Once you have connected with a mental health professional, you may encounter one or several of the following therapies, interventions and evaluations. To best prepare for your appointment, read the information below. As with all information shared, be sure to discuss your options and possible side effects with your mental health professional.
Therapies
The two main types of therapy utilized for mental health disorders are psychotherapy and drug therapy. In some cases, the best treatment plan for an individual involves both psychotherapy AND drug therapy.
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy (or counseling) is a type of treatment that is meant to improve your emotional and mental well-being by discussing your challenges with a licensed mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker or mental health counselor. Psychotherapy can teach you new ways to approach difficult situations and cope with challenging emotions.
What is Drug Therapy?
Drug Therapy, also called pharmacotherapy, treats psychological disorders with medications. The patient should ask about risk, possible side-effects, interaction with certain foods, alcohol and other medications. Medication should be taken in the prescribed dosage and intervals and should be monitored daily.
Medical Interventions
There are other treatments that do not involve therapy or medication and are usually referred to as medical interventions. Two of the most common are Electroconvulsive Treatment (CT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Evaluations
A psychiatric or psychological evaluation is the process of gathering information about a person with the purpose of making a diagnosis. The evaluation is usually the first stage of a treatment process. The nature of the evaluation will depend on whether it is being done by a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health clinician.
In many cases, psychologists who administer tests will then treat patients with psychotherapy. Some psychologists focus only on evaluating patients and refer out for specialized treatment. In all cases, the testing process helps ensure that the client receives treatment tailored to their specific challenge.
This assessment helps identify whether an individual is eligible for special support services, adjudication for secondary and post-secondary institutions and accommodations within an adult work-place.
This assessment includes:
What can one expect from an assessment?
Managing and coping with complex learning difficulties can leave individuals and their families feeling isolated and confused. The goal of a psychoeducational assessment is to help individuals and/or families feel more empowered to make immediate changes in their school (or work) environment. Armed with concrete tools to work with identified strengths and challenges, many individuals experience a sense of hope.