Services

Dr. Oscar F. Cervantes provides psychotherapy services in the following areas of practice.

Mood Disorders

Mood disorders include major depression, dysthymic, bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorders. With regard to depression, more than 9.5% of the U.S. adult population suffer from a depressive illness. More than 70% of adults diagnosed with depression are employed, resulting in 400 million lost work days a year. The indirect costs of depression are estimated by the U.S. Surgeon General to be $80 billion annually. The economic cost for this disorder is high, but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depressive illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to those who are suffering from depression, but to those who care for such individuals. Serious depression can destroy the career as well as the family and social life of the depressed individual. However, much of this suffering is unnecessary and can be addressed through treatment. Unfortunately, most people suffering from depression do not seek treatment although the great majority, even those with severe clinical depression, can be helped.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders include panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, agoraphobia without a history of panic disorder, specific phobia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect more than 19 million American adults. Anxiety disorders fill these adults' lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. Anxiety disorders are chronic and can grow progressively worse if not treated. Like depressive illnesses, anxiety disorders impair an individual's ability to have a productive life and can adversely impact their career, family and social life. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available and can help most people of all ages suffering from such disorders to have more productive and fulfilling lives.

Cross-Cultural Psychology

Cross-cultural psychology is the field that conducts research on ethnic minority concerns and applies psychological knowledge and techniques to ethnic minority issues in order to promote public welfare and support the needs of members of ethnic communities.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of an individual's thinking in how they feel and what they do. In other words, this form of therapy instructs individuals that when their brains are healthy, it is their thinking that causes them to feel and act the way they do. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps individuals to realize that when they are experiencing unwanted feelings and behaviors, it is important to identify the thinking that is causing such feelings and behaviors and to learn how to replace this thinking with thoughts that lead to more positive reactions. Thus, a person identifies and replaces negative thought patterns with positive thought patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a method of treatment that can be used to treat mood and anxiety disorders.

Behavioral Medicine

Behavioral Medicine is the interdisciplinary field (Psychology, Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health) concerned with the development and integration of psychosocial, behavioral and biomedical science knowledge and techniques dedicated to the understanding of health and illness. Behavioral Medicine involves the application of interdisciplinary knowledge and techniques to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and promotion of mental health. Like cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral medicine is a method of treatment that can be used to treat a variety of mental disorders.

Mild Addiction

Addictive behaviors consist of the problematic and chronic use of certain substances or engagement in certain activities. Examples of common addictive behaviors are dependencies upon alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs and disorders involving spending or gambling. Addictive behaviors could result in serious health, emotional and/or financial crises if untreated. Any addictive disorder can have a disruptive effect upon all aspects of the life of the person suffering from the disorder as well as the life of those who care for such persons.

Exclusions

Dr. Cervantes prefers not to treat patients suffering under (1) crisis (e.g., suicidal, homicidal), (2) psychosis, (3) severe drug addiction, (4) family custody matters, (5) personality disorders, and (6) eating disorders. If you are suffering from any of these conditions, it is strongly recommended that you promptly consult with a psychotherapist that specializes in these areas.

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© Copyright 2005-2006. Dr. Oscar F. Cervantes Clinical Psychologist Inc. All rights reserved.