Practical Psychology in Medical Rehabilitation

Maggi A Budd, MPH, Ph.D, board certified in rehabilitation psychology, provides direct patient care for individuals with spinal cord injury and/or head injury at Boston VA Healthcare System. An instructor at Harvard Medical School, licensed in Massachusetts, Dr. Budd is director of the VA Boston Practicum Rehabilitation Psychology program and also actively serves on the Advisory Medical Bioethics Committee for VA Boston. Sigmund Hough, Ph.D, ABPP-RP is assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. He is a Fellow in the National Academy of Neuropsychology, registered as a National Health Care Provider in Psychology, licensed in Massachusetts and Maine. Dr. Hough is an AASECT certified sex therapist and of the international journal Sexuality and Disability. William Stiers, Ph.D, ABPP-RP. Dr. Stiers is a licensed psychologist, board certified in rehabilitation psychology, and a faculty member at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation where he provides direct patient care for persons with brain injury and serves as the director of psychology training.Stephen T. Wegener, PhD ABPP (Rp) is Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Director of the Division of Rehabilitation and Neuropsychology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

• Basics and Biopsychosocial Practicalities.- Information gathering and documentation.- Language of rehabilitation.- Basic lab findings.- Neurology of neuropsychology.- Neurology.- Imaging basics.- Everyday psychopharmacology.- Practical ethics.- Models of adaptation and resilience.- Disability models.- Social participation and ability/disability.- Forensic issues: health care proxy, advance directives, and guardianship.- Populations, Problems, and Procedures.- Traumatic brain injury.- Stroke.- Neurological tumors.– Spinal cord injury.- Multiple sclerosis.- Sensory impairments.- Spine, back, and musculoskeletal disorders.- Amputation.- Total joint replacement.- Developmental similarities and differences: congenital and acquired disabilities.- Pediatric rehabilitation psychology.- Geriatric rehabilitation psychology.- Organ transplantation patients.- Intensive care patients.-Cardiovascular disease patients.- Pain.- Delirium.- Suicidality.- Substance abuse.- Severe mental illness.- Conversion disorder.- Treatment adherence to prevent secondary complications.- Sexual health.- Sleep issues.- Fatigue.-Obesity.- Burns.- Respiratory and pulmonary disorders.- Decision making capacity and competency.- Adaptive/assistive technology.- Incorporating accreditation standards.- Behavioral medicine: nutrition, medication management, exercise.- Biofeedback.- Group psychotherapy.- Assessment and Practical Intervention.- Neurological exam: mental status, cranial nerves, and motor systems.- Assessing acute mental status changes.- Differentiating dementias and delirium.- Depression and anxiety assessment.- Cognitive assessment.- Evaluating for opioid use.- Behavioral activation: smart goals.- Psychotherapy.- Interventions: family adaptation.- Coping effectiveness training.– Self-management.– Cognitive retraining and remediation.- Interventions to increase resilience and adaptation.- Managing challenging patients (countertransference, resistance, apathy, anger, etc.).- Vocation and recreation.- Consultation and Advocacy.- Models of consultation.- Interdisciplinary teams.- Practice Management and Administration.- CPT and billing codes.- Burnout prophylactics: professional self-care.- Research and Self Evaluation.- Research made useful for clinicians.- Using technology to practice evidence-based medicine.- Systematic program evaluation and improvement activities​.