The Liv Hospital department of psychology bases its approach on a holistic perspective. This holistic approach incorporates both body and mind. It is widely recognized that physical problems can benefit from psychological support just as much as mental difficulties. That is why our team, composed of specialist clinical psychologists and experts in various specialties, supports other units at the Liv Hospital in individual and group programs. We are advancing medical treatment with evidence-based psychological support programs.

Psychotherapy Services

Adult Psychotherapy

As the Liv Hospital Psychology Department we offer both short- and long-term adult psychotherapy services provided by specialist clinical psychologists. Our specialists in adult psychology listen to you and develop a treatment plan in line with your needs.

Common psychological complaints

• Anxiety Disorders: Generalized Anxiety, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Somatoform Disorders
• Eating Disorders
• Adjustment Disorders

Pediatric and Adolescent Psychology

We offer psychotherapy services to children, adolescents and their families in line with recognition / evaluation studies of the individual emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties. Amongst the psychotherapy provided are play therapy, individual therapies (psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral-oriented), group therapy, and child / youth focused familytherapy. In addition, we work hand in hand with the department of child – adolescent psychiatry when this is required and beneficial. Our adult psychology also provides individual and couples therapy to parents.

The most common psychological problems dealt with at our department are as follows:

• Fear and Concerns
• Potty Training
• Obsessions
• Family conflict / communication problems within the family
• Disciplinary problems
• School problems
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disorders
• Behavioral Problems
• The process of divorce

Family and Couples Therapy

One of the most critical issues in mental health is healthy family relations. Family or couples therapy aims to make a difference and strengthen relations within the family.

Family therapy deals with couples’ relationship issues, intergenerational problems, behavioral problems in children, sibling problems, and chronic disease situations. When required, the unit also provides child-focused family therapy to parents. Family therapy is carried out at the Liv Hospital by specially trained psychologists.

• • Medical Treatment-Integrated Psychological Support ProgramsWe offer Psychological Support Programs integrated into ongoing medical treatment as a way of reviewing the lifestyle habits and choices that may underlie a patient’s physical condition. This supports a process of raising awareness based on patients’ thought – feeling – behavior cycles to encourage conscious choices for a healthy life. Individualized applications are employed to help patients make progress, increase treatment motivation and protect patient wellbeing.Medical fields and conditions supported by the Psychology Department include:
    • Psycho-Oncology (the psychological aspect of cancer)
    • In Vitro Fertilization Treatment
    • Children’s Health and Diseases
    • Gynecology / adolescent gynecology
    • Obesity and Eating Disorders
    • Dermatological Problems
    • Chronic Pain
    • Neurological Problems
    • Sleep Problems
    • Cardiologic Problems

    Group Psychotherapy

    Liv Hospital Psychology Department works within a framework of interactive groups, sharing groups and educational groups. The aim is to provide participants with the highest level of support in a group environment.

    Awareness and Psycho-education Meetings

    These are brief gatherings held by the Psychology Department aiming to respond practically to the most commonly encountered issues in day to day life. Examples of subjects that are covered include:

    • Parents-to-be
    • Managing mental tension
    • Understanding our bodies
    • Adolescence and family relations

    Psycho-oncology

    Our team believes that mental and physical health are two halves of an inseparable whole. Therefore we attach great importance to the provision of the most suitable psychological support for patients diagnosed with cancer and their families during and after the treatment period.

    Cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are psychologically, socially and physically challenging processes. This can lead to psychological difficulties such as anxiety disorders, depressive feelings, adjustment problems, and changes in personality traits. Our psychologists work within a framework of specialized psycho-oncology in order to give patients and their families’ mental, emotional and functional support during a critical period, aiming to improve their quality of life.

    That is why our first discussion with patients who are going to receive treatment at our department aims firstly to understand them, to evaluate their condition together, and to choose the best support program for their individual situation and needs. This can incorporate individual psychotherapy, family support or group support. Studies show that the provision of psychological support to cancer patients and their families serves to make the treatment process significantly more comfortable and relaxed. That is why we stand side by side with our cancer patients all the way, not just in terms of medical treatment but also from the psychological perspective.

Anxiety Disorders

From time to time, feelings of anxiety are a part of everyday life. However, if these feelings persist and intensify, it could indicate an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder can have a negative effect on a person’s ability to function and his or her everyday activities. Left untreated, anxiety disorders can lead to disturbances in social relationships, work or school life; in time it can even lead to problems such as lack of success at school or work, and alcohol use. Therefore it is important to respond to the condition correctly and on time.

Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychotherapy teaches the person to overcome these anxieties more effectively. In some cases, psychotherapy is assisted by the simultaneous application of medical treatment and psychiatric support. The Liv Hospital works on the basis of an institutionalized cooperative relationship between psychologists and psychiatrists in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. These specialists in their fields listen to you carefully and follow a treatment protocol designed with your individual needs in mind.

Depression

Depression is a condition that impacts negatively on a person’s mood, thought processes and physical health. Deterioration in this area can impact on other parts of a person’s life. A depressive person feels tired, sad and tense and finds it hard to take pleasure from activities he or she used to enjoy. Repetitive and persistent pain that has no organic cause can also herald the onset of depression. At the Liv Hospital, people who show indications of depression are initially assessed by a team consisting of a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist; they are then given psychotherapeutic treatment as well as medical treatment in line with established protocols, if required.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. Patients suffering from bipolar disorder swing from periods of excessive manic activity and emotion, to periods of extreme depression. The condition can begin in childhood or early adulthood. Bipolar patients can lead a normal life with the correct treatment. The correct treatment involves a combination of medical treatment prescribed in line with the precise needs and condition of the individual patient, combined with psychotherapy that helps the patient in terms of understanding the condition and learning coping strategies.

NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming)

On their own,the events that affect us emotionally make little emotional sense. The agents that make sense of events are people, and different people interpret the same events differently. NLP is a process that addresses the meaning that people attach to events. NLP is carried out at the Liv Hospital by a specially trained clinical psychologist.

Getting to Know Yourself Sessions

No one can dispute that communications and human relations are becoming progressively more important in the modern world. It is recognized that people who establish more positive and constructive communications with others do better in their private, family and working lives. One of the problems of hectic modern life is the feeling of meaninglessness that people suffer from time to time. People can find it difficult to deal with the hustle and bustle of life and think they are engaged in a pointless race.

Our team of specialist psychologists listens to participants and draws up an individualized development plan focusing on the participant’s demands, the problems they want to resolve and the areas in which they want to make progress.