Tim joined Rogers Memorial Hospital in 2008, working first as a residential counselor providing direct care to patients in residential treatment facilities, and then as a behavioral specialist, developing and facilitating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills groups for the adult inpatient unit.
While in these roles, Tim had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Riemann and learn about the early research into Cognitive Bias, which intrigued him. He immediately knew he wanted to be part of the research team when it was introduced.
Tim’s role is to pre-screen community members to determine if they might qualify for participation in a research study. The first study is aimed at reducing OCD symptoms and a second study will measure the effectiveness of the Cognitive Bias Modification software in the treatment of depression. Once participants are chosen, Tim will oversee the daily research appointments, initial training of study members on the iPhone app and then overseeing the 10-15 minute sessions in which up to 360 word pairs appear on the mobile device screen.
“I hope the study is widely successful, of course,” noted Grinwald. “The program could potentially offer an alternative to medications and traditional therapies. All types of treatment have benefits and limitations, and having multiple options available allows for more individualized treatments, which can be critical. For example, many people are unable or unwilling to leave their homes to seek treatment, many times for reasons that relate directly to the disorder itself. This program could offer an “in-home” treatment option, which would allow individuals to reduce the severity of their symptoms enough to be able to seek additional treatment as needed.”
Tim earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Stout.
