Extreme Psychiatry: Mental Health Support for American Diplomacy

Dr. Thielman is Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist for Central Europe based at the American Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany. He was Director of Mental Health Services for the Department of State from 2004-2006. From 2003-2004, Dr. Thielman was Chief of Crisis Response for Mental Health Services. During his time in Washington he developed the Department¿s High Stress Out-briefing program for diplomatic returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan, a program that continues to be required of all who return from high stress assignments overseas. He has served in two other overseas locations with the Department including three years at the American Embassy in London as the Department¿s regional psychiatrist for embassies and consulates in Western Europe and five and one half years at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya where he was the regional psychiatrist for embassies in East and Central Africa. He was regional psychiatrist in Nairobi during the aftermath of the August 7, 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Dr. Thielman completed medical school, residency, and fellowship training at Duke, as well as doctoral studies in the history of medicine. Dr. Thielman is a member of the Senior Foreign Service, rank of Minister-Counselor and recipient of many awards from the Department of State including the Presidential Meritorious Service Award which he received in 2011.