Patient Education

Kimberly Popkey-Williams would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with me. I will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

I welcome you to my practice and look forward to caring for you.

Kimberly Popkey-Williams provides a full range of therapeutic services including the following:

Addiction

An addiction is an uncontrollable dependence on a certain substance or activity. People become addicted to different things for different reasons, but can be affected both physically and psychologically. With addiction, the activity or substance often becomes the major focus of a person's life, leading to the exclusion of other activities, impairing work, social, and family responsibilities, and affecting the individual's health, mood, and self-respect. Addicted individuals may suffer from anxiety, low self-esteem or depression and often feel as if they have no control over their lives or behavior. ...

ADHD in Children

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects children, with symptoms often continuing into adulthood. Common symptoms of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. ADHD affects the behavior of children both at home and in school. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately eleven percent of children in the United States are diagnosed with ADHD. Boys are more commonly diagnosed with this condition than girls. Children with ADHD often struggle in school, have poor self-esteem and may be at an increased risk for drug and alcohol abuse as they get older. With treatment, however, most people with ADHD can lead successful and productive lives. ...

Adjustment Disorders

An adjustment disorder is a syndrome in which the patient experiences psychological and sometimes physical symptoms as a result of a stressful life event. While anyone might be expected to have reactions to a stressor, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce, when the reaction is extreme and interferes with normal functioning for an extended period of time, it is designated an adjustment disorder. ...

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a chronic addiction disorder in which a person becomes dependent on alcohol. Individuals with this condition are unable to control how much they drink and often experience serious consequences as a result of their alcohol consumption. Some people may not be characterized as alcoholics, but can suffer from alcohol abuse, meaning that they drink excessively but are not fully dependent on alcohol. Both conditions are considered serious and require long-term treatment in order to resume a normal, fully functioning lifestyle. ...

Anger Management

Anger management is the process of learning to recognize the signs of one's own encroaching anger and mastering techniques to deal with it safely and effectively. While anger is a normal, healthy emotion, in many people it becomes excessive and out of control, resulting in damaged relationships, employment difficulties, and even physical violence. Uncontrolled anger not only causes disharmony and pain, it is a frequent cause of criminal behavior. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of how widespread issues with anger are and how greatly they affect the world around us. This has resulted in the development of various anger management techniques designed to channel anger in constructive ways. ...

Athletic Stress

While physical exercise has proven to be a powerful tool in stress management, athletic endeavors can create stress of their own. A certain amount of stress is inherent in competitive sports, but managing athletic stress is necessary in maintaining physical and mental fitness. Stressors involved in athletic involvement include: ...

Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), encompasses a range of pervasive developmental disorders. These disorders vary in degree from mild forms like Asperger's syndrome to severe impairment.

Autism is characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction and by repetitive behavior patterns. The disorder has become very common, occurring in more than 1 percent of children. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males. Besides Asperger's syndrome, there are several other types of ASD, including pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Rett's syndrome. ...

Autism FAQs

What is autism?

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is the most common pervasive developmental disorder, affecting more than 1 percent of children. The condition interferes with communication skills and social interaction and involves ritualized and repetitive behavioral patterns. It is usually diagnosed during early childhood. Early interventional treatments have been demonstrated to help children with the disorder develop improved language and social skills and to cope more successfully with their environment. ...

Binge Eating Disorders

A binge eating disorder is an eating disorder where people consume unusually large amounts of food in one sitting. Many people who are binge eaters feel a lack of control over their eating and may feel extremely depressed and guilty after a binge eating episode. Binge eaters may be overweight or obese, but can also be of normal weight. Binge eaters are twice as likely to be women than men. There is no specific cause for binge eating but it may be a result of family history, biological factors, long-term dieting and psychological issues. Binge eating may be caused by depression or anxiety or may be the result of painful childhood experiences or family problems. ...

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic-depressive illness, is a complex psychiatric disorder that involves sudden and dramatic mood swings between mania and depression. An episode may last for hours, days, weeks or months and symptoms may be severe, sometimes resulting in dangerously impulsive or self-destructive behavior and sometimes leading to depression so deep it results in suicide. ...

