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CME Psychology Consultants is proud to announce that Clinical Psychologist Sue Babcock, Ph.D. has joined our practice.Sue Babcock, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist Expertise in Psychotherapy with Eating Disorders

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Self Psychology

Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most likely cause of cognitive decline in individuals over 65, there are many other causes and disorders for progressive cognitive decline and personality change. Many of these can be treated by medication or even behavioral change and it is only by careful differential diagnosis that determinations can be made concerning the most efficacious treatments.

Although Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, there are medications that can be used to delay the progression of cognitive and personality changes. The lifespan following the development of the disease can be a few years to more than a decade but with appropriate intervention, the patient’s and family’s quality of life is improved substantially.

Families usually bring the patient in for diagnosis after two to four years of symptoms. By this time, the intellectual and behavioral changes have often caused profound hardship to the patient and family, with serious damage within the relationships among family members. Early detection and intervention can aid the family in developing coping strategies, becoming educated about resources available to them, and allowing the individual to assist in the decision-making process to ensure that their wants/needs are met.

Psychotherapy is a process in which changes in a person come about through experiences in a relationship with a professionally trained psychotherapist. This relationship provides a setting where the patient can learn to change behavior and reorganize beliefs about themselves and others, within a climate of understanding and exploration of thoughts, feelings and actions. The psychotherapist and patient collaborate to achieve goals, including resolving problems in living, and relationships, habit control, and or eliminating stress and depression.

The basis of psychotherapy is communication in the context of a confidential relationship. Through taking the initiative in talking about experiences in the sessions, patients come to recognize and rely on their own resources. The task of the psychotherapist is to tailor the treatment to techniques that will be best suited for the patient and to use treatments based on research and other clinical knowledge that are effective in changing behavior.

The only requirement in psychotherapy is honesty and a receptive stance toward feedback the therapist provides. The relationship provides an opportunity to try out new behavior, and to learn to replace old problem-solving strategies with those that result in more profitable experiences. Much of this learning occurs in the relationship with the psychotherapist.

The end results of psychotherapy occur from the efforts of the patient and therapist in the collaborative relationship. Effective communication in this relationship can result in an increase in the quality of the patient’s self-understanding, self-esteem, health, and relationships with others.

State-of-the-art theoretical orientations of psychotherapy employed by our psychologists include:

BEHAVIOR THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)

DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT)

FAMILY SYSTEMS THERAPY

HYPNOTHERAPY

MARITAL THERAPY

PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY

SELF PSYCHOLOGY

TRAUMATOLOGY AND ADDICTIONOLOGY

Stressed out? Join the club. According to an American Psychological Association (APA) survey taken in 2004, fifty-four percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives. Given the current global climate and economic concerns, it’s no wonder stress is on the upswing. But what really causes stress and is it necessarily a bad thing? Stress can actually be helpful or it can be hazardous. How stress affects your body depends on how you choose to deal with it and manage it in your everyday life.
What causes stress?

Think about a situation you considered to be stressful. Did you feel overwhelmed, helpless and frustrated or were you energized, challenged and hopeful? What was your body’s reaction to the situation? Did your muscles tense up or was your heart racing? Was your first reaction to ignore the situation by avoiding it/running away or did you stay and confront the issue? Your response to these questions is as important as the way you view situations and will determine how you deal with it. In fact, how you perceive both the situation and your ability to handle situations is what causes stress.

Different approaches to stress

Not everyone reacts to stressful situations in the same manner. Take getting stuck in a traffic jam. One person may get angry and engage in behaviors that increase feelings of stress and anxiety--honking the horn or raging at other drivers. Another person may see the same situation as an opportunity to engage in relaxing or calming activities. Even catastrophic events, such as natural disasters, will bring out different reactions in different people.

How stress can help you grow

Some stress can is helpful by enriching our lives or challenging us to reach our potential. Think about promotions, weddings, starting a new business venture, moving into your dream house or having a baby--all life changing situations that can be exhilarating, uplifting and exciting. They can help you to feel successful, reach your potential and enrich your life. In this way, stress can be good. In fact, living a stress-free life is impossible and would be boring and dull.
Stress can be hazardous to your health

Negative stress and an inability to recognize the impact on your physical and emotional health can be dangerous. Long-term or chronic stress can cause serious physical and psychological illnesses and in some cases it can lead to death. Some stress related illnesses are: heart disease, high blood pressure, weight gain/loss, migraines, depression, alcoholism, anxiety, insomnia and eating disorders.
Managing Stress

Building awareness of the impact stress has on your mind and body, and changing the way you deal with stress leads to a healthier and balanced life. Here are a few ways to start managing stress in your life:

• Recognize and identify how you can handle situations that cause stress in a healthier manner.

