Depression
I have been trying to make an appointment and get help for years. I feel anxious about even coming in there and getting started. Do you do phone appointments by chance?
Unfortunately phone appointments are not available. This is a restriction we must work with due to insurance requirements. It is completely normal to feel anxious about starting treatment and we understand how much courage it can take. Please know that anxiety is quite normal and that most people seeking out treatment are either depressed or anxious or both, so you are not alone. Please review the two articles on anxiety on the “Ask The Doctor" page of our web site.
A lot of times I don't get out of bed not even to eat I lost a lot of weight n I don't care about a lot of things am I depressed?
You certainly could be depressed. A common symptom is often a lack of motivation and loss of interest in activities. Signs of depression often include neglect of daily activities, appetite change and sleep change. Depression is often very treatable, however, you should also consult with your physician if you are losing a lot of weight to rule out any medical condition.
My doctor of 5 years lashed out at me in front of new help making me feeling worthless. I have not gone back and it has been 4 months and I need help what do I do?
We always encourage patients to address complaints/issues directly with their treatment provider. While the specifics of your situation are not known it is clear that your doctor should not “lash out" at you. That said, even professionals have bad days and hopefully your doctor will hear your concern and address it with you. If you feel that the problem can not be addressed then it sounds like you need to find a new provider. Generally a call to your insurance company will help you find doctors and practices in your area that are accepting new patients and also accept your insurance.
What is the management of psychological problems and behavioral disorders?
Your question is actually quite broad, but in the most straightforward terms I would define it as follows: A well developed plan that outlines specific interventions to address a given “problem" or “disorder." The interventions depend upon the specific problem or disorder. The word management means “The process of dealing with or controlling things or people." The word process in the definition is noteworthy because it implies a series of interventions over time. Therefore, managing a significant psychological or behavioral disorder involves a series of interventions over time that are planned, evaluated, and directed toward a desired outcome. Whew! Hope that is not too wordy.
What are signs of child mood disorder?
Depending upon the age of the child the signs may vary. In general any significant change in behavior, interests, or daily routines can be a sign of a mood disorder. You may notice significant sleep, appetite or hygiene changes. Another outward sign can include irritability (acting out) especially in boys or being more withdrawn especially in girls. If in doubt then check it out. Often a couple appointments with a mental health professional can provide a good diagnostic opinion.
Do you have hypnotherapy as well?
At this time we do not have a practitioner certified in hypnotherapy. You may also want to contact List Psychological Services or Health Source.
What is depression?
Depression is a disorder of the brain and body’s ability to biologically create and balance a normal range of thoughts, emotions, & energy.
Substance Abuse
Is there any place to go for spouses of substance abusers?
Many families attend Alanon or the related group for narcotics. You may also consider individual treatment.
I am probation and required to see a counselor for alcohol abuse because of a DUI. I have a job but cannot afford insurance. I don't think I qualify for medicaid. I need help. what can I do. The counselor I see right now charges me 25 for each session but I don't feel like I am getting anything out of it, no encouragement or anything. We never even talked about alcohol or how it may be affecting my life.
According to our Substance Abuse Director you should talk to your P.O. about this issue. If you are on probation with Saginaw or Bay County through Circuit Court your agent could refer you to our classes. If your probation is through District Court in Saginaw there may be other alternatives available to you depending upon your income. Our SA Director suggested that you call our office for more information.
How long is the treatment?.
The length of treatment varies depending upon the source of referral. For example if you are on Probation or Parole and you were referred by your agent then the treatment is provided in a group based format with some individual sessions for a number of weeks. If you are self referred then the length of treatment is entirely up to you and your therapist based upon your collaboration.
What is the definition of substance abuse?
Substance abuse has a range of definitions related to use or overuse of mood altering substances. Substance use may lead to addiction or dependence. Medically, dependence requires the development of tolerance leading to withdrawal symptoms.
Anxiety
If a person has social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder and uses email to overcompensate for it, but this method of emailing has become an addiction, is it healthy to cut the emailing all of a sudden? Is there a clinician at your agency that is able to provide services without punishing a client by dismissing them from the agency if they email? For instance, say the person emailed one person approximately 250 times within a 5 month period and the person emailed them back approximately 90 times. Is there hope to work through this problem?
The first step in any treatment is an accurate and valid diagnosis; unfortunately social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder are often misdiagnosed. As a matter of policy we do not conduct any distance therapy at this time via email, video or any other mechanism. Any therapist here strives to be available to a point to answer questions, however, there is occasion where the contact is clearly a therapeutic issue in and of itself and has to be addressed. We would not ever “dismiss" a client who is genuinely working on treatment goals, however, appropriate boundaries between patients and therapists is necessary.
