Dr. Michael J Zakalik PSUD

Psychologist

2027 West Division Street Suite 243 Chicago IL, 60622 Show map

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About

Dr. Michael Zakalik is a clinical psychologist practicing in OAK PARK, EVANSTON, and CHICAGO IL. Dr. Zakalik specializes in working with children, adolescents, emerging adults and parents. As a psychologist, Dr. Zakalik evaluates and treats patients through a variety of methods, most typically being telehealth psychotherapy or talk therapy. Patients usually visit Dr. Zakalik because they are seeking help reducing conflicts, promoting healthy relationships and personal growth with themselves as an individual as well as a partner, a caregiver, or a parent. Dr. Zakalik offers parent counseling services and parent education webinars to schools, groups of parents, and corporate teams on a variety of important mental health topics. Dr. Zakalik has been granted by the PSYPACT Commision to practice telehealth psychology in the following 32 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

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Dr. Michael J Zakalik PSUD

Dr. Michael J Zakalik PSUD's Expert Contributions

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Capacity
Capacity? What is within someone's capacity? Capacity today, later today, tomorrow, next week, next year, etc.What is within a person's capacity to sustain healthy behaviors and also be available to care for others?What helps a person maintain their progress and health seeking motives?When asking...

How does psychotherapy treat PTSD?
This is a great question and important to understand. Important to understand for all people in general to be fair. The idea of psychotherapy is building a relationship with a professional who is there to help you. They are experts in the field and therefore it will be more effective to turn to this supportively trained professional to help you versus a friend or a family member that may have bias or there could be potential other unknown consequences that may arise. So when working with a professional to help build a healthy relationship to focus on your inner struggles and memory and motives to think and be aware of when your buttons are triggered, it is important to build an arsenal of positive, healthy coping skills and relationships to help you when you are triggered. The idea behind challenges in life, especially when triggered and experiencing PTSD symptoms and emotions, will happen. It would be difficult and nearly impossible to control them. So the triggers are inevitable essentially. It is more so about how you manage and respond in a caretaking manner when you are experiencing those symptoms. Having a therapeutic relationship weekly that is ongoing with a mental health professional, provides you the consistent tools to help you stabilize, maintain progress, not slip too far down a dark tunnel. Another aspect is that ongoing care for yourself, holds yourself accountable to be thoughtful of yourself. READ MORE
Medicine interactions?
There are a lot of complexities when it comes to diagnosing a cluster of symptoms and treating with medications and caring for the person. It is not ethical and responsible for me to offer any recommendations outside of my area of expertise as well as when I do not have enough information. Trying to find the correct cocktail of medication for a specific person is very difficult. This is primarily the reason I am a clinical psychologist that helps parents and not a psychiatrist who has the responsibility of prescribing medication. Finding the right medication and therapeutic interventions and healthy parenting strategies and philosophies is a sophisticated process. It relies on accurate feedback from the client and also interventions with several professionals. The interventions with professionals for you and your child are important to participate in order to improve overall. For medication specific questions, I am intentionally referring to your prescribing physicians for help. I will say, even if you don't know the answer, know what is within your capacity and know what is within your son's capacity and start from there. If you are warm and understanding of your child and go through experiences together in a supportive manner, you can foster growth now and in the future. READ MORE