Neurological illness requires consistent management, including education, support groups, general wellness maintenance, proper diet and exercise.

As the illness progresses, those affected could experience difficulty walking, sleeping, memory loss, or have issues with chewing, swallowing or speaking.

A significant number of patients struggle with the emotional aspects of diagnosis and treatment, such as depression and anxiety, which can have a negative impact on their prognoses and healing. This disruption can create a physical, emotional and financial burden for the patients and their families. Psychotherapy can help ease the strain of this life cycle change.

Allison Smith, LMFT, NASM-CPT holds a Master’s degree in Marital and Family Therapy with an emphasis on Medical Psychotherapy.  Allison is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Lic. #90288) with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and is a clinical member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). She is also a Certified Wellness Life Coach who partners with individuals and families challenged by chronic illness to set realistic and attainable goals that promote motivation.

Living with young-onset Parkinson’s disease, Allison Smith is uniquely prepared to help patients cope with the psychological aspects of their disorders. In addition to patient education and counseling, Allison conducts neuropsychological screening and evaluation, required by insurance companies. With the ability to complete the necessary assessments in the office, she helps provide an all-inclusive environment that helps eliminate any unnecessary stress of going to multiple medical facilities. This allows NPSC to create a medical plan with other physicians to ensure the highest quality of care.

Treatments

• Individual, family and couples counseling
• Brief, solution-based therapy to ease tension or concerns that come with life cycle changes
• Marriage and intimacy therapy
• Education and awareness training for patients and families
• Continuum of care for surgical patients/post-operative care
• Fitness education classes and activities
• Exercise programs that focus on balance, flexibility and strength training
• Support Groups
• “Parkie and Partner” intensive support class, which teaches critical skills and provides tools to people who are caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease
• Life Coaching, which can facilitate:
  • Reduced stress
  • Help with employment tension
  • Making better decisions
  • Helping to clear up unresolved issues
  • Finding “ah-ha” moments
  • Advocacy for overall health and wellbeing

Many people have a perception that talk therapy requires you to lay on a couch, with a box of tissues, talking to an overpaid specialist who only works with the mentally ill. It is unfortunate that this stigma follows something that can truly help many people.  To help this misunderstanding, here are some common myths and facts about talk therapy.

Myths:

Everyone can benefit from therapy.

It is a bold statement to make that each individual will find something helpful from therapy. Many believe that people, who are open and willing to put work into achieving their goals, will have a positive experience from therapy. On the other hand, if an individual is closed-minded and not open to change, therapy will likely have limited benefits.

People who go to therapy are weak.

Are people who go see a physician or a dentist weak for seeking medical help? Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. Sadly, our culture has a belief that you should handle your own issues privately and seeking help is viewed as personal failure. The truth is taking action requires more strength than passively staying mentally stuck in life.

Change happens in session.

Change occurs before and after therapy sessions. Although clients may have “a-ha” moments during session, it is when they apply these revelations to their lives that change happens.

All therapists are the same.

This is far from the truth. Each therapist has a unique style, background and theory. Ultimately, you should pick a therapist that you feel safe and comfortable with.

Therapy doesn’t work unless it is painful.

Therapy is not always going to be full of sunshine and puppy dogs. We all carry some sort of emotional pain and talking about it can be hard, so why do therapy? Verbalizing your emotions and the sensations you feel as you recall these painful moments help you better process the information. Your therapist can also help you explore techniques that can help you cope with the pain that may surface.

Facts:

How long is a therapy session?

Each session is 50 minutes. Your first session, which is the assessment, is shorter.  During the assessment, we would discuss what you would like to work on in therapy and fill out paperwork.

How much does therapy cost?

Each session is on average $100.00. Financial hardship may be taken into consideration.

What issues do people work on in therapy?

Each individual is different, but typically therapy is an 8-12 week commitment that may focus on, providing a continuum of care between physicians, dealing with the crisis of initial diagnosis, marriage and intimacy issues within relationships or coping with grief and loss associated with a chronic or life-threatening illness. There is a true connection between physical and mental health and in order to maintain optimal health, finding a balance is crucial.

For additional resources, go to our Support Groups page and look for the Parkinson’s tab.

Everyone could use a friendly supportive ear to listen, a sounding board when handling life’s curve balls and we have both short term and long term options available.

Before you dismiss the idea… just know that research has shown that verbalizing feelings can have a significant therapeutic effect on the brain. In other words, sharing your worries with someone and getting them out in the open, even the insignificant ones, particularly with someone trained to help you manage them is a good thing for your well-being.