Neuropsychological and Personality Testing and Evaluation, Psychotherapy and Cognitive Rehabilitation Services
Director, Judith Guedalia, PhD
Assessment and Treatment of Pre-School Children, Adolescents and Adults with Traumatic Injury including Brain Injury and Concussion, Seizure Disorders, Systemic Illnesses such as Lyme Disease, Birth Injuries, Developmental Disabilities including Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) and Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Problems including Gifted Learning Disabled, Cognitive Changes resulting from Radiation Therapy or Chemotherapy and other Neurological Conditions.
What is neuropsychology?
Neuropsychology is the science of brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychologists focus on understanding how brain processes affects one's ability to function at work, home and school. With preschoolers through adolescents, it is important to use our knowledge of normal cognitive and social development to help us understand the neuropsychological profile.
Neuropsychology is considered a medical procedure by insurance companies. Thus, better coverage is available usually without affecting mental health limits.
What information do neuropsychological examinations provide?
Neuropsychological examinations provide a broad overview of neurocognitive and emotional functioning, including sensation, perception, basic motor functions, language, attention and concentration, memory, academic achievement, global intelligence and higher integrative functions such as self-regulation, self-monitoring and impulse control. They can shed light on the underlying causes of behavior problems, discriminating between emotional and cognitive roots.
One of the most important benefits of such examinations is to document cognitive strengths which can be used to compensate for areas of weakness. Repeated assessment can document resolution, stabilization or deterioration of neurocognitive deficits and neurological disease. Combined with personality testing, it can also help to differentiate between psychological and physical problems ( e.g. Lyme disease vs. depression).
Proper evaluation can also help the physician make decisions on medication, such as which medications may be contraindicated from a functional viewpoint.
Neuropsychological evaluation can pin-point specific weaknesses that interfere with an individual's ability to function, so that an effective remedial program can be initiated.
Who can benefit from a neuropsychological examination?
It can benefit individuals with:
* Traumatic injury, including brain injury and concussion
* Post-concussion syndrome, including the synergistic effect of multiple concussions
* Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy
* Systemic disorders such as diabetes, Lyme disease, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke and chronic fatigue, which can lead to cognitive impairment
* Attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), with or without hyperactivity (including adults)
* Learning problems (including the gifted learning disabled)
* Cognitive changes resulting from radiation therapy or chemotherapy
* Cognitive effects of premature birth or birth injuries
* Brain damage due to lead poisoning
* Problems with memory, attention and concentration, word-finding, calculation ability, organization and planning
* Developmental disabilities, such as Asperger's Syndrome, retardation and autism.
How does a Neuropsychological Evaluation differ from a traditional psychological or developmental evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation provides a deeper, broader understanding of cognitive difficulties, enabling design of a more effective treatment program. Neuropsychologists also have more experience and training in understanding difficulties caused by brain tumors, head traumas and other neurological and developmental conditions.
Helping the gifted patient who is learning disabled
Even gifted children can have ADD or other learning disabilities. This can be confusing or demoralizing to children who know that even though they are getting average or better than average grades, they are not performing as well as they should. Neuropsychological evaluation can determine if there are disabilities and pinpoint the areas of weakness so the gifted child can learn to succeed and work to his or her potential.
Testing can be comfortable and non-stressful
Dr. Guedalia believes it is important to make the testing and evaluation process as easy and stress-free as possible for both patient and parents. She follows the patient's pace, not forcing them to follow hers. This is helpful to patients of all ages, as people with neurological injuries fatigue easily, but is especially important for pre-school children. Patients often comment that their fears of testing were not confirmed and that it was actually an enjoyable experience.
Helping both patients and parents understand the process and the results
Dr. Guedalia and her staff of psychology interns, makes it a practice to educate both patients and parents so they understand exactly what is wrong and what can be done to correct it or compensate for it. The reports are written in clear, non-technical language that is easily understood by non-professionals and the recommendations that are realistic as well as beneficial. And they work closely with the referring professional to keep them fully informed.
