Melanie VanDyke Author

C. Alec Pollard, PhD, is founding director of the Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, and professor emeritus of family and community medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist with a special interest in the study and treatment of individuals with anxiety and emotional disorders who refuse or otherwise fail to benefit from evidence-based treatment. Pollard, codeveloper of the family well-being approach (FWBA), has authored or coauthored more than one hundred publications and leads the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.

Melanie VanDyke, PhD, is a licensed psychologist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute. She was awarded Missouri Psychologist of the Year (2023) and has authored research articles and educational materials for professionals, patients, and families. VanDyke was principal investigator for the family well-being consultation research project, and is codeveloper of FWBA.

Gary Mitchell, LCSW, is a senior staff clinician at the Center for OCD & Anxiety-Related Disorders at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute. He is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in the treatment of children and adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, and related problems. He is an original member of the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, and codeveloper of FWBA.

Heidi J. Pollard, RN, MSN, is currently in private practice where she consults with families dealing with a treatment-reluctant loved one. She was an original member of the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, and a codeveloper of FWBA.

Gloria Mathis, PhD, is co-owner of the Mid-Atlantic Center for OCD & Anxiety in Columbia, MD. She is a licensed psychologist specializing in OCD, anxiety disorders, and body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) disorders in individuals of all ages. While completing her postdoctoral fellowship, Mathis received training in FWBA from the Family Consultation Team at Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.

Foreword writer GailSteketee, PhD, is a professor and cochair in the department of clinical practice at the Boston University School of Social Work. She is coauthor of Buried in Treasures.