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Welcome to Oakland Psychiatric Associates, PC
OPA is a group of behavioral health professionals who have a long tradition for providing behavioral
health services in Oakland County, Michigan for over 30 years. OPA’s services include psychiatric
evaluations, medication management, counseling services, psychological testing and transcranial
magnetic stimulation (TMS Therapy). Services are offered in an in-patient setting, partial hospitalization
setting and outpatient setting. OPA locations include Pontiac (St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Medical Office
Building) and Clarkston (McLaren Health Care Village, Medical Office Building).
OPA staff have privileges to treat patients in area hospitals including St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital
and Havenwyck Hospital. OPA’s clinical team includes Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners and Physician’s
Assistants, Professional Mental Health Counselors, Clinical Social Workers and Clinical Psychologists.
Home – About Us Box
OPA staff are highly-trained and compassionate, always putting patients first. Founding member of OPA,
Neel Jolepalem, M.D., remains active in the practice, while serving as Chief of Staff for St. Joseph Mercy
Oakland and Medical Director of Acute Care Services for Havenwyck Hospital.
About Us
THIS SEEMS REDUNDANT? CAN YOU JUST RESTATE WHAT I DID ABOVE IF NECESSARY?
OPAPC is a group of behavioral health professionals who have a long tradition for providing behavioral
health services in Oakland County, Michigan for over 30 years. The founding members continue to
practice in the group, providing psychiatric evaluations, medication management, counseling services,
psychological testing, behavioral health care which is being delivered in a variety of settings.
The psychiatrists who practice in the group have privileges to treat patients in the area hospitals
including St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital and Havenwyck Hospital. They provide services at their
office with a behavior health care team consisting of Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians
Assistants, Psychologists, Social Workers and Professional Counselors.
Our Staff
Neel Jolepalem, M.D. - Child & Adult Psychiatrist
Andrew Pasternak, M.D. - Child & Adult Psychiatrist
Yogesh Shukla, M.D. - Child & Adult Psychiatrist
Doopyo Hong, M.D. - Child & Adult Psychiatrist
Taft Parsons III, M.D. - Child & Adult Psychiatrist
Sandra Miller, DNP - Nurse Practitioner
Sandra Deering, DNP - Nurse Practitioner
Anthony DiLoreto, MSN - Nurse Practitioner
Madhu Jagadish, PA - Physician’s Assistant
Donald E. Deering, Ph.D. - Professional Counselor & Clinical Psychologist
Kelly Kling-Selander, Ph.D. - Clinical Psychologist
Leonard Swistak, Ph.D. - Clinical & Forensic Psychologist
Matthew McCormick, Ph.D. - Clinical Psychologist
Kristen Husted, Psy.D. - Clinical Social Worker
Chris A. Shreve, M.A. (Ph.D. Student) - Professional Counselor & TMS Coordinator
Stefanie Pavloski, MSC - Professional Counselor & TMS Provider
Brad Erlandson, MSC - Professional Counselor
Jennifer Prestenbach, MA - Professional Counselor
Marieanne Buchanan, MSW, ACSW - Clinical Social Worker
Anne Dunlop, MSW, ACSW - Clinical Social Worker
Nancy Gaydos, MSW, ACSW - Clinical Social Worker
Diane Cartwright, MSW, - Clinical Social Worker
Office Policies
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Due to the increasing volume of prescription phone requests we ask that you call at least 72
hours prior to running out of medication. Prescriptions will not be called in on weekends.
Prescriptions cannot be called in for some controlled substances, i.e. stimulant medication.
There will be a charge for any appointment missed or cancelled without 24 hour notice, at the
provider’s discretion.
Please allow up to 5 business days for all records requested to be processed.
Please inform us of any changes to your insurance coverage prior to seeing a provider.
OPA provider do not fill out SSI disability paperwork without an additional charge.
All co-pays are due at the time of service unless other arrangements have been made with the
billing department and/or your provider.
Privacy Policy
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Click here to view, download or print a copy of our Office Privacy Policy.
Modality Content
Individual Therapy
Individual counseling is an approach in which all OPA providers are trained. Individuals receive
assistance in addressing issues related to self, family, school and work. Patients who chose to participate
in individual counseling work together with their therapist to gain insight and increase coping skills in
order to improve overall mental health. OPA providers work closely in a therapeutic team approach.
OPA also strongly encourage patients to take an active role in participating in their therapy.
Please see on the "Our Staff" page to view the background information and related interests of a
particular therapist.
Marital and Conjoint Therapy
OPA offers marital and conjoint therapy sessions. OPA staff first carefully evaluate each member of the
couple to ensure that no other condition is interfering with the marital or familial relationship. From
there, individuals are brought together to begin conjoint therapy. Important steps in therapy include:
reducing blame and negativity within the couple or family; creating common goals toward which
individuals can work (both independently and together); and developing and implementing plans in
order to accomplish these goals.
