Welcome to Hurd Psychology! Dr. Hurd provides therapy, assessments, and consultation focused on ADHD, Autism, Learning Problems, Depression, and Anxiety for all ages.
Currently Initiatives:
1. Mental Wellness Model (providing a model for mental wellness that is similar to Dental wellness in which best practice is two visits per calendar year to a mental health provider for ALL PERSONS).
2. Foster Mental Wellness Through Educational Changes. Allow for increased flexibility for children, teens and young adults. Allow for more choice in classes such as being in class with a friend, and allow for changes to remove from class if the child does not have good repertoire with a teacher or classmates (allows for getting away from a bully). Provide a hybrid model as an educational setting for all (offering a model for completion of schooling that includes an online school option, but is completed at the school building with support and oversight by teachers with the options for attending some classes in person).
3. Mental Health Symptoms Alert and Warning: Please be advised, in the past few years there has been an increase in mental health symptoms that are presenting differently than ever before (See the following).
A. We do not handle stress like we used to before the Pandemic.
Much of our completely busy, already stressful life came to a screeching halt or looked vastly different during the pandemic. Fast forward to today. I am going to state a fact that I hope each of you can step back to consider. We as humans no longer handle stress the way we did prior to the pandemic. To put it another way, Post pandemic, overall we do not handle stress as well. As a people, we have been taught that we can and should look on the bright side of things and that things are always fine. We can handle anything. It may be true in the future, but right here at this moment most likely for a variety of reasons we no longer can or should leave ourselves in a sea of stress and being “fine.”
We needs to be kinder and more patient with ourselves and others. In doing so, we may have to lighten our loads we carry and add in more self care time. And we have to be OK with this. We need to celebrate where we are now. We CANNOT succumb to beating ourselves up emotionally for what we view as not keeping up with our “Prepandemic Rat Race.” This needs to be the new normal.
B. Since the COVID time period there have been an increase in the severity of mental health symptoms. This may include thoughts of self harm and other disturbing thoughts.
We already know a long symptom of COVID is depression. This could be for a varied of reasons. However, since the COVID time period (for whatever the reason) mental health symptoms have been presenting with more severity and with a more sudden onset.
In my office, I have observed an increase in disturbing thoughts, and sometimes those thoughts are of harm to self or harm to others.
Since the COVID time period, there has been an increase in Disturbing Thoughts for children, teens, and young adults. Sometimes these thoughts involve hurting one self or hurting someone else.
If out of the blue, you feel so down that you think of ending your life or doing something crazy, seek help immediately. The clients I have helped get better very quickly with appropriate care. Please note, if this happens to you, it is not your fault . Go directly to get help. Tell a family member or a friend. It is extremely important that we get the word out on this. Because if people know this might happen and have a plan, they can execute it to avert a disaster.
There are certain personalities that would be extremely vulnerable to these disturbing thoughts.
1. Those that have never experienced any significant mental health issues prior to this. --many would not be familiar with their minds playing tricks on them. Nor would they have taken seriously any of the talks on how to get help or the suicide hotline. Why? Because they likely had not needed to before this point.
2. Serious Type A Overachievers. Academics, High Level Athletes, Business Execs. When these people intend to do something, they do it. In this case with the possibility of out of the blue disturbing thoughts this group needs have the PSA immediately. For the aforementioned reason they would be extremely vulnerable to this.
Another thing to consider is that when we have a “down day” or a “bad day” our lows go lower than ever before. This means that even if something relatively small goes wrong, our feelings are at risk of plunging to rock bottom as if some catastrophe had occurred. Even briefly feeling this low could lead to some serious problems. Again, if this happens you be aware that it’s not your fault. Do not act on it. Please reach out to a friend, family, your doctor, a mental health provider, your church. Just reach out. I guarantee people feel better.
Take away message: Knowing that these disturbing thoughts might happen to you can save you. If it happens-- you are not crazy. Do not act on it. Reach out immediately for temporary assistance.
Note about the Author: My name is Heather Hurd. My clients call me Dr. Heather. I am a Clinical Psychologist with a background in both Education and Psychology. I own and operate my own psychology practice, and have done so since 2013. I serve individuals from children up to adults. I specialize in providing therapy to children, teens, college ages, and some adults with developmental disabilities and Autism. During the pandemic I went full time with online therapy sessions and helped people through that difficult time. I was so happy to return to practicing in person (although I still do some online work). Once I returned to full-time psychology work post pandemic, I have realized that there have been some fairly drastic changes in the mental health patterns and presentations of symptoms. Hopefully, clinical research is coming on these changes, but in the meantime, I am going to share my observations on these changes and the strategies and treatment that now are the most effective for not only identifying those who should seek care, but the things that should be done to foster the most positive outcomes. Please feel free to reach out to me to collaborate. drheather@hurdpsychology.com .
Currently Initiatives:
1. Mental Wellness Model (providing a model for mental wellness that is similar to Dental wellness in which best practice is two visits per calendar year to a mental health provider for ALL PERSONS).
