Lois Pope, PhD Alabama Psychological Services Center

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Lois Pope, PhD Alabama Psychological Services Center

Effective 11/04/2020 we are closed due to acquisition by Optum. Thank you for trusting us for the last 30 years for your behavior health care needs.

Patients needing medical records from Lois Pope, PhD may email: bvservicesalabama@gmail.com Our Vision is to provide the highest level of clinical care to our patients and to
contribute meaningfully to our respective communities. We take a compassionate
and thoughtful approach to treatment. We seek to create thriving and healthy
communities by delivering state-of-the-art behavioral healthcare to our patients
from our world-class team of providers.

28/07/2025

Beyond awareness: Take action to support your mental health

Value yourself 🧠
We all start from different places with different experiences, goals and opportunities. Take time to get to know yourself. Why do you believe what you believe? What has shaped you? What things and people do you genuinely enjoy? What are your hopes and goals? How do you want to be treated? And how do you want to treat others?

Make decisions 🧠
If you ignore your thoughts and feelings, they just stay there. Over time, they may add up and grow. But you have the power to decide what to do with those thoughts and feelings to help yourself.
For example, let’s say you have a co-worker who frequently interrupts you during meetings. It’s frustrating. And over time, it becomes more frustrating. You begin to anticipate the interruptions ahead of meetings, which angers you. You then begin to brace yourself to be annoyed during meetings. It keeps building, until you become openly hostile to them, such as snapping at them during a meeting or showing your anger through your body language. In either case, the situation is causing you stress and potentially hurting your work performance.

Let go 🧠
All you can control is yourself and how you react in any given situation. That includes how you interact with other people. So, rather than getting worked up or thinking through something over and over, do your best to pause and consider what’s in your control and what’s beyond it. A good example is standing in an airport security line. Getting upset the line isn’t moving faster won’t do anything but make you angry. Instead, you could decide to go with the flow and amuse yourself with a podcast or visualizing fun memories.

👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

21/07/2025

Who are you? 🤔
A combination of factors shapes your self-identity, which is how you see yourself. These include your personality, abilities, appearance, interests, culture and more. It also includes the role you play in your close relationships and the larger community. When you feel uncertain about who you are, it can sometimes lead you to do things you don’t want to do or that aren’t in your best interest. It can also make it harder to appreciate your own value, purpose and potential.

Be honest with yourself 😁
It’s important to consider your own perceptions and potential biases that shape how you think, feel and act. It’s natural to feel more comfortable with people who are most like you, to favor information that supports your existing beliefs and to hold onto assumptions. But just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it always serves you or others.

Ask for feedback 😳
Another approach is to ask people you trust for feedback. You could ask them to share qualities they admire in you, as well as areas they think you might consider improving. You could also ask them for their take on experiences you remember strongly or have strong feelings about. For example, you might ask your sister how she remembers the argument you recently had with your parents. She may offer insights into the situation you didn’t consider or don’t remember, which could help you understand the impact of your own actions differently. And you might realize that these actions reflect patterns of behaviors that have influenced your relationships.

👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

18/07/2025

Heat exhaustion may not be serious. But it can quickly change into heatstroke if you're not careful. "Heatstroke affects your nervous system. And it can have very serious results, including death," says Neil Gokal, MD. He's the medical director of clinical education for Southwest Medical, part of Optum, in Las Vegas, Nevada. ☀️

If a person doesn't get better after about 30 minutes, heat illness has the potential to turn into fatal heatstroke. "When someone becomes confused or irritable or starts having seizures, they need emergency medical attention," said Gokal.

🔆 This is especially true if their body temperature reaches above 103° F. Besides heat exhaustion symptoms, signs of heatstroke include:
-Hot, dry skin or skin that becomes very hot and sweaty
-Strong, fast pulse
-Confusion or slurred speech
-Loss of consciousness
-Seizures

🔆 When signs of this serious form of heat illness appear, act fast.With heatstroke, your body temperature can reach 106°F or more in 10 to 15 minutes. It can cause a disability or death otherwise. You should:
-Call 911 right away.
-Move the person to a shady, cool area to help lower their body temperature.
-Take off their outer clothing.
-Have them sit in cold water. The faster someone with heatstroke can be placed in cold water, the less likely they'll suffer damage to their organs, lasting disability or death.

Wanting to know more about your health?
👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

14/07/2025

Why We Stress 🤔 💭
When you experience stress, your body reacts as though it is under attack and usually you go into fight or flight mode. That is, you either defend yourself or remove yourself from the situation. In certain cases, you may also “freeze” or “fawn.” Freezing can feel like going numb, where you can’t think clearly or move. Fawning happens when, for example, you feel threatened by someone and try to calm them down to protect yourself.

In any case, stress motivates you to protect yourself, and then you return to your regular state.

🤝 Control what you can:
When you focus on controlling what you can, it helps narrow your attention and calm you. Once you’re calmer, you’re more likely able to think through how to manage the stress, or at least the parts of it within your control.

