Sunday, April 26, 2009

Virginia Tech Psychology Practicum

PHR has been providing a practicum for VT undergraduate psychology majors. We asked Kristin to offer some comments on her experience

For the last 4 months, I have had the pleasure of interning for Psychological Health Roanoke. This rewarding experience has given me the chance to observe the inner-workings of a private practice and actually contribute to its daily operations. Being a senior psychology student at Virginia Tech, days away from graduation, I will be taking much of what I have learned at the practice with me. Not only was I able to get a grasp on the ever-confusing insurance and billing issues, but I was also able to observe a wide variety of therapy sessions. But I can say that what I will miss most are the people, everyone from the experienced psychologists I worked closely with to the staff who were always so kind and helpful. Overall, I think this rare opportunity has ultimately confirmed exactly what I want to be one day: a licensed psychologist working for a private practice like Psych Health Roanoke!

*Kristin Knihnicki

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Officer Bryan Lawrence, Roanoke City PD

Getting Roanoke City recertified as a Crime Prevention Community, introducing Project Lifesaver to the Roanoke Valley (for Alzheimers and other “wanderers”), Officer Bryan Lawrence makes it clear how closely the well being of a community is tied to the quality law enforcement.

Like so many in law enforcement embracing the job 24-7, Officer Bryan Lawrence, responding to an assault call off duty, blindsided by a perp, disabled with a spinal cord injury.

Well respected by his fellow officers, he is a finalist for America’s Most Wanted All Star Officer.

You can vote at www.amw.com/allstar/2009/

*John Heil

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

We Remember the Virginia Tech Shootings April 16, 2007

We remember the shock & horror, the trauma to the Virginia Tech community, our personal losses & professional lessons learned.

We also remember the many acts of courage, the rapid response by police and rescue, the exceptional quality of medical care, the outpouring of support, the solidarity of the community and its psychological resilience.

Our professional perspective is detailed in the technical report: Psychological Intervention with the Virginia Tech Shootings: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for the Hospital Setting, which can be found at our website.
*John Heil

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Who We Are


We are Psychological Health Roanoke, a group practice of 22 counselors, psychologists and social workers serving the western triangle of Virginia. Our clinical catchment reaches north and south along the Blue Ridge Mountains, with consulting services extending eastward into the Piedmont and Tidewater areas of Virginia. On any given day, you may find us at work in any of our 3 office locations in Roanoke, Blacksburg and Alleghany County.

You may also find us lecturing in a University classroom, a medical school, a police academy or a community organization… counseling in a high school, a nursing home, or a hospital medical unit…conducting evaluations in a jail or public safety agency…consulting to regional businesses and sports organizations …ministering in a church, testifying in court, conducting research or sitting in Board room. We are also Advantage EAP, PHR Police and Public Safety Assistance Program, and a training site for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Doctoral Psychology Intern Program and Virginia Tech Undergraduate Psychology Practicum. In the words of our Clinicians we are “committed, compassionate and resourceful.”

We are our administrative staff, our point of contact with the public, who cheerfully multi-task their way through the day answering the phones, sending out the mail and tending to the millions of details that come between. They are, in their own words “compassionate, courteous and detail oriented.” –for which the rest of us are grateful.

At work we make our own coffee and recycle our cans and plastic. In our free time, we play music and write poetry, sail the lake and hike the mountains, read books and sell cookies, fret about the economy and the state of health care, follow the bouncing ball of our childrens’ lives, mow our lawns and tend to our gardens, and debate the merits of UVA and VT sports.

*John Heil


You can visit us at http://psychhealthroanoke.com/