Psychology Services

Psychological consultation and treatment are provided throughout the hospital to address the needs of individuals coping with acute injury, illness, hospitalization and medical treatment. Specifically, our trauma psychologists consult with the trauma and burn teams to help acutely injured patients cope with the immediate crisis and disruption in the family system. Initially, a crisis intervention model is applied. After the completion of the initial evaluation, a variety of therapeutic techniques may be employed, including family therapy, grief counseling, behavior management, psychoeducation and team consultation.

Burn patients are often encouraged to attend the Burn Survivors Connect support group.

The Tampa General Rehab Hospital is an inpatient rehabilitation facility providing comprehensive services. Rehabilitation psychologists are part of a coordinated multidisciplinary team, providing assessment, intervention and consultation services to individuals with stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic injuries/surgeries and other rehabilitation diagnoses.

Our services include:

• Neuropsychological screening evaluations
• Coping and emotional status evaluations
• Patient and family education
• Helping patients cope with trauma and hospitalization
• Assisting patients with developing healthy coping skills
• Behavior management
• Individual and family therapy

Our TGMG outpatient clinic on Westshore Blvd. offers comprehensive health psychology and rehabilitation psychology services to adult and pediatric patients. Psychological assessment and treatment are provided for individuals with complex medical conditions.

Typical referrals to our service might include individuals who:

• Have new or chronic health conditions and could benefit from short-term, solution-focused therapy for coping and skill building
• Are experiencing stress or distress related to their health condition
• Are in need of help understanding and adhering to medical treatment and prioritizing healthy behavior changes
• Have a neurocognitive disorder
• Require psychology clearance prior to a surgical procedure

Neuropsychology is a sub-specialty of clinical psychology that provides assessment of cognitive, behavioral and emotional changes that can occur because of known or suspected brain disorders, brain injuries or other medical disorders that can affect the brain.

Neuropsychological evaluation is often indicated when a cognitive change or suspected impairment is caused by:

The neuropsychological evaluation itself includes an interview with the patient and family members as well as formal cognitive testing. It often includes assessment in the following areas:

The Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology program at the Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH provides comprehensive inpatient services for infants, children and adolescents who are experiencing cognitive, behavioral and emotional difficulties caused by an acute or chronic medical illness or injury. We provide assessment, intervention and consultation services with medical and therapeutic teams throughout the hospital. We also consult with the school system and community resources to provide continuity of care.

Members of our team evaluate and treat patients with medical conditions that place them at risk for cognitive or developmental problems that affect their behavior and learning. We treat patients with acute and chronic conditions such as:

Our team will work to assess your child’s:

• Cognitive strengths and weaknesses
• Social-emotional abilities
• Emotional and impulse control
• Academic skills and reasoning
• Sensory abilities and motor skills

In addition, we will help you and your family to:

• Understand the impact of your child’s medical or neurological disorder on daily functioning and ongoing development
• Develop a plan for supporting your child medically, socially and academically
• Cope with your child’s behavioral changes as a result of medical or surgical treatment
• Work with your child’s educational team to promote academic and social functioning
• Access beneficial school and community resources

Neuropsychological evaluations for children from birth to young adulthood are completed when children have cognitive, emotional, behavioral, adjustment or learning problems that are a direct result of a medical, neurological or neurodevelopmental disorder. The program serves children with a diverse range of conditions and provides family-centered care within a confidential environment. Our Board-Certified pediatric neuropsychologists conduct evaluations in collaboration with all individuals involved in the child’s care to help support the child’s unique needs.

A pediatric neuropsychologist uses a set of standardized non-invasive tests and observes behavior to determine the child’s individual pattern of strengths and weaknesses. These evaluations often include assessment of:

Looking for more information before scheduling an assessment for your child? View our Parent’s Guide to Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment.

This clinic is a specialized resource for children and young adults (2-21 years old) who are managing a chronic illness. Our staff has the unique ability to understand both the medical and psychological impact of an illness on a young person’s emotions, social life, school and overall well-being. Services are available to support children and young adults through all stages of the illness process because, as needs change over the course of time, so to will methods of integrating illness management with all the other stressors of life. Sessions can focus on working individually with the child, the family unit, or some combination to best manage the significant impact of an illness.

Our staff is here to help families:

Common Questions and How to Prepare for Your First Appointment at the Medical Coping Clinic

What should I tell my child prior to coming to an appointment?
It is normal for children to be worried or nervous when they hear they are coming to the clinic. Let your child know that this appointment will not involve any pain, shots, or a physical exam. Instead, this kind of appointment will be filled with talking and playing. You can let your child know that the reason they are coming to this appointment, is so they feel better and so that everything can be a little easier for them. For younger children it may be helpful to reassure your child that parents can stay in the room the whole time.

How long do people usually come to the medical coping clinic for?
The typical length of treatment varies depending on the issues that have been occurring and the goals of treatment. For families who are preparing for a specific medical procedure the treatment time may be very short. For someone with longstanding significant medical and mental health concerns, treatment will be longer. Throughout treatment, families will work with providers to ensure that progress is being made towards achieving treatment goals.

What type of therapy is used at the medical coping clinic?
The type of therapy we use is called “Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)”. This type of therapy focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can all impact a person’s physical health, mental health, and well-being. All interventions used are evidence- based. This means that that there are studies that have shown that the interventions being used work and are effective in helping people.

What will a typical session be like?
The environment of the therapy room in addition to the session itself are all designed to make the child and the whole family comfortable. The room has many developmentally appropriate therapeutic activities and books available. Most sessions involve a combination of talking and, when developmentally appropriate, playing.

What kind of training does a clinical psychologist have?
Psychologists have a PhD or PsyD in Psychology. This means that anyone your child meets with, will have at least four years of undergraduate training and six years of additional specialized schooling and training focused on child-development, mental health interventions, and how to promote emotional health and well-being.

Will my child be prescribed psychiatric medications during the appointment?
No, psychologists cannot prescribe medications. If you think your child would benefit from psychiatric medications, we are happy to provide referrals to psychiatrists in the community.