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Serving Our Community: InSight proudly serves the following organizations: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Texas Disability Determination Services (DDS) U.S. Veterans Administration Round Rock Police Department Pflugerville Police Department City of Austin Fire Department CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy Candidates Testing and Assessment:
InSight offers psychological testing and assessment for a wide range of conditions. Psychological evaluations and assessments are available upon request. Most psychological evaluations and some testing and assessment fees may be covered by your insurance.
InSight provides psychological testing for the Pflugerville Police Department, Round Rock Police Department, CAPCOG, the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Bariatric (weight-loss) Surgery Pre-Operative Evaluation: A Medical and Psychological Process
Your medical team will determine your appropriateness for bariatric surgery by assessing your overall medical condition, with the goal of identifying whether surgery is too much of a medical risk. Your medical team will also determine whether there are pre existing medical conditions that need to be addressed before undergoing a risky surgical procedure. Surgeons and other physicians can’t predict whether a medical complication will occur just as Psychologists and other behavioral health specialists do not have the ability to “predict” a particular psychological outcome. Psychologists and other behavioral health specialists do have the ability to conduct a pre-operative behavioral health assessment which will aid in determining psychosocial risk factors and assist in formulating recommendations for you and the surgical team. These recommendations will serve to facilitate the best possible outcome for you.
As you prepare to undergo bariatric surgery, you will be faced with new dietary habits, variations in body image,different self care behaviors, changing thoughts and feelings, and a potentially new way of life. Following weight loss you may also experience unanticipated changes in your significant relationships that may result in increased stress. Close friends, family and many others may react differently to you and you may react differently to them. Bariatric surgery not only restructures and/or restricts your stomach, but significantly affects your psychological and emotional well-being. You will need to have a secure sense of self, reliable psychological resources, flexibility, strength of character, sound coping skills, and a desire and willingness to seek support from others. If your assessment reveals a problematic pre-surgery psychosocial factor, a behavioral health specialist can discuss the issue with you and notify your medical treatment team. In response, appropriate recommendations can be made. Recommendations may include pharmacological interventions, psycho-education, psychotherapy to address potential post surgery stumbling blocks, nutritional consultation, close aftercare monitoring, and/or bariatric surgery support group attendance. Reference Suggestions for the pre-surgical psychological assessment of bariatric surgery candidates, American Society for Bariatric Surgery, October 2004 Bariatric Evaluation Procedure at InSight: Your bariatric surgery pre-operative evaluation procedure will involve a 45 minute to one hour clinical diagnostic interview and typically 2.5 to 3 hours of testing. The evaluation takes place during a single office visit so a total time frame of 3.5 to 4 hours should be expected. During the assessment the evaluator will learn more about your current life situation, motivation, knowledge and expectations of surgery, mental health history, personality, cognitive processes, and developmental history. The evaluator will score and interpret the information collected, and supply a report and recommendations to the surgical group regarding your mental preparedness and appropriateness for bariatric surgery. InSight offers post surgical psychotherapy to address issues of adjustment and maintenance related to bariatric surgery. |
Psychotherapy at InSight:
Adults: InSight offers psychotherapy for adults to include issues such as depression, anxiety, sexual anxiety, sexual trauma, infertility issues, post-partum depression, post adoption depression, poor self-satisfaction, escaping/avoiding abusive relationships, trying to understand your partner/family, your infidelity/partner infidelity, interracial relationship issues, racial and bi-racial identity issues, fear of intimacy, emotional eating and emotional issues brought about by diabetes, cancer or other physical health related conditions. Each person is approached from an individual perspective and psychotherapy is tailored to specific needs.
Adolescents: Problems addressed include low self-esteem, lack of motivation, bullying behaviors including "mean girl" syndrome, relationship problems, emerging sexuality, sexual psychoeducation, parental/family conflict, racial and bi-racial identity problems, STD awareness, STD prevention and coping, drug/alcohol experimentation, academic failure and fear of rejection by peers. Children: Problems addressed include anger, poor self esteem, parental conflict, divorce trauma, sexual trauma, blended family issues, anxiety resulting in severe shyness and fear, separation anxiety, depression and attachment issues. Play therapy is a primary technique utilized with children. Filial Therapy incorporates the primary caregiver(s) into the therapy process and utilizes that relationship as an agent for healing and change. *NOTE: AVAILABILTY OF PLAY THERAPY APPOINTMENT IS LIMITED. THERE MAY BE A WAITING LIST. Art and Sand Tray Therapy: Art expression is a helpful therapeutic tool that includes numerous activities such as painting, coloring, drawing, sand-tray, crafting, clay, modeling, origami and other creative activities. When used in therapy, it enhances the client’s ability to communicate effectively and provides a safe way to channel and express feelings and emotions. Art expression focuses on the process rather than the final product. It helps the client reconcile emotional conflicts, regulate stress, decrease anxiety, improve focus/concentration and increase self-esteem and self regulation. Psychoeducational Series and Workshops:
Psychoeducational Workshop Series:
Full-term workshops are conducted over a 4 week span with weekly meetings. Meetings are 1 and 1/2 hours long and involve an educational component and a discussion. Please return to the InSight website for dates/times and locations of workshops. To request an abbreviated 1 day workshop on your site, contact Dr. Ballard directly at (512)704-8349 Move Your Body/Reshape Your Mind: Interactive workshop focusing on using exercise to improve your mood. Diversity/Special Populations: The Spectrum of Beauty Relationship Workshops: Origins of Violence in relationships: Where does it really begin? Speaking Engagements: For speaking engagements, contact (512)704-8349 
InSight Defined:1. perceptiveness: the ability to see clearly and intuitively into the nature of a complex person, situation, or subject
2. clear perception: a clear perception of something 3. self-awareness: the ability of somebody to understand and find solutions to his or her personal problems Encarta®World English Dictionary[North American Edition] © & (P) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. "InSight"; More than just a name...It defines our purpose and underscores our philosophy. |