Yes!

It is terrible to suffer from an anxiety disorder – particularly Panic Disorder – but you can learn to spot the tell-tale signs of an impending panic attack, and take steps to prevent it from happening. You really can learn to control and prevent panic attacks, and once you get good at it, you will find yourself living a much less constricted life. Most people treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder see a change in as little as 6-8 sessions. The typical course of treatment for panic attacks is 10 -12 sessions.

If you have been in therapy for panic attacks for months or years, you are likely receiving the wrong treatment.

Effective treatment for anxiety is a little bit like going to “anxiety school.” You learn about how anxiety is connected to both your body and your mind. You’ll discover what causes those unpleasant feelings, and how chronic stress, thoughts, and prior experiences make panic attacks happen. You’ll learn to track the course of a panic attack and decode how your mind and body create them. Before long, you’ll develop symptom control and your fear of having a panic attack will begin to subside.

Relief can come fast, but you’ll have to spend some time learning and applying new skills. So, there is some work involved, but its nothing you can’t do, and we’ll move at a pace that is tailored to your comfort.

If you want to know more about what’s involved in getting treatment for problem anxiety, please get in touch. We can organize a free, no obligation conversation about how you can learn to control anxiety (and not let it control you!).

I offer assessment services for children starting at age five, and for most adults.

I offer psychotherapy services for persons age 12 through adulthood. I currently do not offer therapy for children under age 12 or assessment services for children under age five.

If you want to know more about the sort of services that I do provide, please get in touch and we can have a brief, no-obligation chat about it.

A pediatric neuropsychologist is a psychologist who has extra training and expertise in how learning and behavior are related to brain development. They have a doctoral degree in psychology and also complete a minimum-two-year fellowship after finishing their doctoral work. Many pediatric neuropsychologists work in children’s hospitals, where they work closely with physicians and other professionals to provide comprehensive care for children with medical or developmental concerns.

A neuropsychologist’s work is diagnostic in focus. A neuropsychological evaluation is designed to help those involved in a person’s care and/or education understand their unique cognitive landscape, and make it possible to tailor intervention and support to meet those specific needs.

The primary tools used by a neuropsychologist include interviews, review of medical and academic records, questionnaires, and lots and lots of one-to-one interactive testing. A pediatric neuropsychological evaluation provides a comprehensive and authoritative review of an individual’s medical, psychiatric, and cognitive status and is an invaluable tool in for determining the needs of a child or adolescent with a complex developmental or medical background. It can take up to three days to complete.

Some of the tests used by pediatric neuropsychologists are the same tests used in school evaluations, but a neuropsychologist may interpret test results in a different way, or integrate the results from academic measures with other, more specialized tests of cognition and motor function.

Neuropsychologists provide information that no other professional can. Often, a neuropsychological evaluation is THE piece that solves the puzzle behind why a child is struggling.

Through assessment, pediatric neuropsychologists obtain valuable and unique information about the needs and concerns of children suffering from brain injury, diseases that affect brain function or development, and general developmental issues. It is a perspective that is not offered by any other professional.

Pediatric neuropsychologists also often provide ongoing case management in coordination with a child’s primary medical provider.

Neuropsychologists are not physicians, so they don't prescribe medication. However, a neuropsychologist can do specialized testing that helps quantify the impact of medications on a person/s ability to function, providing information that can be useful to neurologists, psychiatrists, and others involved in that person’s care.

If you want to know more, please get in touch and we can have a short, no-obligation conversation about what I offer.

A neuropsychological evaluation includes assessment of multiple aspects of cognition, behavior, social functioning, and possibly also some aspects of motor functioning. It involves direct assessment of a child’s functioning through hands-on, interactive testing by a trained examiner, and will also includes in-depth interviews with caregivers about the child’s developmental and medical history and current concerns. Teachers and parents will also be asked to complete a number of questionnaires to gain additional information about school and home functioning.

Depending upon the referral question, a neuropsychological evaluation will likely consist of measures of Intelligence, attention and executive functioning, memory, speed of information processing, expressive and receptive language skills, academic performance, visual perception, fine motor speed and control, mood, personality, social skills, and behavior.

Results from the evaluation are provided in a detailed meeting where parents and others involved in the care of the child can hear results, ask questions, and make sure they fully understand the situation and what is recommended.

All the results and recommendations are also documented in a written report provided to the child’s legal guardians.

For more information, please get it touch and we can have a short, no-obligation chat about what we offer.

A full neuropsychological evaluation will consist of a lengthy parent or caregiver interview, direct testing over two or more day-long visits to the office, and a feedback conference for parents or caregivers where the results of the evaluation are shared. The final product of a neuropsychological evaluation is a written report detailing the results, which will include details regarding diagnosis and recommendations for intervention.

In many cases, a child is seen six months or a year later for a short follow-up visit to repeat some parts of testing to monitor the effectiveness of intervention and address additional questions.

Children are referred for a neuropsychological evaluation for a number of reasons. A physician may make a referral because of concerns regarding the cognitive impact of a disease, or a current or past medical treatment or procedure, or because of issues regarding a child’s developmental status. School professionals may make a referral because they have questions about a child’s learning or cognition that they themselves are unable to fully address. A parent may decide their child should have a neuropsychological evaluation because they have persistent, unanswered questions regarding some aspect of their child’s behavior, problem-solving skills, or learning ability.

If you’re wondering whether your child might benefit from some kind of evaluation, please get in touch. I’m happy to have a free, no obligation chat with you about your concerns.

Many years ago when I was wondering if I was the sort of person who should attend graduate school, I decided that it might be worthwhile to get some information about my skills, abilities, and vocational interests, to see if I might be “a good fit” in some kind of a Masters or Doctoral graduate program. I visited the student counseling center at the University of Minnesota (where I was working on my bachelors degree), and asked if they could help me with this.

It turned out that they could — and wow did they! Before long, I had undergone a fairly thorough evaluation of my learning and problem solving skills, foundational values, and occupational interests, which turned out to be unbelievably useful in helping me make a decision about the “next step” in my life — to obtain a doctoral degree in psychology. Really, it was an invaluable experience.

Over the years, I’ve encountered a few people who have had similar experiences. It turns out, the kind of information that is readily obtained from a little over half a day of testing and some questionnaires, can be extremely useful when making important life decisions. If you want more information about this sort of assessment, please get in touch and I can tell you more about it, and whether you or someone you care about might benefit.

My services are self-pay only. Depending upon your situation, you may be able to submit my invoice to your insurance company for at least partial reimbursement.

It is best that you discuss this with your insurance company and, if possible, I will attempt to provide you with an invoice that helps you obtain reimbursement. Please note that I am not able to negotiate the terms of an assessment with a third-party payer.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.