Do you have any anxiety support groups?
No we do not have a specific support group for anxiety at this time.
Our fee schedule would not change in this case. You may call the office to find out specific charges.
For Social Phobia, do you provide exposure therapy where the clinician does exposure with the client in the real world setting?
That can be arranged at times, however, many insurances do not allow appointments to occur outside of the office. Be sure to indicate this particular preference when contacting a treatment provider. Also, depending upon your insurance, you may pursue prior authorization with the insurance company for this particular type of treatment.
Do you treat Anxiety related to sexual performance anxiety? I am able to cope in most areas of my life but sexual encounters lead to anxiety, that lead to poor perfomance's. What is the treatment for that?
The treatment for sexual performance related anxiety would be similar to treatment for anxiety in general. It would involve relaxation training and cognitive restructuring (i.e., changing the thoughts that lead to the anxiety into more positive or calming thoughts.) In certain cases, it may also be helpful to explore the origins of the anxiety. While sexual performance issues is often related to a confidence problem, they can also be related to more deep rooted issues.
Well for awhile I feel like I have been experienceing extreme anxiety and depression, im not sure exactly what is wrong with me maybe bi-polar? I just wanted to know how you guys could help diagnose what my issue is and what to do to treat it? thanks!
Your question illuminates a very important point; good treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis. Part of our intake process includes developing an initial diagnosis, which may be refined over time. However, our treatment is evidenced based, meaning we use treatments that have demonstrated good results. If the diagnosis is particularly difficult, then psychological testing may help.
Do you do Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder?
The simple answer is yes we do. However, many people use the term Social Anxiety Disorder (aka Social Phobia) to refer to times they experience anxiety in social situations. This is slightly different from Social Phobia, which is explained in detail at the following site: www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-social-anxiety-disorder No matter what specific form of anxiety disorder you are struggling with we do have practitioners who utilize CBT. Both Nathalie Menendes, Psy.D. and Mark Zaroff, Ph.D. would be able to provide this type of treatment.
What Are Anxiety/Panic Disorders?
It is a normal human emotion for people to experience anxiety or nervousness when faced with a problem or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders and panic disorders, however, are different. They can cause such distress that it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a normal life. Anxiety disorders are quite common, affecting more than 18% of all Americans. For those affected, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be crippling. Panic disorder is the most common of type of anxiety disorder and strikes without reason or warning. During a panic attack, the fear response is out of proportion for the situation, which often is nonthreatening. Over time, the person develops a constant fear of having another attack.
ADHD
Does this mean i have ADHD if i cant focus on one thing?
There are many reasons why a person may have trouble focusing and ADHD is certainly one of them. However, people will notice trouble with sustained attention due to depression, anxiety, trauma, sleep disorders among other reasons. To determine if you have ADHD a thorough evaluation is required.
Can you grow out of ADHD or control it?
The research is fairly consistent that as individuals with ADHD grow into late adolescence and early adulthood they begin to experience less hyperactivity. Some individuals notice an improvement in attention and concentration as well, however, many people with ADHD continue to struggle with attention and concentration problems into adulthood. Medication can be effective as well as behavioral strategies and, at times, biofeedback is useful.
Other
Is it possible to get a list of doctors and a little history about them? it's hard to make an appt with someone you've never seen or know anything about.
All of our active clinicians are listed under the “Who We Are" and then “Staff Bios" section. We know first hand that starting treatment an be difficult and we do hope to improve our biography page in the future to include more information about each clinician. Unfortunately at this time we do not have that information in a readily available, summarized format. We would be happy to answer any questions about a particular clinician’s qualifications prior to intake or at the intake. Most clinicians are happy to discuss their professional background, qualifications, and any areas of specialty.
I may have borderline personality disorder. I was looking for a dialectical behavior therapist. Do you specifically treat that at your location? If not, could you recommend someone that does?
Yes we do. We have two therapists on staff who are certified in this area and, in fact, ran the DBT treatment program for Bay Arenac Behavioral Health in the recent past. They currently work with individuals using DBT techniques on an individual basis and are working toward starting the associated group work in both Saginaw and Bay County. You would want to schedule an appointment with Barbara Goss, LMSW or Kristen Kolberg, LMSW. Just call 799-2100 and indicate your interest.
Can a 3yr old get counseling?
In a manner of speaking yes young children can benefit from mental health treatment. Specialists in the area of child therapy often use activities to assist a child in expressing concerns and developing coping mechanisms. This type of treatment usually involves the family as well, and may only require behavioral intervention, where the parents are working on new strategies to help the child with their particular issue.
Do you do evaluations for Asperger's in adults?
Yes, we evaluate for most areas and concerns with the exception of neuropsychological evaluations.
