Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Linda Mintle, Ph.D. (Spotlight)
Wed, 04 Mar 2015Troy Burnett :: LUCOM Marketing
For many people, there are defining moments in life that set the course for who and what someone will become. Often enough, they are subtle, however for Linda Mintle, Ph.D., Chair of the Division of Behavioral Health, a cataclysmic event completely shifted the direction of her life.
As a teenager, Dr. Mintle experienced incredible personal 
loss that she marks as the beginning of how God would
ultimately use her to reach so many people around the
world. “Starting out in my youth and throughout my early
education and career, I had no idea that God would use
me the way He has. Serving within the inaugural faculty
of LUCOM, I consider myself more than blessed,”
said Dr. Mintle.
As a high school graduate, Dr. Mintle was passionate
about pursuing a career in law at the University of Michigan.
However, when her brother’s life was taken due to an act of terrorism, she was devastated. So devastated she transitioned her focus to Psychology.
According to Dr. Mintle, the educational shift was an effort to overcome personal loss. “I pursued Psychology in an effort to make sense of the tragedy in our family. I quickly realized that others need support and inspiration, as well. It was during those dark moments of life that I began to learn to live passionately; living life to the fullest and helping others walk confidently in what God has called [them] to do. I learned how to find healing and hope,” she said.
From those early days in mental health and continuing today, Dr. Mintle has become an expert in her field authoring 19 book titles to her credit such as: I Love My Mother, But…, Letting Go of Worry, and I Married You, Not Your Family, and bestseller, Lose It For Life. Her 20th title, We Need to Talk, is scheduled for release this month.
Along with authorship, Dr. Mintle has also become a media personality. For 7 years she was the resident expert for the ABC Family network’s television show, Living the Life, and has made many guest appearances on network news and talk shows. And if that wasn’t enough, she also hosts her own self-titled radio broadcast that is accessible online at DrLindaMintle.com and Faith Radio. She covers behavioral and mental health topics such as eating disorders, stress, depression, and sports injuries.
Simply put, her passion, is serving others. “There came a point when I realized my desire was to change lives, whether individually or for multiple people at a time. Writing books, guest appearing on TV shows, and radio broadcasts were the outlets I felt I could embrace to touch those lives,” added Dr. Mintle. “Encountering so many hurting people, I am able to use evidence-based approaches, psychological principles, and the Word of God to ultimately tailor practical solutions that offer hope and confidence.”
Prior to arriving at Liberty, Dr. Mintle served on the faculty of Eastern Virginia Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Clinical Pediatrics where her focus was in the area of eating disorders and childhood obesity.
“For years, I worked with eating disorders. Over the years, more and more children and adults were being referred for obesity and compulsive overeating. Our success was found in a multidisciplinary approach to treat the whole person and their family.” Serving in clinical pediatrics also afforded her the opportunity to participate in EVMS’ community coalition targeting childhood obesity in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
Now a member of the founding faculty of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM), it was during conversations with dean Dr. Ronnie Martin, that she found herself relating to the vision and mission of Liberty’s new medical school. “The College of Osteopathic Medicine is founded on an emphasis of whole person care with the premise of service to others.
In keeping with the LUCOM holistic approach to medicine, Dr. Mintle often brings her champion bred poodle, Zoe, as a comfort dog for the COM student doctors. Dr. Mintle praises Zoe as she feels that the little poodle knows exactly what the students need. “Zoe is incredibly smart. She can sense student stress and always brings a little joy to the rigors of medical school. It’s like she was born to be a comfort dog.”
“I am a firm believer in service. I have experienced first hand the power and positive outcomes of joining with like-minded professionals and I can think of no better institution to continue my endeavors. My heart is to train the next generation of physicians who will accept the call to serve with excellence and fulfill Christ’s example to help those in need,” concluded Dr. Mintle.
Dr. Linda Mintle and Zoe, LUCOM comfort dog.