Psychiatrist Archives - Gale Forensic Psychology

The Resisting Client, What To Do

December 30, 2022
No Comments

The Resisting Client, what to do

Some clients tend to be hostile toward forensic psychology sessions, which prevents the attainment of a treatment’s objective. Meanwhile, labeling clients “resistant” may result in non-compliance and non-willingness to continue with treatment. So, therapists must use their therapeutic skills and background to identify clients exhibiting resistance correctly. The last thing you will want a therapist is to derail your patient’s progress, especially due to a misdiagnosis.

Tried and tested ways of helping resisting clients

Client resistance is not a new phenomenon in psychology. Fortunately, there are several proven ways of helping resistant clients, and below are the top four.

Explore and use things they find motivating

Pain, pleasure, or a mix of the two; are the three main things that motivate human behavior. Sometimes, the benefits associated with or attached to achieving a desired goal encourage individuals to act. Similarly, avoiding negative consequences will push people to act. Therefore, therapists should also explore whether a negative change in the status quo can push people to act in a desired way.

Psychoeducation

It will help if therapists use psychoeducation to teach their clients the benefits of improved motivation, enhanced self-esteem, and regular therapy sessions. Clients can return to their everyday work and life routines with the help of psychoeducation. Moreover, psychoeducation sessions allow clients to recover from PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more.

Some clients might exhibit signs of resistance after the onset of the psychology sessions. Therapists should take a non-judgmental approach towards these clients, even if they don’t complete assigned follow-up activities. During this stage, the therapist should focus on building rapport with the client using techniques like reflection, unconditional positive communication, and empathy.

Acknowledge their client’s perspective

Yes, some clients could be more talkative. Nevertheless, for the ones that are, it will be best to acknowledge their perspective—even if it doesn’t resonate with you. Understanding and recognizing how your clients see things, their response to what they see, and understanding that they are entitled to a different perception will help you help them, especially clients dealing with negative emotions. So, avoid wondering why your client is “mad as hell” for being in your presence.

Talk about the resistance, but don’t fight it

Fighting a resisting client is one guaranteed way of staying within the issue. Therefore, do your best to discuss the resistance without ever fighting it.

Come see what Dr. Deloney at Gayle Forensic Psychology is all about here.

Top Four Effects of Exercise on Psychological Wellness

April 30, 2022
No Comments

Believe it or not, exercise is as beneficial for your physical body as it is for maintaining psychological wellness. Several people are familiar with the physical benefits of exercise like weight loss, and increased flexibility/range of motion, including therapy for many illnesses.

However, recent studies reveal that exercise is vital for psychological wellness and overall mental health. Whether you are a fan of aerobics, weight training, or mind-body exercises like pilates and yoga, this blog post will enlighten you on the mental health benefits of exercise. Now, let’s get started!

Exercise reduces your anxiety and stress levels

Regular exercise offers one of the most effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety by putting you in high spirits. It creates an emotional buffering system that decreases your response to physical and emotional stressors. The elevated heart rate, sweating, and fast breathing associated with exercise mirror your natural stress response. The difference is in the dominant hormones and neurochemicals.

While stress and anxiety-inducing situations cause the release of epinephrine, exercise stimulates the release of norepinephrine. In other words, exercise adds to your psychological wellness by counteracting stress agents biochemically.

It helps psychological wellness by improving your sleep and energy levels

Better sleep is the end product of the stress-reducing effect of exercise. Regular night sleep is highly recommended for proper cognitive skills. Hence the relationship between exercise and better quality of sleep. Also, people who are unable to get some shuteye are prone to several cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure.

Exercise raises the body temperature to stimulate a resultant cooldown relaxing effect. However, you should beware of exercising close to your bedtime as it can have the opposite effect and keep you awake for much longer.

Exercise contributes to your psychological wellness by building a sharper memory

The brain is one organ that runs on increased oxygen supplies. When you engage in exercise, your heart pumps more blood, thus enriching your brain’s supply of nutrients and dissolved solute materials.

