Psychological testing and assessment can be helpful in a wide variety of situations. 

Academic Needs -- Sometimes a child, teen or young adult may be struggling academically in ways that are not immediately understandable.  Psychological testing and assessment can help to clarify a person's overall intellectual ability, his individual strengths and limitations, her special learning needs, and personality functioning.  Results of an evaluation can be used to help educators develop an individualized education plan that helps a child, teen or young adult to learn and achieve in her own personal way that ensures one reaches his or her own potential for greatness.

Employment Needs -- Some types of employment decisions are enhanced with pre-employment and fitness for duty evaluations.  Thesetypes of evaluations help determine the best fit between an individual and a specific type of work needed by an employer.  Interpersonal strengths and limitations can be identified; specific aptitudes can be assessed, and personality style can all be measured and described in a report that benefits both the employee as well as the employer.

Disability Evaluations -- When a person has a psychological or emotional condition that interferes with the ability to perform work responsibilities, a disability evaluation can provide information needed by employers and insurance carriers.  Whether the disabling condition is clear or ambiguous, the degree of impairment is often something that needs to be clarified through psychological testing and assessment.

Children sometimes struggle to make sense of difficult events and situations in life.  When a child lives with a highly stressful life event or situation, she may become more emotional, more challenged in school, more fearful and less joyful.  Child centered therapy can be very helpful in helping a child reach a new and healthier adjustment to difficult experiences.  Play therapy and art therapy are frequently used with children.  These forms of therapy are both psychologically beneficial and less frightening to a child who might otherwise feel resistant to the idea of sharing personal matters with an adult. 

Some of the issues I help children overcome or manage include:

     Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

     Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (Asperger's)

     Depression and Anxiety

     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

     Behavioral Problems in School and Home

     Adjustment to Divorce and Blending Families

     Abuse and Neglect Issues, Child Sexual Abuse

     Adoption and Attachment Issues

     Eating Disorders and Body Image Disturbance

     Parent - Child Conflict

     School Avoidance, Social Anxiety, & Separation Anxiety

Families that work together in family therapy develop improved communication skills, problem solving skills, and insight into previously unrecognized patterns that inhibit the growth and development of individual family members as well as the family as a whole. 

Some of the issues that bring a family in to therapy include:

     Divorce and Blending Families

     Loss or Estrangement

     Anger Management

     Abuse and Neglect

     Parenting and Behavioral Concerns

     Chronic Stress

     Severe Illness in one or more members

     Problems related to substance abuse

     Problems related to domestic violence

Adolescence:  the time in life when one is neither a child nor an adult.  It's a time when one often feels like it's a challenge to be relaxed and comfortable with yourself even when things are going well...and nearly impossible when things are going wrong in life.  Adolescents are especially vulnerable to stressful life events and circumstances.  In so many ways, the thoughts and feelings of an adolescent will seem adult - like.  In so many other ways, an adolescent is lacking in experience and maturity that would help them resolve conflicts more peacefully and make choices that will help them reach personal goals for adult life.  Therapy can be very helpful at this time of life.

Therapy with adolescents is different from therapy with younger children or adults.  Adolescents require a high level of privacy before being able to fully trust a therapist.  This need for privacy must be carefully balanced with the parent's need to continue protecting and nurturing the adolescent child.

I have a strong commitment to helping adolescents develop healthy coping skills and effective problem solving skills.  I encourage adolescents to take personal responsibility for all of the choices they make in life and I encourage parents of adolescents to allow a safe level of autonomy so that those choices can be appropriately exercised.

Some of the issues I help adolescents with include:

     Anxiety and Depression

     Substance Abuse

     Healthy Self Esteem

     Mature and Responsible Decision Making

     School Avoidance and Academic Underachievement

     Abuse and Neglect Issues, Child Sexual Abuse

     Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

     Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Asperger's)

     Anger and Behavior Management

     Adjustment to Divorce and Blending Families

The idea of "going to therapy" can be anxiety provoking.  Most adults are acutely aware of the very real need to remain strong, self-reliant, and independent.  In years past, some have considered asking for help - in any form - a sign of weakness or indication that one was failing to manage one's own life.  Fortunately, we now know that psychotherapy is a tool used by strong people who are unafraid of self-examination.  Today, psychotherapy can be brief and solution focused -- nothing like images we have from the past where a  person would "lie down on the couch" to explore the secrets of his past.  Therapy today is an exercise in finding solutions for healthy living.  Studies show that psychotherapy is frequently shown to improve overall health and to promote faster recovery from illness.

Adults may use therapy to help with a variety of life events, including:  

     Anxiety and Depression

     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

     Relationship Problems -- couples and families

     Parenting Issues

     Caregiver Stress 

     Work Life Balance

     Anger and Stress Management

     Chronic Illness including autoimmune and pain disorders

     Divorce and Blending Families

     Assessment for special situations such as fitness for duty and disability

Forensic Psychology Services are provided to attorneys and courts.  If you need a forensic evaluation or an expert witness, your attorney will have to select the psychologist and the professional relationship is between the psychologist and the attorney -- or conversely, a court might select and appoint a psychologist to serve the court as an expert.  In any event, your psychologist who provides services such as therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, parenting skills, cannot serve as an expert or forensic psychologist for you or your family.  If Dr. Zaplac is involved with you on a forensic case, she will not be able to provide you with any other psychological services.  If Dr. Zaplac is providing you services, she cannot be involved with your legal case.  

Forensic services may be arranged with an attorney or a court for the following kinds of issues:

     Competency Matters

     Psychological Injury

     Fitness for Specific Duties (family or employment)

     Disability Evaluation

     Custody and Post Divorce Conflict

     Mental Status at time of alleged offense

Dr. Zaplac is a dynamic and informative speaker.  She has provided numerous professional continuing education presentations as well as interesting and engaging presentations for church and civic groups.  

Some topics she can present include:

    Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills

    Parenting for Special Needs Children

    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    Post Divorce and Blended Family Adjustment

    Legal and Ethical Considerations

    Personality Disorders

    Stress Free Living

    Work Life Balance

    Healthy Interpersonal Boundaries

If you would like a presentation not listed,  contact Dr. Zaplac to see about having a special topic presentation designed for your specific needs.