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a psychiatric disorder characterized by mood instability, impulsive behavior and difficulties with relationships. The symptoms usually appear in adolescence or young adulthood, but may begin to be evident in childhood.

Risk Factors for BPD

The precise causes of borderline personality disorder are unknown, but there seem to be genetic and environmental factors at play in the development of the condition. Studies of twins have demonstrated a hereditary link to the disorder. In patients with BPD there appear to be abnormalities on the genes regulating emotions and impulse control. Females are three times more likely to be diagnosed with BPD than males. ...

Child and Adolescent Counseling

Mental health is an important part of a child's overall health and has a profound impact on a child's physical health and his or her ability to succeed in school and in society. The mental health of a child is as important as the child's physical health in affecting how the child thinks, feels, and acts, both on the inside and outside. Mental health issues can have a long term impact on a child's ability to fulfill his or her potential as an adolescent and as an adult. ...

Childhood Obesity

Children between the ages of 2 to 19 years are diagnosed as obese when their body mass index, or BMI is greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. The body mass index takes into consideration both height and weight and while it is not a perfect measurement, it is a good indicator of body fat. Children will tend to have different amounts of body fat at different points in time, especially during growth periods, and the healthy range for BMI will vary based on age and gender. Children who are obese have too much body fat according to the BMI index and are at a weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for their height. ...

Conduct Disorder

A conduct disorder is a mental disorder that may occur during childhood or adolescence. Children and adolescents with conduct disorders experience ongoing emotional and behavioral problems that may include difficulty following rules, defiant or impulsive behavior, criminal activity or drug abuse. Boys are more prone to conduct disorders than girls and many individuals are also afflicted with other disorders such as anxiety, attention deficit disorder, or post traumatic stress disorder. ...

Depression

Depression is a medical condition that causes extreme feelings of sadness and emptiness. People who suffer from depression may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, and experience a constant feeling of hopelessness on a daily basis. Depression, also known as clinical or major depression, may be triggered by certain events or occur along with other illnesses. Severe depression can interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, eat, interact with others or enjoy life. With treatment, however, depression can become a manageable condition. ...

Depressive Disorders

Depression is a medical condition that causes extreme feelings of sadness and emptiness. People who suffer from depression may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and experience a constant feeling of hopelessness on a daily basis. Depression, also known as clinical or major depression, may be triggered by certain events or occur along with other illnesses. Severe depression can interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, eat, interact with others or enjoy life. With treatment, however, depression can become a manageable condition. ...

Family Therapy

Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that treats two or more members of the same family. Family therapists study and help to improve the dynamics in a family in which one or more members is experiencing mental distress.

Family therapy is based on the premise that, because interaction among family members is so close and intense, the beliefs, personality and experiences of each member affect the well-being of the family as a whole. The designated "patient" in a given family not only has an impact on the other members, but may be the subconsciously designated representative of the entire family's inner turmoil. ...

Grief Counseling

In recent decades, various types of grief counseling have been developed to help individuals cope with the intense and complicated pain involved in losing a loved one. It has been accepted that loss involves many emotions which must be dealt with before the bereaved individual can successfully move on and adapt to the changes wrought by the death. For many people, assistance in the form of grief counseling is a necessary part of the process. Grief counselors, trained in the discipline, may be clergy, psychiatric nurses, physician assistants (PAs), psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, or psychiatrists. ...

Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that involves difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, sometimes both. Although most people suffer an occasional sleepless night, patients with insomnia have difficulty sleeping on a regular basis. This condition affects approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States and can lead to other troubling symptoms, such as fatigue, low energy level, and a weakened immune system. While insomnia is not normally considered a serious medical disorder, it can make life difficult, or even unmanageable. ...

Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling, also known as couples therapy, is a type of therapy that helps couples, married or unmarried, work out their conflicts and improve their relationship. These counseling sessions allow for better communication and a way to talk through problems in a controlled setting. Marriage counseling is often provided by a licensed therapist or psychologist, who works as a mediator between both partners, to help them strengthen their bond and gain a better understanding of each other and the problems they may be facing. Some couples may seek marriage counseling in times of crisis, while others may consult with a therapist for guidance with daily marital issues. ...

