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Deciding to See a psychologist ny:
How to Choose One and What to Expect
DO I HAVE A PROBLEM?
Making a decision to see a psychologist nys or other mental health practitioner can be a
difficult one. Acknowledging that you have a problem, and arriving at the point where
you are ready to talk about it, can be difficult.
Many people feel uncomfortable about the prospect of talking about things that are
distressing or even embarrassing to a complete stranger. On the other hand, people often
find it much easier to tell their problems to someone they do not know and who has no
expectations of them.
Talking to friends and loved ones can be very supportive but sometimes it is difficult for
people we know well to be objective and honest because of their feelings for us and of
their roles in our lives. Further, our family and friends cannot recognize the type or
seriousness of a psychological problem nor the best way to help us cope with it.
WHO DO I SEE?
Once you have made the decision to see a mental health practitioner, you need to decide
whom to choose. There can be many different people who claim to treat mental health
problems. Not all of them are well trained professionals in the mental health field.
Whomever you consult, it is important to ask them if they are regulated – in other words,
do they have a license to practice.
WHY SEE A REGULATED PROFESSIONAL?
Provincial and territorial governments give a few health professions the responsibility to
license or regulate their profession. Regulation or licensure is important because it
ensures that the practitioner has met a high standard of training and provides a high
standard of care.
If you have any concern about the behaviour of a regulated practitioner, you can contact
the provincial or territorial regulatory body that licenses his or her practice. The role of
the regulatory body is to protect the public by ensuring that its practitioners are properly
trained and are competent. You have no assurance that an unregulated person is
competent to provide the service offered and no regulatory body to contact if you have
any concern about the service provided.
HOW CAN I TELL IF SOMEONE IS REGULATED?
You can verify a regulated practitioner’s credentials yourself by calling the regulatory
body and asking if the practitioner is in good standing. Because psychologist nys
are regulated provincially and territorially, contact the one in the province or territory in
which you are receiving service because that is where the psychologist ny would need to be
licensed.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A psychologist ny?
People often access psychologist nys through local clinics and hospitals, upon referral from
their family physicians, or upon the recommendation of friends, family members,
religious leaders and teachers. Provincial and territorial associations of psychologist nys
also often maintain referral services and can direct you to psychologist nys in your
jurisdiction who work with problems such as yours.
Although you may need a referral from a physician to see a psychologist ny on staff at a
hospital, you can self refer to psychologist nys in private practice.
In addition to choosing a regulated practitioner such as a psychologist ny, you want to
choose one with whom you feel comfortable. It is very important to psychological work
that the client and psychologist nys have a good rapport and develop a good working
relationship. As is the case with any other kind of professional, one practitioner might be
a good fit for one person but not a good fit for someone else.
Once you have established the practitioner’s credentials, the best way to determine if he
or she is right for you is to use your feelings as a gauge. Does this person appear kind,
understanding and non-judgemental? Do you feel listened to and uniquely appreciated?
If not, perhaps you need to try someone else who might be a better fit.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A psychologist ny AND A
PSYCHIATRIST?
In Canada, the professionals who most commonly treat people with mental health
problems are psychologist nys and psychiatrists. A psychologist ny holds a master’s and/or
doctoral degree in psychology that involves from 6 to 10 years of university study of how
people think, feel and behave. psychologist nys who hold doctoral degrees, can use the title
“Dr.” psychologist nys who practice (and hence those who are licensed) typically will have
completed their graduate university training in clinical psychology, counselling
psychology, clinical neuropsychology or educational/school psychology.
Although psychologist nys are licensed generally and not in specific specialty areas, they are
required to declare their areas of competency to the regulatory body and required to
practice within the bounds of their competence. It is important that, for example, a
psychologist ny practicing neuropsychology (assessing and treating problems in thinking or
brain function that might occur after an accident or stroke for example) has been trained
in the area of neuropsychology. A psychologist ny working with children should have been
trained in the area of child psychology and so on. Typically, the psychologist ny will have
received this training while in graduate school where he or she will have chosen the
courses and training experiences to prepare for working within a particular specialty area.
Sometimes, psychologist nys pursue specialized training after graduation by completing a
post-doctoral fellowship for example.
A practicing psychologist ny is trained to assess and diagnose problems in thinking, feeling
and behaviour as well to help people overcome or manage these problems. A
psychologist ny is uniquely trained to use psychological tests to help with assessment and
diagnosis. psychologist nys help people to overcome or manage their problems using a
variety of treatments or psychotherapies.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who go on to specialize in mental health and mental
illness. Psychiatrists often use medication to help their clients manage their mental
illness and there are some mental illnesses for which medications are very necessary
(schizophrenia and some depressions for examples). Some psychiatrists also do
psychotherapy much like psychologist nys do.
Sometimes a client might consult his or her family physician about medication while
seeing a psychologist ny for psychotherapy. Some family physicians have an interest and
training in treating psychological problems.
