Interface Consultation Services, PLLC

The National Institute of Mental Health provides research data on the impact of mental illness on “established market economies”. The data expresses impact in terms of the economic consequences due to mental illness and associated mortality and disability. The findings of this research project mortality and disability until the year 2020. Facts Major depression is the leading cause of disability (measured by the number of years lived with a disabling condition) worldwide among persons age 5 and older. For women throughout the world as well as those in established market economies, depression is the leading cause of DALYs. In established market economies, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are also among the top 10 causes of DALYs for women. DALYS refer to Daily Adjusted Life Years. DALYs measure lost years of healthy life regardless of whether the years were lost to premature death or disability. Various mental health diagnoses are considered in relation to this measurement. For furth...

Do you want to be successful? Do you want to move from the doldrums of a life with little meaning or satisfaction? If your answer is YES! The 10 Foundations of Motivation is a great book to help you organize your thoughts and get you moving in the right direction. Shawn Doyle describes that the first step is finding out what your purpose is? Why are you on this earth? Who are you truly meant to be? What are you passionate about? We all generally have the same wiring, it is what we decide to do with this wiring that makes the difference between finding ourselves at age 50 and wondering what we have accomplished in life and finding ourselves smiling at age 50 with continued enthusiasm for our life’s-work, knowing that we are fulfilling our purpose. I have been fortunate to be remotely connected to a program called Peace Jam . Nobel Peace Laureates volunteer their time to youth to instill within our youth the belief that we can all make a difference. I have had the opportunity to hear...

Rates of premature termination from therapy vary from agency to therapist. In some agencies early treatment termination rates are above 50%. Termination may occur after the initial session or later in the course of treatment. There exist multiple variables effecting early termination of treatment, many which may be prevented through effective educating clients about the expectations of treatment. Discussing openly the specific treatment goals, timeliness for treatment, communicating about differences, conflicts or disagreements in the therapy process and other potential treatment-ending reasons is key to preventing termination and improving treatment outcomes. Communication, including with your therapist, is vital to the overall success in treatment. To learn more about why people drop out of therapy, see Dropping out of Psychotherapy

CDHPs are a fairly new resurrecting of the old indemnity insurance plan (high deductibles) with a broad PPO choice. How does it actually improve choice and the overall health care system? Dr. Enthoven’s is quoted in Managed Care Matters that CDHPs do not address the concerns of chronic illness, prevention, costs or quality of services. It does give customers choice which is very important to customers. How do we balance choice, evidenced – based treatments, quality providers, affordability, and access, etc? How do with provide service excellence at an affordable price? What barriers are there to a more healthy and productive system? I cannot answer these questions but I think it’s imperative to start seek answers. What about fewer health care plans? Could we become more consistent with service delivery and monitoring of data, prevention efforts, improved management of chronic illness? What creative ideas do you have to provide this type of delivery system?

If you live in the Midwest or other geographic areas that experience low natural sunlight this time of year, you may be experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It usually strikes during autumn and often continues through the winter when natural light is reduced. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD can present with low to high levels of depressed mood, appetite and sleep changes, general feelings of malaise and sadness, low energy, low motivation, difficulty concentrating and even thoughts of suicide. Not all people in low light areas experience SAD; others experience significant symptoms that interfere with their day-to-day functioning. Effective ways of managing low-light mood symptoms can range from visits to the tanning salon to seeking counseling and medication treatment. A possible alternative to resorting to prescribed medications may involve Light Therapy. This form of therapy consists of spending blocks of time bathed in light from a special full-spectrum light sou...

As is the case with most things, too much of a good thing can become unhealthy. In the case of prescription medications for the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder and other impulse-control disorders, medications like Ritalin, Metadate, Strattera and Adderall have become popular and effective in the treatment of these disorders. These amphetamine-derived substances have a paradoxical or opposite effect on people that truly suffer from attention and impulse control deficits, acting to calm, focus and regulate their hyperactive behaviors and attention to tasks. When used responsibly many individuals are able to function more effectively and productively in their work, school and relationships. On the other hand, when medications such as these are inappropriately used, taken to achieve the true amphetamine response, it can become dangerous and contribute to a more habitual pattern of substance abuse. View this recent article with regard to Adderall in particular and the phenomenon occ...

I heard this phrase a couple of months ago. You know, it was on one of those seminar flyers that fill you mailbox. “Compassion Fatigue” caught my eye. I had to chuckle to myself…what is it? Basically, the conference was about “burn out” in helping professions (mental health, nursing, medical and spiritual). Are you tried of hearing the same old story? Have you lost your patience, “lost that lovin’ feeling”? Are you spent because you have been seeing clients back to back and you have nothing left!! Do you want to scream, “Stop calling me”?!! You threaten that you are going to “lose it”. If you are feeling this way, maybe it’s time for some self-compassion . How are you taking care of yourself? We are all the same. We all have feelings, we all need support, and we all need breaks, to breathe the sun of a warm day and the smell of warm bread. We all respond to these things as human beings. Have compassion for yourself. This is where it starts…if it means taking a day t...