Your Mind Your Body

Most people know that psychologists are experts in providing therapy or counseling.  We have all seen television shows and movies depicting a “typical” psychologist’s office on a “typical” day on the job.  Comfy couches, shelves full of books, and lots of pregnant pauses followed by insightful comments are what most of us think of when we imagine a psychologist.  But did you know that much of what psychologists have training and expertise in have nothing to do with this type of work?  

Psychologists have unique skills that allow them to understand human behavior in all types of settings.  You might know you can turn to a psychologist when you are feeling sad or anxious, but you may not know they can also help in the following ways:

• Parenting your kids after your divorce.  Psychologists across the country help families by serving as parenting coordinators.  These professionals help ex-spouses manage the duties of child-rearing, even when they are no longer a couple.  Psychologists/Parenting Coordinators can assist in figuring out who gets to take the kids over Halloween, and who gets them on July 4^th; how parent-teacher conferences are going to be handled; and how to tell the kids one of their parents is getting re-married.  Courts can order families to enlist the help of a parenting coordinator, while other families choose to seek parenting coordinators on their own.   Unlike traditional therapy where sessions might occur every week, parenting coordination sessions might only occur on an as-needed basis, or even over the phone.

• Evaluate your child (or you) for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or learning disabilities.  Many psychologists specialize in working with children who are struggling in school and at home.  In addition to treatment, they can also provide comprehensive evaluations to figure out why the kids are struggling in the first place.  Pediatricians, schools, and psychiatrists often refer children for psychological evaluations to help determine the correct diagnosis and course of treatment.  Psychologists are trained to perform thorough, comprehensive evaluations which include looking at not only mental and emotional health, but cognitive and academic functioning as well. 

• Stick to your New Year’s resolutions.  It seems that the more we learn about health and disease, the more the experts are realizing that our lifestyle choices are one of the main causes of illness. Tobacco use, obesity, inactivity, chronic stress – all of these behaviors and lifestyles have been identified as major risk factors for chronic illness and preventable causes of death.  Did you know that psychologists can help people make (and stick to) healthy lifestyle changes?   Healthy weight loss and management , stress reduction,  and smoking cessation are all areas in which psychologists are trained and often help their clients make significant changes.  Now who couldn’t use a little help in getting a little healthier?

• Ease the tensions at work.  Industrial/organizational psychologists work in businesses and corporations to help improve the performance of those organizations.  They help recruit the best candidates for positions, coach executives to maximize their success, teach communication strategies, and promote work life balance among all employees.  Psychologists can also be called into organizations to help mediate disagreements, ease the pain of layoffs, or help employees process grief after the loss of a co-worker.  There are even some psychologists who specialize in working with family-owned businesses, where conflict and stress can be particularly high.

• Help improve your sex life.  Most folks know that psychologists can provide traditional couples therapy and marriage counseling.  But did you know that some psychologists specialize in treating patients with sexual health concerns?  Sexual dysfunction, questions of sexual orientation and preference, learning to communicate sexual needs and desires to one’s partner, and how to incorporate alternative sexual practices into existing relationships in safe and supportive ways are all areas in which psychologists with specialized training can help.

To find a psychologist in your area who can help with the areas mentioned above – contact your state psychological association for a listing of qualified, licensed psychologists.

Filed under: Being in Therapy, Chronic Illness & Disease Management, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Uncategorized