Psychologists and health psychology:
The Psychology Department includes several psychologists.
Psychologists help individuals understand, explain and change their behaviour. Psychologists study our way of thinking, feeling and behaving from a scientific perspective and they use their knowledge to help patients recover.
Physical health and emotional health are closely interrelated. Health psychology is practised in a hospital setting to:
- Understand why some people exhibit health behaviours while others do not;
- Identify psychological factors that contribute to physical illness;
- Encourage people to exhibit health behaviours;
- Help patients accept and deal with their illness.
Services
Psychological assessments and psychotherapy are provided to:
- Inpatients;
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Some ambulatory care clinic patients:
- Bariatric surgery;
- Chronic pain;
- Nephrology;
- Obstetrics;
- Oncology;
- PKU (phenylketonuria);
- Pediatrics;
- Family Planning;
- Adult/Child Psychiatry.
Services are offered to both children and adults.
The individual needs of each patient are assessed to set the goal of interventions. Psychotherapy can help people with the following problems:
- Mood disorders (depression and anxiety);
- Family problems;
- Cognitive disorders (memory, learning);
- Developmental disorders;
- Eating disorders;
- Sleep disorders.
Psychologists are trained to offer assistance with the following:
- Stress management;
- Bereavement;
- Self-esteem;
- Motivation;
- Pain management;
- Post-traumatic crisis management;
- Adjusting to illness.
Psychologists work closely with the medical team, families, schools, and other professionals.
