The Clinical Consult

Dr. Jon Elhai—Professor at the University of Toledo—discusses the field of cyberpsychology. He touches on technology’s influence on human behavior and how its use can be problematic. He also explores how technology can be used to further professional practice and research.

Dr. Rory Pfund—a postdoctoral fellow in the Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions (CASAA) at the University of New Mexico—joins us to provide some insight on gambling behaviors. He discusses what gambling looks like in different contexts and how to identify impairments stemming from gambling behavior beyond the financial realm. Dr. Pfund also talks about effective treatment methods and some barriers that may occur during treatment.

Dr. William Ming Liu—Professor and Chair in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland, College Park—joins us for an introductory-level conversation about multicultural competence and telepsychology, and in particular, on video teleconferencing. Dr. Liu covers understanding minority clients’ potential misgivings about telepsychology and the importance of acknowledging those feelings in building a trusting relationship between the provider and the client.

Dr. Regina Nuzzo—Professor of Mathematics at Gallaudet University—breaks down the meaning of a p-value. She addresses the historical and sometimes current misinterpretation of p-values and the importance of understanding the correct meaning of the p-value in order to use sound evidence in research and clinical interventions.

Dr. Morgan Bifano—staff psychologist for Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Pediatric Psychology Consultation Service Program—discusses the importance of high-quality behavioral health services that meet the patient’s needs and includes some of the steps taken in shifting to providing telehealth services in the wake of the pandemic.

Dr. Ronelle Langley—founder of the Cedar Valley Center for Resiliency and Wellbeing in Cedar Falls, Iowa—discusses transitioning clinical services from traditional face-to-face interactions to virtual formats also known as telepsychology. She talks about the importance of seeking guidance from state boards and consultation with informed colleagues in making this transition and ensuring the continued provision of high-quality psychological services through the new virtual platform.

Dr. Jon Goodwin—Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Roy J. and Lucille Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa—breaks down clinical considerations related to psychological assessment including the purpose of the assessment, who the client actually is, and how to navigate cultural considerations in interacting with patients and parents.

Drs. Morgan T. Sammons, Jana N. Martin, Gary R. VandenBos, and Samuel Lustgarten discuss both the shift to telepsychology practice for the delivery of psychological services that has occurred as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis and the enduring effects of this shift on psychological practice in the future.

Dr. Gary VandenBos discusses the importance of the words used in psychotherapy, useful phrases in psychotherapy with schizophrenic patients, and physical steps therapists can take to safeguard themselves with potentially violent patients.

Dr. Carlo DiClemente—co-developer of the transtheoretical model of behavior change—shares insights on how to support clients as they manage problematic health behaviors. He discusses establishing where the client is in the change making process, providing support during this process and providing support during relapse.