Obsessive compulsive disorder is a chronic mental health disorder that comes with a lot of misconceptions, from who gets it to how easy it is to treat. Here, we separate some of the myths about OCD from the facts.
Assessments are designed to identify cognitive and academic strengths and weaknesses, uncover the root of struggles (beyond diagnosis), guide intervention and provide individualized recommendations. The standard administration of assessments typically involves face-to-face methods. However, the practice of psychology has adapted those methods to simulate standard assessment practices remotely by using screen sharing and webcams throughout testing. Moreover, we are excited to integrate tests specifically designed for the purpose of telehealth/remote administration and have been created to measure various neurocognitive functions.
The team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic uses detailed medical, developmental, social, academic, and psychological histories to inform their neuropsychological assessments. This broad battery of tests looks carefully at functioning in the following areas:
As weaknesses surface through the testing process, the team might recommend additional tests to discover the root cause of your challenges, at no additional cost. In addition, the team employs a strength-based model in order to identify what you’re good at. The goal of testing is to help each individual optimize their potential and their well being.
Whether you’re facing a challenge in learning, behavior, emotional regulation, work, or development, or you want to understand yourself at a deeper level, the team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic can help; make an appointment today by calling the office at 650-614-0014 or submitting an online inquiry.
Sometimes learning isn't meant to be done in a chair all day. We know there are many online programs, but very few involve movement and live one-on-one training. Our Move and Learn program motivates the power of the brain and movement in learning. Your student will build skills in processing speed, mental timing, and self-regulation. Work with our Interactive Metronome trainers and complete a series of exercises and games in the comfort of your own home.
Utilize your strengths in our dynamic program by tying in gross motor movement with cognitive processes. The Move and Learn program builds on the student’s strengths. Students ultimately learn to be in-tune with their bodies and to have more control.
Our reading program is a multi-sensory approach to reading and language. The program focuses on developing foundational skills in reading such as phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency as well as cognitive skills such as working memory, attention, processing, and sequencing skills. An initial assessment will be administered to help your child get started with the appropriate reading level. By taking the initial assessment, you will then be assigned specific exercises to help you strengthen your skills.
These exercises turn reading into fun games, using interactive graphics (animals, aliens, etc.). These exercises focus on phonics, sound pairs, contrasting sound pairs, and word contrasts (antonyms vs synonyms). The other portion of the reading program, Reading Assistant Plus, gives the student a large library of books to choose from and read online at their tested reading level. This portion allows students to practice pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency. The benefit of doing the Fast Forward and Reading Assistant Plus programs at the same time, is to allow the student to strengthen their foundational skills while also applying those skills in an interactive environment that provides immediate, real-time feedback. By doing this program through our clinic, you will have access to a cognitive trainer to help run sessions more smoothly, add additional learning modalities onto the program, and motivate and encourage students to succeed.
Neurofeedback, which is also known as EEG (electroencephalogram) biofeedback, harnesses your brain’s capacity to change in order to reshape weaknesses in brain function. Neurofeedback can be used to treat patients who have disorders such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), anxiety, depression, ASD (autism spectrum disorder), and brain injuries. Neurofeedback works by reinforcing optimal brain functioning through rewards. For example, when your brain is using the correct neural pathways, you will receive an immediate reward such as the movie you're watching becoming brighter. When your brain deviates from optimal functioning, the reward is taken away. This process of operant conditioning helps retrain the brain and optimize functioning. In response to COVID-19 we are offering different home interventions available for neurofeedback to be done via telehealth communication and video conferencing. With these programs, you will have a clinician-guided home training system with customized protocols and appointments with a cognitive trainer to guide your sessions and review your progress with you. Please contact us for more information
This innovative technique heightens and develops neural pathways relating to eye movement, neural timing, balance, motor control, and your awareness of the position and movement of your body in space. Vision training enhances your perception and processing of new visual information. By strengthening your visual system, neurological functions often improve.
Work one-on-one with a vision trainer from the comfort of your home to improve and train eye tracking, eye teaming, depth perception, attention, and cognitive functioning, among many other visual and cognitive skills. Use state-of-the-art software and equipment shipped to you!
Central to our ability to think for ourselves are mental processes that link our past experiences with present actions and enable us to plan and organize our behavior over time. These are called ‘executive functions’ and play a key role in our everyday lives including activities such as:
- keeping track of time on exams or work assignments
- sustaining attention to successfully complete homework or projects.
- taking appropriate actions to respond to different situations
- inhibiting actions that could be inappropriate or counter-productive
- thinking critically and actively while reading or writing
When executive functioning skills lag in your childor yourself, these activities and others are likely sources of frustration. The good news is that with appropriate coaching, your child and/or you can grow and make effective use of your executive functioning skills leading to less stress and more success with daily tasks and situations.
