Adult Services - Wilson Psychological Associates

Individual, Couples, and Family Therapy

The providers at WPA are experts in a range of psychotherapy theoretical orientations and techniques, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and solution-focused therapy. We focus on the importance of first developing a strong therapeutic rapport with the client in a confidential setting. Then, evidence-based clinical theory and techniques are skillfully applied to reach the desired outcomes.

Treatment Issues:

Depression, Anxiety, Adjustment Issues, Anger, Grief/Loss Issues, Life Transitions, Obsessive Compulsive Issues, Tourette/Tic Disorders, Career Issues, Trauma/EMDR, Gambling Issues, Sexual Compulsivity and Personality Issues
Crisis Intervention
Developmental Disability Services
Health Psychology Services including Smoking Cessation, Medical Regimen adherence, Coping with and Reducing Chronic Pain
Integrated Christian Psychotherapy
Marital/Couples Counseling
Pre-surgery Evaluations including gastric by-pass, lap-band, dorsal column stimulator, morphine pump, and organ transplant evaluations
Biofeedback Training for Chronic Pain, Stress Management, and other Health Related Issues
Family Counseling
Group Counseling

Practice Exclusions (i.e., areas not served): Children under three, Child Custody Evaluations, Forensic (i.e., legal or court-ordered) Evaluations, Child Abuse Evaluations, Court-ordered Therapy, Substance Abuse, Clients with Schizophrenia or other Psychotic Processes, and Medication Prescription or Management.

Diagnostic Evaluations

Diagnostic evaluation by a psychologist is a process of using standardized instruments to accurately and quickly identify possible difficulties with attention (such as those seen in ADHD), memory (such as those seen in dementia), language, or psychological symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, trauma, Autism, pain or personality problems. In like manner to your physician ordering lab work or an X-ray to quickly assess possible problems, clinical psychologists like Dr. Spence Wilson complete evaluations to quickly evaluate neurodevelopmental, neuropsychological or psychological problems. Evaluations are generally made up of a clinical interview with Dr. Wilson, a licensed psychologist who specializes in evaluation, and then are followed by a formal assessment session. In the assessment, the measures Dr. Wilson chooses are completed to assess the areas of functioning identified as problematic.

Psychological Evaluations

Assessment for Depression
Anxiety
Trauma
Somatoform
Personality Disorders

Neuropsychological Evaluations

Adult ADD
Learning Disabilities

Autism Spectrum Evaluations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) represent a continuum of disorders characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. The new revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) re-categorized several formerly classified distinct conditions (Autism, Asperger’s Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, NOS) into a continuum of disorders called Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Evaluation of the spectrum of Autism is multifaceted and, at its’ best, multidisciplinary. Further, the evaluation of ASD is often sequential and therefore often requires more than one evaluation appointment. At WPA, Dr. Wilson utilizes the current gold-standard neurodevelopmental/behavioral ASD evaluation methods including:

Social Responsiveness Scale – 2 (An ASD screening rating form completed by those familiar with the patient and the patient himself, if he/she is an adult)
Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (A semi-structured clinical interview with those familiar with the patient’s behavior, particularly in early development periods with special focus on ASD symptoms)
Autism Diagnostic Observation System – II (direct clinical testing for behaviors associated with ASD)
Leiter International Performance Scale – III / Comprehensive Test of Nonverbal Intelligence – 2/ Test of Nonverbal Intelligence – 4 (Non-verbal tests of intellectual capacity)
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales – 3 (A survey or rating form administered evaluation of current adaptive behavior functioning across nine different areas of functioning)
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – IV (Standardized individual scales of intellectual capacity)
Personality Assessment Inventory/Millon Clinical Inventories (Personality and Clinical Syndrome Self-report Measures)
Conners Continuous Performance Tests (Computerized assessments of attention, sustained attention, vigilance, and impulse control)
And, others as necessary

These evaluation methods are combined in a flexible battery approach to achieve a comprehensive evaluative picture of the patient’s functioning, strengths, and weaknesses. These data are then utilized for both diagnostic and treatment planning purposes.

Those seeking evaluation for an ASD may rest assured that the evaluation they receive will comprehensively identify, confirm, or rule out neurodevelopmental/behavioral symptoms associated with an ASD and will offer relevant, patient-specific recommendations following the evaluation, which include other disciplinary referrals (i.e., Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy).

Psychiatric Medication Management

What is it?

Many psychiatric disorders will require a two-pronged approach for successful treatment: medication combined with therapy or counseling. A psychiatrist can prescribe medication to help with anything from ADHD to anxiety to depression. Medication management is a vital part of this equation, as not all medications will be received or tolerated by patients in the same way.

That’s why monitoring medications, their side effects, and their possible interactions with other medications is critical. A big part of what psychiatrists do is provide psychiatric medication management and assessment. This can seem pretty scary, especially if you’ve never taken such medications before or have taken them before but experienced bad side effects.

There can certainly be a lot of unknowns; however, understanding how a psychiatrist can help you and truly knowing what medication management means is key to feeling comfortable and at ease with the recommended treatment plan.

Because our mental well-being is directly connected to our overall physical health, stress, and trauma can leave us feeling anxious, hopeless, and overwhelmed. When these feelings go untreated for long periods, major psychological and physical illnesses can result. In addition, associated behaviors can become addictive and destructive.

That’s why it’s equally as important to have regular physicals and checkups from your primary care physician. The other part of the equation is to get regular mental health checkups too.

What to Expect?

When you first see our psychiatric practitioner, she will perform an initial checkup called an assessment, which will include an overview of your symptoms and collection of your medical history. A determination will then be made about whether or not the medication is a viable option for treating your particular mental health disorder.

Based on this assessment, our provider will then make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan designed with your specific needs in mind. The decision is ultimately up to the patient. If it is decided to move forward with this option, various medications, possible side effects, and proper dosages will be discussed.

Initially, the medication will be prescribed for a trial period to observe and monitor its effectiveness. This is where the “medication management” portion of psychiatric care comes into play. If the treatment is meeting the patient’s goals, the patient will be advised to keep moving forward. However, different medications affect brain chemistry in different ways, so not everyone will respond well to a particular prescription.

This may result in side effects like the inability to sleep, irritability, nausea, and more. In those cases, a different medication will be prescribed. This is often a trial-and-error process that should eventually result in the right medication for you.

In addition to medication, other forms of treatment such as counseling, life management skills, and behavioral therapies may be offered in conjunction. Your psychiatric provider will carefully monitor all of these components to ensure the best blend for your mental health.

It’s important to note that not all patients and not all psychiatric problems require medicine. However, there are many instances where prescription medicines are the best way to relieve symptoms for the patient. Medication can be an effective part of the treatment of many mental illnesses such as:

Anxiety
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Panic
Sleep problems
ADHD
Schizophrenia

Contact Us

If you are experiencing mental health issues and wish to discuss whether mediation is a good option for you, please contact us today for help. Medication management visits require an hour for the first visit and 30 minutes for subsequent visits. During your appointment, your provider will review the benefits and side effects of your medication and make adjustments as required. Counseling and psychotherapy may also be recommended depending on your specific issue.