• Eliminate unhealthy ways of coping such as alcohol, drugs and food and replace them with healthier methods such as exercise, yoga, spiritual practice or outdoor activities.

• Become aware of negative self talk. Find ways of building yourself up instead of tearing yourself down.

• Be aware of ways in which you are contributing to the stressfulness of the situation. Would planning ahead or being better organized help you feel more in control? Are you avoiding things? Making small changes can make a stressful situation more manageable.

• Take care of your physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Listen to your body signals. Are you getting enough sleep, eating balanced meals, exercising?

• When you are feeling tense, stop and do some deep breathing exercises visualizing your-self in a serene, tranquil setting.

• Learn the difference between what you can and cannot control. Thinking you are responsible for everything or for another person’s life can lead to feelings of failure and depression.

• Set healthy boundaries. Overextending yourself or saying yes when you really want or need to say no, leads to exhaustion, resentment and stressful relationships. • If stress has become overwhelming to the point where it is affecting your physical and emotional health, seek the assistance of a therapist or join a support group.

Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child

What does it mean to raise an emotionally intelligent child? In his book “Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child”, psychologist John Gottman says that when you help your child understand and handle overwhelming feelings such as anger, frustration, or confusion, you develop his emotional intelligence quotient, or emotional IQ. And, says Gottman, a child with a high emotional IQ is better able to cope with his feelings, can bring himself down from emotional high-wire acts, understands and relates well with others, and can form strong friendships more easily than a child with a lower emotional IQ. In other words a high emotionally intelligent child is a social competent child.

The relationship between academic success and social competence Research suggests that there is a strong relationship between social and academic mastery (Welsh, Parke, Widaman, & O’Neil, 2001). Children rated by their teachers as being at high risk of academic failure in second grade were rated by their kindergarten teachers as more disruptive and aggressive than other children (Wasik, Wasik, & Frank, 1993). When children enter kindergarten with social and academic skills comparable to those of younger children and are placed with teachers without the background knowledge of working with younger children, challenges can arise.

What shall I do?

Build on understanding the child’s current level of social development rather than holding him/her accountable for standards they have not mastered.

These skills are considered the essential building blocks for future school success:

 Self control

 Self-concept

 Social competence

 Initiative and curiosity

 Persistence and reflection

Social learning is acquired developmentally in the context of relationships when children FEEL SAFE and VALUED as individuals. When choosing a kindergarten for your child, make sure that their academic curriculum has in addition a preparation of socials skills necessary to fully participate in group settings. Through a play oriented curriculum, children learned to share objects and attention, to wait for a turn, to resolve conflicts with peers with adult assistance, to participate in group activities, and to adjust to different routine and new sets of rules. These social goals for kindergarten children have given a base line for children to succeed in academics (Logue, M.E., 2007). Children entering kindergarten are expected to come with the prerequisites skills for early literacy and math and the social maturity to comply with school routines (Logue, M.E., 2007).

Parents, your role now is to make sure that your existing pre-k program teaches many of the social skills that help your child to participate in a group as a cooperative member and learn to use adults to gain information and assistance. It is very important that children are given an opportunity to learn social skills in context, otherwise they may not benefit from the academic instruction offered. Many children who spend time in principals’ offices, in time-out chairs, and away from recess have not yet learned the behaviors they need to work cooperatively in groups of peers.

They need to learn:
1. To control their impulses,
2. To use language rather than aggression to express frustration,
3. To resolve conflicts and disagreements with peers,
4. And attend for increasingly longer periods of time through patience, and verbal feedback.
Instead of punishment, children exhibiting a lack of knowledge about classroom rules need help from their teachers if they are to join the circle of their more capable peers. Understanding how children think about rules helps guide teaching.

Research showed that four-to-eight-year-olds were uncertain about messages conveyed by shouting (Zambarano, 1991). Young children need clear and careful communication from adults. Kindergarten-age children see all punishment (of themselves) as unfair and undeserved (Brophy, 1986).

The outcomes of such competence are within these three categories:

1. Contribution to the overall effort of the group,
2. Demonstration of respect and fairness to others,
3. and display of effective interpersonal communication skills.