Neuropsychological Evaluation
A Brief Introduction to Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is the application of psychological testing principles to neurology. Neuropsycholgists have academic and clinical training in neuropsychology, neurology,and traditional clinical psychology.
In medical settings, the neuropsychologist assesses the functional consequences of brain disorders and injuries upon cognition, behavior, and personality. The neuropsychologist's test findings complement the physician's neurophysiological studies (e.g., CT, MRI, EEG, lab studies) to assist with making differential diagnoses and with treatment planning.
In nonmedical settings (i.e.,forensic, employment, academic) the neuropsychologist tests intelligence,attention/concentration, memory, problem solving abilities, academic/achievement abilities, and personality functioning to assist with diagnosis and planning to assist attorneys, educators, and employers.
How Does the Neuropsychological Evaluation Process Work?
The physician, worker's compensation case manager, attorney, employer, educator, or client can make the referral. Since the cost of neuropsychological testing is often covered by most group health insurance plans under medical benefits, the out-of-pocket cost is usually minimal.
The client is typically evaluated at the neuropsycholgist's office or in the hospital (for inpatients). Testing usually takes several hours or longer. The testing is an active "hands-on" process. The client is first interviewed by the neuropsychologist to obtain a thorough understanding of the reasons for the testing and the client's medical, academic, and work history.
The client spends the remaining time taking standardized, psychometric tests which assess various aspects of cognitive and personality functioning. The tests are not physically painful and the client is given rest breaks. The neuropsychologist scores the test data and prepares a report which discusses the test findings, diagnoses,treatment recommendations, prognoses, and ramifications for work, school, etc.
Important Considerations
· The evaluation is noninvasive, painless, and is an interesting experience for most clients.
· The evaluation is a flexible process - the tests administered can be tailored to the referral questions.
· The evaluation can be conducted on an inpatient or outpatient basis.
· Test results are provided rapidly to the referral source.
Cost of the Evaluation
Neuropsychological assessment is covered by most group health insurance policies under medical benefits. Flexible payment arrangements can also be made.
Applications Appropriate for Neuropsychological Evaluation
·Forensic Evaluations
·Workers Compensation Evaluations
·Disability Evaluations
·Pre-Employment Evaluations
·Corporate Psychology/Executive Consultation and Coaching
·Academic Evaluations for Learning Disabilities and Special Accommodations
·Attention-Deficit Disorder Testing
·Medical Disorders (Brain Injury,Stroke,Spinal Cord Injury,Dementia/Alzheimers, Substance Abuse,Pre- and Post Neurosurgery, Chronic Pain Syndrome, Headaches)
About Maura Carter, Ph.D.
Maura Carter is a licensed psychologist who specializes in neuropsychological assessment of individuals eight years old and older. Dr. Carter received her Ph.D. from Auburn University. She completed her internship at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Houston, Texas. She completed postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology in Georgia. She has worked in private practice in Birmingham, Alabama since 1994. She sees patients at the Meadowbrook office of Grayson & Associates.
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Sexual and Relationship Therapy
Dr. Abrams is the only psychologist in Birmingham who has completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in Sexual and Relationship Therapy. Dr. Abrams is committed to fostering a person’s ability to enjoy their sexuality and relationships in a way that enhances their emotional, spiritual and physical well-being, as well as the quality of their relationships.