Also, the increased blood supply invariably means increased oxygen supply. The reason is that the red blood cells are the oxygen-carrying component of the blood. The mental health benefits of exercise include but are not limited to improved memory, concentration, creativity, and relaxation.

It balances your mood and boosts your self-esteem

If you’ve been having mood swings, exercise can be an excellent mood stabilizer the reason is that the brain produces a feel-good hormone called endorphins after exercise. Endorphins also trigger the release of oxytocin and together create the uplifting mood you feel after exercise.

It is also the reason behind the runner’s high or yogi’s calm you feel after each practice, leading to psychological wellness.

Studies show that people who engage in regular exercise are less likely to exhibit aggressive and passive-aggressive responses.

Additionally, exercise bolsters your self-confidence levels. Essentially, you feel good about your creative abilities to move your body at will and perform incredible actions. Since exercise helps with weight loss and management, you are less likely to worry about your body image because of exercise— Talk about psychological wellness!

Bottom Line

There is no overstating the relevance of exercise. Hopefully, this blog post succeeds in exposing you to the benefits of exercise for maintaining psychological wellness besides its physical benefit.

Best Ways to Deal with Stress

August 31, 2021
No Comments

Best Ways to Deal with Stress

Healthy lifestyle choices can go a long way in helping people to deal with stress. Stress is an enemy of one’s health. It can lower immunity and lead to or worsen illnesses and other medical conditions. Stress is basically the body’s response to certain events, whether they be good or bad events. Stress levels vary from person to person, and what might not cause any stress for one person could be highly stressful for another. The effects of too much stress include changing one’s behavior, being unhappy or depressed, not sleeping well at night, and many other behaviors that do more harm than good. Below are well-explained ways of coping with stress:

(a) Regular exercise

Exercising is an excellent way of relieving stress and promoting a good physical condition as well. A recent study showed that people who exercise for just 30 minutes per week are less likely to be stressed than those people who do not workout at all. Working out regularly can help relieve stress because it makes the individual physically tired . This form of relaxation helps individuals sleep better at night, which also reduces the effects of stress on their bodies. All workout should be done with consent from a doctor if the individual has certain pre-existing medical conditions. Some of stress relieving exercises include dancing, walking, yoga, running, and others.

(b) Listening to music

Individuals who listen to their favorite type of music or songs while trying to relax will get rid of stress in no time. There is something about enjoying music that helps people feel better instantly because they associate great memories and happy emotions with their favorite songs.

(c) Creating art

Most artists can get away from their problems and worries by creating something new, whether writing with words, painting a picture, or making up a beat on an instrument. Art can help people express themselves in ways they cannot do in real life when they are stressed. If individuals create something because they feel like it, this will reduce their stress levels and make them happier overall in life.

(d) Getting enough sleep

It is no secret that getting 8 hours of sleep everyday as encouraged by specialists can help individuals stay healthy and stress-free. Without enough sleep, the body cannot function properly, leading to bigger problems like fatigue, weight gain, or even heart disease. Having trouble sleeping is a common cause of stress for many people because they are trying to do too much during the day.

(e) Eating right

Eating healthy foods is one way of living a longer and better life without worrying about future illnesses like diabetes, obesity, or cancer. It is also important not to skip certain meals throughout the day because this only adds more stress to an individual.

For other articles, check out our blog.

Nonverbal Communication Skills

June 10, 2021
No Comments

Don’t underestimate the power of your nonverbal communication skills

Pretty much everyone has heard of the saying “read between the lines”. Well, the same can be true for communication as well. Nonverbal communication is reading body language such as facial expressions, hand gestures, touch, and movement. It can even include the tone of someone’s verbal communication.

Why Nonverbal communication is important

First impressions are largely made within seven seconds of meeting someone. That’s a short span of time. So a lot of it comes down to reading body language. We as people transmit so much information about ourselves through nonverbal communication and we don’t even realize it. The way we walk, for example, can give off cues as to how confident a person is. A person moving their feet a lot can show they are anxious about something.

