Mind-Body Medicine: Team
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The mind-body team at Eastern
Eastern’s mind-body team is comprised of two clinical psychologists, a licensed clinical social worker, and a part-time psychiatrist.
With over 30 years of experience in the psychology field, Dr. Daroff leads the mind-body team at Eastern. He earned a Ph.D. degree from Temple University in Philadelphia and holds training certifications in several disciplines, including Tappas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Energy Diagnostics and Treatment Methods (EDxTM), Thought Field Therapy (TFT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Dr. Daroff is also a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress (BCETS) by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
Another member of the mind-body team is Carol Roth, a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of clinical experience in psychotherapy services. A Board Certified Diplomate (BCD) in clinical social work, Roth earned a Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She has also trained and worked as a massage therapist.
In June 2008, the mind-body team welcomed its newest member, Dr. Krista Olex. Dr. Olex holds a Doctor of Psychology degree and has extensive clinical experience in the field.
Collaboration among your care team
The Mind-Body Medicine Department at CTCA at Eastern Regional Medical Center is completely integrated with the other clinical areas. “Here, the treatment plan is totally integrated. There is constant communication among the CAMs and the medical providers,” says Daroff.
In addition to meeting with each other each day to discuss your care, the mind-body team collaborates regularly with the other members of your care team at Eastern. The goal is to support your whole being.
“We see ourselves as an adjunct to the medical team. We are not here as primary psychotherapists working in a psychiatric facility. We are here as adjuncts to oncologists to help people who have cancer. We try to help reduce their stress, so their immune systems can function better, and so we can help them heal. That is the goal,” says Daroff.
In addition, three times a week, the mind-body team attends "endorsement" meetings with all the clinical disciplines. In these meetings, your mind-body therapist can consult with your doctors to determine appropriate interventions. For instance, your care team may distinguish a medical condition that is physiological in nature from a true mood disturbance.
In endorsement meetings, there is collaboration and mutual respect among all the departments. “Endorsement is where we all put our heads together to see how we can help the patients. And it doesn’t matter what your discipline is. If you have something of value to add, you share it,” says Daroff.
The mind-body team also participates in “Comfort Rounds” two times a week for inpatients. During these visits, mind-body therapists join with your other CAM clinicians and support staff to discuss your physical, emotional, spiritual, financial, or other concerns.