THERAPY & TREATMENT ARTICLES

Mental Health Credentials and ServicesThe field of mental health is broad, with countless titles and acronyms that seem to be second nature for practitioners, though they can be quite confusing for individuals seeking services. This article will explore a number of terms and provide brief descriptions for many of the common roles and titles within the mental health world. Some terms are considered relatively universal, while others are used differently in various settings.

Suicide Prevention: Getting Help and Helping Others The official National Suicide Prevention Month is September, but really, every month is a good month to prevent suicide. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in general, and the second leading cause of death in the world for people aged 15-24 years old. In 2017 there were 1.4 million suicide attempts (over 3,800 a day) and 47,173 Americans died by suicide (129 a day).

The Benefits of Teletherapy While we are open, sanitizing the office several times daily, and providing hand sanitizer to all clients, during this challenging flu season some people cannot come to the office or prefer to stay at home. Luckily, psychotherapy is something that can easily and effectively be done online for all ages and concerns! (Or via phone for people who prefer.)

Re-Entry into the Community After Inpatient/Residential Treatment or Incarceration Whether someone is discharging from an inpatient hospital, completing residential treatment, or releasing from incarceration, the transition from a highly structured and restrictive environment to the community can be a challenging one. Each face a combination of factors that make returning to a sense of normalcy difficult. These factors may come from internal sources or their external environment and are unique to each individual.

How can a Sex Offender Evaluation Help My Client? Sex offender evaluations may help clients in a variety of ways. They can help a client who has been falsely accused of sex abuse in high conflict divorce by identifying possible red flags or the lack thereof. Evaluations may be helpful to clients who wish to be removed from the sex offender registry after treatment and sustained periods of non-offending.

What Makes a Good Substance Abuse Evaluation he domains of psychological evaluation and substance abuse evaluations share core characteristics necessary for accurate assessment and intervention. Traditional psychological evaluations focus on assessment of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes. Likewise, effective substance abuse evaluations should examine several domains of psychological functioning, with a focus on substance abuse itself and also any related mental health issues impacting or resulting from substance use.

Can Neurofeedback Help My Client? In short, probably yes. Neurofeedback is designed to help individuals of all ages tackle cognitive, emotional, and physical obstacles such as depression, anxiety, stress/burnout, eating disorders, addictions, bipolar disorder, PTSD, sleep disorders, migraines, concussions, strokes, chronic pain, autism, brain injuries and brain aging issues.

Music Therapy: Feelin’ Groovy Most people have a favorite song or favorite type of music, find meaning in the words of some songs, and associate joy with some songs.

You (and Your Therapist) Can Change Your Personality! This synopsis of a New York Times article discusses research showing how our personality traits can change over time with the help of a therapist.

Neurofeedback Now at Lepage Associates: NeurOptimal® is the most advanced brain training technology available today. The system works with the central nervous system and allows the brain to regulate itself seamlessly and become more resilient. This safe and reliable solution has helped thousands of people with cognitive, emotional or physical challenges.

Social & Emotional Skill-Building Classes Everyone Can Benefit From: The Broad Applicability of Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Elements of DBT are applicable for anyone interested in self-improvement because it addresses basic areas of functioning that we all sometimes feel are disrupted occasionally. These include mindfulness/focus, regulating our emotions, tolerating stress, and being effective in interpersonal relationships. Read about DBT and how its four modules are conducted as skill-building classes.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Written by Dr. Tina Lepage as a guest author for Yahoo.

Comprehensive Help for Unhealthy Eating Patterns: Targeted Assessment & Effective Treatment
In this article, Dr. Julia Jacobs describes the process of evaluating for eating disorders, including co-morbid disorders such as substance abuse.

Is Bariatric Surgery Right For You?
In this article, Dr. Paulomi Raiji investigates the lifestyle changes that render bariatric surgery most successful and what to expect from a bariatric assessment.

The Emotional Side of Cancer
Written by Paulomi Raiji, Ph.D. Dr. Raiji describes the emotional effects of being diagnosed with cancer, and ways in which to lessen the suffering due to this emotional distress. Dr. Raiji looks at ways to feel empowered and compassionate toward the self, and provides tools to help guide you through this period of change and transformation.

Post-Traumatic Growth: Suffering Meaningfully
Most people have heard of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder the negative effects that can occur from experiencing trauma. However, the idea of post traumatic growth is a more recent phenomenon that offers a positive approach to dealing with traumatic events. Read about post-traumatic growth and how this type of work can be one way to move through the stress of a trauma and regain a sense of well-being.

Dealing with Depression
Depression is often called the “common cold” of mental health disorders, in that most people experience depression at some point in their life. Read about the symptoms, causes of, and treatment for depression, including self-help strategies.

Collateral Damage: Children of Alcoholics
Written by Colleen Hamilton, Psy.D. In this article, Dr. Hamilton addresses the impact of parental alcoholism on a child’s mental health and behavior, as well as ways to help the child cope.

Seasonal Affective Disorder
In this article we discuss how the dark winter months can affect our mood and ways to bring more light into your life.

Suicide Prevention Can Help Save Lives
Written by Dr. Colleen Hamilton, this article discusses signs to recognize if someone is feeling suicidal, hot to communicate with that person, and available resources to keep the person save.

Recognizing Substance Abuse Dependency
This article discusses the various signs of substance abuse and dependency to help you recognize if you or someone you love needs help.

Understanding Autism
Written by Colleen Hamilton, Psy.D. In this article Dr. Hamilton describes how Autism presents, symptoms to watch for, and treatment.

How Does Bipolar Disorder Affect Your Life or the Life of Someone You Love?
Written for the North Carolina Lawyer’s Assistance Program. This article discusses the signs, symptoms, and treatment for bipolar disorder.

Wasting Away
Excerpts from Marya Hornbacher’s memoir are used to describe the symptoms, signs, and treatment of eating disorders.

Therapy at a Glance
In this article we discuss different forms of therapy to include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and family therapy.

Psychiatry and Depression
Written by Jason Machalicky, MD. In this article, Dr. Machalicky discusses causes and symptoms of depression, how to help yourself cope, and available treatments including medication and therapy.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder & Conduct Disorder: Treatment, Prevention and What Parents Can Do
Written by intern Alex Childress. Alex helps parents differentiate between normal child and teen acting out versus ODD and CD, and discusses what parents can do to help, to include empirically-validated treatment options to stop ODD and CD now and keep the behaviors from escalating and progressing into adulthood.

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