Another reason why nonverbal communication is important is that it helps counselors and healthcare providers in building a good rapport with their patients. When this happens then the patient is more willing to open up about feelings or behaviors they otherwise would not have.

Types of Nonverbal skills

There are 9 types of nonverbal communication.

Kinesics
Haptics
Proxemics
Territory
Environment
Paralinguistic’s
Chronemics
Attractiveness
Olfactics

Kinesics is all about how we move our body, head, hands, and arms. This type of nonverbal communication also includes the facial expressions we make.

Haptics is the physical contact or touch that we have with others. A handshake when meeting someone is a form of this. Our haptics can characterize the relationship we have with someone.

Proxemics is all about space and distance. How people use the space around them can show the level of discomfort someone is feeling.

Territory gives you a sense of a person’s power. People who open up their bodies and take up space portray having power.

Environment is about the objects we surround ourselves with to give off a certain impression.

Paralinguistic’s analyzes how someone is speaking. This involves listening to the pitch, tone, volume, tempo, and articulation.

Chronemics is how a person uses their time. This includes the punctuality of a person or their willingness to wait for something or someone.

Attractiveness isn’t just about the physical appeal. Maintaining a good level of eye contact, having a lively face, and open gestures are also part of our attractiveness.

Olfactics is how we assess smells.

Take Away

Our body language is a crucial part of our communication with others. It helps us to deliver clear messages and create a good impression on others. We use it to show our feelings about things and people. So do not underestimate the power of your nonverbal communication.

If you feel like you need help with your verbal or nonverbal communication, please reach out to our team.

How to Prepare for Adoption

April 30, 2021
No Comments

How to Prepare for Adoption

Every prospective parent has to undergo a pre-adoption evaluation known as ‘home study’, before they can be approved for adoption. A home study operates as a record that lists aspects of your life such as your health and financial information, family history, parenting plan and personal background. It also consists of undergoing a series of interviews, a psychological test and home visits from a social worker. Naturally, prospective parents view the home study process as being nerve racking. Fortunately, we compiled a list of tips to consider to ensure that you can prepare adequately for adoption.

1) Prepare Your Home

During your home study, a social worker will evaluate your residence to determine if it’s a safe environment for a child to live in. Therefore, most experts suggest that prospective parents should declutter and clean their homes. In fact, consider the possibility of hiring a professional cleaning contractor such as a maid. Social workers will go through each room, but they usually spend less than 10 minutes looking at the safety features of each room. Additionally, ensure that:

Swimming pools are fenced and covered.
Weapons are stored in a locked gun safety box.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are in the main living areas of the building.
Use short window drape cords.
Household cleaners and pesticide should be stored in cupboards with child proof locks.

2) Treat Your Social Worker Like A Friend

One of the things that can help to alleviate the stresses that are associated with the pre-adoption evaluation process is to think of the social worker as a guest, as opposed to an authority figure. Meaning, conversations should have a friendly tone and similarly to a guest, you should offer them tea or coffee. The point of doing this, isn’t to gain favors per se, but to make them feel comfortable. After all, the point of a pre-adoption evaluation is to determine if you can provide a safe and comfortable environment for the child.

3) Prepare For Your Interviews

To a certain extent, your interview is akin to a secondary psychological test. Your assigned social worker will conduct an interview to evaluate your intentions, your history and suitability. Some of the general topics you’ll have to discuss include:

Finances
Health history
Reason as to why you want to adopt
Relationship/Marriage history
Stress management techniques
How you plan to discipline a child

It helps to become aware of the topics you’ll be discussing so that you can provide an accurate, well thought out answer.

