Our Story
Behavioral Medicine P.C offers a variety of behavioral and mental health services to people with physical, emotional and cognitive impairments. We offer evaluation and treatments including counseling, relaxation training, couples counseling, hypnosis, evaluate emotional status in relation to pain, neuropsychological testing, EMDR, cognitive retraining and traditional psychotherapy.
Numerous people in the greater Rockford area utilize our services. People who have sustained a brain injury, stroke or other neurological impairment often require neuropsychological evaluation in order to return to work and/or driving. Physicians also request neuropsychological testing to assist in diagnosis and treatment.
Evaluations are provided to assist patients in pain management as well as provide assessment information to physicians for appropriate pain stimulator and pain pump candidates.
BMNA opened its doors in May of 2002. Cynthia Kindgren, MS/LCPC is the founder. Cynthia Kindgren, MS/LCPC and Barbara Hallstrom, MSW/LCSW are partners/co-owners. We provide psychotherapy and neuropsychological services to approximately 700-800 people in the Rockford area each year.
Utilizing an eclectic approach, we provide counseling, neuropsychological testing, hypnosis and cognitive re-training for people in the greater Rockford area in a combined effort to educate and guide individuals and their families facing difficult situations.
We provide a variety of services including:
Counseling/Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is used to treat a variety of emotional issues. The most common are depression and anxiety. Our office specializes in the treatment of individuals, couples, and families struggling with some type of medical condition. Psychotherapy is the treatment of these conditions with the use of insight, support, education, instruction or a combination of these techniques used to improve in individual's, couple's or family's ability to perceive the issues realistically and cope with the condition(s). Relaxation techniques are also often used to aid in reduction of stress and reduction of chronic pain.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful method of psychotherapy. To date, EMDR has helped an estimated two million people of all ages relieve many types of emotional distress. EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Scientific research has established EMDR as effective for post traumatic stress. However, clinicians also have reported success using EMDR in treatment of the following conditions: depression, personality disorders, panic attacks, complicated grief, dissociative disorder, disturbing memories, phobias, pain disorders, eating disorders, performance anxiety, stress reduction, addictions, sexual and/or physical abuse, and body dysmorphic disorder. During EMDR the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus.
Evaluation and Treatment of Chronic Pain
Help improve your understanding on how the mind and body are connected. Learn basic relaxation techniques and ways to change your thinking for pain reduction,healing and coping. Learn how to minimize the negative effects of serious injury or illness on your relationships. Treatment involves psychotherapy, hypnosis, and/or EMDR.
Cognitive Retraining
This service is most often provided following a traumatic brain injury or stroke. It can be used to improve thinking skills in individuals with multiple sclerosis, brain tumor and other neurological conditions as well as improve attention and impulse control in individuals with attention deficit hyper activity disorder. Cognitive retraining can be defined as a treatment that uses specialized exercises to aid an individual in improving their memory, attention, problem solving and/or organizational skills. We use a combination of techniques addressing issues such as anxiety and frustration during the exercises and offer ways to maximize function in each individual. Our licensed therapists have years of experience in treating individuals and supporting families struggling with loss or decline in thinking skills. We have seen the improvements that can be made using these techniques and clinical studies continue to validate the benefit of this service.
Neuropsychological Testing
This service is often provided for individuals following neurological injury or illness such as dementia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain cancer or multiple sclerosis. It can also be used to assist in diagnosing ADHD and/or learning disabilities. The purpose of this testing can be varied but often involves providing some type of recommendations for families, physicians and/or the individual regarding the individual’s ability to function in specific ways, such as returning to work, returning to driving, returning to school and/or the ability to live or function independently. This service consist of two or three appointments (depending upon each individuals needs) The appointments involve gathering a detailed history and measuring an individual’s memory, attention, problem solving and organizational abilities through observation and standardized testing. Neuropsychological testing is often used in workmen’s compensation and forensic cases to validate or refute a claim.
Hypnosis
We provide hypnosis for a variety of emotional and medical issues. Hypnosis is an altered state of awareness involving the use of positive suggestion to elicit desirable changes in behavior. Hypnosis has been successfully used for numerous years to treat emotional issues such as addictions, phobias, anxiety and depression as well as medical conditions such as chronic pain, reduction of blood sugars, cancer, arthritis, eczema and many others.
Comments and Experiences With Our Office
"Dear Cynthia, I would like to thank your staff and you personally , Cynthia for the excellent care I received after my accident. I looked forward to each session as I progressed throughout my treatment. I would definitely recommend your facility to anyone. I would also like to thank you for being so caring and compassionate. Your level of sincerity and thoughtfulness was also second to none. I never once left your office feeling that I hadn't progressed in some way. In closing I would like to thank you again for your professionalism and help in making me whole again." -Jeff
"I have been working with Barbara Hallstrom at behavioral Medicine & Neuropsycholgoical Associates LLC for several months and the results have been most gratifying for the first time. I now feel much happier than I did several months ago"- Joan
While in the recovery process of a Traumatic Brain Injury I sustained in a car accident, I found refuge and an understanding while I was in the care of Cynthia Kindgren. All of my experiences at BMNA were absolutely rewarding and without a doubt helpful! Not only was I able to understand my abilities and disabilities, but I was able to learn how to cope with them. Through techniques such as breathing, relaxation, positive thinking, and many more Cynthia taught me how to control my emotions and manage my thoughts in a positive way as well. As a result of my treatment, I am now successfully able to control my emotions positively, and learn how to deal with the sometimes stressful, everyday things that life throws at us. Not only can I manage my stress as it comes along, but I was also taught ways to prevent stress as well. I greatly appreciate all of the time and effort that Cynthia put forth in giving me a better sense of self. I thank Cynthia and staff from the bottom of my heart for providing me with excellent care and giving me the chance to be able to function to the best of my abilities throughout the duration of my life." - Justine
"I have lived with chronic pain and depression for over five years. there weren't enough pills in the world to help me either. My best friend is a therapist. She suggested I find a therapist that specialized in the treatment of chronic pain and depression. This is what brought me to Cynthia Kindgren's door step. During my first session after about 15 minutes I felt tears falling down my cheeks. I was crying and I told her so because I got more out of these last 15 minutes than I got in the last 4 years of therapy. It just got better after that."-Pattie
This past year has been very difficult with my mother's illness and subsuquent death. With Barbara's help, I have learned to cope with my loss and move forward with my own life in a positive manner."- Pam
"I left my first appointment with Cynthia feeling very hopeful that I would find the help I need and I did. Cynthia is a talanted therapist, possessing the ability to help sift through the garbage and identify core issues. This helped me learn a lot about myself, how to identify the onset of depression, as well as learning techniques to redirect myself when undesirable feelings or behaviors began to surface. I am very grateful to Cynthia Kindgren for the positive changes she brought to my life as a talanted and dedicated therapist." -Verna
