Seeking the help of a psychologist can be hard for a lot of people. I know people who think that all I see in my practice are “crazy” people (whatever THAT means). I think this might be because of the way our work is covered in the media – seems like a psychologist gets interviewed whenever there is a case of somebody’s outrageous behavior in the news. Or when there is a murder, or something else that’s horrific.

So, I really wouldn’t blame you if you thought that what I do is treat people who are crazy (still not sure what that means, but I get it).  But I would like to give you a brief run down of the things that I do, and the sort of people that seek out my help.

* I work with people who are in distress. This means mental, psychological, or emotional pain.  Sometimes they are also experiencing physical pain from medical conditions. I listen to what they are going through without judgment. I help them process what is happening, or has happened, to them. I help them come to grips with the painful aspects of their lives and help them move on and to heal. The vast majority of people seek my help because they are in distress of one sort or another.

* I work with people who have some sort of dysfunction. This means that they are finding it hard to cope at home or at work; with the stresses of life or with family members. Some aspect of their life is not working very well. They need somebody outside their circle of family and friends to help them get a grip on the problem and begin to resolve whatever is wrong.

* I work with people who pose some sort of danger to themselves or others. People usually become dangerous because they are so emotionally distraught. I work with the person (not on the person) to bring them back into a safe state of being.

* I work with people who deviate from what society, or their culture, expects of them to the point that doing the basic work of life  — like keeping a job, living on one’s own, staying out of trouble with the law, keeping custody of children — is jeopardized. It is great and true that all of us are unique human beings, but sometimes our differences can make it hard to function as a part of the community. I work with people like this to help them accomplish important life tasks.

Most people feel distress at some point in their lives over important issues that are not working out the way they planned. Most people have periods in their lives that they are not functioning as well as they would like. Most people have felt different or alienated from other people at one time or another. I don’t know that most people pose a danger to themselves or others, but probably a lot more have than you think.

My job as a psychologist is to provide people with professional-level support in these confusing, fast-paced, ever-changing times. Life doesn’t have a lot of predictability in today’s society, and the rate of change can be absolutely breathtaking. Often people hesitate to burden family or friends with their distress or dysfunction because they fear that the ones they love are also overwhelmed. I work with people ranging from the mildly confused and upset, to people who have serious problems keeping a grip on reality. I see it all.

I work with people whose “distress” is basically that they know they can experience a greater level of joy and peace, and they seriously intend to get to that better place. I work with people whose “dysfunction” is basically that they know they can achieve awesome things if they just knew how to tweak themselves a bit. I work with people whose “deviance” is really just an individual difference, but they want support as they learn how to turn that difference into an asset.

Maybe you could say that I just work with people. You know, the ones that are experiencing The Human Condition. If you are experiencing The Human Condition, let me know about it!

ABOUT ME

     I am Dr. Kimberly Thompson, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Lubbock, Texas. I work with mothers and their children to help them heal, grow, and live their most vibrant lives. My particular expertise is pregnant and postpartum women, and moms of “littles.” My book, Perfect Mothers Get Depressed, is available on Amazon and from Praeclarus Press. If you live within driving distance of Lubbock, you can work with me face-to-face; if you live anywhere else in the state of Texas, you can work with me via online therapy. Send me a message if you need more information, or call my office at (806) 224-0200 if you’re ready to book an appointment.