Psychological / Neuropsychological Services
Psychologists
- Psychologists typically provide care in inpatient rehabilitation settings, in outpatient rehabilitation treatment programs, and as an important part of comprehensive long-term follow up care.
- Psychologists have a Doctorate degree (either Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and complete pre-doctoral and post-doctoral clinical training.
- Psychologists working with persons having a TBI typically specialize in Rehabilitation Psychology and/or Clinical Neuropsychology.
Assessment Services
Assessment services provided by psychologists include:
- Assessment of psychological factors that can be affected by TBI and that can influence functioning following TBI. They include:
- Personality
- Coping
- Emotional distress
- Substance use/abuse
- Social-interpersonal resources
- Neuropsychological assessment
- This involves comprehensive testing of cognitive abilities (e.g., memory, attention, language, problem solving).
- Goals of testing can include:
- Identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
- Monitor for changes in functioning (e.g., recovery, treatment benefit) over time.
- Assist in treatment planning.
- Aid in determining need for services to promote independent functioning.
- Help with planning for return to work/school.
- Assist in capacity determinations.
Intervention Services
Intervention services provided by psychologists include:
- Psychotherapy/counseling
- Therapy services offered to persons with TBI and other affected individuals (e.g., family members).
- Goals of therapy can include:
- Help with psychological adjustment to changes in functioning caused by the TBI.
- Identification of specific strategies to manage neurobehavioral changes from TBI (e.g., anger management, impulse control).
- Assist person with TBI and their family members to adjust to changes in roles that can occur after a TBI (e.g., if parent with TBI now requires help from the child in doing daily activities).
- Cognitive rehabilitation
