Frequently Asked Questions

1.   Will my services at Lakeside be covered by my insurance?
2.   I have an HMO, what do I need to do to have my therapy covered?
3.   Does Lakeside offer marital or family therapy?
4.   Are there any doctors that handle children's issues?
5.   What about confidentiality?
6.   What are the indications I need mental health counseling?
7.   How long does psychological treatment usually take?
8.   What are the fees involved for therapy?
9.   What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
10.   Do you offer psychological and / or neuropsychological testing?
11.   Do you offer Hypnosis?
12.   What is Hypnosis?
13.   What is Biofeedback?
14.   My question isn't listed above, I'd like to use your form to send a question.

You will need to check with your insurance company because every policy is different. Our billing service will submit claims to you insurance, and you will be responsible for your co-pay, percentage or deductible at the time of your office visit.

Contact your HMO. Some HMO's require you to use a professional in their network. They should be able to tell you if your Lakeside provider is in network. Most HMO's require a referral from your Primary Care Physician (PCP).

Yes. When you call the office to set up your initial appointment, please indicate which type of therapy you are seeking and we will tell you which therapists are available and specialize in that area.

Jerry Lidsky, M.S., A.T.R., does psychotherapy, art therapy and play therapy with children. Art therapy is an excellent medium for reaching kids who have trouble expressing themselves in words. Alison Brett, Ph.D., does neuropsychological and psychological evaluations of children 5 and older.

Your treatment is confidential to the limits specified by federal and state law. Information about your treatment or what you say may be released only with your written consent, except in the following instances:

• Actual or suspected physical or sexual abuse or neglect of a minor child must, by law be reported to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS). This includes your report of abuse or neglect perpetrated by someone else (e.g. your boyfriend, your ex-wife) if the child continues to be at risk. DCFS will conduct its own investigation of the case.
• Actual or suspected abuse of an elder adult (over 65 years old) must be reported to the State Elder Abuse hotline by law.
• If you tell your therapist you are planning to harm someone, your therapist has a duty to warn the police and / or that person.
• If you indicate that you are libel to harm yourself or someone else, your therapist will take steps to protect you.
• Under certain circumstances, a court may subpoena your treatment records. Your therapist will attempt to protect your confidentiality as much as legally possible.
  Special notice for parents of minors: If you do not have sole custody, the child's other parent must consent to treatment. Even if you have sole custody, the non-custodial parent has legal right to access their child's health and mental health care records, unless specifically prohibited by the divorce decree.

• If you feel anxiety, tension, or unexplained health symptoms that are interfering with your home or work life.
• If you feel down, sad, or depressed for more than two weeks.
• If your feelings interfere with your home or work life.
• If you have persistent problems that don't get better such as repetitive fights with a significant other, problems keeping friendships or dealings, or indecision about the course of your life.

It depends. Most people feel significantly better after 6-24 sessions of psychotherapy. For certain problems, the fastest form of treatment may be a combination of medication and psychotherapy

Fees depend on the service and provider. Please call the office (847-604-9441) with inquiries.

A psychologist has a Ph.D. and cannot prescribe medication. Psychologists have special training in psychological testing that other professionals do not. A psychiatrist has an M.D. and can prescribe medication. Both psychologists and psychiatrists can provide psychotherapy.

Yes. Alison Brett, Ph.D. and Linda Hines, Ph.D. are experienced in psychological testing, which gives an intensive evaluation of how someone feels, how he coped with stress and how he interacts with the world and other people. This information helps the person's therapist develop an individualized treatment program for maximum effectiveness. Dr Brett also has specialized training in neuropsychological testing, which evaluates a person's attention, memory and cognition. Neuropsychological evaluations can identify children or adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, learning disabilities, dementia or other memory problems or the effects of brain illness or injury.

Yes, Jerry Lidsky offers Hypnosis as a therapeutic modality.

Hypnosis is a therapeutic modality that enables an individual to learn how to focus their concentration and attention by utilization of their unconscious process. Once the client has learned to initiate the hypnotic state, they are better able to address personal issues of discomfort or distress as well as enhance motivation and pleasure.

Biofeedback application is the use of instrumentation to display, measure, and / or record physical response to stimulus. The client's interaction with the instrument signals provides the opportunity to learn new ways of coping and or modifying behavior. These protocols are often used in connection with relaxation and stress management techniques to bring about change in behavior and outcome to situations of pain, anxiety, fear and fatigue as well as a host of other human concerns and discomforts.

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