Dr. Lisa Karabelnik
Adult, Child, and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Services
Psychiatric Evaluation - Evaluations of children and adolescents are generally completed during one 2.5-3 hour appointment. At the beginning of the appointment parents and children start and review the challenges they have been facing. The child/teen then meets with Dr. Karabelnik privately which allows them to express their own concerns free of parental influence. The parents then meet with Dr. Karabelnik privately which allows for an honest and open discussion of the issues their child is facing. At the end of the appointment, both the parents the child join Dr. Karabelnik to discuss treatment recommendations. This also allows time for both parents and patients to ask questions. This extended appointment allows Dr. Karabelnik to learn who each patient is and to develop an understanding of what has been happening in his/her life. It is possible to complete the evaluation over tow shorter sessions if necessary.
Family/Parent Meeting-Sometimes these meetings are helpful to ensure that all questions are answered, or to address recurrent issues which affect everyone in the family. These sessions are typically 45-90 minutes in length.
Medication Management
If someone is already in therapy and is looking for someone to manage their psychiatric medications, we are happy to do so and to work collaboratively with the therapist. This is knowns as "split treatment." Dr. Karabelnik subscribes to the philosophy of using the lowest dose of medication necessary and the fewest medications possible. She is often in the position of helping people come off medications which are no longer necessary or that are not helping. She also incorporates recommendations regarding sleep, diet and complementary therapies and refers patients for non-pharmacologic treatments when appropriate. She frequently orders pharmacogenomic testing that can help determine which drugs may be a better for a person's genetic makeup. Every visit, regardless of whether or not someone has a primary therapist, incorporates therapeutic components. Medication management visits usually occur every month to every few months and last between 30-45 minutes. Many patients are in need of individual and/or family therapy in addition to medication management. Dr. Karabelnik has been fortunate enough to develop a relationship with many therapists across the state. Because every therapist has a different personality and different areas of expertise, Dr. Karabelnik will work hard to help patients connect with a therapist with whom they will likely feel comfortable.
Combined Therapy and Medication Management
Sometimes, being able to see one provider for both medication management and individual
therapy makes the most sense therapeutically and practically. Dr. Karabelnik can provide this when indicated. These visits typically occur weekly, although sometimes more or less frequent
visits may be suggested.
Therapy
Like many modern therapists, Dr. Karabelnik practices
an "eclectic" form of psychotherapy that is tailored to meet an individual's specific needs. She has a strong background in cognitive behavioral therapy and other more traditional psychodynamic
theories. She also dabbles in mentalization theory. Do not worry if you are not familiar with the different approaches as the ones which may be relevant will be discussed during your
appointment. For therapy to be effective, it needs to be done at least every 1-2 weeks. Dr. Karabelnik will work with you to determine what is feasible and indicated.
School Meetings -Dr. Karabelnik does attend school meetings and planning meetings, if requested, as her schedule allows. Generally, she tries to schedule meetings on Fridays.
Professional Presentations-Dr. Karabelnik will happily do educational presentations for your group. She has done presentations on topics such psychotropic medications, depression, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders. She will gladly talk with you further about possible topics and work with you to tailor her presentation to your needs. Dr. Karabelnik is willing to do in-services for teachers, therapists, nurses, and information sessions for parents.
Phone Sessions- While phone sessions are not encouraged, they can be made available when indicated for established, stable patients who, for circumstances beyond their control, are unable to come in for a scheduled office appointment.
Forms
Below are a variety of forms. Completion and return of these forms prior to your appointment will help your initial session to be the most productive. After you have scheduled your initial appointment, please download and complete the relevant forms and return them via fax: 860-561-6184, email: drkarabelnik@mdofficemail.com or regular mail: Dr. Karabelnik
68 South Main Street
Suite 200
West Hartford, CT 06107
Completion and return of this form prior to your first appointment will enable Dr. Karabelnik to conduct a more focused and relevant intake.
Patient history-revised 2019.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [159.2 KB]
Completion and return of this form enables Dr. Karabelnik to better focus your initial appointment.
Patient history-adult-revised 2019.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [95.8 KB]
This form provides basic contact information, insurance information and the opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of the HIPPA documentation and for the provision of services.
Patient_information_form-revised June 20[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [157.6 KB]
This is a copy of the HIPPA law which must be provided upon request to all.
hipaa-notice-of-privacy-practices -revis[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [149.5 KB]
Consent form to be completed to enable Dr. Karabelnik to speak with your primary care doctor, therapist, school, etc.
Release of information 2019.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [86.8 KB]
This consent allows Dr. Karabelnik to communicate with you via email.
Email agreement revised june 2019.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [114.9 KB]
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