Pathophysiology of Anxiety: Understanding the Impact on Patient Communication and Treatment

Recorded March 25, 2015 AudiologyNOW! 2015

Duration: 3 hours

Presenters: Kyle Shepard, AuD; and Stacy Weisend, AuD

CEUs: .3
ABA Certificants: Tier 1

Who Should Attend: Audiologists, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Counselors and any other health care provider seeing patients.

Instructional Level: Intermediate
Program Focus: Knowledge

Learner Outcomes: Upon completion, each participant in the eAudiology Web seminar will be able to:

1. Define the structure and function of the neurological components related to anxiety
2. Assess the psychological strategies available to facilitate optimal expressive and receptive communication with a patient displaying clinical signs of anxiety
3. Evaluate how anxiolytic medication affects the central and peripheral nervous system

Description: Anxiety is a psychological manifestation that embeds itself in virtually every aspect of a patient's life, affecting both receptive and expressive communication. The prevalence rate of anxiety in vestibular and auditory disorders is significant. Audiologists who encounter this patient population must have a working knowledge of physiological characteristics of anxiety, its impact on socialization, as well as the most effective counseling strategy for anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy. This knowledge will facilitate optimal communication, and by default efficacious treatment of the patient.

LT Kyle H. Shepard, AuD is an Audiologist for the United States Navy. Prior to his commissioning in August 2013, he received his Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University where he double majored in Speech and Hearing Science and Psychology. He then obtained his Doctorate in Audiology from the Northeast Ohio AuD Consortium. His 4th year externship was completed at the Cleveland Clinic from 2012-2013 where he was required to complete seven rotations each specializing in a different area within audiology. He is currently stationed at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune (NHCL) where he is an Operational Audiologist within the Hearing Conservation Program.

Stacy Weisend, AuD earned her AuD from the Northeast Ohio AuD Consortium and completed her fourth year fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic. She is the Director of Audiology Services at Ohio ENT Associates in Ravenna, Ohio. Dr. Weisend has also taught Anatomy and Physiology of the Peripheral System and Systems Underlying Neuro-Otology at the Northeast Ohio AuD Consortium, as well as at Case Western University Leaner College of Medicine. She currently is a member of the American Academy of Audiology's DiscovEARy Zone committee, Public Relations committee and State Leaders Network, where she serves as a Region Team Leader. Dr. Weisend is on the Ohio Academy of Audiology Board of Directors, where she serves as the president, as well as chair of the Ohio Speech and Hearing Governmental Affairs Coalition. She also performs auditory electrophysiology testing on newborns for Summa Health Systems.