👍 Depending on the situation, you may need to:
Find a way to avoid the trigger:
Decide to do something differently if it were to happen again
Remove yourself from the situation
Accept it’s something you cannot change

🧘‍♀️ For example, if your co-worker often tries to get you to reveal confidential information or wants to gossip about others, you could:
-Choose not to engage and instead steer the conversation in another direction
-Tell your colleague politely but directly that you prefer not to discuss such topics
-Limit the time you spend with the co-worker, such as by excusing yourself from the conversation or scheduling shorter meetings

👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

11/07/2025

Sunshine, sparkling waves, white sand — it's a picture-postcard day at the beach. And it's a perfect setting to relax and have fun with friends and family. That said, there are a few hidden dangers you'll want to watch out for to help keep everyone safe. 🏖️ 🐠

1. Bring sunscreen (and reapply often)
2. Wear a hat and sunglasses
3. Throw some shade
4. Keep your food cold
5. Read the signs
6. Look before you leap

07/07/2025

Water workouts are easy on your joints (low-impact). And they help build strength because water provides natural resistance as you move. Those qualities make it a great choice no matter your age or fitness level.
💦 🤽‍♀️
1. Swim laps
Keep track of how many you can do without taking a break. Then, try to add one to that number each week.

2. Walk or run
Walking or running in the water is a great way to keep up your fitness after an injury. Pool cardio can also help people with joint conditions.

Try a water aerobics class
If a water aerobics class isn't offered in your area, you can find videos online to inspire you and get some workout guidance.

Challenge your strength
You can do many dry-land strength moves, like biceps curls and chest presses, in the water.
Use the natural force of the water to add resistance as you go through the exercise.

Stretch it out
Who said water workouts have to be super strenuous? Take advantage of the water's buoyancy to do your favorite stretches and balance exercises.
This can be as simple as standing on one foot or moving your joints. Think: hip and ankle circles, knee bends and shoulder raises.

30/06/2025

Words are tricky. It can be difficult to find or know the right words, especially because their meanings sometimes change over time, or mean different things to different people or in various contexts. But, understanding that we might not always get it exactly right, it’s still important to try.

☀️Ally
A term used to describe someone who is actively supportive of LGBTQ+ people.

☀️Gender identity
Describes our internal understanding and experience of our own gender identity. Each person’s experience of their gender identity is unique and personal, and cannot be known simply by looking at a person.

☀️Gender expression
Describes the external appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

☀️Sexual orientation
The scientifically accurate term for an individual’s enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to others. Note: Avoid the offensive term “sexual preference,” which is used to suggest that being gay, le***an, or bisexual is voluntary and therefore “curable.”

☀️Pronouns
Since some pronouns are gendered (“she/her” and “he/him”), it is important to be intentional about the way we use pronouns as we all work to create as inclusive an environment as possible. Commonly used pronouns include: She/her/hers, He/him/his, They/them/theirs. Listen for and respect how the pronoun someone uses to self-identify. To show your support and understanding, you can also introduce your own pronouns when you meet a person, which gives them the opportunity to share theirs.

17/06/2025

Writing isn’t the only way to have a gratitude habit. You can also take time to think about, or meditate on, what you’re grateful for.✍️❤️

You can think about:
-Family
-Food
-Friends
-Nature
-Pets
-Work
-Your home

So, now you have what you need to add more gratitude to your life. Start small and work your way up. Write in your journal once a week and add days from there. You don’t have to become an expert in a day.

Pick the gratitude habit that makes the most sense to you, and stick with it. Soon you’ll be able to tell if it’s truly the right one for you. It’s fine to stay with just one or move between a few. See what changes in your relationships, your outlook on life and your overall mood.

👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

09/06/2025

Summertime: It’s the perfect season to be active in the outdoors with your family. You already know that exercise is good for you. But research shows that exercising outdoors can be even better than doing the same workout inside.1 And exercise can help lower your blood pressure, relieve stress and even improve your thinking skills.

Explore the neighborhood (or region) on your bikes🚲
Cycling is an excellent exercise for building fitness. It’s fun for kids and adults alike. Take a family ride around the neighborhood after dinner. Or find a nearby bike trail to explore. Get your kids involved by having them take turns picking the route. Important safety tip: Make sure everyone wears a bike helmet. Helmets protect kids and adults from brain injuries.

Visit the zoo🐆
You may not think of the zoo as an opportunity to exercise. But you’ll be surprised by how many steps your family can rack up as you explore the reptile house, monkey habitat and more. “You don’t realize how much you’re walking, because you’re paying attention to other things,” says Liz Davis. She’s an exercise physiologist and trainer in Columbus, Ohio.

Take family fitness classes ⛸️
Many cities and towns offer free or low-cost outdoor family fitness classes in local parks. Check your town’s official website and social media pages to see what’s available. Your local YMCA or YWCA are good places to find affordable classes. Be sure you also learn about age requirements, in case some classes aren’t appropriate for very young kids.

28/05/2025

🧠 When you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness, it’s normal to have a range of emotions. You may be sad, frustrated, angry or scared. You may have new limits on what you can do. Or you may worry about treatment options and outcomes. Are any feelings like these keeping you from living your life? You may have a mental health problem like depression.

