PVD Psychological Associates

  Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications. It is important to emphasize that advances in CBT have been made on the basis of both research and clinical practice. Indeed, CBT is an approach for which there is ample scientific evidence that the methods that have been developed actually produce change. In this manner, CBT differs from many other forms of psychological treatment. https://pvdpsych.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy-pvdpsych/

  Body-focused repetitive behaviors , or BFRBs, are a set of disorders categorized by self-grooming routines that essentially go awry. These include pulling, picking, biting, or scraping one's hair, skin, or nails. The disorders include trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), dermatillomania (compulsive skin picking, also called excoriation disorder), and onychophagia (compulsive nail biting). The prevalence of BFRBs is estimated to be at least 3 percent of the population, affecting both children and adults. https://pvdpsych.com/

  What is a personality disorder? Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions that are characterized by inflexible and atypical patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. These inner experiences and behaviors often differ from the expectations of the culture in which someone lives. If you have a personality disorder, you may have a difficult time relating to others and dealing with everyday problems in the ways that are expected by your cultural group. You may not be fully aware of this discrepancy between your thoughts and behaviors and those accepted by society. Psychotherapy , or talk therapy, may help in managing personality disorders. During psychotherapy, you and a therapist can discuss your condition, as well as your feelings and thoughts. This can provide you with insight on how to manage your symptoms and behaviors that interfere with your daily life. https://pvdpsych.com/therapy/

  A panic attack causes sudden, brief feelings of fear and strong physical reactions in response to ordinary, nonthreatening situations. When you’re having a panic attack, you may sweat a lot, have difficulty breathing and feel like your heart is racing. It may feel as if you’re having a heart attack. Panic disorder can develop when you worry too much about having another panic attack or change behaviors to avoid having a panic attack. https://pvdpsych.com/about/

  Stress Management People who don't manage stress well can have headaches, stomach pain, sleeping problems, illness, and depression. You can help manage stress by journaling, meditating, exercising, talking to others, or engaging in a hobby. https://pvdpsych.com/

  The goal of psychodynamic trauma therapy is to identify which phase of the traumatic response the individual is stuck in. Once this is discerned, the therapist can determine which aspects of the traumatic event interfere with the processing and integration of the trauma. https://pvdpsych.com/what-we-treat/

  Psychotherapy is a collaborative process, where psychologists and patients work together to identify specific concerns and develop concrete skills and techniques for coping with anxiety. Patients can expect to practice their new skills outside of sessions to manage anxiety in situations that might make them uncomfortable. However, psychologists won’t push patients into such scenarios until they’re sure they have the skills they need to effectively confront their fears. Psychologists sometimes use other approaches to treat anxiety disorders in addition to CBT. Group psychotherapy, which typically involves several people who all have anxiety disorders, can be effective for both treating anxiety and providing patients with support. https://pvdpsych.com/anxiety-disorders/

  Adults like to think of childhood as a carefree time full of play and enjoyment, but that's not true for all kids. Children are susceptible to the same emotional health issues and mood disorders that plague adults. As many as one in five children and adolescents may have an identifiable mental disorder that requires treatment. At least 1 in 10 has a serious emotional disturbance. Psychological counseling can help with many of these issues. Therapy for kids can aid children who have such problems as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorder. https://pvdpsych.com/

  Family therapy is a branch of psychotherapy that is meant to help initiate change and nurture development in intimate relationships between family members and couples. The job of the family therapist is to facilitate conversations that act as catalysts to strengthen and improve existing connections between family members and/or loved ones. Family and couples therapy is considered to be a very effective method of treatment for several mental health concerns.  There are a range of counseling techniques used for family therapy. https://pvdpsych.com/

Smiling depression is a term doctors use to describe when a person masks their depression behind a smile. Someone with smiling depression looks happy on the outside when, in reality, they may be struggling with feelings of internal hopelessness and sadness. People who live with this type of untreated depression may be at a higher risk of hurting themselves and of death by suicide. Although it may be difficult to recognize, doctors can treat smiling depression with medications and other behavioral therapies. https://pvdpsych.com/mood-disorders/

  People may seek therapy to help them decide if they should leave a marriage. Others may seek counseling for help changing from married to single life. One-on-one or couples therapy can help you work toward either of these goals. Therapy can teach coping skills that may help people work toward a new life. It could help someone have a healthier outlook on their divorce. Therapy for divorce can make people feel encouraged and empowered. It can be a safe place to share feelings and thoughts. This can be helpful during what is often a difficult time. WHY CHOOSE THERAPY FOR DIVORCE When a marriage ends, it can be traumatic for both partners. Divorce can be mentally, physically, and financially demanding. To cope with this, a couple who is divorcing may choose to begin therapy. Divorce therapy is often done on a one-on-one basis. A person going through divorce may feel guilt,  fear , anxiety, depression and grief.  Working with a therapist can provide a goal and rational pers...

