My Approach to Helping
Licensed in NY, MO, and KS, and participating in PSYPACT to deliver nationwide telepsychological services, I tailor my therapeutic approaches to the unique challenges of each person. I use time-honored, evidence-based interventions to help folks live their most fulfilling lives. Here are my general approaches:
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT):
Originating in the 1960s, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) ranks among the most research-supported psychotherapies available today. It is generally well-received by people and effective for a wide variety of life and mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
What can you expect from CBT?
***A better understanding of how our thoughts, actions, and emotions impact one another to shape our experiences of life from day to day
***A better understanding of how “deep” and often unspoken beliefs about ourselves, our worlds, and our futures give rise to our moment-to-moment thoughts and actions
***An array of tools to help us become more aware of our beliefs, thoughts, and actions and begin to restructure them for enhanced wellbeing
***Practical strategies for confronting the sources of our anxieties and fears, leading to increased feelings of mastery and decreased anxiousness over time
PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY:
Psychodynamic therapy is one of the oldest and most celebrated therapy traditions in the world. Compared to CBT, psychodynamic therapy places greater emphasis on our relationships and how they shape who we are and who we become. Although there are many schools of psychodynamic therapy, I use a modern and research-supported therapy called transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP). TFP is a kind of psychodynamic therapy that helps us understand how our experiences of our relationships often shape how we think, feel, and behave in our worlds. It has been shown to especially help people with borderline and other personality disorders.
ECLECTIC INTERVENTIONS:
I also frequently use evidence-based interventions from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and 3rd wave therapies including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These interventions include:
***DBT skills (e.g., interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance) for coping with severe emotional distress and relationship troubles
***Mindfulness skills and acceptance strategies for acknowledging and tolerating difficult experiences
***Identification and use of personal values in therapy to build a more personalized roadmap for progress and how to measure it
***And others . . .
More Info About My Practice
RURAL HEALTH SERVICES:
Maxwell Psychological Services, L.L.C., is committed to serving the underserved in rural communities. As an American Psychological Association Committee on Rural Health member and an affiliated provider with the University of Kansas (KUMC) Kansas Rural Tele-behavioral Health Network from 2019 to the present, I am committed to addressing the mental health challenges of underserved rural communities in Kansas and beyond. My team of providers, including Ms. Tracie Schardein, LPC, is also ready to take referrals throughout rural Kansas.
I can also provide telepsychological services, including psychotherapy and assessment, to rural folks throughout most states via PSYPACT. Research shows that telepsychological services are often as effective as in-person services.
NEURODIVERGENCE ASSESSMENT:
MPS, L.L.C. provides affordable, comprehensive assessments for adult attention-deficithyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Maxwell is pleased to offer comprehensive attention-deficithyperactivity disorder and adult autism evaluations at out-of-pocket fees of $750 per evaluation. These rates are below the standard rates most practices charge (e.g., $1000-$2500) and reflect Maxwell Psychological Services, L.L.C.’s commitment to providing affordable, top-quality mental health care services to Kansans, Missourians, and folks from other communities.
In partnership with Kansas City University’s Health Service Psychology Program, I oversee a year-long assessment practicum for doctoral-level clinical psychology graduate students in training. I supervise and directly assist my trainees as they administer tests and interviews for all evaluations. I then integrate these findings to produce a final report.
By choosing MPS, L.L.C. for your assessment needs, you receive expert services at affordable rates and contribute to the professional development of the next generations of psychologists in our community.
NATIONWIDE TELEPSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES:
I participate in PSYPACT and am able to provide telepsychological services in any state with enacted and effective PSYPACT legislation (see https:psypact.orgmpagepsypactmap for a map of all states participating in PSYPACT).
What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist
I love everything about my vocation. I started graduate studies in 2011, but before my doctoral training, I worked in a community mental health center as a direct care provider, helping folks with severe and persistent mental illnesses buy groceries, run errands, budget their money, and take care of other daily tasks. I'll never forget tooling around in my truck across Lawrence, KS, taking folks here and there, conversing about their challenges, and sharing some laughs and music. In the evenings, I also counseled folks with thoughts about suicide and non-suicidal self-injury via a local suicide hotline. I've been passionate about understanding and helping people for as long as I can remember; however, these early experiences cemented my love for my vocation, and this love only grows with time.