Coaching Program Objectives:
Integrated Listening System, known as ILS, is a comprehensive program designed to help people who struggle with inattention, sensory sensitivities, slow processing speeds, or low comprehension. The sound therapy is delivered through an air and bone conduction headset and directly targets the vestibular system, responsible for balance and coordination as well as sensory modulation and emotional regulation. When combined with body movement and language exercises, our neurons are repetitively stimulated and essentially our brain is being re-trained to become more efficient and effective to improve cognitive performance. Here at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic, we are proud to offer the ILS program to our clients remotely so that you can work on becoming your best self in the comfort of your own home while using us as a coach for your journey. Please call us at 650-614-0014 to learn more about how ILS can help you.
The Safe and Sound Protocol, known as SSP, is a five-day auditory intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience. Designed by Dr. Stephen Porges, SSP is helpful for people struggling with social and emotional difficulties, auditory sensitivities, anxiety and trauma, and inattention. This non-invasive intervention involves listening to music that has been processed specifically to retune the nervous system (regulating state) to introduce a sense of safety and the ability to socially engage. Upon completion, individuals are better able to focus and experience a calmed emotional and physiological state. With the help of experienced professionals at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic, let us guide you through the SSP program remotely. Give us a call at 650-614-0014 to learn more.
Staying safe, but staying connected.
Here at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic, safety is our priority and so is your health. We understand that many of you are dealing with a “new normal” and have had to adapt to the many changes in your day to day lives. Even if we cannot physically see you face-to-face, our promise to see you achieve personal wellness and to be your very best selves are still important to us.
Personal Connection.
If anything, we could all use a little more personal connection nowadays. All of our programs are offered remotely, with personal connection in mind. Through hipaa protected video conferencing, shared screens, and customized home-kits, clinicians and trainers work with you in real-time to motivate and guide your sessions. With baseline neuropsychological assessments, personalized treatment plans, and evidenced based equipment, we bring the care of our clinic to your home.
Contact us to hear about our programs:
Neuropsycological Assessments
Neurofeedback
Stress Management
Reading Intervention
Vision Training
Move & Learn
Safe & Sound
Welcome to Our Clinic
The team of experienced clinicians at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic in Palo Alto, California, provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for neuropsychological conditions. Infants, children, adolescents, adults, and their families benefit from the team’s extensive training and experience and a highly personalized, collaborative approach to neuropsychological care.
Using evidence-based cognitive assessment tools and interventions, the skilled professionals at Abbey Neuropsychology practice traditional psychotherapeutic techniques as well as innovative, research-supported therapies that harness the brain’s natural capacity for change. Biofeedback, neurofeedback, executive function coaching, parent coaching, and Cogmed Working Memory Training® are some of the treatments available in addition to traditional psychotherapy and counseling.
The team addresses a broad range of neuropsychological conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, age-related cognitive decline, learning disabilities, autism, and medical complications such as headaches, concussion, traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, and other brain-related health conditions.
The compassionate clinicians build relationships with patients and families that enable them to customize treatment plans to meet their unique needs. The team stays up-to-date on current research and works together with patients to find solutions and achieve individual goals.
The team takes time at each visit to ensure that both new and established patients feel informed and that all concerns are thoroughly addressed. To schedule a consultation with one of the experts at Abbey Neuropsychology, call the office today.
We help you move forward, no matter your age, your symptoms, or your goals.
Clients see us for many reasons. Some are struggling to sustain attention (ADHD/ADD) or are experiencing difficulties with academics (learning disabilities – dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia). Others are finding it difficulties to regulate their emotions or behavior in the school or work environments (Anxiety, Depression, PTSD). We also see clients for more medically-based concerns (Autism, TBI/Concussion, headaches or migraines, memory and cognitive decline). However, you do not have to have a concern or a diagnosis. Many clients we see simply want to achieve overall wellness and be their best selves.
CONTACT US
Obsessive compulsive disorder is a chronic mental health disorder that comes with a lot of misconceptions, from who gets it to how easy it is to treat. Here, we separate some of the myths about OCD from the facts.
It can be scary when forgetting things becomes part of your daily life. If you’re worried about memory loss, here are some tips and tricks that can help keep your brain healthy and sharp.
Do the shorter days and longer nights of fall and winter get you down? You may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder. Read on to learn the signs and what may help boost your mood.
" I strongly recommend this practice if you or your child need intervention for an attention or learning disorder. This is a well run clinic that focuses on the patient."
"Dr. Abbey and his colleagues are extremely passionate about their work and truly care about providing the highest quality services to their clients."
"You and your team helped my family tremendously. We have told everyone we know how much it helped us to get an evaluation and finally know what is going on for our son."