Psychiatric Services and Evaluations

At Braden Counseling Center, we understand that people are complex and complicated. While we are all free-thinking human beings, our thoughts, wants, and desires are typically linked to our personal experiences throughout our lives.

The unfortunate reality is, people face very real stress every day. While each of us experience different kinds and levels of stress, it still affects all of us in varying ways, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. We are here to guide, counsel, and treat all of our clients with any mental and psychological troubles that they face in their day-to-day lives. By enlisting the help of a caring psychiatric provider, you bring yourself one step closer to feeling like you again.

The professionals at Braden Counseling Center are licensed and qualified to perform unbiased psychological assessments of our clients in order to get them on the fast track to recovery. A treatment plan cannot be made properly without first identifying the aspects of your life that trigger stress.

Psychological Testing and Assessment

There are many reasons why an individual would undergo a psych evaluation, and it is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Just as a General Practitioner would examine your body for any physical ailments, a psychiatric provider needs to do the same for your mind in order for you to get better. Some of the reasons why a person needs to be evaluated are as follows.

Peace of Mind

We know that we all experience stress. We also know how stress can negatively affect our everyday lives. What many of us are unclear on is what we can do about it. A psychiatric evaluation is the first step toward trying to find a better way to deal with our stress. At Braden Counseling Center, we utilize the latest in tried and tested methods to get to the heart of what is causing you stress, and then formulate a plan that can begin the process of healing.

Child Psychological Evaluation

As difficult as it is for an adult to understand the psychological implications of the stress that they go through, it is exponentially more difficult for a child. We tend to think of children as always having the time of their lives, and that nothing that is going on can affect them in any negative way. Nothing could be further from the truth. Children face stress and doubt in the same way as adults, the only difference is, they probably understand what is happening to them even less than adults do.

If a child is falling behind in school or is getting in trouble, the default reason that many people think is that they are not trying hard enough or lack discipline. This type of thinking can dangerously affect a child’s development because the reasons why they are not performing the way they should be far more complex. A child psychiatric provider, like those found at Braden Counseling Center, will be able to help them understand what is going on in their minds and put them on a path toward recovery. Do not make the mistake of thinking that there is no way your child needs psychiatric assistance. Get them the help they need, just as you would if they faced a physical illness of some kind.

The Three Factors of a Psychiatric Evaluation

A psychological evaluation can be broken down into four main components.

• The Therapist
• The Client
• The Psychiatric Provider
• Trust

Without these four areas coming together, it is impossible for any progress to be made. The therapist needs to fully understand the history that has led the client to their current position, as well as the methods that they use in order to effectively treat their patients. The client needs to be open, forthright, and willing to accept that they might need changes in their lives. The psychiatric provider needs to be knowledgeable of the use of psychiatric medication to manage the challenges of the client.  Finally, the two must trust each other that the patient is willing to put the time and effort into healing, the therapist has their best interests in mind, and that progress takes time.  Patience is key in these situations.

Our Main Assessor, Amy Adams

Braden Counseling Center is lucky to have Amy Adams on staff to provide psychiatric servicesand treatment for adults and children. Amy Adams (MSN, APN, FNP, PMHNP) is a certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She received her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Illinois State University and psychiatric certification from University of St. Francis. She comes to us with 25 years of nursing experience in a wide variety of settings, caring for patients across the life span. She has been working as an advanced practice nurse for 12 years with an additional certification in family medicine. This additional training and experience helps her to assess and treat clients in a more holistic manner. She has experience in treating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Amy believes in creating a caring therapeutic environment and working with her clients to establish an individualized plan of care that fits their needs in order to achieve their goals.

Start Down the Path of Recovery

Whatever reason why you might feel that you or a loved one need psychiatric services, please understand that there is absolutely no shame in admitting that you need a little help. For many years, mainstream media, movies, and television shows have portrayed the need for psychiatric help as a weakness. It is completely wrong and dangerous to make this assumption. We have no problem admitting that we need help with work, our relationships, or even something as simple as fixing a car, therefore we should not feel intimidated to admit that we might need a little help fixing our minds as well. Contact Braden Counseling Center today if you or someone you know could benefit from a psychological evaluation. We fully live by our motto “New Ways for Better Days,” and are here to help you.

We offer psychiatric services in Bartlett, Sycamore, Rochelle, Oregon, Geneva and Elgin.