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PSYCHOTHERAPY

 


What is psychotherapy? 


Psychotherapy is a structured, intentional interpersonal process in which a trained psychologist helps a client address challenges in living, improve emotional well-being, and reduce distress. Treatment focuses on developing insight, strengthening coping skills, and supporting meaningful change.

How long does psychotherapy take? 

Psychotherapy is a process, and the length of treatment varies from person to person. Much like reading a book, the duration depends on the complexity of the issues and the pace at which the individual is able to work through them.

 

A strong therapeutic alliance—the collaborative relationship between therapist and client—is a key factor in successful treatment. Clients play an active and essential role in their own progress, and therapy moves forward as they gain insight, develop skills, and apply new understanding to their daily lives.

How do I know if therapy works? 
 

Clients are often the best judges of their own progress. While treatment goals may be clarified and revisited throughout the course of therapy, the quality of the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most important corrective and healing elements.

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As clients experience increased clarity, emotional stability, improved coping, and a reduction in distress, they typically recognize meaningful progress in their day-to-day functioning and overall well-being.

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QUALIFIED MEDICAL EXAMINER

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A Psychological Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) is a licensed psychologist who has been certified by the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) to perform independent medical-legal evaluations for injured workers. A psychological QME provides an objective assessment of mental health conditions that may be related to a workplace injury or event.

 

Dr. McClure is a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) with over 30 Years of Clinical Expertise in the California Workers’ Compensation system, providing objective, evidence-based psychological evaluations with timely, comprehensive QME reports for injured workers, attorneys, and claims administrators. ​

 

For more than three decades, Dr. McClure has specialized in psychological assessment, trauma-related conditions, PTSD, stress injuries, and medical-legal evaluation. As a California Qualified Medical Evaluator, he delivers clear, defensible reports grounded in clinical expertise and Workers’ Compensation law.  ​

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WORKERS' COMPENSATION TREATING PHYSICIAN (Primary & Scondary)

 

In the California Workers’ Compensation system, a treating physician is the medical professional responsible for diagnosing, managing, and overseeing an injured worker’s care. Treating physicians play a central role in determining the nature of the injury, coordinating treatment, and documenting the worker’s progress for both medical and legal purposes.

 

Primary Treating Physician (PTP)

The Primary Treating Physician is the main doctor responsible for managing the injured worker’s overall care. The PTP:

  • Establishes the initial diagnosis

  • Coordinates all medical treatment

  • Writes progress and PR-2 reports

  • Submits Requests for Authorization (RFAs)

  • Determines work restrictions and functional limitations

  • Addresses temporary and permanent disability status

  • Prepares the final report at Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)

The PTP is the physician of record who guides the entire course of care and communicates with the claims administrator, attorneys, and other providers.

 

Secondary Treating Physician (STP)

A Secondary Treating Physician is a specialist or additional provider who treats specific aspects of the injury but does not manage the overall case. Examples include psychologists, psychiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, or physical therapists.
The STP:

  • Provides treatment related to a specific body part or diagnosis

  • Reports findings using PR-2 reports, identifying themselves as an STP

  • Submits RFAs for treatment they recommend

  • Communicates clinical updates to the PTP

  • Does not determine overall disability status for the entire claim (unless designated PTP for that body system)

Secondary treating physicians collaborate with the PTP to ensure the injured worker receives the appropriate specialty care while maintaining unified oversight of the claim.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

 

Accurately diagnosing psychiatric disorders can be challenging. Clinical psychologists are trained to evaluate clusters of symptoms in order to reach the most appropriate diagnosis. However, many psychiatric conditions share overlapping symptoms, and gathering sufficient clinical information through therapy alone can be time-intensive.

 

Psychological testing provides additional, objective data that can help differentiate between disorders with similar presentations and allows the psychologist to reach a clearer diagnosis more efficiently.

 

Accurate diagnosis is essential for fully understanding the client’s experience and is especially important for effective treatment planning.

 

If you have specific questions about a particular test or would like more information about psychological assessment, please feel free to contact me.

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​​​​​​​​​PRESURGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING EVALUATIONS 

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A presurgical psychological screening evaluation is an assessment conducted by a licensed psychologist to determine a patient’s readiness—both emotionally and behaviorally—for a planned medical or surgical procedure. These evaluations are commonly required for surgeries where psychological factors can significantly influence outcomes, such as:

  • Spinal cord stimulators (SCS)

  • Intrathecal pain pumps

  • Bariatric (weight-loss) surgery

  • Organ transplantation

  • Orthopedic or chronic pain-related procedures

 

Purpose of the Evaluation

The goal of a presurgical psychological evaluation is to ensure the best possible surgical outcome by assessing:

  • Emotional stability and psychological readiness

  • Expectations about surgery and recovery

  • Ability to follow pre- and post-operative instructions

  • Coping skills, resilience, and stress tolerance

  • Presence of psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use)

  • Risk factors that may interfere with recovery
    (e.g., untreated mental health issues, poor social support, unrealistic expectations)

 

What the Evaluation Includes

A typical presurgical psychological screening involves:

  • A clinical interview with the psychologist

  • Review of medical and treatment records

  • Standardized psychological testing (e.g., MMPI-3, PAI, BHI-2, or other measures)

  • Assessment of pain coping, behavior patterns, and treatment compliance

  • Evaluation of current stressors, support systems, and overall functioning

 

Why Surgeons and Insurance Carriers Require It

Research consistently shows that psychological factors significantly affect:

  • Recovery time

  • Pain perception

  • Surgical outcomes

  • Complication rates

  • Patient satisfaction

  • Long-term treatment success

 

A presurgical psychological evaluation helps identify risks early, provide recommendations to the treatment team, and ensure that patients are well-prepared—psychologically and behaviorally—for surgery and recovery.

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