Psychological Consultation
Effective therapy is built on a good connection with your therapist; a relationship built on trust, respect and understanding. One of the goals of our first session together is to begin developing a strong therapeutic relationship and establish a framework for our future sessions.
The psychological consultation may take place during the initial visit or over the course of several visits. The goal of this assessment is to gain an understanding of the challenges you are currently facing, a history of experiencing similar challenges and, if relevant, your treatment history. Information will also be gathered about other aspects of your life, including interpersonal relationships, work history, developmental and medical history, and family psychiatric history. Following the evaluation, findings and treatment recommendations will be discussed and an individualized treatment plan developed. Through a collaborative discussion and framework, this treatment plan will then be implemented and monitored during future therapy sessions.
Individual and Group Therapy
Throughout our lives we may find ourselves pulled in many directions, especially between our friends and family, work and social expectations. It’s no wonder that we find ourselves struggling to keep up and experiencing a wide range of social-emotional difficulties. This can have a negative impact on the way we view ourselves and the world around us. We may then find ourselves stuck within a vicious cycle, in which our negative thoughts result in increased feelings of anxiety, anger and depression. Psychotherapy can help you break out of this cycle and work towards establishing healthier thought patterns, engaging in more adaptive behaviors and resulting in feeling better overall.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a short-term, structured treatment (i.e. between 3 months and a year) that focuses on teaching you skills and strategies to cope with a range of specific challenges. This is done through acknowledging the connection between one’s thoughts, emotions and behaviors and modifying those dysfunctional thoughts, emotions and behaviors. To achieve this, patients are encouraged to challenge their inaccurate cognitions and change their maladaptive patterns of behavior. This will help you decrease your overall level of distress and allow you to move forward with attaining your desired goals. CBT techniques can be taught and applied within both the individual and group therapy sessions.
We Help Patients Overcome
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Anxiety
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Anger management
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Career loss/change
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Depression
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Decision-making difficulties
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Effective communication
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Independence and self-sufficiency
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Impulse control
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Marital and dating concerns
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Mood swings
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Motivation
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Obsessive compulsive disorders
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Organization and productivity
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Panic disorder
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Perfectionism
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Persistent self-critical thoughts
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Phobias
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Postpartum depression
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Problem-solving difficulties
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Relationship difficulties
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Sleep issues
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Social skills and assertiveness
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Stress Management
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Time Management
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Transitions/Difficulties adjusting
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Trauma
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Work/Life balance
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Workplace stress
Psychoeducational Evaluation
Full Diagnostic Psychoeducational and Neuropsychological Evaluations provide diagnostic assessment of children and adolescents who may be experiencing behavioral, emotional, learning, or adjustment problems. These evaluations provide an objective and unbiased analysis of your child’s strengths and difficulties and can offer information about which accommodations are important for your child to succeed at school, whether your child is working to his or her potential and your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Emphasis is placed on identifying and clarifying problem areas and developing realistic goals.
The evaluation assesses several areas of functioning:
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Cognitive Functioning: An evaluation of verbal, visual-spatial, and visual-perceptual reasoning skills, working memory, and processing speed.
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Academic Functioning: An assessment of academic achievement levels including reading, writing, mathematical skills and comprehension abilities.
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Attention and Executive Functioning: An evaluation of executive skills and functioning including attention span, self-control, working memory, planning and organizational abilities.
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Social-Emotional Functioning: An assessment of personality and social and emotional factors.
The Full Diagnostic Psychoeducational Evaluation consists of a biographical data review, psychological, and academic testing evaluation and assessment, an interpretive conference and a written report. Dr. Fooks will work with you, your child, and school personnel to obtain the answers needed to maximize their learning success. All evaluations and recommendations are individualized to meet the your child’s specific needs.