Credentials
Carol B. Low, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist. She received her Doctorate in clinical psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, later known as the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Low has a Masters in Clinical Psychology, a Masters in Family and Child Studies, and a Montessori teaching certificate, as well as training in preparing families for childbirth and parenting. Dr. Low is an Approved Consultant for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, has her advanced certification in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy from the Albert Ellis Institute, and has specialized training in neuropsychological assessment, psychoeducational assessment, and rehabilitation psychology. Dr. Low has completed a course in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for trauma and another in the treatment of dissociative disorders. She has experience in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of problems including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults and children, learning disabilities, pain disorders, autoimmune disorders, depression and anxiety, and dissociative disorders. Dr. Low also has certifications in fitness training, fitness nutrition, and Pilates mat work as part of her dedication to helping individuals develop healthy lifestyles.
Experience
Dr. Low has a broad clinical background. She took her post-doctoral internship with the Center for Integrated Therapy in Chicago where she specialized in the holistic treatment of chronic pain disorders. She was part of a team that pioneered a method with a high observed cure rate for reflex sympathetic dystrophy and fibromyalgia, both pain disorders that demonstrate low remission rates using traditional means. Dr. Low took her pre-doctoral training at Mercy Center for Behavioral Health Care in Aurora, Illinois working with inpatients and outpatients with a variety of mental and physical health problems. Her clinical practica were taken at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and rehabilitation psychology and neuropsychology. Dr. Low has done research and written on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, offering a unique perspective on learning to cope with ADHD.
Background
Prior to receiving her degree in psychology, Dr. Low owned and operated a Montessori school, offered preparation for childbirth and parent training classes, homeschooled three children, and did extensive private tutoring, focusing on helping learning disabled students.
Memberships
Dr. Low is past President of the Chicago Society of Clinical Hypnosis and a member of such educational and professional groups as the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, The Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, the American Psychological Association, and the International Association for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
Presentations and Publications
Dr. Low has co-authored an article on chronic pain, entitled "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy: Long-Term Remission with Hypnosis Suggests New Paradigm for the Disease" which appears in the Clinical Bulletin of Myofascial Therapy, V 2, N 2/3, 1997. She has educated other professionals on this topic at the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012) and the American Association for the Study of Mental Imagery (1997), the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (2003, 2011), and the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009. 2011), and the Benjamin Schwarcz Memorial Hypnosis workshops at Stritch Medical School (2005, 2007).
Dr. Low's current clinical investigations involve understanding the association between trauma and stress and poorly understood, difficult to treat functional medical disorders such as fibromyalgia and IBS. She has a publication with Irving Kirsch, Ph.D. (2012, AJCH) on the overuse of antidepressant medications. Dr. Low has presented her work on ADHD for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD) and has completed an article outlining her treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which was published in January, 2000 in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, (V41, pp 228-236) entitled "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Dissociation and Adaptation". Dr. Low has also lectured on psychoneuroimmunology--the relationship between the immune system and the nervous system and emotions to a variety of lay and professional groups. She has also published on the problems of public schooling for the Hoover Institute Press.
Services Offered
Dr. Carol B. Low offers complete assessment and treatment services for a wide variety of emotional difficulties and physical difficulties with emotional underpinnings. She uses a variety of treatment modalities including cognitive therapy, rational-emotive-behavior therapy, clinical hypnosis, sensorimotor trauma therapy, and other experiential modalities. She works extensively with a variety of life problems including, but not limited to: chronic pain disorders, stress-related pain and illness, autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel, allergies, depression and anxiety , phobias and panic disorders, post-traumatic stress and other dissociative disorders, smoking cessation and weight loss, and adjustment to life changes. In the area of eating and fat loss, Dr. Low has studied exercise and nutrition with the goal of assisting clients to completely reassess their lifestyle and make permanent, healthy changes rather than simply focusing on weight.
Dr. Low also offers education for childbirth and hypnotic childbirth preparation, including counseling for women and their families on a variety of issues relating to childbirth and pregnancy.
Dr. Low teaches stress management and relaxation and provides cognitive-behavioral training for adults and children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. With experience in marital therapy, Dr. Low teaches communication skills for the enhancement of interpersonal relationships. She also offers imagery for enhancement of sports and artistic performance. She is also experienced in dealing with the problems of gifted individuals. Dr. Low emphasizes unconditional self-acceptance as a means to achieve personal happiness.
