Mental Health Treatment at Square Medical Group

Medication Management

Psychiatric medications influence the brain chemicals that regulate emotions and thought patterns. They’re usually more effective when combined with psychotherapy. In some cases, medicines can reduce symptoms so other methods of a treatment plan can be more effective. For example, a medication can ease symptoms of depression like loss of energy and lack of concentration, allowing an individual to engage more in talk therapy. From NAMI https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Mental-Health-Medications

Square Medical Group prescribers are psychiatrists and nurse practitioners skilled in the treatment of mental health disorders. These disorders may include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Medications are available for these and other mental health disorders and are often combined with other treatments such as individual therapy, Group Therapy, Intensive Outpatient Programming or Day Treatment.

Individual Therapy

The least intensive level of care is a weekly or bi-weekly meeting with an individual therapist and/or with a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner for medication. Our therapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Trauma Informed Care as well as other evidence based practices to optimize treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorder. Our prescribers are trained and experienced in the treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders.

Group Therapy

For people looking to maintain their recovery, or wish to focus their treatment on a specific topic, SMG offers a number of outpatient groups. These groups meet once a week for an hour and can also be combined with individual therapy and medication assisted therapy as described above. Examples of groups include: Relapse Prevention, Grief Management, Healthy Relationships, Family Support.

Day Treatment

Our most intensive level of service is the Day Treatment Program (DTP). This program offers a series of groups, Monday through Friday, five hours each day. When combined with individual therapy from a member of our clinical staff and medication assisted therapy from one of our psychiatrists or nurse practitioners, it provides the most comprehensive treatment program available outside a hospital setting. Groups include: relapse prevention, anxiety and depression symptom management, trauma recovery, anger management, DBT basics, healthy relationships and yoga and meditation.

This option is often the next step for someone discharging from an inpatient stay, or for someone who wants to strengthen their recovery.

TMS

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a safe, innovative, non-invasive and effective treatment for depression. The FDA approved TMS as a treatment for depression in 2008, and it has a proven record of success without the side effects that many pharmaceuticals bring.

TMS therapy involves stimulating an area of the brain that can be under-active in patients with depression with magnetic pulses, similar to an MRI. This regulates neural networks, increases blood flow to that area of the brain, and activates nerves that affect depressive moods.

We perform the procedure in the office and no sedation is required. You are awake and alert during the treatment sessions and are able to drive and resume normal activities immediately afterward. The initial visit can last up to an hour while we take precise measurements. Subsequent visits last 20-30 minutes.

For more information or assistance with scheduling an initial appointment for any service, please call us at 617-916-5069.

Neuropsychological Testing

A psychological evaluation consists of an interview with a psychologist and completion of a variety of tests that cover areas of intellectual, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Other elements such as personality and executive functioning may be part of the evaluation. Executive functioning is your ability to make the most of your intelligence. For example, you may be very intelligent, but you will not be making the best use of your intelligence unless you can initiate, inhibit, switch, and sustain your attention as you navigate through the world around you.

A good neuropsychological evaluation answers the question “what is this brain capable of doing?” by looking at the brain’s abilities. A neuropsychological evaluation covers the broad areas of reasoning, including working memory, and processing speed over a variety of tasks. A neuropsychological evaluation also assesses attention and concentration, verbal and visual memory, and has a greater focus on executive functioning than a standard psych evaluation. Motor and sensory measures may be part of the evaluation as well. You may seek neuropsychological testing to understand the likely underlying cause of a developmental abnormality, such as ADHD, or the behavioral and cognitive impact of an acquired brain injury resulting from events such as concussions, traumatic brain injury, or brain damage from drug use.

The testing process involves two to three meetings. At the first appointment, we gather background information, including your personal history and current mental health issues. Pending the necessity of testing and insurance authorization, we will schedule a second longer appointment during which we conduct objective testing. During this testing, we use standardized tests, including paper and pencil, question and answer, and puzzle-type tests. No electronic or medical equipment is involved. The testing may be broken up into different days at the patient’s request. We offer a third optional feedback session if the patient would like to go over the findings of testing. The purpose of testing is to establish the most accurate diagnoses so the therapist and prescriber can offer interventions that are most likely to be effective in alleviating the patient’s distress and helping them lead fuller, happier lives.