• Questions to ask your Doctor
  • Choose Quality Care

Psychology

164446829Psychology is the field of medicine that focuses on the social aspects of mental health as it relates to thought processes, behaviors and the development of new skills or coping skills throughout various times over the course of a lifetime. It used to seem to be that Psychology was meant to focus on emotional difficulties stemming from mental illness.  In truth,   people from all walks of life, with or without mental illness, may seek out the aid of a Psychologist today.

Psychologists today may help you develop meaningful solutions to relieve stress and anxiety, to cope through life changes, and to break through barriers associated with unmanageable feelings, such as depression or prolonged anger.  Psychologists use a variety of tools to evaluate how you think, feel, and behave to help you define goals and succeed with accomplishments through reasonable expectations. Your evaluation with a Psychologist may be quite revealing, including:

  •  Intellectual Skills
  • Cognitive Strengths and Weaknesses
  • Vocational Aptitude and Preference
  • Personality Characteristics
  • Neuropsychological Functioning

174247392Psychologist: The Basics

Each Psychologist has a unique set of tools that he or she uses to help you develop enhanced life management skills.  Psychologists with doctoral degrees (either a PhD, PsyD or EdD) receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees. The American Psychological Association estimates there are roughly 85,000  Psychologists in the U.S.

Understanding Insurance

Depending upon your insurance, it may be difficult to obtain support for ongoing care unless you become educated about the avenues available to maximize your benefits and by entrusting treatment to the right mental health professionals.

Certain HMO plans may be very slow to approve ongoing therapeutic care and delayed care may result in a more severe condition. So, it’s wise to pursue treatment regardless of insurance constraints because the benefit of being able to lead a more productive life limits the risk of a greater or complete debilitation. Prompt care at the onset of warning signs may be financially rewarding as well, possibly lending the ability to enhance your professional life and to remain out of a hospital if you have mental illness. Once a Psychologist gets to know you well, you may not be likely to need to go as often for therapeutic visits. Yet, you may have the opportunity to call in on short notice to request an appointment if you experience early warning signs which may prevent a far more costly and time consuming downtime or hospitalization filled with downtime from life.

 PPO plans tend to offer more flexible options. You still need to be aware about annual limits, the number of times you may receive therapy, the type of treatment you may receive, and what types of conditions are covered for treatment. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder may not offer an adequate number of therapeutic sessions when compared to the number of sessions allotted for people with personality disorders even though both conditions may be equally debilitating.

174362143Be Proactive!

In the end, the important thing you can do yourself and your family  is to be proactive about your care. Do your research. Be inquisitive when you select your mental health provider. In this way, you may have broader options to able ensure your select the right treatment at the right time for your situation. Seek out alternatives if you do not respond to treatment in the estimated time frame calculated by your counselor or sooner when necessary.

It is important to recognize that there are benefits and risks associated with all medical procedures and medications. It is also important to recognize that all information contained on this website cannot be considered to be specific medical diagnosis, medical treatment, or medical advice. As always, you should consult with a physician regarding any medical condition. Your Health Access disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.