Services

Lamb Behavioral Health Center provides a variety of psychological services primarily from a cognitive-behavioral approach.

Lamb Behavioral Health Center provides services for:

ADHD
Autism
Anxiety
Behavior problems
Depression
Emotion regulation
Learning problems

Parenting skills
Potty training
Relationship issues
Sleep issues
Social skills
Study skills

This list is provided for example only and is not all-inclusive.

Psychological Services

Counseling/Therapy

LBHC provides therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Once initial information is gathered about the presenting problem, the therapist will create a treatment plan. This plan will shared with the patient and will be updated as needed, based on progress made and/or additional information learned.

One of the unique aspects of therapy at LBHC is the emphasis on the family. Working with and improving these vital relationships provides the best outcomes for our patients. As such, we require parent/guardian participation for all patients under the age of 18. The level of parent involvement may vary based on patient need. It is also common for adult patients to work on family issues as part of their treatment. Examples include parenting adult children and helping one’s elderly parents.

Therapy sessions are typically 45-60 minutes in length, but session length may vary based on the needs of the patient.

Assessment/Psychological Testing

LBHC provides assessment services for children, adolescents, and adults. For children and adolescents, we assess for ADHD, Autism, and Specific Learning Disability (e.g., reading disorder). For adults, we mainly assess for ADHD.

Assessment involves collecting information from several sources and processes including a clinical interview, completion of self-report measures, and direct assessment of current abilities. We may also request information from others who know the individual, such as parents, teachers, or spouse. At the end of the assessment process, we will provide a written report that discusses the data collected, diagnostic considerations, and recommendations to address any concerns discovered.

Completing a psychological evaluation usually happens across several appointments, 1-4 hours in duration, depending on the age of the person being assessed and the type of evaluation being completed. Some assessment services are billable to insurance. Portions that are strictly related to educational diagnoses (e.g., learning disability for reading) are not covered by health insurance.

Consultation

Consultation is similar to therapy, but the individual coming for assistance is requesting help with situational or family issues not related to their own mental health condition. In these cases, services are not billable to insurance but can be extremely beneficial.

Consultation can help parents acquire new strategies for handling difficult situations, particularly with children who (due to age, cognitive/communicative ability, or willingness) may not be able to benefit from therapy themselves. Examples of skills for parents of very young children include establishing routines, dealing with picky eating, or early potty training before the child meets the age requirement for enuresis or encopresis. Examples of skills for parents of adult children include establishing/maintaining boundaries for adult children with severe mental illness or navigating interactions with grandchildren.

Other useful consultation topics may involve ways to help one’s elderly parents, ideas for interacting with a spouse or roommate who is experiencing their own challenges, or employment issues.

Related Services

IEP Advocacy & School Consultation

Navigating the special education system can be overwhelming to parents. LBHC helps parents understand the special education process so they can be better advocates for their child’s needs. Services may include reviewing school evaluations and explaining them to parents, helping parents understand the services the school can provide, and even attending the ARD meeting with the parent.

Similar assistance is offered for students who received services under a 504 plan. We also help individuals who need assistance obtaining accommodations in college.

Our therapy patients who need help with school issues often obtain this guidance as part of their therapy sessions. Individuals seeking school consultation as a stand-alone service can private pay, as health insurance does not cover educational services or diagnoses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long is the wait for new patient services?

This is a complicated question! Sometimes the wait is rather brief, 1-2 weeks to confirm insurance and complete new patient paperwork. At other times the wait can be longer, even multiple months. Factors that increase the wait time include very specific time requests for appointments and not returning calls back to the office. LBHC encourages prospective patients to make themselves available for these needed appointments and to monitor their phones for missed calls or voicemail messages. Calling back promptly increases the likelihood that the new patient opening is still available.

What is the process for starting services in the office?

Information will be gathered about the prospective patient to determine if an appropriate match can be made with one of our providers. Insurance benefits will be confirmed. Once a time becomes available that matches the patient’s stated availability, the patient will receive a call to find out if services are still desired. If so, the patient will be notified about the cost estimate from the insurance company, and a virtual appointment will be scheduled to complete required documents and screening questionnaires. Once the paperwork is complete and the office has received a copy of the responsible party’s driver license and insurance card, then the first appointment will be scheduled.

Are there any services you do not provide?

We offer many services, but there are a few services we do not provide. Our office does not provide child custody evaluations, risk assessments, or letters for emotional support animals. We do not provide evaluations for bariatric surgery. LBHC does not offer anger management classes, sex offender treatment, or drug and alcohol treatment. We do not provide any type of forensic service as none of our providers are trained in that sub-specialty of psychology.

Can I meet my assigned provider to see if we’re a good fit?

We do not provide any Meet and Greet appointments for potential patients. Because there is such a shortage of mental health providers, we allocate all of our appointment times to patients so we can serve as many people as possible. The clinical director oversees assignment of patients to providers based on the patient’s needs. Although this is not always perfect, our providers generally are able to establish a good relationship with assigned patients. We recommend that new patients commit to at least 4-6 sessions, as it takes time to develop a relationship with a therapist.

Is my provider religious?

Most providers at LBHC have some level of personal religious conviction; however, this office does not provide Christian/religious counseling. Our providers are secularly trained, and our office uses research-based methods of therapy. Our providers are respectful of our patients’ beliefs, whether tied to a particular religion or no religion at all.

What occurs during the first appointment?

The provider and patient (and parent/guardian) are introduced to each other. The provider discusses the limits of confidentiality (i.e., scenarios where the provider is required by law to disclose information about the patient). The provider will gather information about the symptoms and difficulties that brought the patient to therapy. Possible treatment goals will be discussed.

What occurs at follow-up appointments?

Therapy appointments focus on interventions to address the presenting problems as agreed upon in the treatment plan. The session starts with a review of the homework and progress from the past week. Then the therapist either introduces new concepts related to treatment goals or continues practicing concepts introduced earlier in therapy. The therapist may also spend time talking with the patient about thoughts, beliefs, and expectations regarding areas of concern. The session ends with assignment of homework for the upcoming week, which often involves practicing a new skill or concept.

The amount of time spent processing difficulties versus building skills varies depending on the problems being addressed and the developmental level of the individual.

How many appointments will I need?

Treatment is based on the needs of the individual, but these are some general guidelines. Services typically start weekly. When enough improvement has occurred, the frequency of appointments will be reduced to every other week. This may occur after 2-3 months, but again the timeline varies. After progress has been maintained and treatment goals largely met, frequency will be reduced to once a month, and then services will be discontinued.

The entire process from start to finish varies, but many individuals attend services for 3-6 months. Some individuals need less time, and others need services for a year or longer. Frequency and duration of treatment are determined by the provider and the patient in response to the patient’s progress toward treatment goals.