Couples Counseling Can Be A Blessing In Disguise For Any Broken Relationship

Couples counseling is often used to help partners solve problems and communicate more effectively in their relationship. This is often accomplished through time-limited and solution-focused treatment modalities that identify specific problems and realistic treatment objectives.

The primary goal of couples counseling is to help partners build a caring and supportive relationship. The therapist encourages emotional growth and guides the clients towards renewed feelings of attachment. Some of the most common concerns that are addressed in couples counseling include communication concerns, boundary violations, trust issues, and disagreements with parenting, money, and life goals. Most therapists help clients learn how to communicate grievances more effectively so that healthy and productive conversations can occur.

How long do couples typically stay in couples counseling?

Couples therapy is meant to be brief and solution focused. As such, most couples will remain in treatment for an average of 10 to 12 sessions where they will learn new behaviors and ways of communicating. However, the frequency of sessions is ultimately determined by the clients and the therapist and is dependent on the concerns that brought them in to treatment. Ideally, the strategies and tools learned in therapy will last well beyond the termination of treatment.

Is couples counseling really productive?

Many studies have found couples counseling to be very effective at building stronger and more positive relationships. Most couples who participate in couples counseling report that their relationship has improved and they feel more connected and bonded to their partner.

Couples counseling in South Pasadena

Our therapists work from a variety of theoretical backgrounds, but we are all skilled at helping two people connect and communicate more effectively. Please contact our office for more information and to set up an appointment.

How Dementia Can Be Treated With Neuropsychological Assessment

Dementia is an age-related mental health condition that involves gradual decreases in one’s ability to think and remember and affects overall daily functioning. It can also affect a person’s emotions, language, and motivation. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease which encompasses 50-70% of cases. Approximately three to four million Americans over the age of 70 experience dementia.

The primary role of neuropsychological assessment in the diagnosis of dementia is to determine what areas of the brain are affected by the disease so that specific and targeted recommendations can be made. Additionally, early diagnosis of functional impairment can lead to improved prognosis with the right medications and therapies. Although most forms of dementia are irreversible, neuropsychological testing can determine areas of weakness and can help a patient compensate which can lead to a more fulfilling life.

A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation for dementia typically consists of a cognitive exam to determine baseline intellectual functioning. It also often involves tests of fine motor ability, memory, and language ability as well as frontal lobe processing and tests of executive functioning and problem solving. Additionally, many assessment batteries include measures of mood and personality which are often impacted when cognitive decline occurs.

If you or your family members are concerned about cognitive or memory problems, contact your primary care doctor who can recommend a neuropsychologist for a comprehensive evaluation.

What Types of Problems do Students with Learning Disabilities Experience?

Learning disabilities are neurological deficits that restrict a person’s ability to learn a particular skill such as reading, writing, or math. People with learning disabilities will have learning issues that continue all through their lives, and they may also have trouble in both school and in their job.

Learning disabilities are often first noticed when a child begins to fall behind in class. Parents and teachers may notice that the child has trouble learning specific skills and they may have inconsistent academic performance. Additionally, some students who are very bright may only start to struggle when the material exceeds their capacity to compensate.

Living with a learning disability can be a challenge for both parents and students. In several cases, the child may have struggled for some time before a learning disability is formally diagnosed, but when it is, it can bring a feeling of relief to finally be able to understand the source of the child’s concerns. There are many school resources to help students with learning disabilities thrive including tutoring and academic support and special education programs. Additionally, individualized education plans can help the student meet his or her specific learning goals.

In order to diagnose a learning disability, a comprehensive evaluation is often required which typically includes a formal interview with the child and the parents, a cognitive evaluation to determine ability level, and an aptitude or achievement test to determine areas of strength and weakness. Additionally, specific measures may be used to fully assess deficits in reading, writing, and math.

If you suspect that your child may have a learning disability, it is strongly recommended that you seek a diagnosis early so that the student can receive support to help them achieve and maintain academic success. There are psychologists in Pasadena who specialize in learning disability assessments who can give you fast and accurate results and specific academic recommendations and support.

Finding the Right Psychologist

In today’s day and age, many people are looking for a “quick fix”, especially when presented with a mental health condition, and often medications are the first line of treatment. However, most doctors and clinicians agree that the most effective treatment approach is a combination of both psychotropic medications and supportive therapy. Therefore, it is important to choose a therapist that is the right fit for you.

Often people who seek therapy feel like they are alone in a storm. They may feel complicated emotions and they may have many questions and few answers. A psychologist can understand the client’s struggles and can give them real world solutions to their problems. Psychologists help establish a safe and supportive environment and help their clients through the storm and into more effective ways of dealing with life stressors. There are several different kinds of psychologists including child psychologists, school psychologists, neuropsychologists, and forensic psychologists, but they all exist to help clients succeed in their goals.

Finding the right psychologist in Pasadena is easy with the Internet. Simply enter ‘psychologist Pasadena” into a Google search and you will find several practitioners in your area.