How many sessions are typically allowed per week?
Session limits are generally established as an insurance benefit. You would need to check with your particular insurance company or we could check for you if you call. Generally, people are seen once per week when they are starting treatment and session frequency typically reduces over time until discharge.
Is there a way to contact my therapist on the weekend for help in coping with a crisis without danger?
Yes, you should call our main number 799-2100 any time you feel in genuine crisis. We have an answering service that will put you in touch with your therapist or one of their supervisors.
what can i do to get rid of a guardian?
You need to petition the probate court in the county where the guardian was established. You can often do this on your own but any questions about the process are best handled by an attorney who works in that area of the law.
I need to have a psychological evaluation done in order to 'prove' myself to CPS so that I can get my children back. Do you do those?
Yes, we do these as a regular part of our practice.
my husband is wanting to finally talk about the abuse he faced in his life as a child is there anyone in your practice that handles that?
Yes, most of our therapists are trained in this area.
Is it possible to get PTSD from an abusive relationship?
Yes it is and we do see this often.
As a adult would it be benificial to be tested for dyslexcia.& would it help identify other problems if not dyslexic?
It often depends on your exact situation, however, many people find some relief from learning the results of a through diagnostic evaluation. We strive to address your concerns during testing and may indeed find other areas of concern.
Do you do evaluation for a learning disability for adults?
Yes we do
Do have treatment options for eating disorders?
We do have a therapist with significant experience treating eating disorders.
Is a mood adjustment disorder serious if bipolar and depression are present?
Generally an adjustment disorder is in response to some life event (e.g., divorce, loss of job, death) while Bipolar or Major Depression are more chronic. It is possible to have a double depression where the adjustment issue is contributing to worsening mood symptoms. In that case it could be a serious issue and should be addressed with your mental health provider.
Do any of the therapists incorporate 'safe touch' i.e. hugs etc. into therapy for healing purposes?
It is generally against our policy to use touch in therapy. Any touch would have to be a carefully documented, planned and quite limited intervention.
Do you offer classes on Mindfulness?
We do not offer classes, however, we do have therapists who incorporate mindfulness as an aspect of treatment.
When a significant other attempts to commit suicide and then lashes out at the person that saved them, what is the appropriate way to respond?
With patience and understanding. Hopefully the person is receiving mental health treatment in addition to your support. Please encourage them to do so if they are not already in treatment.
Do you treat and diagnose a person that is showing signs of dementia?
We do provide diagnostic evaluations for dementia. Treatment occurs in conjunction with the individuals family doctor. Our treatment typically focuses upon behavioral coping and emotional support as well as any supportive counseling that may be needed for the individual, their partner or family as everyone adjusts to change.
Do you have a therapist that specializes in dealing with children experiencing divorce?
The short answer is yes we do. However, it is important to note that there is not a special license or certification to indicate a “specialization" in working with children experiencing divorce. The closest certification would be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Otherwise individuals specializing in this population are self described based upon their own professional experience and continued education. We have a number of very experienced therapists in this area. If you choose to come here be sure to indicate this concern at the time you call and again at the first appointment to ensure the best match.
Do you typically hire help such as receptionists? I am a psychology major at SVSU and am looking for a job on the side and was hoping to get into an office as a receptionist or office aid. Do you typically hire for these positions?
At this time we are not hiring for any support staff positions. However, this is a good idea to see how mental health clinics work and to gain early experience in the field. Best of of luck to you.
I have a problem letting go of stuff. What kind of help can you offer?
Well it depends somewhat upon the meaning of “stuff." Assuming you mean moving on from life’s frustrations or conflicts, then therapy has the potential to help quite a bit. One treatment goal may focus upon general problem solving skills. If, however, you mean literally discarding items then you may want to seek out a specialist in hoarding. At this time we do not have such a specialist but we do have many therapists skilled in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy who could still help with such an issue.
I take .5 Klonipin, My family doctor for the last year has had me on 1mg Xanax. Now that my family doctor has changed at the facility I go to, the new doctor said she wouldnt prescribe me my xanax 1mg with me taking .5 Klonipin at night? I take the xanax as a fast onset of a panic attack and 1-1mg xanax along with the rest of my meds at night before I go to bed. Would Dr. Rao prescibe me my Klonipin and Xanax at the same time? My new family physician said she isn't familiar with most psychological prescriptions so that is a medication that she believe that my psychologist should prescribe to me?
This is question that only Dr. Rao could answer in treatment with you.
Are you hiring?
Even if we are not actively hiring I would encourage you to submit your resume with a cover letter regarding your interests. We have many part time individuals and opportunities for employment often come up during the year.
FAQ Answers