Clinical Services Offered
Sexual Health and Functioning
There are many reasons why individuals or couples may struggle to develop, maintain or regain a level of sexual health and functioning that allows them to enjoy their sexuality. Dr. Abrams can help individuals and couples attain healthy sexual functioning by working through such common issues as:
* Low sexual desire/arousal difficulties * Erectile dysfunction
* Premature ejaculation * Performance anxiety
* Difficulty achieving orgasm * Pain during sexual activity
* Disabilities and chronic illness * Body image concerns
Relationship and Sexual Therapy
Developing strong relationships, including a good sexual relationship with your partner, can be an extremely important and rewarding part of one’s life. Dr. Abrams can help individuals and couples attain these goals by working through such issues as:
* Sexual affairs * Coping with Infertility
* Discrepancies in sexual desire * Fear of intimacy
* Communication skills * Anger Management
Compulsive Sexual Behavior
Compulsive sexual behaviors are recurrent, intense and distressing behaviors that cause significant problems in one’s life, especially in the areas of emotional well-being and relationships. Compulsive sexual behavior is often an unproductive response to feelings of some type of emotional distress in one’s life (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties. Common symptoms of compulsive sexual behavior include:
* Feeling guilty or ashamed about some of your sexual activity
* Being overly preoccupied or obsessed with certain types of sexual activity.
* Having had many love relationships that were short-lived and unfulfilling.
* Excessive use of pornography, the Internet, strip bars or telephone sex lines.
* Taking excessive risks when engaging in sexual activity (e.g., viewing
pornography at work, having unsafe sex).
Sexual Abuse Recovery
Psychological treatment is available for men and women who have experienced sexual, abuse as children or adults. Therapy is designed to help individuals overcome the adverse effects associated with their abuse so that one may regain one’s emotional and sexual self-esteem, develop and maintain intimate relationships, and attain a healthy sexuality.
Sexual Orientation
Dr. Abrams provides therapy designed to help individuals develop greater awareness and understanding of their sexual orientation. Therapy goals include promoting comfort with and acceptance of one’s sexual orientation, fantasies and behaviors so that one an individual can develop a healthy sexuality.
Sexual Offender Treatment
Dr. Abrams, along with his colleagues, Dr. Christine Agee and Mr. Tony Martin, offers evaluation, assessment and treatment for sex offenders. Offences include incest, child molestation, rape and coercive sex, exhibitionism, sexual harassment, voyeurism and other sexual behaviors that are harmful and unlawful. Therapy is long-term, and involves individual and group therapy, and regular consultation with any corrections and legal personnel involved with the client.
Transgender Services
Evaluation and treatment are available for individuals who experience discomfort or distress with their sex or gender assigned at birth. Therapy is designed to assist the client to clarify and effectively manage his/her gender identity, and is guided by the revised Harry Benjamin standards of care.
Consultation and Evaluation Services
Dr. Abrams is available for consultation, including clinical, forensic and assessment services, to aid physicians, lawyers, counselors, social workers, teachers and other professionals in serving their clients’ needs.
IS THERAPY FOR ME?
Is therapy effective?
Numerous research studies show that both sexual and relationship therapy are quite effective for the great majority of people able to make a commitment to therapy. Effective treatments exist for all of the types of sexual concerns and problems described in the section of “Clinical Services Offered”.
What are the costs of therapy?
The costs of therapy are not simply a matter of dollars and cents. I encourage you to think of therapy as an investment, an investment in yourself and/or in your relationship. Remember to evaluate the potential risks and rewards of both entering therapy and of not seeking help.
The potential rewards of therapy may be greater than you can imagine! Think of overcoming a problem that has always been upsetting to you, or having your relationship be better than ever before! You may not even know how “good” you can feel! It is difficult to put a price on reinvigorating your relationship or sexual health.
The potential risks of therapy are generally minimal. All licensed therapists adhere to a strict code of ethics and are licensed by the state of Alabama as qualified to provide therapy. There is a risk of feeling that one’s time, money and effort were wasted if therapy did not prove to be effective, but that is a short-term risk compared to the long-term rewards if therapy is successful.
The potential risks of not entering therapy can be hard to quantify, but can be very significant. For example, divorce, unhappy relationships, sexual dysfunction and other sexual problems exert a heavy toll on our happiness and emotional well-being. It is extremely rare that serious problems just “spontaneously” get better; in fact, relationships and our self-esteem usually deteriorate if we (continue to) delay getting help.
