FAQ

We offer several different types of psychological assessments, such as, Learning Disorder, AD/HD, Anxiety, Depression, Psychiatric Diagnosis, Pre-surgical (spinal/bariatric/fertility), Surrogacy/Egg Donor Candidates, Coordination with outside treatment providers.  

AD/HD ASSESSMENT 

Because so many disorders mimic the types of attention deficits seen in AD/HD, it is important to rule out those disorders as the primary cause. The checklists so often used in schools provide needed information, but only a piece of it. The question is generally not if an attention deficit exists, but rather the type and cause(s) of this deficit. Treatment for disorganization, distractibility, and lack of focus is vastly different if the cause is related to a learning disorder, depression, or anxiety rather than AD/HD. AD/HD is a “rule-out” disorder. Without testing ruling out other causes, along with a history supporting the diagnosis, it is difficult to say with any degree of certainty if AD/HD is the source of the problem. At APC, we use a variety of standardized tests in this diagnostic process. Our goal is to determine whether the attention problems appear similar to those exhibited by others with AD/HD. We look for the presence of learning disorders and/or emotional issues that may be causing or contributing to the symptoms. Along with a detailed history, this process gives us a thorough picture upon which to base our diagnosis and recommendations for treatment, whether the symptoms are caused by a frank attentional deficit or by some other underlying problem.

WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE?

Most notably in children and adolescents, reading and/or other learning disorders can result in problems with focus and organization. Often individuals with undiagnosed learning disorders feel stupid and, rather than admit to difficulties, report and act bored or disinterested. Emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety commonly produce symptoms such as difficulty focusing, lack of motivation, forgetfulness, disorganization, and restlessness, and can look similar to AD/HD. Other emotional difficulties such as relationship problems, reactions to environmental changes or situational stressors, and difficulty expressing and/or controlling emotions can all produce symptoms that mimic AD/HD. 

ADD VS. AD/HD

There are three recognized types of AD/HD. Lack of focus, organizational problems, and frequent distractibility are considered part of a Predominantly Inattentive Type of AD/HD (commonly referred to as ADD). Problems with excessive activity, restlessness, and interrupting others are thought to characterize the Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type of AD/HD. Individuals experiencing both types of symptoms are considered to have a Combined Type of AD/HD. If symptoms don’t meet criteria for any of these types, individuals may be classified as having a non-specific attention-deficit disorder.

AD/HD TREATMENT

Generally people think of medication as the only option for treating AD/HD. It can be of tremendous help, and we often make referrals for that reason. However, behavioral and practical strategies are an essential part of treatment, whether or not medication is utilized. Our therapists work with patients and family members to develop practical solutions for improving focus and organization. Basic body awareness and self-redirection techniques are used to assist patients in gaining greater control over unwanted body movements. Practical solutions such as visual aids and timers help provide the external structure necessary to contain wandering attention spans. Family and parenting work includes strategies for dealing effectively with both educational and family/home situations. Whether in combination with medication or used alone, these techniques and treatments can help the individual dealing with attentional deficits gain control over his or her body, thoughts, and life. 

Psychological assessment can be used as a pre-surgical tool to help physicians determine the readiness of patients to undergo certain procedures. This type of assessment is useful for individuals needing spinal cord stimulators, spine surgery, or in any case in which a patient's psychological preparedness for surgery or his/her ability to cope during recovery is a concern.

​In addition to pre-surgical evaluations, we offer assessment specifically designed to assess psychological and emotional functioning in potential oocyte (egg) donors, surrogates, gestational carriers, and prospective parents involved in fertility procedures. Determinations and recommendations are made using criteria from The American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

If you have decided to pursue medication, or it has been recommended that you do so, it is important you understand that it is our philosophy at APC that medication is a facet of mental health treatment, but not typically sufficient on its own.

We believe the mental health needs of our patients are best served by being treated medically in conjunction with therapy and other psychological services offered by our professional staff. We recognize the fact that this belief may not be shared by everyone and that some individuals may desire medical treatment/medication management only. We respect this and encourage people to seek out the services that best fit their needs, even if it is not within this practice.

We realize the importance of medication in the treatment of many emotional and mental illnesses. To facilitate comprehensive treatment, our medical director is available to provide psychopharmacological management in partnership with patients' primary care physicians.

