Dr. Naomi T. Jacobs, PhD

Psychologist | Clinical

100 Executive Way 207 Ponte Vedra Beach FL, 32082 Show map

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About

Dr. Naomi Jacobs is a psychologist practicing in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Dr. Jacobs specializes in the treatment of mental health problems, and helps people to cope with their mental illnesses. As a psychologist, Dr. Jacobs evaluates and treats patients through a variety of methods, most typically being psychotherapy or talk therapy. Patients usually visit Dr. Jacobs because they have been experiencing depression, anxiety, stress or anger for a significant period of time and are seeking help. Psychologists may perform a variety of exams and assessments to diagnose a mental condition. Learn more about Dr. Jacobs by visiting her website psychologistpontevedrabeach.com

Education and Training

Northwestern University Medical School Ph.D. Clinical Psychology 1997

Provider Details

FemaleEnglish

Dr. Naomi T. Jacobs, PhD

Dr. Naomi T. Jacobs, PhD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

What is the difference between a therapist and psychologist?
Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, and Mental Health Counselors, for example, can all provide therapy and refer to themselves as therapists. The extent and requirements of their education and clinical training experience differentiates them. READ MORE
How do I know if I have bipolar or borderline personality disorder?
Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings that do not necessarily relate to life stressors and can occur out of the blue. People exhibit periods of depression and mania that often last days to months and can significantly impact their ability to function. A person who is manic exhibits grandiosity, high energy, little need for sleep, impulsivity, and racing thoughts and speech. Mania is not characteristic of Borderline Personality Disorder. People who have Borderline Personality Disorder over-react to life stressors, particularly interpersonal conflicts and show significant mood fluctuations where they exhibit intense anger, anxiety, or sadness. But these emotions are relatively transient, lasting a few minutes to hours. People with Borderline Personality Disorder fear abandonment and make frantic efforts to avoid it. They have difficulty soothing themselves and often resort to self-destructive coping. READ MORE
Can a divorce drive people toward depression?
Divorce frequently results in people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety because of the significant changes and losses that occur to one's life. Dealing with a hurt or angry ex-spouse adds to the stress. I recommend developing a support system comprised of friends and family members who you can talk to and spend time with doing enjoyable activities. You should focus on self care, insuring that you're eating healthfully, getting enough sleep, spending time outside, participating in exercise or another constructive activity. Consider meeting with a therapist who can provide additional support and help coping with difficult circumstances or people. Try to identify aspects of your life you feel grateful for each day..Give yourself time to grieve and heal. Enjoy the process of re-discovering yourself as an individual and re-defining your goals and dreams. READ MORE
What can I do for my child with suicidal thoughts?
I recommend you take her to a psychologist for an evaluation and treatment recommendations. I expect the recommendations will most likely include therapy 2X each week and psychotropic medication. Suicidal ideation is different than suicidal intent. The psychologist may maintain she or he can effectively work with your daughter in therapy without her utilizing medication to decrease symptoms of depression. On the other hand, the psychologist may suggest a higher level of care, i.e., a day treatment program associated with a hospital or mental health treatment center where she participates in individual and group therapy during the day and also meets with a psychiatrist for medication management. Finally, if she is in dire need of medication to treat her depression or if she represents an imminent threat to her safety, you should have her hospitalized. The staff will insure her safety 24 hours each day, and she will have to comply with taking medication there and begin individual and group therapy. READ MORE
Is my boyfriend a sociopath? What do I do?
Although you provide limited examples, and it would help to know more about your boyfriend to put his behavior in context, he may suffer from traits of a personality disorder or a full blown personality disorder. If you experience him overall as self-centered, lacking in empathy, grandiose or entitled, he has significant traits of narcissistic personality disorder. Consequently, you should consider ending the relationship since you will likely find yourself hurt, sad, and frustrated much of the time. Sociopaths also have these traits, but enjoy controlling, manipulating, and hurting others to get what they want or for entertainment. Narcissists generally hurt others as a result of prioritizing their own needs at the expense of others' needs or feelings. Sociopaths want to get to know you. Narcissists want you to know about them and to admire them. READ MORE
How do I prepare to speak to a psychologist about my depression?
Your psychologist will appreciate your desire to provide information that helps him or her understand you and your difficulties to better help you. You should feel free to express to the psychologist your concern of having time to communicate all the details. To help you prioritize them, you might consider writing them down. If you do not have time to discuss all the information during the first session, you can do so in future sessions. For this reason, therapy consists of multiple sessions. READ MORE
What is family-based therapy like for eating disorders?
In family therapy, the therapist has the advantage of getting to know all family members, how they relate to one another and how their dynamics contribute to the difficulties of one or more members of the family. The therapist can then intervene to change those dynamics, communication and behavior patterns to alleviate the difficulties of the family member, i.e., an eating disorder. Individuals suffering from eating disorders generally benefit from a combination of individual and family therapy. READ MORE
I think I need to talk to someone about my depression. Where should I go?
Reaching out to friends and family for support is a great first step. In addition, though, you may need to meet with a mental health professional. A psychologist, for example, can provide support and understanding and help you increase coping skills or resolve underlying issues contributing to your current difficulties. A psychiatrist can prescribe medication that increases your resilience to symptoms of depression. READ MORE