2. Foster Mental Wellness Through Educational Changes. Allow for increased flexibility for children, teens and young adults. Allow for more choice in classes such as being in class with a friend, and allow for changes to remove from class if the child does not have good repertoire with a teacher or classmates (allows for getting away from a bully). Provide a hybrid model as an educational setting for all (offering a model for completion of schooling that includes an online school option, but is completed at the school building with support and oversight by teachers with the options for attending some classes in person).
3. Mental Health Symptoms Alert and Warning: Please be advised, in the past few years there has been an increase in mental health symptoms that are presenting differently than ever before (See the following).
A. We do not handle stress like we used to before the Pandemic.
Much of our completely busy, already stressful life came to a screeching halt or looked vastly different during the pandemic. Fast forward to today. I am going to state a fact that I hope each of you can step back to consider. We as humans no longer handle stress the way we did prior to the pandemic. To put it another way, Post pandemic, overall we do not handle stress as well. As a people, we have been taught that we can and should look on the bright side of things and that things are always fine. We can handle anything. It may be true in the future, but right here at this moment most likely for a variety of reasons we no longer can or should leave ourselves in a sea of stress and being “fine.”
We needs to be kinder and more patient with ourselves and others. In doing so, we may have to lighten our loads we carry and add in more self care time. And we have to be OK with this. We need to celebrate where we are now. We CANNOT succumb to beating ourselves up emotionally for what we view as not keeping up with our “Prepandemic Rat Race.” This needs to be the new normal.
B. Since the COVID time period there have been an increase in the severity of mental health symptoms. This may include thoughts of self harm and other disturbing thoughts.
We already know a long symptom of COVID is depression. This could be for a varied of reasons. However, since the COVID time period (for whatever the reason) mental health symptoms have been presenting with more severity and with a more sudden onset.
In my office, I have observed an increase in disturbing thoughts, and sometimes those thoughts are of harm to self or harm to others.
Since the COVID time period, there has been an increase in Disturbing Thoughts for children, teens, and young adults. Sometimes these thoughts involve hurting one self or hurting someone else.
If out of the blue, you feel so down that you think of ending your life or doing something crazy, seek help immediately. The clients I have helped get better very quickly with appropriate care. Please note, if this happens to you, it is not your fault . Go directly to get help. Tell a family member or a friend. It is extremely important that we get the word out on this. Because if people know this might happen and have a plan, they can execute it to avert a disaster.
There are certain personalities that would be extremely vulnerable to these disturbing thoughts.
1. Those that have never experienced any significant mental health issues prior to this. --many would not be familiar with their minds playing tricks on them. Nor would they have taken seriously any of the talks on how to get help or the suicide hotline. Why? Because they likely had not needed to before this point.
2. Serious Type A Overachievers. Academics, High Level Athletes, Business Execs. When these people intend to do something, they do it. In this case with the possibility of out of the blue disturbing thoughts this group needs have the PSA immediately. For the aforementioned reason they would be extremely vulnerable to this.
Another thing to consider is that when we have a “down day” or a “bad day” our lows go lower than ever before. This means that even if something relatively small goes wrong, our feelings are at risk of plunging to rock bottom as if some catastrophe had occurred. Even briefly feeling this low could lead to some serious problems. Again, if this happens you be aware that it’s not your fault. Do not act on it. Please reach out to a friend, family, your doctor, a mental health provider, your church. Just reach out. I guarantee people feel better.
Take away message: Knowing that these disturbing thoughts might happen to you can save you. If it happens-- you are not crazy. Do not act on it. Reach out immediately for temporary assistance.
Note about the Author: My name is Heather Hurd. My clients call me Dr. Heather. I am a Clinical Psychologist with a background in both Education and Psychology. I own and operate my own psychology practice, and have done so since 2013. I serve individuals from children up to adults. I specialize in providing therapy to children, teens, college ages, and some adults with developmental disabilities and Autism. During the pandemic I went full time with online therapy sessions and helped people through that difficult time. I was so happy to return to practicing in person (although I still do some online work). Once I returned to full-time psychology work post pandemic, I have realized that there have been some fairly drastic changes in the mental health patterns and presentations of symptoms. Hopefully, clinical research is coming on these changes, but in the meantime, I am going to share my observations on these changes and the strategies and treatment that now are the most effective for not only identifying those who should seek care, but the things that should be done to foster the most positive outcomes. Please feel free to reach out to me to collaborate. drheather@hurdpsychology.com .
Contact Hurd Psychology at:
Phone Number: 608 228 0750
Email: drheather@hurdpsychology.com
Madison Office:
700 Rayovac Drive, Suite 114
Madison, WI 53711
Wausau Office:
2405 Schofield Avenue, Suite 250
Weston, WI 54476
Phone Number: 608 228 0750
Email: drheather@hurdpsychology.com
Madison Office:
700 Rayovac Drive, Suite 114
Madison, WI 53711
Wausau Office:
2405 Schofield Avenue, Suite 250
Weston, WI 54476
608 228 0750
