Mental health clinicians usually perform a one-hour evaluation on all new patients. Although each type of professional brings a unique perspective to the evaluation, all mental health clinicians attempt to understand the basic symptoms each patient exhibits and the biological, psychological and social problems that underlie those symptoms.
Psychiatric medications can be prescribed to help manage mental and emotional symptoms. Often medication is all that is required to help patients feel better and function normally. Medications also can help patients think more clearly and have better control over their emotions. Often this helps them make better use of psychotherapy and counseling.
Individual Therapy and Counseling
Mental health clinicians attempt to help patients work through emotionally charged issues that are difficult to face without external help. Counseling focuses on current life problems and offers practical solutions. Psychotherapy is a longer-term, deeper process of uncovering unconscious mental and emotional processes that cause conflicts from the past to be repeated in present life.
Couples Therapy and Family Therapy
If couples and families are having problems resolving interpersonal conflicts, often this can be done with the help of a neutral and compassionate outside person.
Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
Sometimes patients have very complicated issues that are hard to diagnose and treat without sophisticated psychological testing.