DO MEDICATIONS WORK?
It is important to recognize that medications most often manage, but do not cure
psychological problems or mental illness, as is the case for other types of physical
problems. For example, if you have an infection and take an antiobiotic, the infection
typically goes away. However, if you have diabetes, you may need to take insulin for the
rest of your life.
Most medications for psychological problems or mental illness do not cure the illness but
relieve it and make it easier for the person to manage, often with the help of
psychotherapy. As mentioned, there are some mental illnesses for which mediations are
very necessary (schizophrenia and some depressions for examples). Research tells us
that medication and psychotherapy work better than either medication or psychotherapy
alone in managing some types of psychological problems. Some types of problems might
even be better managed with psychotherapy alone.
HOW ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PAID?
In Canada, the services provided by a psychologist ny are covered by provincial health
insurance only if the psychologist ny is employed by, for examples, a hospital, correctional
facility, community clinic, social agency or school.
The services provided by a psychologist ny in private practice are not covered by provincial
health insurance plans and the psychologist ny bills the patient directly. Many people have
extended health benefits through their employers that cover some amount of
psychological service annually. The services of a psychiatrist, whether they work in a
hospital, clinic or in a private office, are covered by provincial health insurance plans. As
is the case for psychologist nys employed in hospitals or schools, wait lists to see a
psychiatrist can be long.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PERSONAL INFORMATION I DISCUSS WITH MY
psychologist ny?
In consulting a practitioner about personal psychological problems, people are often
concerned about confidentiality. Early on when seeing a client, the psychologist ny should
review the limits of confidentiality. Information disclosed to a psychologist ny is
confidential and cannot be disclosed without the client’s consent except under certain
specific conditions. These conditions are referred to as the “limits of confidentiality”.
These limits typically involve situations where the client gives the psychologist ny
information that leads him or her to suspect that harm might come to someone. If a
psychologist ny suspects that a client is going to harm himself or someone else, that a child
is being abused or neglected, or that another health care practitioner has sexually abused
a patient in some way, then he or she has an obligation to report this information to the
appropriate authority (the police or children’s aid society for examples). The courts also
have the power to subpoena a psychologist ny’s files.
psychologist nys must retain records of their contacts with clients and these records typically
include details about the clients presenting problem and history, psychological test data
and any diagnoses made, as well as details about sessions attended. These records must
be kept and stored securely for periods of time defined by provincial regulation.
Typically, records are kept for 10 years after the last client contact and for at least 10
years after a minor client reaches the age of majority. After the 10 years are up, files are
securely discarded by being shredded.
WHAT HAPPENS ON MY FIRST VISIT TO A psychologist ny?
Once you have the name of a practitioner and make a first appointment, it is usual for him
or her to ask you to describe your problem and to ask for details about your personal
history. These questions will include such things as when did your problem start, what
makes it better or worse, how does the problem affect your work or social life. Questions
about your personal history can include details about your experiences growing up, your
education and work history, your marital status and interpersonal relationships, and
whether you use medication, alcohol or drugs. This information-gathering phase can take
one or more sessions and may be supplemented by the use of psychological tests.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS
Psychological tests are used to gain a better understanding of the kind of problem in
thinking, feeling or behaviour a person presents. If a psychologist ny plans to use a test, he
or she should explain why it is being used and what kind of function it is used to assess.
For example, some tests are used to assess and help diagnose mood, some are used to
assess problems in memory or concentration, and some might be used to better
understand personality characteristics. For example, some are pencil and paper tests that
pose questions to which you must answer true or false and others might require you to
manipulate objects or remember numbers or phrases. Testing is used to help the
psychologist ny arrive at an impression or diagnosis of your particular problem.
TREATMENT PLANNING
Following the information-gathering phase which may or may not include psychological
testing, it is important that the psychologist ny discuss with the client (and/or his or her
parent or guardian if a child) what he or she thinks is wrong and what he can offer in the
way of help. Reasonable questions to ask a psychologist ny are:
• have you treated many people with this kind of problem?,
• what kind of psychotherapeutic approach do you use and how does it work?,
• what kind of success can I expect?
Treatments or psychotherapeutic approaches used by psychologist nys should be
empirically-supported treatments – in other words treatments which research has proven
to be effective. Common types of treatments include cognitive-behavioural therapy,
interpersonal therapy, and systems therapy among others. Treatment might be offered in
an individual, group, couple or family format depending on the problem and whom it
affects
WHAT HAPPENS DURING PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT?
Early on in the treatment, the psychologist ny will help you make goals to work towards and
identify the ways therapy will help you achieve them. Goals can include feeling less
depressed, feeling more comfortable in social situations, improving pain management,
changing your behaviour, or increasing self-esteem. In addition, the psychologist ny will
review your progress in meeting these goals at certain intervals and may have you fill out
questionnaires designed to help monitor progress.
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