Special training in neuropsychology
It is very important to be an informed consumer and carefully check credentials when selecting a professional. To be considered a psychologist one must earn at least a masters in psychology from an accredited university and be licensed for private practice. To be a neuropsychologist one must also complete additional training in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neurological disease. Pediatric neuropsychologists must also study neurodevelopment. Psychologists are required to have two years full time (four years part time) of post-thesis (Masters) supervised clinical internship, with at least one year in a formal neuropsychology fieldwork.
Dr. Guedalia and the Neuropsychology Unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, is recognized to fulfill the internship requirements, by the Ministry of Health Psychological Department (Moetzet Ha'Psychologi) in Medical, Rehabilitation and Developmental Psychology.
Yeshiva University's Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, has recognized the Unit for the internship and clinical requirements of its doctoral level students. Leiden University, The Netherlands and Heidelberg University, Germany have also done so too.
Dr. Guedalia and her staff consults and provides neuropsychological services for several clinics and departments within the hospital: Genetics, Pediatrics and Genetic Oncology, as well as to two Shelters for children at risk. They are also involved in treating children and adults with acquired brain injury. The staff works with school system child study teams, to develop appropriate educational plans to meet a child's special needs. Dr. Guedalia has served as an expert witness in personal injury claim cases.
Psychotherapy for preschoolers through adults
Dr. Guedalia and her staff apply their neurological training and capability for understanding how physiological dysfunction affects behavior to provide psychotherapy for patients with or without neurological problems. Among the many symptoms we have treated are: emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, parenting and family issues, stress, children of divorce, self-esteem, patient adjustment to neurological or cognitive problems, adjustment to chronic illness, family adjustment to and coping with a member's illness, encopresis, and adjustment to developmental disabilities.
Dr. Guedalia, who is also a member of the ER (Emergency Room) Trauma Staff in times of Mass Community Events (MCE, or ARAN the Hebrew acronym) has unfortunately acquired much experience in the treatment of Acute Stress and Trauma and is a Level II (out of two levels) EMDR (Eye Movement Desentisization and Reprocessing) Therapist.
An expert witness if your case goes to court
Dr. Guedalia has testified in person or through deposition, in a number of court cases.
She is qualified as an expert witness to help:
document and evaluate damage from traumatic illness;
determine an individual's competence to make life decisions;
make recommendations for type and duration of treatment, including projecting future needs;
Information for Patients
Confidentiality: Maintaining your privacy is very important. Test results and anything said in therapy are kept strictly confidential and are only made available to other parties with your written permission, except where mandated by law.
Wheelchair accessibility. The office is wheelchair accessible.
Off-street parking. An off-street parking is available.
Professional affiliations: Dr. Guedalia is affiliated with the American Psychological Association, the International Neuropsychology Society, the Israeli Neuropsychology Society, the Israel Psychological Association, on the board of Medical Psychologists for the Israel Psychology Association (Histadrot HaPsychologim), Israel Association of Cognitive Psychologists and is the co-founder of the Israeli Child Neuropsychologists and Nefesh Israel– a division of an international organization for orthodox mental health professionals.
Languages:
Dr. Guedalia is fluent in English and Hebrew and speaks French, German (a bit of Yiddish) and a lesser 'bit' of Arabic. In terms of Assessment, she has evaluated patients whose mother tongue is Russian, Amaharic, Spanish and a myriad of others. In terms of therapy, she works in English and Hebrew.
Supervision:
Dr. Guedalia is licensed by the State of Israel, Ministry of Health and Division of Psychology in the practice of psychology as well as supervision to psychologists in the process of licensure for specialities in the areas of: Developmental, Medical and Rehabilitation Psychology.
Answering your questions:
If you have any questions about services or wish to discuss a specific case, please call (972) (0)2 6555-451
All calls will be responded to promptly. Email:guedalia@szmc.org.il
Judith Guedalia, Ph.D.
Director, Neuropsychology Unit
Chief Medical Psychologist
Shaare Zedek Medical Center , Jerusalem, Israel
Licensed Psychologist #4976
Supervisor and Specialist in Developmental Psychology #5284; #7066
Supervisor and Specialist in Medical Psychology #6273; #6272
Supervisor and Specialist in Rehabilitation Psychology #4419; #5657