Irwin Schussler, DO, FACN, is a board certified psychiatrist who, in addition to dealing with psychiatric issues, can provide assistance in ruling out non-psychiatric causes of symptoms (e.g., thyroid functioning in depression, etc.), referring back to primary care physicians for medical evaluation. In combination with our philosophy that medication management works best in conjunction with therapy, we hope to assure a holistic approach to patient care.

It's hard for parents who want to get started helping their child to hear that they need to meet with the therapist alone for the first visit. There are many reasons we do this, all of which directly relate to helping your child get the best help they can. First, getting a complete background on your child and a feel for the issues at hand is imperative, as often children themselves won't (or won't be able) to articulate this themselves. In addition, although our intake personnel are well-trained, they are not therapists. Once an individual comes in for an appointment, it may become clear that there are other issues complicating their treatment. Additionally, even if there is a good fit between a child and a therapist, it is difficult to make therapy work unless there is also a good fit with that child's therapist. It can happen that, after an initial meeting, the therapist, the parents, or both may decide a different course or provider of treatment would be more beneficial. By setting up this initial meeting with the parents only, we avoid having a child feel rejected or hurt by any of these decisions or circumstances.

Children When faced with difficult situations, adults are often at a loss to recognize and articulate their experiences. Children face this task with only a fraction of the experiences and expressive skills that adults have at their disposal. Children's natural way of expressing themselves is to play and act out their experiences and fears. Play therapy utilizes this and allows children to communicate and work through issues at their own pace. Careful observation and subtle guidance of the play allows for exploration and facilitation of resolutions, and building of methods to cope with life's problems.

The hypnotic state clears a path through the disorder and jumble of conscious thought and allows the more imaginative subconscious mind to be active. In this state, individuals are more open to new perspectives and can re-associate triggers with positive behaviors. While in this relaxed state, individuals are more willing to accept the things they want to change as reality, something that amplifies their goal-directed behavior. Individuals can learn to anchor this state of relaxation with some sort of physical cue so they may bring back this relaxed state at will on their own.

Hypnotherapy can be used for a variety of issues including:

Smoking Cessation

Chronic Pain Relief

Weight Loss

Anxiety or Specific Phobias (Examples: Dental, Flying, Test Taking Phobias)

There are many myths about hypnosis. Many people think of hypnosis as being asleep, unaware of their surroundings, or controlled by someone else. In reality, hypnosis is actually a relaxed, wakeful state of heightened awareness, done with the intent to promote greater self-control. Individuals must want to be hypnotized, and anyone can resist it at any time, even if he/she has been hypnotized before. People cannot be made to do things against their will or be controlled while hypnotized.

We understand how expensive mental health treatment can be, and have worked hard to get our providers on most major plans. We are considered in-network for approximately 20 insurance companies including Aetna, Humana, Cigna, PHCS, and Multiplan. Often insurance companies use a different (or "carve-out") company for their mental health benefits, so we always verify benefits prior to scheduling your first appointment.  Please note this is NOT a guarantee of benefits; however, it helps minimize issues later and give you a better idea of what to expect for your portion.

If you do not have mental health coverage or we are considered out of network with your insurance, we can certainly see you on a fee-for-service basis.  Although we can not know how often you be seen, or if other services will be requested/recommended, we make every attempt to let you know what to except in terms of cost, so that you are better able to make decisions about and plan for your treatment. 

We take all major credit cards, debit cards, cash, and checks.

Generally, our professional staff is available to see patients  9:00 a.m. to  6:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and 9:00am to 3:00pm on Friday. In some instances, we offer earlier or later appointments.

New patients should arrive 30 minutes prior to their appointment time to allow themselves time to complete our paperwork. We will email you the more time consuming forms ahead of time with a reminder of your appointment time, the provider you are seeing, and the office address.  This will help speed up the process upon arrival.  Please filling out the forms and even emailing them back to our office in no way constitutes a patient relationship and is not a guarantee of acceptance and/or ongoing treatment with our office. Established patients should arrive 10 minutes prior to their appointment to allow for any front desk traffic, scheduling, and billing issues to be taken care of. Patients not doing so may run into the start of their appointment, resulting in a shorter session.