Melissa McCool

Melissa McCool

Melissa McCool is an American social worker and psychotherapist who created and developed STI Symptom Targeted Intervention (STI), a treatment model and clinical program that social workers, other mental health practitioners, and medical professionals can use to assist patients with chronic diseases who are suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety and poor clinical outcomes.

Early life and education

McCool was born in 1970 in Greeley, Colorado and spent her childhood in Fort Morgan, Colorado. She graduated from Poway High School in Poway, California. McCool completed a Bachelor of Arts in history at University of California, San Diego, followed by Master of Social Work (MSW) from the Columbia University School of Social Work. She is an EMDR trained psychotherapist.

Career

STI Innovations
mindstile.com is the e-learning platform for STI

After completing her MSW, McCool worked at Mount Sinai Hospital as a medical and psychiatric social worker. She also did home care visits and worked with AIDS patients at Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan. After moving to California, she worked as a nephrology social worker at Renal Advantage. She is the founder of STI Innovations and mindstile.com, the e-Learning platform and community for STI and is an EMDR psychotherapist in Encinitas, California.

Symptom targeted intervention

McCool originally developed STI for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Social workers using STI with ESRD patients have reported promising outcomes.[1] STI was included in a 2013 review of best practices for effective screening and managing depression in dialysis patients.[2]

In the past three years, McCool has expanded STI beyond ESRD to support the many patients who are suffering from depression, anxiety, poor clinical outcomes and poor engagement who receive treatment for chronic disease in outpatient clinics,[3] hospitals, nursing homes, or rehabilitation centers.[4]

STI is now being used by medical social workers in a range of settings across the United States, who have reported positive results.[5] Further studies are under way on the effectiveness of STI in patients with a variety of chronic diseases who are suffering from depression.

Works

McCool, M. "Symptom Targeted Intervention (STI) to Manage Depression in Dialysis Patients." Hudson Publications, 2011.

McCool, M. "Symptom Targeted Intervention (STI) to Manage Depression in Patients with Chronic Disease.” Hudson Publications, 2012.

McCool, M. "Symptom Targeted Intervention (STI) in Medical Settings.” Hudson Publications, 2012.

McCool, M. "STI Patient Handbook.” Hudson Publications, 2012.

McCool, M. “STI Handbook for Cancer Survivors and Their Families.” Hudson Publications, 2013.

McCool, M. “STI for Oncology: Seven Symptoms, Seven Steps, Seven Interventions.” Hudson Publications, 2013.

References

  1. ↑ Dziegielewski, Sophia F. (2013). The changing face of health care social work: Opportunities and challenges for professional practice, p. 243. New York: Springer Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8261-1942-1
  2. ↑ Erdley, Shiloh D. (2013) "Problem-solving therapy for depressed older hemodialysis patients: A pilot randomized trial". Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations Paper 33.
  3. ↑ McQuaid JR, Stein MB, Laffaye C, McCahill ME. (1999). “Depression in a primary care clinic: the prevalence and impact of an unrecognized disorder.” J Affect Disorder 55 (1): 1–10.
  4. ↑ Zheng D, Macera CA, Croft JB, Giles WH, Davis D, Scott WK. (Apr. 1997). “Major depression and all-cause mortality among white adults in the United States.” Ann Epidemiol 7 (3): 213–18.
  5. ↑ Scotto P. (2012) “Symptom Targeted Intervention: A worthwhile venture for both patient and social worker.” CNSW Special Article/RenaLink.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.