The therapist may help the couple or family with: communication skills; coping techniques; patterns of
interaction; and any other important areas of stress. Further, therapists will help the individuals to
generalize the skills they have learned in therapy so they are able to apply these techniques to any
future difficulties that may arise.
OPA providers are highly flexible and willing to adjust the process of therapy in order to best meet the
needs of each couple and family. Confidentiality is priority at OPA and the providers work hard to ensure
the privacy of everyone involved.
If you are interested in becoming involved in marital or family therapy, please contact us to set up an
appointment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
OPA providers offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of anxiety and depressive
disorders. This therapy combines behavioral exposure therapy along with cognitive restructuring to help
enable the patient to confront avoidances, correct negative automatic thoughts, and return to optimal
functioning.
CBT is particularly effective for the Anxiety Disorder spectrum, such as Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Specific Phobias. The
hallmark of CBT is the patient's role in learning and practicing skills outside the session, to maximize the
therapeutic benefit of this therapy. In mood disorders, the patient will learn coping skills to master tasks
often thought too arduous for the depressed patient. The use of CBT with or without medication
management is addressed, and the ultimate decision is made between the patient and the OPA
provider.
Parenting Techniques
It is not uncommon for OPA providers to be faced with overwhelmed parents, many of whom have
attempted to implement a variety of parenting techniques but have found no sustaining success. These
failed attempts can lead to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness for these parents, which often
exacerbate the problematic dynamics in the household.
The key elements include consistency and remaining calm, both of which can be difficult during stressful
parenting situations.
OPA providers take into consideration the age of the child, the presenting concerns, and the family
dynamics in order to tailor-make a treatment plan. Often, therapists will use a combination of
techniques to meet their needs. These may include education about special considerations for their
child as well as exploration and practicing of parenting techniques. OPA providers work with the child
alone, the caregivers alone, and the family together as an integral part of the treatment plan.
Women's Group
OPA providers offer a weekly women’s support group, emphasizing goal setting, self-acceptance and
positive coping skills toward a wide range of issues effecting women on a daily basis including most
notably: self-esteem, work related problems, depression, anxiety, intimacy, sex, money, relationships,
divorce, aging, grief and addictive behaviors.
Our Psychiatric Services
OPA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for our patients. OPA providers combine treatment
approaches to help people lead happier, more productive lives.
See the menu at left for more information on our treatment approaches.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatment
A major emphasis of OPA is the identification and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD) throughout the life span. Often misdiagnosed or over-diagnosed, OPA offers comprehensive
screening / evaluation in order to conclude a definitive diagnosis. Assessments are done through a
thorough initial psychiatric interview, as well as with the use of collateral history and symptom checklists
and/or psychological testing when necessary. This process also aids in the development of an integrative
treatment plan.
OPA providers possess a great deal of experience in identifying and treating ADHD and associated
conditions such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders and learning disabilities. Often times, coaching and
counseling are essential in the treatment of ADHD.
Dementia Treatment and Cognitive Evaluations
For some patients, it is important to assess cognitive functions such as memory, recall, alertness and
overall aptitude. This is formally done via neurocognitive testing.
This type of testing can be ordered following medical illness such as stroke or other brain-based diseases
such as Parkinson's Disease or Multiple Sclerosis. It is also used to characterize childhood developmental
illness such as Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dementia is the decline in cognitive functioning, including
most notably, memory and related cognitive processing skills.
The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's Type. Dementias are important diagnoses early on, in
order to maximize treatment efficacy. Some dementias are reversible if caught early. For other types,
such as Alzheimer's and vascular dementias, newer cognitive enhancing medications are available which
can improve functioning and prolong quality of life.
Outpatient Alcohol and Addictions Treatment Program
OPA providers offer an innovative multidisciplinary treatment approach to recovery. OPA’s program has
been developed through years of experience working with addicted patients. In addition, OPA has
utilized many exciting new discoveries in the field of neurobiology. Recent discoveries in the field of
addiction science have expanded our understanding of addictions and their impact upon the human
brain. OPA has years of experience with cutting edge discoveries in neuroscience in order to provide
highly effective treatment for our patients. Research has shown that the combination of medication and
therapy has proven to be the most efficacious approach in treating mental health conditions. This is the
model that we utilize at OPA.
Substance Abuse & the Law
Our advice to you:
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Take control of your addiction.
Do not wait for the legal system to make treatment mandatory; acknowledge responsibility and
voluntarily seek treatment.
Take your addiction seriously. It is a life threatening problem. But remember there is hope. . .
We can help by:
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Communicating with your attorney & the court system, at your request.
Ordering laboratory alcohol and drug tests.
Providing psychiatric consultation.
Offering individualized and family counseling.
When appropriate, utilizing cutting edge medications specially developed to help people with
alcohol and substance addictions.
