown Homewood.
ADHD
House Calls Interactive Lecture Series
Aug. 22, 6-8 p.m.
Homewood Public Library
$15 per person
Light refreshments will be served
Register at housecalls.eventbright.com
Call 623-2171 for more