  Individual counseling is a personal opportunity to receive support and experience growth during challenging times in life. Individual counseling can help one deal with many personal topics in life such as anger, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, marriage and relationship challenges, parenting problems, school difficulties, career changes, etc. https://pvdpsych.com/

One of the most difficult experience of life is to lose a loved one. Grief is a normal reaction to death (bereavement) or other major loss in life such as loss of a relationship . Each person reacts differently to grief. Grief can take many forms and accompany us unknowingly at different points in our lives. It is lonely, consuming and complicated to understand. The mystery of “Why did it happen”, “Did I do anything wrong”, “How could I have prevented it” and “Life seems to have taken a revenge from me” are a few natural mental negotiations that play like a tape in one’s mind. In this stage your Counselor would be developing rapport with you and provide you a safe environment to express your feelings and pain after a loss. The first session revolves around understanding the gravity of the situation and severity of emotions. It will allow you to develop a trusting relation with your therapist and gain an assurance that you are not alone in this journey, you have reliable person to guide...

Talk therapy, which is also known as psychotherapy, is what mental health professionals use to communicate with their patients. The purpose of talk therapy is to help people identify issues that cause emotional distress. For some people, these issues are complex and may result in a diagnosis such as depression or anxiety. But for others, talk therapy may simply serve as a safe place to discuss feelings and emotions triggered by daily stressors, a medical illness, relationship issues, grief and loss, or the impact of a specific trauma. Once the issues are identified, a  therapist  will help you understand how these stressors are affecting your life and work to develop strategies and solutions to help decrease the severity of the symptoms. https://pvdpsych.com/media/

‘Mindfulness' has become a popular topic among psychological therapists . This introductory article explains what mindfulness is and how it can be developed, before exploring how it has been incorporated within psychoanalytic and cognitive–behavioural psychotherapies. These reflect general as well as specific presumed therapeutic actions. At present, variations in the way mindfulness is understood, taught and applied mean that it is too early to fully assess its potential. They demonstrate how the use of attention and awareness in therapy cuts across traditional divisions and where mindfulness in therapy is most in need of further investigation. https://pvdpsych.com/about/

  The relationship seems to be developing at warp speed and while the intensity may seem exciting, if you really step back to think about it, it does not quite make sense. Often times, unhealthy relationships start out too quickly and this should give you pause to consider how whether you are setting the foundation for a healthy relationship dynamic. They want to spend all their time with you and ignore boundaries you try to set. At the other extreme, they may always put their friends and interests ahead of you. The bottom line is that time spent in a relationship should be mutually negotiated and it can be very unhealthy if you find your partner wanting to call all the shots. It is great if your partner can encourage you to grow and evolve as an individual but if you notice them consistently pointing out areas for you to improve, this may be crossing a line into an unhealthy dynamic. You and your partner ideally will respect and treat each other as equals. They try to isolate you ...

  ​PVD Psychological Associates offers online therapy/teletherapy to clients in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York. Through a secure, online platform, we offer confidential video therapy to you in the privacy of your own home, office, or other location of your choosing. https://pvdpsych.com/online-therapy/

  What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)  is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury. People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch. A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an upsetting traumatic event. However, the exposure could be indirect rather than first hand. For example, ...

  Feeling sad or moody sometimes is a part of life. Young people can feel sad and worried about life events such as exams, fights with family or friends, changing schools or moving house. Sometimes, the feelings of sadness go on for weeks or months and affect everyday life. If a young person feels miserable most of the time and finds it difficult to get motivated, they may have depression – a serious illness that can affect people of all ages. Suicide is a common cause of death in young people, so depression should be taken seriously. There are a variety of methods used to treat depression , including medications and psychotherapy. https://pvdpsych.com/

  ​ PVD Psychological Associates and C&C Psychological Services are proud to offer a unique collaboration! We have partnered to bring expert neuropsychological testing from the Boston-area to our office in Providence, RI. We offer Neuropsychological testing, psychological testing, and private school entrance testing for individuals across the lifespan with a guaranteed quick turnaround and delivery of feedback in an accessible and clinically meaningful manner. https://pvdpsych.com/psychological-testing/

  Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)   People suffering from GAD experience excessive anxiety and worry about various events and situations. They have difficulty in controlling anxiety and worry, along with restlessness and 'feeling keyed up or on edge' all the time. Such people are not worried about anything in particular and there is no specific trigger. https://pvdpsych.com/