Understanding Addictions
Our knowledge about addictions has rapidly grown. Research into the fields of genetics and
neuroscience has produced encouraging new medications, including:
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Campral™ - to help control cravings
Vivitrol™ - a new injectable medication with 30 days of coverage
Antabuse™ - a powerful deterrent to drinking
Suboxone™ - a medication for the treatment of opioid dependence
Chantix™ - a medication used to aid in smoking cessation
Other medications to decrease impulsive choices that can lead to relapse
Did you know that . . .
Many people with addictions also have undiagnosed and untreated mental health conditions such as:
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Depression
Anxiety
ADHD and Learning Problems
Insomnia
Identifying and treating these symptoms can strengthen the recovery process.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment
PTSD is an anxiety disorder which occurs after a person has personally experienced or witnessed a
dangerous and/or life-threatening event. Individuals who are at risk for developing PTSD include but are
not limited to:
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Soldiers who have been in combat
Survivors or witnesses of violent crimes (including rape, kidnapping, robbery, etc.)
Individuals who have lived through a natural disaster
Survivors of accidents or grave illness
These events can cause lasting psychological symptoms, including the following (taken from the National
Institute for Mental Health Website--www.nimh.nih.gov):
1) Re-experiencing symptoms:
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Flashbacks - reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart
or sweating
Bad dreams
Frightening thoughts.
2) Avoidance symptoms:
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Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
Feeling emotionally numb
Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
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Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.
3) Hyperarousal symptoms:
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Being easily started
Feeling tense or “on edge”
Having difficulty sleeping and/or having angry outbursts.
Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms
may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident a
person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car. Hyper-arousal symptoms may make it
hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating. At OPA, PTSD is treated with a
combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medications (when necessary). This effective
approach can help individuals with PTSD to identify situations that trigger their "fight or flight" response.
Using CBT techniques including flooding and systematic desensitization, the therapist and patient can
work together to safely reintroduce situations that have become too anxiety-provoking for the patient.
Over time, irritability, flashbacks and nightmares will subside and the patient is able to return to their
pre-trauma functionality. Treating PTSD is a rewarding experience for our clinicians, as long-term
success is highly achievable and patient transformation is astounding to watch.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment
OCD is an anxiety disorder which involves both obsessions (thoughts, images, or impulses that occur
over and over again) and compulsions (acts that a person repeatedly performs in an attempt to make
the obsession go away). The brain seems to get “stuck” on a thought or urge and cannot shake it.
Individuals with OCD often have the sense that if that “obsession” continues without them taking part in
any compulsions, the anxiety will become intolerable.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically-validated therapeutic intervention that is often
used to help individuals with OCD to manage their symptoms. CBT is a concrete, proactive and goaloriented therapeutic style. With the help of a trained therapist, individuals with OCD can learn to control
and even alleviate their obsessions and compulsions. Individuals will also learn coping strategies such as
relaxation exercises and ways to challenge distorted thinking in an effort to reduce anxiety. Psychotropic
medications may also be a part of the treatment plan for the individual with Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder.
Grief/Loss/Coping with Illness Issues
Sudden loss of a loved one from a heart attack, stroke, homicide, suicide or accident, often presents
many issues for those left behind. People who experience loss from divorce, chronic or terminal illness
face a different type of grieving. There are also differences in how adults, children, men and women
experience grief and loss.
OPA providers are highly trained in helping individuals through the grieving process, whether grieving
the loss of a loved one or coping with their own terminal illness. Some of the therapeutic interventions
employed by OPA providers include techniques in relaxation, cognitive restructuring, stress
management, goal setting, learning new coping skills, improving communication skills with loved ones as
well as with medical personnel, and referral to community support groups.
Each case is looked at individually and the type of loss is taken into consideration when a treatment plan
is created. OPA also offers the services of our prescribing staff who can evaluate patients who may need
medication as an adjunct to their therapy.
Psychological Screening & Testing
OPA offers testing and assessment (psychological, educational and neurocognitive) services for the
purposes of evaluating a patient toward the effort of arriving at a definitive diagnosis. The testing and
assessment process also provides an opportunity to identify particular strengths and weaknesses of an
individual patient. Understanding strengths and weaknesses of a patient significantly improves the
accuracy and efficacy of a treatment plan. Typical concerns that warrant testing and assessment include
ADHD, Learning “differences” (otherwise known as Learning Disorders, most notably reading and math),
Mood/Affect Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, etc.), Dementia or related Cognitive Disorders (Brain
Injury) and other types of conditions and disorders.
Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation & Second Opinions
OPA providers offer independent psychiatric examinations (otherwise known as Independent Medical
Evaluations or IMEs). This can be helpful in challenging cases where a new diagnostic perspective is
necessary. If treatment is needed, a myriad of services are available at OPA such as Counseling,
Medication Management and other Support Services. Contact OPA to set up an evaluation.