Medication Management Therapists in T2X
Kara Jolin
Psychologist, PhD, RPsych
Verified Verified
Calgary, AB T2X
I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience working with children and adolescents. I have expertise in assessing emotional/behavioral functioning and providing therapy for a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, coping with stress, facilitating adjustment (e.g., new school), dealing with grief and loss, managing feelings of anger/frustration, promoting positive self-esteem, building confidence, coping with a medical condition, and pain management. I also provide parents with consultation around common parenting concerns such as sleep difficulties and behavioral management.
I am a Registered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience working with children and adolescents. I have expertise in assessing emotional/behavioral functioning and providing therapy for a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, coping with stress, facilitating adjustment (e.g., new school), dealing with grief and loss, managing feelings of anger/frustration, promoting positive self-esteem, building confidence, coping with a medical condition, and pain management. I also provide parents with consultation around common parenting concerns such as sleep difficulties and behavioral management.
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What are the most effective ways to manage medications?
One of the most effective ways a patient can manage their medications is to keep a list of each drug and dosage they take. Such a list can be helpful in keeping to their schedule and can also be something they bring to their psychiatrist or other physician so that the healthcare provider has a clear picture of what they’re taking and in what quantity. Using a pill organiser can be useful for memory and organisation. Patients should discuss their medications and their effects at every appointment.
What are the risks if medications are not managed properly?
A suboptimal approach to medication management can lead to potentially harmful health outcomes. Most psychiatric drugs have side effects, and if a patient is not aware of them, they may seek additional medical help or over the counter or prescription drugs to treat the side effects, which may have its own side effects, a process called “prescription cascade.” Another risk to disorganisation is that a psychiatrist without full knowledge of a patient’s regimen could prescribe a medication that should not be mixed with a patient’s existing drugs.
What’s the best way to encourage someone to get help managing their medications?
It’s helpful to express concern and love for the person while framing medication management as a tool for improving their life and avoiding dangerous side effects. Offering specific examples of an individual’s failure to properly manage their medication regimen should be done with compassion and with empathy. It may be useful to break management down into parts, and there are several apps that can be used to organize which drugs are ingested, when they need to be refilled, and how they should be stored.
Are there natural treatments that can replace medications?
While there are many medications that can be vital to mental health, there are some natural lifestyle changes that can help reduce the need for drugs. Regular exercise, good sleep habits, a healthy diet, and therapy can all go a long way in symptom relief. Psychiatric medications typically treat symptoms but do not necessarily treat the cause of the condition. Many clinicians consider medications an adjunct to treatment rather than a treatment in and of itself.