Can psychoanalysis help in treating my bad dreams?
Unresolved issues, fears, and especially traumatic experiences can lead to having nightmares. In psychotherapy, including psychoanalysis, the thorough exploration, examination, and reliving of traumatic or related experiences within a safe therapeutic environment helps to effectively process distressing experiences. This significantly decreases the likelihood that they will affect you while you sleep. READ MORE
Can psychologists also help one deal with pain better?
Yes, they can provide support and understanding and help people: 1) process feelings associated with loss; 2) increase acceptance of pain and related limitations; 3) increase effective coping; 4) develop a new self that has parts of their old self integrated into it; 5) seek a personally meaningful philosophy of life and spirituality consistent with it. READ MORE
My son has a hard time paying attention to instructions, and tells me he feels nervous all the time. Should he be in counseling?
Yes, a therapist can provide support, foster needed communication, and help him learn how to cope with symptoms of anxiety as well as circumstances or internal conflicts that are contributing to it. READ MORE
My sister had a car accident last month. What can we do to help her?
You should mobilize family and friends to provide her with support and help her establish safety and predictability in her life. She can use meditation, visualization, and yoga to decrease anxiety and depression and calm her mind and body. She should also meet with a mental health professional to increase coping skills and utilize psychotropic medication as necessary to manage psychological and physiological effects of anxiety to increase her sense of control and well being. In addition, thorough expression of her thoughts and feelings in a safe therapeutic environment will help process the trauma and further diminish her symptoms. Finally, her therapist can help increase her willingness and ability to resume driving activities by using cognitive behavioral techniques i.e. challenging irrational thoughts and replacing them with rationale alternatives and gradually exposing her to her feared experiences. After each success, her confidence will increase to resume driving once more. READ MORE
My husband gets very violent sometimes. What should I do?
The violent behavior your husband exhibits adversely affects the emotional well being of everyone in your household. In addition, his violence can eventually escalate and become directed at you or other family members. He should seek help from a mental health professional and if possible, you should accompany him to insure full disclosure of his violent behavior. If he does not want you to attend, you can write a letter to the mental health professional explaining your concerns. You should also seek help for yourself from a mental health professional for support and guidance. If you have children, they too would benefit from support and help coping with the anger and violence their father displays. READ MORE
Why am I such an introvert?
It sounds like you suffer from social anxiety which introverts often deal with to various degrees. Causes of social anxiety include a biological predisposition, environmental factors, and faulty thought patterns. Because you describe having social anxiety which significantly affects important aspects of your life and causes significant distress, I believe you have Social Anxiety Disorder. You would benefit from meeting with a psychologist or other mental health professional who can provide you with support and help you develop effective coping skills, increased self-esteem, and insight into unresolved issues that may be contributing to your difficulties. Prescribed psychotropic medication from a psychiatrist can also help increase your resilience to anxiety and anxiety provoking situations. READ MORE
How serious can anorexia be?
The most serious risk associated with anorexia is death. Medical complications develop because malnutrition or starvation affect most major organ systems. Consequently, individuals suffering from anorexia often need medical attention immediately and should get evaluated by their doctor. A mental health provider who specializes in treating eating disorders can successfully help individuals with anorexia in the earlier stages or when they have a milder condition. But individuals with anorexia that have moderate to severe disorders generally need inpatient treatment at a facility for eating disorders before they can start outpatient treatment to maintain and continue progress. You can help your sister by reminding her that you love her and that you support her getting help to learn how to reach and maintain a weight that she finds comfortable but that also fosters good physical and mental health. READ MORE
My 17 Year Old Daughter Has Bulimia.
Because bulimia is destructive to her physically and emotionally, I do recommend an inpatient program specifically for eating disorders. She is almost an adult at which time you will no longer have that opportunity to help her get appropriate treatment. As a parent, you will know you have done all you can and hopefully both of you will feel good about the decision in retrospect. READ MORE
What is masked depression?
I believe masked depression refers to symptoms a person reports or exhibits that one typically does not associate with depression yet the person does suffer from underlying depression. For example, a teenager may primarily exhibit oppositional behavior increasing the possibility that his or her depression never gets recognized. READ MORE
Can counseling help my husband's behavior?
Marriage counseling can help foster communication and understanding which can lead to identifying the root of your husband's behavior changes and potential solutions. The marriage counselor may refer your husband to a psychologist for a psychological evaluation. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment could include anger and stress management and possibly a recommendation to meet with a psychiatrist for psychotropic medication. READ MORE
Can depression medicines cause excessive sleeping?
Side effects from medication can include sleepiness. Sometimes a side effect is temporary and will subside after a few weeks. If this does not occur, speak to your doctor about alternative medications less likely to have this side effect. READ MORE
My wife is a shopaholic. Is it a mental problem?
The term shopaholic suggests she consistently turns to shopping for a temporary escape from stressful, sad, or mundane aspects of life and while shopping, she experiences a significant elevation in her mood. Consequences can include overspending and avoidance of addressing underlying feelings, thoughts, or situations contributing to her preoccupation with shopping. She could benefit from exploring this possibility with a mental health professional who can help her learn alternative constructive ways to cope. READ MORE