Institute of Mental Health

Clinical Psychology focuses on the intellectual, emotional, biological, social, and behavioral aspects of human functioning across the life span, in varying cultures, and at all socioeconomic levels” (American Psychological Association, Division 12, 2012). Certain requirements for those wishing to be clinical psychologists have more to do with attitudes and character than with training and credentialing. Perhaps the most notable distinguishing feature of clinical psychologists has been called the clinical attitude or the clinical approach which is the tendency to combine knowledge from research on human behavior and mental processes with efforts at individual assessment in order to understand and help a particular person. Because clinical psychology is both rigorously scientific and deeply personal, it requires that people entering the field have a strong and compassionate interest in human beings.

The department of clinical Psychology in Sweekaar is dedicating incredible services for the needy. Cases are dealing by Psy. D., M. Phil & PDCP trainees in Clinical Psychology, under the strict supervision and guidance of the practiced and skilful professors. Screening will be done from the Out-Patient Department and will be referred for further psychological assessment and intervention if it is needed. Each person is treated with all respect and dignitary along with the professional ethics. The primary motivation of the each session is to provide utmost individual wellbeing and uplift their mental health. We really glad that our department is blessed with full of energetic enthusiastic totally committed Professionals.

In Sweekaar, department of Psychiatry offer a credible services for the patient in Out Patient basis. We offer combined treatment of psychiatric medication and psychotherapy as the common mode of treatment procedure for people with mental disorders. The department of clinical psychology play a crucial role of supporting psychiatry department to provide psycho education, guidance and counselling to the patient as well as the family members in the initial sessions.

Patients are recommended to follow different psychological interventions along with the medications as per the need. Our department is giving more importance to focus on confidentiality of the patient. We devoted for regular follow up of each patient to promote their mental health and integral wellbeing. Treatment procedures are preset for short term and long term therapeutic sessions.

Clinical child psychologists conduct research and provide services aimed at understanding, preventing, and treating psychological, cognitive, emotional, developmental, behavioral, and family problems of children across the age range from infancy through adolescence.
Various childhood disorders include

• Developmental delays
• Intellectual disability
• Learning difficulties
• Autism
• ADHD
• Conduct problem
• Emotional and behavioral problems

The Primary elements of clinical children and adolescent psychology are:

• Assessment: for guiding the diagnosis, intervention planning, and outcome evaluation
• Interventions: Treatment of children and families with a recognized problem or disorder which may include:
1. Behaviour management in various settings
2. Cognitive-behavioural approaches
3. Play therapy for young children
4. Individual psychotherapy with older children and adolescents
5. Parent training and parent education programs
6. Collaboration with pediatricians, child psychiatrists, neurologist, and/or other health care providers
• Prevention: Programs to prevent the onset of problems and disorders in infants, children, adolescents, and families. Including preventing.

Sweekaar academy of rehabilitation sciences provides the services to assess the child for identifying the problem and working with multimodal approach towards the management, the organization also conduct screening camps and awareness programs at community levels for purpose of prevention in this field of specialization.

Substance misuse is the harmful use of drugs or alcohol for non-medical purposes. Often associated with the use of illicit drugs, legal substances can also be misused, such as alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medication, caffeine, nicotine and volatile substances (e.g. petrol, glue, paint). Most people with a substance use disorder are using alcohol.

Addiction is a physical and/or psychological need to use a substance, often caused by regular continued use. Some substances are more highly addictive than others. Some people are more likely to become addicted to a substance depending on mental, physical and lifestyle factors.

What we do
Behavioural approaches help engage people in drug abuse treatment, provide incentives for them to remain abstinent, modify their attitudes and behaviours related to drug abuse, and increase their life skills to handle stressful circumstances and environmental cues that may trigger intense craving for drugs and prompt another cycle of compulsive abuse. Below are the therapies we use in Sweekaar Academy:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Nicotine)
• Contingency Management Interventions/Motivational Incentives (Alcohol, Stimulants, Opioids, Marijuana, Nicotine)
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy (Alcohol, Marijuana, Nicotine)
• Family Behavior Therapy

Behavioral Therapies Primarily for Adolescents

The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them. Behavioural therapy can benefit people with behavioural problems or mental health conditions that involve unwanted behaviour such as obsessive- Compulsive disorder (OCD), attention- deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), anxiety, phobias and addiction.

Here in Sweekar, we look at all the environmental factors that support the destructive behaviours in order to understand the client’s difficulties and try replacing the unwanted behaviour with more positive ones. Our therapists are specialized in techniques such as

• Relaxation training
• Systematic desensitization
• Virtual reality exposure
• Exposure and response prevention techniques
• Social skills training
• Modelling
• Behavioural rehearsal
• Aversion therapy

The underlying concept behind CBT is that our thoughts and feelings play a fundamental role in our behaviour. It focuses on the here-and-now—on the problems that come up in a person’s day-to-day life. It helps people to look at how they interpret and evaluate what is happening around them and the effects these perceptions have on their emotional experience.

It is increasingly identified as the “gold standard”—that is, the best type of therapy for difficulties such as depression, anxiety, phobias and stress-related problems, according to Neil Rector, who states that: “this conclusion is supported by more than 375 clinical trial studies since 1977 and also by current international treatment guidelines, which are based on the collective knowledge of experts in the field”.
CBT is an effective treatment for many psychological conditions. These include:

• Mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder
• Anxiety disorders, including specific phobias (e.g., fear of animals, heights, enclosed spaces), panic disorder, social phobia (social anxiety disorder), generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder
• Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder
• Body dysmorphic disorder (i.e., body image)
• Substance use disorders (i.e., smoking, alcohol and other drugs).

CBT can also be used to help people with:

• Psychosis
• Habits such as hair pulling, skin picking and tics
• Sexual and relationship problems
• Insomnia
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Chronic (persistent) pain
• Long-standing interpersonal problems

In SWEEKAAR, along with other psychotherapies we use CBT, in which the client learns to identify, question and change the thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and assumptions related to their problematic emotional and behavioural reactions to certain kinds of situations. CBT is given for people of ages, for people of different levels of education and income. It is given as both individual therapy and as part of family therapy. The sessions are designed to be practical and goal oriented.

Guidance is an assistance made available by a professionally competent counselor to an individual of any age to help him direct his own life, develop his own point of view, make his own decision and carry his own burden. Counselor assists the counselee to make interpretations of facts relating to a choice, plan or adjustment which he needs to make. The services are offered to the individual who is undergoing a problem and needs professional help to overcome it.

Guidance and counselling is needed to help the students for optimum achievement and adequate adjustment in the varied life situations such as in the education, profession, vocation, social, health, moral, personal and marital areas through the techniques involving active listening, emphatic understanding, releasing the pent up feelings confronting the client and therapies.

Guidance and counselling helps a person understand alternative solutions available to him and makes him understand his personality and choose the right solution. Counselling helps people understand themselves and is an inward analysis.

Purpose of counselling and guidance:

• To help individuals with normal development problems.
• To help individuals through a temporary crisis during the different stages of life.
• To identify signs of disturbed behavior at early stage, so manage it.
• To deal critical cases by specialists for best possible management.
• To facilitate communication
• To support and help individuals who themselves want guidance and reassurance at times

At Sweekaar we offer help and provide counselling to the individuals in the following areas:

1. Personal guidance
2. Educational guidance
3. Social guidance
4. Vocational guidance
5. Health guidance