Lydia Bartholow

Lydia Bartholow, DNP, PMHNP, CARN-AP, FIANN is a doctorally prepared psychiatric nurse practitioner specializing in addiction medicine and trauma-informed care. She is a Fellow of the International Society of Addictions Nursing and serves as Medical Director of a psychiatric emergency department in Portland, Oregon, focused on acute psychiatric and substance-use–related crises. Lydia has held medical leadership roles in both inpatient and outpatient settings, building systems of care for people who use substances. She is the recipient of multiple state and national awards for excellence in addiction medicine, leadership, and health equity, and speaks nationally on co-occurring disorders, harm reduction, and substance-use care system improvement. She lives in Portland, OR with too many animals and just the right number of plants.

Boarded in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, Forensic Psychiatry and Holistic & Integrative Medicine, Arwen Podesta MD works in Louisiana, with an office in New Orleans. She authored a book on addiction, HOOKED (available on Amazon, see her website, www.podestawellness.com). She was recently awarded the honor of distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatry Association as well as the American Society of Addiction Medicine and is the immediate past President of the Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association. She consults to the Louisiana governor’s HOPE committee and is a member of the Attorney General’s Opioid Abatement Taskforce. She is a national speaker, she teaches, consults and is an advocate for integrative best practices for those with addiction and psychiatric needs.

Dr. Ridpath is a true national leader in psychiatry, early adopter of innovative evidence-based treatments, and advocate for patient wellness. She is board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. She graduated cum laude from University of North Carolina-Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in psychology with minors in biology and classical studies. She obtained her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she was a National Health Service Corp scholar.
A lifelong resident of the Carolinas, Dr. Ridpath’s roots run deep for our local community. She has special interest in LGBT mental health and inclusion, improving primary care and psychiatry collaboration, and patient-centered care.
Dr. Ridpath is a leader in psychiatry education, lectures at national psychiatry conferences, and serves as a mentor to medical students and residents. She is currently the Medical Director for Sweetgrass Psychiatry- Florence site and Medical Director for Crossroads Treatment Centers, Florence and Darlington sites. She also serves as Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of South Carolina- Columbia and teaches medical students and residents in her clinic. She also collaborates and mentors residents within the McLeod Family Medicine Residency which trains family medicine physicians to support one of the highest need areas of the state.