4) Gather Necessary Documents Beforehand

The last thing you should do is to rush through the paperwork you’ll be given. This can be tempting as you’ll be given an abundance of paperwork to fill out, as well as to submit multiple documents. But, by becoming aware of the type of paperwork you’ll be filing out, you can get the necessary documents together to expedite the process of filling them out. To prepare for adoption, some of the type of paperwork you’ll be completing includes:

Personal references
Employer references
Financial statements
Birth certificate
Marriage license
Adoption education requirements
Background checks
Health statements

If you need assistance with an adoption evaluation. contact us here.

Preparing for a Psychological Evaluation

April 22, 2021
No Comments

Prepare for a Psychological Exam

If you just found out you need to go for a psychological evaluation for social security, it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. With an increase of psychiatric disabilities and people unable to work as a result of these disabilities, it’s important to understand how these psychological evaluations work in the disability application process. The application process for SSI and SSDI is quite similar. The only difference is if you don’t have a lot of work history or work credits you will need to apply for SSI, a need-based program. If you have worked for many years, you may have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI, but the process is still the same. If social security doesn’t have enough medical history for you, they will send you to an evaluation with a professional.

A psychological evaluation, also known as a mental consultative test is with a professional examiner to better understand your condition. Social security will send you to one of these exams in the event there is not enough history in the claimant’s medical records. The exam is completed by an independent doctor that has no affiliation with the Social Security Administration to ensure there are no bias opinions in the exam. During the psychological exam, there are several texts the examiner will complete to include:

• Memory test

• Mood

• Depression

• Language skills

• Awareness

• Counting

• Who the current president is

• Talk about your childhood

During the exam, the evaluator will watch you from the moment you pull into the parking lot. Once you get into the building, the examiner will take you into the room and note how you walk and act. If you allege you have a personality or mood disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, the mental health examiner will discuss your symptoms and how you deal with them each day. If you allege other mental health issues such as panic attacks, anxiety, or depression, the examiner will talk about these symptoms, how you get out of the home, deal with family and the public. The doctor will also discuss your work history, medical history, medication history, establish identity to confirm who you are and typical daily activities.

You can prepare for the psychological evaluation by thinking and writing down some of your symptoms and how long they have lasted. Identifying what triggers your symptoms and what you do to decrease your symptoms. The night before the exam, have a good dinner and good night’s sleep as this will help you the following day.

At the completion of the exam, the doctor you saw will need to write a report to the social security examiner about their findings and opinions about your disability within ten days. This will allow the disability examiner the opportunity to make a decision on your case. Mental consultative exams usually have enough evidence and strongly considered by the medical examiner when deciding a case. If you do not attend the mental health exam, there is a possibility your claim could be denied.

If you need an exam, contact our office.

Spring can Give us New Hope

March 31, 2021
No Comments

Spring can give us new Hope

Spring brings us back to nature, calms our tired bodies, lifts up our spirits and fills up our sail with warm winds. Spring and hope are entangled in the soul. Mind, and body, during spring, nature combine with psychology and biology to sparkle the basic wants which inspire hope: mastery, attachment, spirituality and survival. Seasons can go with the reward of hope which greets us during the spring.

Descriptions of hope in the spring season

Here are some examples of hope in metaphors

A Healing property

Hope is flaunted as the best medicine. The hope of a patient is a secret weapon to the doctor. Hopeful patients are believed to be the secret weapon to whichever prescription they are given for their disease. Hopeful feelings have a true and quantifiable impact on health. Just like spring, hope is a powerful helper in maintaining health as well as recovering from diseases. People who were more optimistic were not as much likely to ignore doses of medicine and were rated as more dedicated to maintaining their health.

A bridge

Spring offers a bridge from the desolate winter darkness to the dazzling warmness of summer. Hope is equated to a bridge which can transport a person from darkness to light, from enslavement to liberty, and from wickedness to salvation. The curative potential of spring is indisputable, from the reduction of Seasonal Affective Disorder to the rise in Vitamin D production.

Light and Heat

Spring comes with additional light and heat also, at times it comes after a dark and cold day. The increased light results in a lot of indirect and direct effects, which helps in elevating our mood and bring about hope. Increased exercises, as well as the bodily related but psychologically different activities of farming and gardening, are some of the indirect outcomes of spring on elevating our mood.

