The Chief Psychiatrist for Peachstate Psychiatric Services, Inc. is Dwight A. Owens, M.D. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his medical doctorate from the Health Science Center (HSC) at Syracuse in 1994. He then returned to Macon, Georgia where he attended Mercer University’s School of Medicine, and obtained an internship certificate in the area of Family Medicine. In 1998 Dr. Owens returned to Syracuse to complete his formal Psychiatry training and also served as the chief resident in his final year in Syracuse.
Dr. Owens’ work experience includes working with the forensic populations in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. He has worked at the Lee Arendale State Prison as a contract psychiatrist. He has been a staff and clinical director for the Fulton County Department of Community Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases. He later served as the Medical Director of all the Fulton County mental health facilities from October 1999 to September 2005.
As a practicing physician, Dr. Dwight A. Owens has a respected voice in psychiatry that truly makes an impression. Dr.Owens has used this voice to discuss mental health information and issues in the community by creating a blog website AskDrO.Com. AskDrO is a web blog that appeals to readers from every corner of the world. Dr. O’s poignant, unrelenting writing style combined with his unique, professional experience, speaks to all viewers. Using innovative, relevant news postings to comment on the psyche of today’s society, Dr.O provides insights that apply to the daily lives of viewers everywhere. He also adds spice to the blog by commenting on the state of relationships at every stage, from the first encounter to the daily struggles in even the most satisfying marriages. He keeps readers enthralled by refusing to shy away from controversial topics and pulling no punches. This approach not only draws readers back time and time again but also compels them to refer the blog to others. AskDrO is a vehicle that allows insurers, nurses, doctors, and most importantly, patients, to express themselves. The effect: steamy debates which increase the appeal of the blog. Dr. O is dedicated to debunking myths, uncovering truths in the media, and providing insight into even the most complex relationships known to man.
Tell us about your book.
This book will shed light on specific ideas related to depression that have not been addressed lately by the church. It is meant to provide the twenty-first-century church with the language to begin talking about the intersection between depression and the faith-based community. In this book, I walk you through what it actually means to be a believer in Jesus Christ and admit to the stigma of having depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia. This book will share with pastors and church leaders why it is now essential that they actually address these issues from the pulpit. Also, I will attempt to affirm the fact that there is a connection between depression and our faith. Given this truth, accepting professional and/or spiritual help for this disease should not be considered a bad thing, but perhaps a paradigm shift in the way our churches minister healing to these individuals.
By the end of this book, I hope that if you are one of the people in the church suffering silently from depression, you will find it easier to reach out for help without hesitation. My hope is that you will receive the best possible treatment via the help of a professional and clinically trained psychiatrist, a pastor, or both. Moreover, my hope is that if you are a church leader or pastor reading this book, you will become open to your parishioners obtaining professional medical help, including medications if needed as well as advising them to do so. Depression must be treated properly, and proper treatment includes the use of the best clinical practices available.
It is my hope that by the end of this book you will no longer see depression as a taboo topic of discussion. I hope to stimulate conversations in churches, conferences, and even at the dinner table that will help foster new ideas regarding the intersection of faith-based teachings and traditional allopathic medicine.
What are the top three takeaways you would like your readers to walk away with?
You are not alone
Mental health is important
Spirituality can coexist with medicine
Who is your book for?
Everyone.
What inspired you to write your book?
Seeing so many people in the church suffering with mental illness in the church who battled with their spirituality and understanding of mental health.
Where can people find your book and support you?
amazon.com/depressions-pews-dwight-owens.com
What products/services do you want to offer alongside your book for promoting purposes?
Free books or maybe a free telemedicine consultation.