🧠In fact, having a disease such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes makes you more likely to have a mental health issue. For example, people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. But only 25% to 50% of those patients with depression get diagnosed and treated.

🧠How are mental and physical health connected?
“Mental and physical health are inseparable,” says Meghan Beier, PhD. She’s a psychologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Here are three ways mental and physical health are connected:

🧠The physical disease can have a direct impact on mental health symptoms. For example, Parkinson’s disease and stroke cause changes in the brain. These may have a direct role in causing depression. It’s similar for multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and nerves. As many as half of people with MS can have depression.
“Depression and anxiety are thought to be a part of the illness itself. They’re not just a reaction to more challenging life circumstances,” says Beier. She’s also the founder of Find Empathy. This network connects people with mental health professionals who specialize in their illnesses.
Mental health issues happen because the medical disease changes your life. This includes relationships, work and activities. “Many chronic illnesses affect everyday activities,” says Beier.

👉 Find care at: http://spr.ly/61812rm57 or call 1-877-OBC-0013

19/05/2025

What exactly is a mental health day? 📒
A mental health day is a day off from school, weekend chores or any other activity that lets a kid rest and recharge. “[It’s] a retreat from daily responsibilities,” says psychologist Michelle G. Paul, PhD. She’s the executive director of the UNLV Practice: A Community Mental Health Clinic at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. And the idea is growing in popularity across the country.

In fact, at least 12 states now allow students an excused absence from public school for a mental health day. Ten of those states started this policy during the pandemic.3 Check with your school district to learn about their policy.

But one thing’s the same no matter where you live. Lots of kids are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed, and parents are noticing.

How can kids benefit from a mental health day?📏
It’s no secret that kids today are under a lot of pressure. And a lot of that pressure comes from school. Half of middle schoolers and 56% of high school students say that stress, anxiety and depression are obstacles to learning. That’s according to a recent national survey by YouthTruth, a nonprofit organization.

This time off from school and extracurricular activities can give students a chance to connect with these important “re” words, says Paul:
-Restore: Return to a feeling of calm.
-Recharge: Renew interest in school and activities.
-Relax: Let go of tension.
-Refocus: Change the focus of problems.
-Reconnect: After a break, tap back into your social networks.
-Recuperate: A little extra rest goes a long way toward improving health.

YouthTruth. Insights from the Student Experience: Emotional and Mental Health. Published 2022. Accessed September 12, 2023.

05/05/2025

Emotions seem straightforward. They’re about taking in data. But if so, why do our feelings get so messy? 😀😅😕😍😡

Enter judgment. Most of us don't like feeling uncomfortable. So when we encounter emotions that make us feel that way, we often label them as negative. And then we try to avoid them. But that can lead to problems.

For instance, have you ever downed an entire pint of ice cream to numb your stress? Or had a glass — or more — of wine to take the edge off? Those are knee-jerk reactions to unpleasant emotions. They can be ok once in a while. But if they become your go-to coping strategies, they can lead to health issues.

Besides, those reactions are brief distractions from bad feelings. Your emotions are trying to get your attention. So they’re likely to keep coming back until you heed their message. And avoiding your emotions can have short- and long-term effects on your body.

For instance, a review of 24 studies found that when participants were told to suppress their emotions while under stress, they had higher heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels.2

Long term, this heightened stress response may be one reason why squashing emotions is linked to earlier death from a variety of health conditions.3 Another likely factor? Unhealthy coping behaviors, such as over-eating.

This may sound dire. But here’s the upside: You can choose how to respond to your feelings. Even if it doesn’t always seem like it.

2 Tyra, A. T., Fergus, T. A., & Ginty, A. T. (2023). Emotion suppression and acute physiological responses to stress in healthy populations: a quantitative review of experimental and correlational investigations. Health Psychology Review, 1–25. http://spr.ly/618327LgJ
3 Chapman, B. P., Fiscella, K., Kawachi, I., Duberstein, P., & Muennig, P. (2013). Emotion suppression and mortality risk over a 12-year follow-up. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 75(4), 381–385. http://spr.ly/618727Lg3

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Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
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Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	08:00 - 15:00

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Founded in 1993, Alabama Psychological Services Center provides comprehensive mental health services in a caring and professional setting in a convenient location for residents of Huntsville and North Alabama. Excellent care is available for children, adolescents, a📷dults, and older individuals as well as families and couples. In addition, a wide range of psychotherapy, social skills training, and support groups are offered.

The practice is owned by Dr. Lois Pope and is staffed by well-trained and highly experienced psychologists, licensed professional counselors, and licensed clinical social workers. The clinicians at Alabama Psychological Services Center work together in a multidisciplinary team approach in order to provide the highest quality of care possible. In addition, the providers in the practice collaborate with professionals in the community whenever appropriate. Alabama Psychological Services Center maintains relationships with psychiatric hospitals and university medical centers, primary care physicians, medical specialists, mental health providers, schools, and allied health professionals in the community.

Providers in the practice participate in various insurance plans, and office staff will assist patients seeking reimbursement from their health insurance companies. Furthermore, 24-hour emergency assistance is available through our on-call system. Non-emergency calls are routinely answered within one to two business days.