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common anxiety disorder involving disturbing repetitive thoughts and rituals designed to try to alleviate such thoughts. The thoughts are obsessions; the rituals are compulsions. OCD affects millions of people and may be associated with other types of psychiatric disorders. ...

Personality Disorders

A personality disorder is a psychiatric illness in which the patient's thoughts, emotions and behaviors are distorted in unhealthy ways. Patients with personality disorders tend to be inflexible and may appear irrational, at least at times, to those around them. Over a long time period, their behavior leads to serious difficulties in school, in the workplace and in relationships. For those with personality disorders, life is troubling and often stormy. For them, everyday stresses often represent overwhelming, or even, insurmountable problems. Believed to begin in childhood, personality disorders may have genetic, as well as environmental underpinnings and are often difficult to treat. ...

Psychosis

Psychosis refers to psychiatric disturbance in which the patient loses contact with reality. This may include having delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking or speech. Delusions are false beliefs. Hallucinations may be visual, involving seeing things that are not there, or auditory, involving hearing sounds that are not present. Disorganized thinking and speech involve jumbled or irrational thoughts and indecipherable speech. ...

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is the excessive use of a drug or substance, despite the harmful consequences that may occur. Individuals that abuse certain drugs or substances become addicted to these substances and cannot control their ability to resist the intense urges to take them. This abuse can affect a person's physical health and personal or social functioning. Substance abuse can include regular, excessive, or compulsive drinking of alcohol, and/or the habitual use of illegal or prescription drugs or other harmful substances. Severe substance abuse can destroy relationships, end careers, and lead to stroke, heart disease, brain damage, cancer, and even death. ...

Suicide

Suicide, or intentionally causing one's own death, is a serious and all too common problem in the United States. More than a tenth of all deaths nationwide are attributable to suicide and the rate of death by suicide has increased significantly during the last decade. Suicide has recently become the leading cause of death by injury, surpassing even deaths by car accidents. ...

Addiction

An addiction is an uncontrollable dependence on a certain substance or activity. People become addicted to different things for different reasons, but can be affected both physically and psychologically. With addiction, the activity or substance often becomes the major focus of a person's life, leading to the exclusion of other activities, impairing work, social, and family responsibilities, and affecting the individual's health, mood, and self-respect. Addicted individuals may suffer from anxiety, low self-esteem or depression and often feel as if they have no control over their lives or behavior. ...

ADHD in Children

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects children, with symptoms often continuing into adulthood. Common symptoms of ADHD include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. ADHD affects the behavior of children both at home and in school. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately eleven percent of children in the United States are diagnosed with ADHD. Boys are more commonly diagnosed with this condition than girls. Children with ADHD often struggle in school, have poor self-esteem and may be at an increased risk for drug and alcohol abuse as they get older. With treatment, however, most people with ADHD can lead successful and productive lives. ...

Adjustment Disorders

An adjustment disorder is a syndrome in which the patient experiences psychological and sometimes physical symptoms as a result of a stressful life event. While anyone might be expected to have reactions to a stressor, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce, when the reaction is extreme and interferes with normal functioning for an extended period of time, it is designated an adjustment disorder. ...

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a chronic addiction disorder in which a person becomes dependent on alcohol. Individuals with this condition are unable to control how much they drink and often experience serious consequences as a result of their alcohol consumption. Some people may not be characterized as alcoholics, but can suffer from alcohol abuse, meaning that they drink excessively but are not fully dependent on alcohol. Both conditions are considered serious and require long-term treatment in order to resume a normal, fully functioning lifestyle. ...

Anger Management

Anger management is the process of learning to recognize the signs of one's own encroaching anger and mastering techniques to deal with it safely and effectively. While anger is a normal, healthy emotion, in many people it becomes excessive and out of control, resulting in damaged relationships, employment difficulties, and even physical violence. Uncontrolled anger not only causes disharmony and pain, it is a frequent cause of criminal behavior. In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of how widespread issues with anger are and how greatly they affect the world around us. This has resulted in the development of various anger management techniques designed to channel anger in constructive ways. ...