The financial costs of therapy vary considerably, depending on the length of time spent in therapy and the extent to which one’s insurance pays for therapy. Our intake coordinators will check your insurance coverage before your 1st session and tell you exactly what are your policy benefits. Of course, one can elect to not use insurance and to pay privately.
How can I make an appointment with Dr. Abrams?
To make an appointment to see Dr. Abrams at Grayson & Associates, please call our main number, (205) 871-6926. To contact Dr. Abrams directly, through his confidential voice mail number, dial (205) 868-6725.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Dr. Abrams is a popular and experienced speaker on a wide range of topics for both professional and public audiences. Dr. Abrams also provides a number of seminars and workshops for corporate, religious, school, community and private groups.
The following list represents the
most common topics that Dr. Abrams presents. Please call our main office at (205) 871-6926 or contact Dr. Abrams’ confidential voice mail at (205) 868-6725 if you are interested in having him give a presentation.
Relationship Skills
Marriage Enrichment Seminar - offered as either a 4-part seminar ideal for religious or community groups or as a weekend retreat for couples. Seminar focuses on communi-cation skills, intimacy, sexuality, and balancing marriage with other life demands.
Assertive Communication Skills - a 1-session workshop on developing communication skills that are needed for effective interpersonal and couples communication.
Sexuality Topics
Sexual Myth-Busting - a 1-session workshop on dispelling common sexual myths that may inhibit or impair one’s understanding or enjoyment of sexuality.
Creating Sexual Intimacy - a 1 or 2 session workshop on how to develop and maintain a higher level of sexual intimacy in your relationship.
Overcoming Differences in Sexual Desire or Sexual Preferences with Your Partner - a 1 or 2-session workshop on working through discrepant sexual desires or preferences.
Great Sex after 40: What you should know about Sexuality and Aging - a 1-session workshop about what changes to expect in our sexual functioning as we age, as well as tips for how to keep one’s sexual relationship fresh and exciting.
Overcoming Sexual Dysfunction - a 1-session workshop covering treatment approaches for the most common types of sexual dysfunction.
Sexual Education
How to Talk to Your Children About Sex - a 1-session workshop on effective parent-child and parent-teen communication about sex.
ABOUT DR. ABRAMS
Dr. Abrams received his B.A. in psychology from Stanford University in 1985, and earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Ohio State University in 1993. Dr. Abrams also completed a 2-year fellowship at the Program in Human Sexuality (PHS) at the University of Minnesota, the nation’s most comprehensive program for clinical research and services in sexual health. Dr. Abrams is a licensed psychologist and a member of the American Psychological Association and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.
Dr. Abrams joined Grayson & Associates, P.C., in Autumn, 1999 after relocating to Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Abrams provides individual and couples therapy for clients concerned with sexuality and relationship issues (link to “specialty services”), depression, weight loss management, anxiety, stress and anger management, and those seeking to make positive lifestyle changes.
Dr. Abrams is frequently a resource for a variety of local media. He recently ended a 4 ½ year stint as a featured monthly guest on the “Breakfast Club” radio show (WAPI-1070AM), often provides expert commentary for local television news stories, writes articles for various printed media and is a popular community speaker.
Dr. Abrams is also an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Samford University where he teaches a popular undergraduate Human Sexuality course. Dr. Abrams is currently working on a book about sexual health issues.
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Pre-Bariatric Surgery Psychological Evaluations
Pre-Bariatric Surgery Psychological Evaluations can aid surgeons in their patient evaluations. Clients undergo a clinical interview and are administered an MMPI-2, a popular psychological assessment tool. Reports of the evaluation are typically sent to the referring psysician within 2 business days. In cases where we recommend that a patient delay surgery in order to treat a mental health problem ( e.g., research has shown that patients who are clinically depressed have worse long-term outcomes with bariatric surgery than do patients who are not depressed), the multidisciplinary team at Grayson & Associates can then deliver the recommended services ( e.g., medication consults, brief psychotheapy) in order to enhance the patient's ability to have a successful long-term outcome following their bariatric surgery.
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