Doctor of Clinical Psychology (California), Integrated Healthcare

Integrated health care is a model of care that utilizes extensive collaboration among healthcare providers to achieve optimal clinical outcomes in a cost-efficient manner. Depending on the needs of the patient, an integrated health team can consist of physicians, psychologists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, case managers, and nurses. With a diverse range of professionals focusing on the needs of their shared patient, an interprofessional team is able to establish a comprehensive treatment plan to address the biological, psychological, social, and everyday needs of the patient. This course will provide an overview of the principles of integrated healthcare, reviewing the evidence-based research on the efficacy of this approach with different clinical conditions, and examining the practical, applied procedures that are used in integrated healthcare approach to specific conditions. Some of the clinical conditions reviewed include special needs pediatrics, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic pain, catastrophic injuries such TBI and SCI, chronic disabling conditions, as well as end of life care. Integrated approaches will be examined along the continuum of care from intensive to primary to rehabilitative care. Consistent with the mission of JFK School of Psychology we will focus on the multicultural and diversity aspects of integrated healthcare, with a special emphasis on disability. Emphasis will also be placed on how integrated healthcare approaches wellness and disease prevention. A number of lectures will be provided by psychologists and physicians actively engaged in integrated healthcare practices in the geographic area.

In this course, students will come to understand the nature of, and degree to which attitudes, beliefs, mood, and lifestyle influence the body and vice versa, and how much of this interaction reflects a choice on the part of the client. Students will be able to better recognize the effects of poor health choices in their own lives, and in the problems of their clients. They will also acquire knowledge and a set of skills to help themselves and their clients make better, health-promoting choices (medical adherence, habit control, exercise, sleep hygiene, pain management, etc). Recently, there has been an emphasis on the various cultural belief systems and the assumptions members of these cultures have with regard to health. Knowledge of these differences is important to be able to work effectively with members of diverse populations (ethnicity, age, gender, etc.). Finally, students will learn how to individually consult on behavior-health related issues, as well as how to work in a short-term, time-limited, team treatment setting.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a technique that was developed by psychologists William Miller, PhD and Steve Rollnick, PhD, which emphasizes a collaborative person-centered approach to guiding and eliciting motivation for change. It can also be seen as a collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change. MI is especially useful for patients who are ambivalent about change or who are not committed to change. It is a technique that has been used across multiple healthcare settings and continues to show effectiveness with different patient populations. This course will focus on theory, research, and practice of MI. In preparation, the course will initially review various topics related to behavior, habits, and motivation. This will include a review of the Transtheoretical Model of Change and other major philosophies associated with behavioral change. The course will provide an overview of MI and an introduction to key concepts and techniques. At the same time, students will learn about the use of MI in different disciplines within medicine. This includes use of MI by psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, specialists, and social workers.

This course is designed to examine the behavioral health consultation model as a psychological approach to integrative care services in general medicine. The course will coach or show how to conduct behavior health consultations, complete a functional assessment, and write SOAP notes. The medical model and provider-patient relationship will be examined with a goal of promoting and improving overall health functioning of primary care patients. We will investigate common behavioral health presentations and treatments for issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD in conjunction with psychotherapy and medication management. Techniques such as relaxation, exercise, and healthy eating habits will be explored along with common behavioral health interventions. Behavioral health consultation is simultaneously an integrative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approach; therefore, the course will also examine culture and health for primary care patients. Finally, the various research methodologies employed to investigate multicultural competency in primary care behavioral consultation and patient-centered care will be explored.

This course provides an understanding of the psychobiology and neurobiology of trauma and how to work with trauma within a neurobiological framework. Conceptual distinctions will be made between developmental trauma and shock trauma and guidance will be provided regarding how to address different kinds of symptom presentations from within a neurobiological treatment perspective. Topics covered include: trauma and the brain, traumatic memory, poly vagal theory, interpersonal neurobiology and neural integration, the window of tolerance; hyper vs. hypotonic trauma responses; trauma release processes; phase-oriented treatment; establishing mindfulness; stabilization and resourcing; the developing brain and developmental trauma; neuro-dynamics of attachment; attachment injuries and attachment repair; and models of understanding and treating dissociation and fragmentation.