Athletic Stress

While physical exercise has proven to be a powerful tool in stress management, athletic endeavors can create stress of their own. A certain amount of stress is inherent in competitive sports, but managing athletic stress is necessary in maintaining physical and mental fitness. Stressors involved in athletic involvement include: ...

Autism

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), encompasses a range of pervasive developmental disorders. These disorders vary in degree from mild forms like Asperger's syndrome to severe impairment.

Autism is characterized by difficulties with communication and social interaction and by repetitive behavior patterns. The disorder has become very common, occurring in more than 1 percent of children. Autism is four times more likely to occur in males. Besides Asperger's syndrome, there are several other types of ASD, including pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Rett's syndrome. ...

Autism FAQs

What is autism?

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is the most common pervasive developmental disorder, affecting more than 1 percent of children. The condition interferes with communication skills and social interaction and involves ritualized and repetitive behavioral patterns. It is usually diagnosed during early childhood. Early interventional treatments have been demonstrated to help children with the disorder develop improved language and social skills and to cope more successfully with their environment. ...

Binge Eating Disorders

A binge eating disorder is an eating disorder where people consume unusually large amounts of food in one sitting. Many people who are binge eaters feel a lack of control over their eating and may feel extremely depressed and guilty after a binge eating episode. Binge eaters may be overweight or obese, but can also be of normal weight. Binge eaters are twice as likely to be women than men. There is no specific cause for binge eating but it may be a result of family history, biological factors, long-term dieting and psychological issues. Binge eating may be caused by depression or anxiety or may be the result of painful childhood experiences or family problems. ...

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic-depressive illness, is a complex psychiatric disorder that involves sudden and dramatic mood swings between mania and depression. An episode may last for hours, days, weeks or months and symptoms may be severe, sometimes resulting in dangerously impulsive or self-destructive behavior and sometimes leading to depression so deep it results in suicide. ...

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder, or BPD, is a psychiatric disorder characterized by mood instability, impulsive behavior and difficulties with relationships. The symptoms usually appear in adolescence or young adulthood, but may begin to be evident in childhood.

Risk Factors for BPD

The precise causes of borderline personality disorder are unknown, but there seem to be genetic and environmental factors at play in the development of the condition. Studies of twins have demonstrated a hereditary link to the disorder. In patients with BPD there appear to be abnormalities on the genes regulating emotions and impulse control. Females are three times more likely to be diagnosed with BPD than males. ...

Child and Adolescent Counseling

Mental health is an important part of a child's overall health and has a profound impact on a child's physical health and his or her ability to succeed in school and in society. The mental health of a child is as important as the child's physical health in affecting how the child thinks, feels, and acts, both on the inside and outside. Mental health issues can have a long term impact on a child's ability to fulfill his or her potential as an adolescent and as an adult. ...

Childhood Obesity

Children between the ages of 2 to 19 years are diagnosed as obese when their body mass index, or BMI is greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. The body mass index takes into consideration both height and weight and while it is not a perfect measurement, it is a good indicator of body fat. Children will tend to have different amounts of body fat at different points in time, especially during growth periods, and the healthy range for BMI will vary based on age and gender. Children who are obese have too much body fat according to the BMI index and are at a weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for their height. ...

Conduct Disorder

A conduct disorder is a mental disorder that may occur during childhood or adolescence. Children and adolescents with conduct disorders experience ongoing emotional and behavioral problems that may include difficulty following rules, defiant or impulsive behavior, criminal activity or drug abuse. Boys are more prone to conduct disorders than girls and many individuals are also afflicted with other disorders such as anxiety, attention deficit disorder, or post traumatic stress disorder. ...

Depression

Depression is a medical condition that causes extreme feelings of sadness and emptiness. People who suffer from depression may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, and experience a constant feeling of hopelessness on a daily basis. Depression, also known as clinical or major depression, may be triggered by certain events or occur along with other illnesses. Severe depression can interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, eat, interact with others or enjoy life. With treatment, however, depression can become a manageable condition. ...