A haven

Hope can as well refer to as safe harbor or refuge. The Oxford English Dictionary had the original meaning of hope “a secluded island in the center of a desert”. Therefore, the very least we can do in this life is to discover what our hopes are. Additionally, the most we can do is to stay in that hope. Don’t admire hope from far; live just inside it.

Mind descriptions

Metaphors can disclose the interior structure of personal feelings. For instance, when we talk about “high hopes”, we try to reveal something regarding the phenomenology of experiencing hope, which is “cheerful”, “inspiring”, even “energizing.”

The world awakens during the spring season. Having been still, grey, and frosty throughout the winter season, there are new noises, things to see, flavors, and smells all coming from the natural world. There comes a call to action, commitment and motivation to a fresh beginning in each of us. It is very simple to relate the spring day feelings to the positive features of hope.

If you find yourself needing help in this season, contact us.

How to Motivate Yourself Again

March 18, 2021
No Comments

Tips for Self-Motivation

If you can psych yourself up, there is no need of visiting a therapist. However, dealing with emotional hurdles is quite challenging, and this can interfere with how things are done, meaning it is harder to motivate yourself. Frustrations come through procrastinations because they distract you from the real things to tarnish the motivation. Therefore, you can have certain motivational boosters that will keep you moving. Regardless of whatever efforts, habits, and passion you portray, without showing good spirit for the job, things might still not work well for you. The article herein describes some ideas to get you motivated.

Deconstruct the Fears

Fear is the condition that triggers procrastination, and you would like to get things done on time. Therefore, try to eliminate anxieties and fears because they deviate your attention to the real issues. Fear might come from unknown things, and so you need to gather sufficient confidence to counter them. This way, you can handle all the scenarios to ensure you stand strong even in situations where you do not know everything. When exploring a given project, you can research properly in advance to cover the challenging issues, and this will motivate you to see out the operation.

Find a Partner

At times of stumbling, you need someone to push you and tell you that you can make it. They fight laziness and help to tackle serious issues by giving ideas to get you motivated always. It does not have to be a wife or husband; it can be friends or other individuals you look up to. Out of respect, you should always listen to them, and your work will never stall because they are on you reminding you of the target. These people will never let you quit, instead, they will hasten you to achieve the dreams no matter the prevailing conditions.

Build on Success

No matter the challenges a business experiences, it has some success factors that can be carried forward, therefore, always start small. Therefore, you should be optimistic and be happy with the proceedings and take away whatever pleases you. Any win, no matter the magnitude should be appreciated and you will be motivated to go for more wins. Always start small because these things will trigger bigger success, and so celebrations should become a part of your operations. Looking back to see the minor achievements will motivate you later. Make a checklist of the things you want to do for success to come by, and for sure you will be motivated by the goal ahead.

Mind about the Small Challenges

Failure should not be tolerated under whatever circumstances because it can leave you feeling down. Therefore, you should not assume the minor issues because they can build up to become outrageous and uncontrollable. Handle everything head-on as soon as it happens because it might erupt to become a bigger challenge that interferes with your motivation levels.

If you need more help, contact us.

Understanding Forensic Psychology

February 28, 2021
No Comments

Forensic Psychology and Psychological Assessments

Due to the proliferation of crime TV shows, there has been an increased interest in understanding Forensic Psychology. Profiling criminals and capturing them by the end of a 1-hour program can be satisfying, but it is an unrealistic portrayal of law enforcement and psychologists, specifically forensic psychologists. Forensic psychology combines psychology and the law in which psychology is applied to issues regarding the law and legal system. Individuals working in this field may not be licensed “forensic psychologists,” but school psychologists, clinical psychologists, or counselors whose psychological expertise is utilized in legal cases. These experts may assist in the following ways.

