If you are reading this article, then you have most likely heard of a neuropsychologist. Maybe you have even been to one. But do you know the vast scope of what a neuropsychologist can do for you? As per the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, “clinical neuropsychology is a specialty field within clinical psychology, dedicated to understanding the relationships between brain and behavior, particularly as these relationships can be applied to the diagnosis of brain disorder, assessment of cognitive and behavioral functioning, and the design of effective treatment” (AACN). A neuropsychologist is a clinical PhD psychologist, who has obtained an additional board certification in the specialty of neuropsychology, and has completed expansive post-doctoral clinical training hours across various populations.
How do you know if you need to improve upon your cognitive and behavioral skills? You may not even realize they are impacted for one. One of the signs of cognitive dysfunction is having limited to no self-awareness and insight into your deficits. This is caused by decreased executive functioning. Executive functioning and self regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. And that is just the beginning of the explanation.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you may be referred to a neuropsychologist. If you are not referred, you may have found one on your own. Why is this a good idea? Because even if you suffer a mild brain injury, you may find yourself with difficulty focusing, or trouble regulating your emotions. Neuropsychologists can help evaluate and treat those executive functions that might be impaired and impact your return to work, hobbies, and everyday activities.
Even if a person’s brain injury was months or years ago, and was a mild concussion, deficits may still be present. A person may have more trouble concentrating on paying their bills. Maybe you know a student who’s grades are slipping after a soccer injury. Or, you may notice a personality change in your loved one, and it has made your relationship strained. All of those scenarios may lead you to seek help, and neuropsychologists are available to provide that help with any of those hardships.
Pathways Neuropsychology Associates provides clients with access to neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists, and most importantly, access to help, and a listening ear. Contact us today at 732-930-2242.
The following link is a post to a discussion regarding neuropsychology testing following tbi from brainline.org, an online community made by people who have suffered brain injuries, for patients and their loved ones. >learn more
by Kristen Schreier M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
A new study suggests there’s some science behind the claims made for mindfulness meditation. The benefits of mindfulness meditation, increasingly popular in recent years, are supposed to be many: reduced stress and risk for various diseases, improved well-being, a rewired brain. But the experimental bases to support these claims have been few. Supporters of the practice have relied on very small samples of unrepresentative subjects, like isolated Buddhist monks who spend hours meditating every day, or on studies that generally were not randomized and did not include placebo control groups.
