F.A.Q.
2. What is a Clinical Psychologist and what is the difference between a Psychologist and other mental health professionals?
3. Should I consider receiving psychotherapy?
4. How many sessions will I need?
5. What is clinical neuropsychology?
6. What does a neuropsychological assessment measure?
7. What is the relationship between pain and mental health?
8. What is clinical hypnosis and could it be helpful for me?
9. What is biofeedback and could it be helpful for me?
10. What types of insurance/payment do you accept?
11. How can I be referred for psychotherapy or a neuropsychological evaluation?
12. How can I obtain further information?
Answer 1:
Psychotherapy is a type of counseling where an individual talks to a trained mental health professional in order to resolve personal and/or emotional conflicts. Depending on a client's behavioral health goals, other interventions like biofeedback may be used to help create desired change.
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Answer 2:
Psychologists (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) are highly trained professionals in the area of mental health. They are trained specifically in observing behavior, evaluating thoughts and feelings, and helping individuals develop new patterns of behavior that enhance personal growth. Psychologists, after obtaining an undergraduate degree, spend an average of five to seven years in training before receiving a doctorate. Psychologists additionally must complete a clinical internship in a hospital or organized health care setting before graduation. After receiving their doctorate they must have a year of supervised training before being licensed to practice independently. Psychologists have specialty areas of expertise, such as children, families, education, neuropsychology, and many others. Psychologists are licensed by states. Renewal of this license depends upon maintaining an ethical practice and demonstrating clinical competence through continuing education.
Psychologists are unique in the mental health field in their training and use of psychodiagnostic instruments. These instruments are beneficial for evaluating symptoms and disorders such as ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, etc.
Psychiatrists (MD) are medical doctors who have completed a residency in psychiatry and are specialists in the prescription of medications for psychiatric problems. They are licensed by the state and at present are the primary mental health specialists who prescribe drugs in Kentucky. Several other states now allow specially trained psychologists to prescribe. Some psychiatrists are also trained in psychotherapy and can provide both medication management and psychotherapy for their clients. They are not trained to do psychological testing.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) have a master's level degree and must be licensed by the state-licensing agency. They are trained in both psychotherapy and social interventions aimed at helping the individual cope with problems in his or her environment, or dealing with government or social agencies. They cannot do psychological testing, nor prescribe medications.
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) have a master's degree in counseling or a related field and have completed a supervised internship post graduation. They must be licensed by the state to provide psychotherapy and must receive continuing education to maintain their professional license. They can provide psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and/or children depending upon their specialty. They can also administer some psychological tests depending upon their specific educational training.
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Answer 3: It's time to talk to a psychologist when...
- you want to prevent life's stressors from threatening your physical health.
- you want to build your confidence and resilience to meet challenges head-on.
- you want to gain a mental edge to be your best at your job and with your family.
- you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with a chronic illness.
- you're overwhelmed and can't handle the problem yourself.
A psychologist can help you to identify your problems and then figure out ways to best cope with them; to change contributing behaviors or habits; or to find constructive ways to deal with a situation that is beyond your control. In other words, a psychologist can improve both your physical and mental well-being (source: American Psychological Association).
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Answer 4:
The number of sessions that an individual needs depends upon their specific problem, how long the problem has existed, and personal goals. For a specific and acute problem, short-term therapy can be adequate, which is around 6 to 12 sessions. For problems and conditions that have been more chronic, more sessions may be needed.
For individuals wanting to gain insight and understanding into their past and how it is affecting their current relationships, more long-term therapy is recommended. The length of treatment should be discussed within the first or second session to clarify the treatment plan.
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Answer 5:
Clinical neuropsychology is a specialty profession that focuses on brain related behavior. A clinical neuropsychologist is a licensed psychologist with training and expertise in how behavior and skills are related to brain structures and systems. In clinical neuropsychology, brain function is evaluated by objectively testing cognitive domains including attention, memory, language, visual perception/construction, and executive or reasoning skills. A very detailed assessment of abilities is done, and the pattern of strengths and weaknesses is used in diagnosis and treatment planning.
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Answer 6:
A typical neuropsychological evaluation will involve assessment of the following:
• General intellect
• Higher level executive skills (e.g., sequencing, reasoning, problem solving)
• Attention and concentration
• Learning and memory
• Language
• Visual–spatial skills (e.g., perception)
• Motor and sensory skills
• Mood and personality
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Answer 7:
In the area of chronic pain, we have learned that:
- When a person with chronic pain is suffering from even moderate levels of stress, anxiety, or depression, the pain often is felt more acutely and is more disabling.
- More than half the patients suffering from chronic pain also suffer from clinically significant levels of depression and anxiety.
- Without treatment, the emotional components of pain steadily increase until the emotional symptoms loom over all aspects of the patient’s life and make pain control and restoration of function very difficult, no matter how good the provider’s treatment might be.
(source - National Pain Foundation)
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Answer 8:
Facts about clinical or medical hypnosis:
- Hypnosis is a state of extreme concentration and focused attention.
- Recent research supports the view that hypnosis effectively changes certain aspects of an individual's physiological and neurological functions.
- Hypnosis is like any other therapeutic approach: it is of major benefit to some clients with some problems, and it is helpful with many other clients, but individual responses vary.
- Hypnosis is not something imposed on people, but something they do for themselves. A therapist simply serves as a facilitator to guide them.
Clinical hypnosis may be a helpful therapeutic treatment for individuals who suffer from:
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety and stress management
- Depression
- Concentration difficulties
(source: American Society of Clinical Hypnosis)
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Answer 9:
If you have ever taken your temperature or stepped on a scale to see how much you weigh, you have used biofeedback. The temperature and weight readings from these devices give "feedback" about your body to tell you whether you have a fever or have gained weight. This information will help you make decisions about what to do next. In a similar way, biofeedback therapists use specialized equipment to train patients how to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies.
The therapist attaches sensors or electrodes to the body and these sensors provide a variety of readings--feedback--which is displayed on the equipment for the patient to see. The signals typically measure skin temperature, heart rate and/or brainwave function. With this information, clients can learn to make changes so subtle that at first they cannot be consciously perceived. With practice, however, the new responses and behaviors can help to bring relief and improvement to a variety of issues including chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and depression.
(source: Biofeedback Certification Institute of America)
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Answer 10:
Currently we are in the Humana (CorpHealth), Tricare, and Anthem (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) Networks. We are also a Medicare provider. If you are not insured by one of the above listed insurance companies and are thinking about using your "out-of network" benefits we suggest calling your insurance company to find out what your deductible is for "Out-of-Network Mental Health Benefits." After your deductible is met, most insurance companies will reimburse 50 to 70 percent of the fee.
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Answer 11:
A qualified client can self-refer or may be referred by his/her physician. Consult with your health care provider to see if he/she will refer you for services. We will gladly provide more information on our services to the health care provider if needed. Most health insurance provides authorization for behavioral health intervention, but it would be important to check with your insurance company to pre authorize services.
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Answer 12:
You or your health care provider may call Renewed Hope Counseling Center at 502.352.2446 or send an email to: info@renewedhopecounselingcenter.com to inquire about services.
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