Depressive Disorders

Depression is a medical condition that causes extreme feelings of sadness and emptiness. People who suffer from depression may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and experience a constant feeling of hopelessness on a daily basis. Depression, also known as clinical or major depression, may be triggered by certain events or occur along with other illnesses. Severe depression can interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, eat, interact with others or enjoy life. With treatment, however, depression can become a manageable condition. ...

Family Therapy

Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that treats two or more members of the same family. Family therapists study and help to improve the dynamics in a family in which one or more members is experiencing mental distress.

Family therapy is based on the premise that, because interaction among family members is so close and intense, the beliefs, personality and experiences of each member affect the well-being of the family as a whole. The designated "patient" in a given family not only has an impact on the other members, but may be the subconsciously designated representative of the entire family's inner turmoil. ...

Grief Counseling

In recent decades, various types of grief counseling have been developed to help individuals cope with the intense and complicated pain involved in losing a loved one. It has been accepted that loss involves many emotions which must be dealt with before the bereaved individual can successfully move on and adapt to the changes wrought by the death. For many people, assistance in the form of grief counseling is a necessary part of the process. Grief counselors, trained in the discipline, may be clergy, psychiatric nurses, physician assistants (PAs), psychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers, or psychiatrists. ...

Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that involves difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, sometimes both. Although most people suffer an occasional sleepless night, patients with insomnia have difficulty sleeping on a regular basis. This condition affects approximately 1 in 10 people in the United States and can lead to other troubling symptoms, such as fatigue, low energy level, and a weakened immune system. While insomnia is not normally considered a serious medical disorder, it can make life difficult, or even unmanageable. ...

Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling, also known as couples therapy, is a type of therapy that helps couples, married or unmarried, work out their conflicts and improve their relationship. These counseling sessions allow for better communication and a way to talk through problems in a controlled setting. Marriage counseling is often provided by a licensed therapist or psychologist, who works as a mediator between both partners, to help them strengthen their bond and gain a better understanding of each other and the problems they may be facing. Some couples may seek marriage counseling in times of crisis, while others may consult with a therapist for guidance with daily marital issues. ...

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common anxiety disorder involving disturbing repetitive thoughts and rituals designed to try to alleviate such thoughts. The thoughts are obsessions; the rituals are compulsions. OCD affects millions of people and may be associated with other types of psychiatric disorders. ...

Personality Disorders

A personality disorder is a psychiatric illness in which the patient's thoughts, emotions and behaviors are distorted in unhealthy ways. Patients with personality disorders tend to be inflexible and may appear irrational, at least at times, to those around them. Over a long time period, their behavior leads to serious difficulties in school, in the workplace and in relationships. For those with personality disorders, life is troubling and often stormy. For them, everyday stresses often represent overwhelming, or even, insurmountable problems. Believed to begin in childhood, personality disorders may have genetic, as well as environmental underpinnings and are often difficult to treat. ...

Psychosis

Psychosis refers to psychiatric disturbance in which the patient loses contact with reality. This may include having delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking or speech. Delusions are false beliefs. Hallucinations may be visual, involving seeing things that are not there, or auditory, involving hearing sounds that are not present. Disorganized thinking and speech involve jumbled or irrational thoughts and indecipherable speech. ...

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is the excessive use of a drug or substance, despite the harmful consequences that may occur. Individuals that abuse certain drugs or substances become addicted to these substances and cannot control their ability to resist the intense urges to take them. This abuse can affect a person's physical health and personal or social functioning. Substance abuse can include regular, excessive, or compulsive drinking of alcohol, and/or the habitual use of illegal or prescription drugs or other harmful substances. Severe substance abuse can destroy relationships, end careers, and lead to stroke, heart disease, brain damage, cancer, and even death. ...

Suicide

Suicide, or intentionally causing one's own death, is a serious and all too common problem in the United States. More than a tenth of all deaths nationwide are attributable to suicide and the rate of death by suicide has increased significantly during the last decade. Suicide has recently become the leading cause of death by injury, surpassing even deaths by car accidents. ...