Loren A. Olson MD DLFAPA is the author of Finally Out: Unlocking the Closet in Midlife and Beyond, scheduled for release in the fall of 2010.
Dr. Olson came out at age 40, and he is often asked two questions:
1. How could you not know you were gay until you were 40?
2. Wasn’t your marriage just a sham to protect yourself.
The second question is easier. I loved my wife as much as I possibly could, but after discovering the love for a man, I realized that it was not enough, for me or for her. The majority of the book addresses why some men may not know they are gay, why some may choose not to come out until midlife or later, and why some may never choose to come out. It also addresses the fact that many men who have sex with men, perhaps even exclusively, abhor the idea of being labeled as gay. The book is designed to offer useful insights for men who struggle with issues of sexual orientation, but also for their spouses and their children, for clergy and mental health counselors.
Professional Life:
Dr. Loren A. Olson is Board Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has been engaged in the clinical practice of adult psychiatry for over thirty years. He has been recognized for his achievements by his peers as a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and by the people he serves as a recipient of the “Exemplary Psychiatrist Award” from the National Alliance for Mental Illness. While serving as Medical Director of Psychiatry he was responsible for developing and improving the psychiatric treatment programs at two of the largest hospitals in Iowa, Iowa Methodist Medical Center (1986-1993) (now Iowa Health Systems) and Mercy Medical Center (1993-2000). He has been actively engaged in forensic and independent psychiatric evaluations and has testified or been deposed many times as an expert witness. Dr. Olson has served in several capacities on the Council of the Iowa District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association, including as its president. He has been active in teaching psychiatry to psychiatric residents and medical and physician assistant students. Throughout his professional life, he has advocated actively for the needs of the mentally ill on a national, state and local level, including serving four years as Iowa’s delegate to the APA’s U. S. Congressional Advocacy Days. Dr. Olson served four years as a Flight Surgeon in the United States Navy.
Writer, Researcher and Speaker:
Dr. Olson is an active contributor to several popular LGBT blogs and has had his essays published in psychiatric and lay publications. While editor of The Iowa Psychiatric Society Newsletter it received the award of “Newsletter of the Year” for mid-sized District Branches of the American Psychiatric Association, and one of his essays was recognized as “Editorial of the Year.” Dr. Olson has conducted independent research on mature gay men, and he presented the initial results of this research at the World Congress in Psychiatry in Prague in September, 2008. He also has presented at Celebration of Friends, an annual meeting of nearly 1000 mature gay men, and Prime Timers in Phoenix, Arizona, a social organization for mature gay men. He has been a sought-after speaker on a wide variety of subjects related to psychiatric disorder of adults.
Media:
Dr. Olson was featured via Skype interview on Good Morning America, in a featured health story called Bringing Back the House Call, Virtually - ABC News. He has also been featured on the national (rural) cable TV channel, RFD-TV, in a segment on raising grass-fed beef. His experience as a gay man and a Christian was presented via a video-taped interview at the National Conference of the United Church of Christ, attended by several hundred people. He also has been interviewed on local radio, TV and newspapers. He serves frequently as a consultant to writers and reporters on topics related to adult psychiatry and LGBT issues.
Personal:
Dr. Olson was previously married to the mother of his two daughters and is the proud grandfather of five grandchildren. Dr. Olson and Doug Mortimer, his life partner of 23 years, were legally married in Des Moines, Iowa, on September 26, 2009. Their wedding announcement was published in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/fashion/weddings/27mortimer.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Mortimer%20olson&st=nyt. Their announcement in the New York Times has led to several contacts from various media, and Dr. Olson has been interviewed by Reid Forgrave, with The Des Moines Register (Gannett Publication) for a feature story about gay marriage in Iowa. Dr. Olson and Doug Mortimer live on a farm in central Iowa near one of the Bridges of Madison County, where they raise Belted Galloway cattle, produce grass-fed beef and are actively involved in sustainable agriculture. Dr. Olson is an active member of Plymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Des Moines, where he has served as a deacon for three years, the last one as senior deacon.
