Jane Braun

Many psychologists, including myself, will allow a new client to ask questions on the telephone regarding the work that they do. During this time frame a potential client can determine to some extent whether or not he/she would feel comfortable working with the psychologist with whom he/she is speaking. Attending counseling will feel like you are simply sitting down with a caring person and discussing your problems. A psychologist should never push you to talk about issues that you are not ready to discuss. Therapy should occur at a pace with which you feel comfortable. Psychologists are trained to help people feel more comfortable talking about their issues. If you "close up" the psychologist will help you feel more comfortable talking. Just remember, no one will force you to complete an individual session in which you are not feeling comfortable or if you feel like you are not being respected. You always have the option to simply get up and leave if you would like.

This is a difficult question to answer online without you being evaluated by a professional. If you are unable to stop having the nightmares yourself, it would be best to make an appointment to be evaluated by a psychologist. Positive results you gained from going to therapy cannot be "undone." However, there may be some ways in which you can learn to grow psychologically to correct your issues.

I am surprised that the psychologist did not review with you the boundaries of confidentiality prior to you sharing information with him or her. This should always be done for patients. However, I would recommend that you contact the psychologist you met with and ask that individual to review the boundaries of confidentiality with you prior to sharing any additional information. Psychologists go to extreme lengths to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patients. We believe that this is extremely important because we cannot help people if they do not trust us. However, there are situations in which we have no choice but to disclose confidential information. Those situations typically include the following scenarios: 1. If you are suicidal, the psychologist will need to contact the police or trusted family members to assist with having you admitted to a hospital for your safety, 2. If you are homicidal, the psychologist has a duty to warn the individual you are intending to kill or harm, 3. In cases of child or elder abuse, the psychologist has a duty to contact the Department of Child and Family Services to ensure the protection of the child or elderly individual, 4. If there is a legal matter pending, it is possible that your records can be subpoenaed and a psychologist may have no choice but to turn them over to a judge.

Most psychologists will allow potential clients to interview them on the telephone prior to making their first appointment. During this telephone interview it would be wise to ask the psychologist what methods he or she would tend to use to treat anxiety and what the typical structure of psychotherapy sessions entails. Ask the psychologist on the telephone whether he or she would take the lead during sessions or if you would be expected to do this. Remember that you are consumer. Whatever the psychologist says to you should make sense to you and should feel comfortable to you. If it does not, look for another psychologist.

Neuropsychologists utilize a variety of cognitive and personality tests to measure the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of patients. Frequently, patients are referred to neuropsychologists after having experienced a head injury in order to determine the new cognitive deficits they may have developed as a result of the injury. A patient will arrive for the first appointment for a diagnostic interview. This will be followed by cognitive testing. The neuropsychologist will subsequently write a report that will include information from the diagnostic interview and the results from the cognitive testing. The report will also include recommendations for what the patient can do to either improve performance or make lifestyle accommodations when deficits cannot be improved.

Finding yourself in the predicament in which you are not able to put as much emotional and mental effort into tasks can be very discouraging. I am sorry to hear about your difficulty. These types of symptoms can be caused by a variety of factors. If you do not feel like you are able to resolve this issue by yourself, it would be wise to schedule an appointment with a psychologist who can help diagnose your condition and suggest appropriate treatment.

The time frame for psychotherapy depends upon the problems a patient is presenting. Some types of issues require only a few sessions to treat. Other issues can take quite a long time to resolve. The time frame for psychotherapy will also be dependent upon the client's willingness to make changes in his/her life and motivation to cooperate with treatment. I would advise you to ask this question of the psychologist with whom you are meeting near the end of the first session to receive a more exact answer.

Most typically people have difficulty with stopping an overactive mind at night because they are experiencing a great deal of stress and they tend to worry about life difficulties once they decide to go to bed for the evening. Some people find it helpful to keep a notepad next to their beds and to write down their worries on this pad while making a commitment with themselves to address these worries when they are awake the next day. Some how having the worries written down helps individuals to be able to relax and trust that they won't forget to take care of the issues when they are awake. Another technique that can be helpful is to say the word "stop" to yourself and quickly put your mind on a pleasant visual image. For example, think of yourself sitting in a very relaxing chair in your home or in a favorite place in your life. If these simple techniques are not helpful, you should consider making an appointment with a psychologist who would be able to assess your condition and provide helpful suggestions of ways to overcome your difficulty.

It would be important to first make certain that you do not have a new medical condition that could be creating the depression and to be evaluated by your family physician. If the depression is not due to a physical ailment and you believe it is due to the fact that you retired, you might consider receiving some counseling from a psychologist who could help you to discover ways of managing this transition in your life positively.

Chest pain can be a serious symptom. I would recommend that you be evaluated by physician as quickly as possible to determine if you are actually experiencing possible heart-related problems or if the pain is simply a symptom of panic disorder. If a physician deems your pain to be a result of psychological factors, it would then be best to make an appointment with a psychologist who can help treat the anxiety and pain.