Behavioral Health Integration
Our clinicians have experience working in medical settings and are devoted to integrated care. We offer valuable services to medical practices striving for whole-patient care. Services in this setting are time-limited and brief.
As healthcare professionals, we are aware of the benefits and pitfalls of managed health care systems. We aspire to bring the psychological and health benefits of managed care to the private sector.
These advantages typically benefit patients who may require more wrap-around services for general wellness and continuity of care. Such practices aid in preventing hospital readmissions and the overuse of primary care clinics and hospitals due to comorbid conditions, often medical and psychiatric, and/or substance abuse.
Healthcare professionals working in hospitals with newly acquired interdisciplinary team members often comment that these new members are indispensable. We allow medical providers to focus more on their specialty services and handoff psychological concerns. Providers also report experiencing a reduced burden from their caseload despite serving more patients. We intend to reduce burnout and improving patient care as well as the quality of life for patients and providers.
What we do:
Health Behaviors: Improving the patient’s ability and willingness to change their behavior to align with what is medically indicated. The patient may share this goal of change but become overwhelmed by the steps involved or be deterred by social or other barriers to change. Using CBT, we facilitate the patient’s ability to complete his/her health goals.
Adherence to recommendations: Addressing discrepancies between the provider’s recommendations and the patient’s lack of follow-through whether this is due to motivation, depression, apprehension, suspiciousness, etc. We take the time to validate the patient’s concerns and address the barriers to adherence.
Brief diagnostic evaluations: Diagnosing accurately to help you determine the best treatment choices. It is often helpful to identify underlying concerns that may be contributing to a patient’s mental health. Knowing that a patient is having a short-term reaction/adjustment to a circumstance, for example, but longstanding mental health issues allow for a different course of treatment.
Anxiety and phobias related to medical procedures/settings: Reducing and treating anxiety associated with necessary aspects of medical care for chronic illness such as needle phobia, pain associated with certain procedures, psychosomatic symptoms believed to be induced by stress or panic.
Therapy consult: Introducing patients to the concept/idea of therapy and reducing the stigma of accepting services or help. For first-time or other therapy patients who are ambivalent. 15-minute explanation of services and potential benefits. Patient-centered approach.
Changing health circumstances: Promoting an acceptance of health circumstances or new diagnosis that often takes time. Processing with a therapist can reduce the patient’s time spent in the moratorium regarding the next steps in symptom management. An intervention of this sort has great potential to improve the quality of life for the patient from a psychological standpoint.
Adjustment to aging: Facilitating the patient’s sense of congruence of self. As one ages, he/she may perceive themselves as younger than actual age. This may have been a helpful coping strategy for some time; however, it may also increase the potential for denial or difficulty accepting common or uncommon ailments that come with normal aging. These issues may predict adherence issues and stress-related symptoms.
Family coordination: Aiding your practice in coordinating care for a loved one amongst family members. Facilitating discussion between the patient and family members regarding a situational disposition.*
A psychological condition affecting physical health: Promoting the patient’s acknowledgment of the psychological components of a medical syndrome (i.e. panic from shortness of breath versus an asthma attack). Collaborating with you to educate the patient to differentiate between these. This allows the patient to implement an appropriate intervention for the symptoms in question. The goal would be self-management when possible and appropriately presenting to the clinic when needed.
Co-location and warm hand-offs: Integrating your setting. Our psychologists have experience working in interdisciplinary settings and are happy to trial co-location with your clinic. Please message us to discuss your specific needs.
Specialty Services
ADHD: Testing to provide data so that you can feel more comfortable with medication management. We also offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for ADHD for behavioral management of symptoms, which can be done in conjunction with medical management. CBT in this context is useful for improving time management skills, reducing impulsivity, delaying gratification, and motivational issues commonly associated with CBT. It also addresses underlying beliefs about one’s own ability that may affect motivation and depressive or anxious symptoms.
Dementia: Testing to provide you with data to support the diagnosis of dementia and determine general strengths/weaknesses. We offer feedback so that the results of the testing are communicated. This can help healthcare providers and family members tailor communication methods in a way that is most effective for the patient’s understanding. Testing can also provide a baseline of performance in order to clarify in a few months/years whether there has been a decrement in function and cognitive ability.
Presurgical evaluation: Determining degree of candidacy for surgical procedures. Areas assessed include but are not limited to: substance use history and current use; adherence; current mental health symptoms and functional impairment; risk of recidivism for mental health or substance use; cognitive impairment; social support.
* Some of these interventions/interactions require rapport to be effective. Should your practice anticipate any of the indicated issues, it would be wise to coordinate an introduction to one of our clinicians as a point of contact/member of an extended team for continuity of care purposes should an issue arise.