Child custody evaluations
Consult with law enforcement
Testimony as an expert witness
Psychological services to inmates

One hallmark of forensic psychology is the use of tests and assessments to diagnose, provide a recommendation, or give a hypothesis about an individual’s behavior, personality, and skills. A psychological assessment can include a battery of tests to provide a full picture of a person’s behavior, traits, and capabilities. The four components of psychological assessments include norm-referenced tests, observations, interviews, and informal assessments.

Norm-references Tests
Norm-referenced tests are psychological tests standardized on a norm group that allows individualized scores to be ranked according to a scale. These tests can assess intelligence, academic achievement, motor skills, and adaptive behavior. Norm-referenced tests provide information about an individual’s level of functioning in a relatively short period of time.

Observations
Observations are best in the individual’s natural settings, such as at home, in the community, and at school. This allows the psychologist to determine how the person behaves across settings and provides a clearer picture of their overall functioning. This particular method can be instrumental in providing treatment recommendations and determining competency.

Interviews
Interviews are more fluid and less structured than standardized testing. Respondents can share background information, such as childhood history and work experience. This allows the individual to tell their story in their own words and share information that may not organically appear in more structured testing.

Informal Assessments
Informal assessments may include projective tests, language samples, and drawings from children. While these tests need to be cautiously evaluated, as they are not scientifically validated as norm-reference tests, they may shed light and be a supplement to the overall battery of tests.

While criminal TV shows may not accurately portray the field of understanding forensic psychology, they have highlighted the importance of experts in this field and their assistance in legal matters. When psychology and the law interacts, experts can use their clinical skills to assess and evaluate individuals to improve their diagnoses, recommendations, and evaluations.

If you need a Forensic Psychologist, we are here for you.

PTSD, Known as the Silent Scream

February 17, 2021
No Comments

What is PTSD? Is it a Complex Disorder?

Why is PTSD referred to as a silent scream? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is basically an anxiety disorder related to the stress that people undergo after experiencing some form of trauma. It develops after a person experiences some form of trauma that causes intense mental and emotional symptoms, often unseen, PTSD is a silent scream. Common symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, social withdrawal, and insomnia. Some common causes of trauma include natural disasters, war, accidents, and violence. It’s different how it affects men and women, and a qualified professional will be able to help navigate this silent scream.

As previously mentioned, many people who have post-traumatic stress disorder have developed negative coping skills that make them avoid thinking about painful memories and stressing over the fears they feel. The avoidance process prevents victims from dealing with their emotions. When people with PTSD learn how to deal with their emotions, their coping skills improve. As a result, their PTSD improves, as well. IF you are looking for help determining how it affects men and women, a professional will be able to assist.

So how do you know if you are experiencing post-traumatic disorder? If you experience persistent and exaggerated flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and stress after a traumatic event, then you may have PTSD. There are two forms of PTSD, acute and chronic. In the acute form, victims are often able to deal with their fears in the spur of the moment; however, victims’ symptoms become so intense that they interfere with their lives in the chronic form.

How is post-traumatic stress disorder treated? The treatment for PTSD depends on its severity. For minor trauma, the treatment ranges from conventional medications (antidepressants, tranquilizers) to psychotherapy. Severe trauma requires medical intervention and mental health treatment.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

The most common symptoms of PTSD silent scream include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, and increased anxiety. Some sufferers develop physical symptoms such as stomachaches, headaches, and nausea. Some develop psychological symptoms such as irritability, depression, and even years of self-destructive behavior.

Navigating the Silent Scream

If you suspect that you suffer from complex PTSD, your first step should probably be to go to your doctor and get a complete physical and mental health evaluation. If you do not feel that this level of professional help is necessary, then consider seeking support through local support groups, like the Trauma Recovery Team or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). These groups can provide you with the emotional and practical support you need to feel better and begin to work on your road to recovery from your disorder. If all else fails, then consider seeking an alternative healing method, such as psychotherapy, to treat your symptoms and reduce your stress level.

For urgent matters in the Indianapolis area, please contact us.