Psychological Matters

Thought: "Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Isaiah 6:10b Your first appointment time has arrived. What is reasonable to expect from this interview? That is what the first appointment is: an interview. During the first 45 to 50 minutes the counselor will listen to why you are seeking help, the history of the issue(s), and your hopes and expectations of treatment. This information will determine the course and method of therapy. The style of first appointments varies from clinician to clinician. Some therapists have a specific set of questions that they ask every first-time client. Others will start with an open-ended question and let you lead the direction of the appointment. The purpose of either method is to understand your emotional or psychological difficulties and to establish some treatment goals and objectives. By the end of the session you should have a sense that the therapist has an ...

Thought: "Reckless words piece like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18 At this point in the process of finding a good therapist, you have obtained the names of several clinicians from reputable sources. Many of them have credentials you haven't seen before, such M.D., D.O., Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D., LCSW, LLP, and MFCC. What do these degrees mean? Mental health specialists fall into one of four categories: Psychiatrists (M.D. or D.O.): These individuals are medical doctors who have specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders instead of another specialty, such as cardiology or dermatology. They have medical training and are licensed to prescribe medication. They assess individuals from a biological angle and provide medical treatment. Psychologists (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D., or LLP): These therapists have intensive training in psychology. They have studied human behavior and personality development. They provide counseli...

Thought: "let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-" Proverbs 1:5 It happened again last week. A new client came into my office for her first appointment. She had been referred by her primary care doctor's office, but was hoping to start medical treatment. She didn't know I only provided "talk therapy" and not medication. I worried that she may have wasted an hour of her time only to have the end result be another referral to a different specialist. Fortunately, this error only occurs a couple times a year, but even one time is too many. How could this have been avoided? I would like to use this article to help you be more informed as you seek psychological help. Identify your primary reason for seeking treatment. Has there been a change (or changes) in your overall psychological and physical functioning? What symptoms you are experiencing? When did these symptoms start? Are you looking for counseling (...

Thought: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--- and how good is a timely word!" Proverbs 15: 22-23 Probably the most common question I'm asked is for a name of a good therapist. My friends and family figure I must have contacts since I work in the field of psychology. I consider this a very important question and am glad to give recommendations. In the 1960 and 70's there was an explosion of new counseling models. Each specialty group thought it had found a better way to treat emotional problems. Was this assumption true? Whose treatment techniques were the most effective? Research studies began with the belief that one clinical model would rise to the top as the most effective treatment style. The results were surprising. No treatment modality was better than another. Instead, the studies found that the personality characteristics of therapists influenced treatment outcomes. Counselors who were ...

My next blog will be posted on April 9th when I start a series on how to find a good therapist and what to expect during the initial counseling sessions. This week I am going to shift gears and introduce you to Shirley Vogel, an inspirational author and speaker. I met her at a recent writer's conference where she encouraged me in my writing endeavors. Shirley's book, wHispers: when He is so precious even rocks sing , was awarded second place in the Spiritual Division of New England Book Festival 2009. She graciously agreed to an interview about her work and this book. If you would like to purchase an autographed copy of wHispers or to engage Shirley for a speaking event, please contact her at her website . You also can order her book directly from Amazon . ..... Kerry: What led you to write about your experiences with God? Shirley: During my troubled marriage, and the counseling and divorce that followed, I began journaling. I didn’t consider writing a book until after God bro...

Thought: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14: 1-3 The final ontological question is "where do I go when I die?" This question seems to get our attention when we have experienced a close loss (such as a death of a family member) or are facing serious health issues. Otherwise, we ignore this question since we generally feel uncomfortable thinking about our mortality. Facing the unknown is scary and we feel tension or anxiety considering this question. Yet, our answer can either fill us with hope, or fear and discouragement. Years ago I heard Dr. Dobson on his daily Focus on the Family radio show interview a mother. She shared a story of how one of her children died in a terrible accident. Wh...

Thought: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-24 The fourth ontological question is "What is man's basic nature?" I remember my professor introducing this question and wondering how it could give us problems. What does it matter what we believe about our basic makeup? Yet, I have noticed that we, as a country, spend enormous amounts of money addressing this issue. I see our school systems using educational models trying to fix this problem. The way in which we answer this question affects how we make sense of mankind and its struggle. Our belief shapes the solutions we propose to fix social issues. This is a very important ontological question. Here are some assessment questions to help each of us determine what we believe about man's basic natu...