Jessica McDonald, Psy.D.

ABOUT US and OUR PHILOSOPHY: Epione Psychological Services is named for the Greek goddess Epione (Eh-Pea-Oh-Knee) whose name comes from the Greek word “epios” meaning “soothing.” In Greek mythology, Epione was described as the “personification of healing and recovery.” She was the mother of the gods and goddesses of good health, cures, and healing. To me, this suggests that to have good health, we have to know what it is that soothes us so we can turn to those things (people, activities, etc.) when times get tough. When we as people face medical problems (chronic pain, severe injury, chronic illness, major changes to our bodies), it is really easy to get pulled into chasing cures and hunting for anything that makes us feel even a little bit closer to “normal.” A lot of the time, we spend most of our waking moments just trying to keep from feeling like we're drowning, and that can leave us feeling totally depleted and like we can’t realistically get to the other important things that need our attention, like our relationships, our jobs, and our hobbies. At Epione Psychological Services, I take the mission of our namesake seriously. I strive to find ways to soothe the pain and the burdens of the spirit that come with chronic illness, and I work with clients to come up with tools and strategies for recovery. Since illness does not mean someone is “broken,” I do not treat clients like there is something to “fix.” I focus on improving quality of life, reducing the negative impact of illness, and finding ways to make a life worth living despite the illness. Of course, psychologists cannot rid clients of illness, but we CAN empower clients and help them feel as though they can handle the unexpected, no matter what that looks like. At Epione, I can help you discover what matters most to you in life, and help you find practical, evidence-based ways to adjust, cope, and get closer to living a meaningful and fulfilled life. WHO IS DR. JESSICA MCDONALD? Hi! I’m Dr. Jess. I am a licensed clinical health psychologist, which means that my training in psychology has been focused on helping people learn to adjust to life with chronic medical illness and/or medical disabilities. SPECIALTIES -Chronic pain management -Adjustment to life with a traumatic brain injury/neurologic events (like a stroke) -Adjustment to disability (like an amputation or spinal cord injury) -Overcoming health anxiety -Processing medical trauma -Health and behavior change related to diabetes and weight management While I do primarily work in areas of health psychology, I also treat depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, and help with managing the stressors that go hand-in-hand with being a human being. Pre-Surgical Bariatric Evaluations As part of a weight management plan, patients and their physicians may talk about bariatric/weight loss surgery as an option. Part of that discussion includes patients participating in a pre-surgical evaluation with a licensed mental health provider to make sure there are no unexpected factors that can make it hard to achieve optimal post-surgical outcomes. That’s where I come in! If you and your doctors are considering weight-loss surgery, and you need a pre-surgical evaluation, I can help you learn about the things in your life that would get you closer, or perhaps a little further, from reaching your overall goals for weight and health. What makes my evaluations a little different than those you might have heard of before is, in addition to a very thorough clinical interview, patients working with me also complete several screeners and measures that are "normed" against other bariatric patients. That is- responses would be compared to other people who have similar medical/psychiatric backgrounds and presentations, rather than comparing responses to groups that are completely different and who have never experienced what sometimes comes along with living in a bigger body. This helps me get a clearer sense of what is totally normal for someone looking into bariatric surgery, or what might be a factor that could get in the way of maximal success with surgery. All strategies, techniques, and treatments I use are evidence-based (meaning tons and tons of research has shown these techniques are effective in treating specific symptoms) and are modified to meet your unique circumstances and needs. FEE FOR SERVICES: Don't let the prices listed below scare you! I work with a handful of insurance panels, however if your insurance is not listed below (and you have out of network benefits) I can send you a "superbill" which would allow you to get partial, or full, reimbursement for services rendered. Just be sure to chat with your insurance companies to make sure this is a good option for you! If you're a bit on the fence about if this is a good fit for you, give me a call to chat about options available.