Below is information about both what you need to know and do if you are interested in seeing Dr. Lack privately as a client, as well as general guidance towards choosing the best therapist for yourself.
Clinical Interests & Training
Dr. Lack is a clinical psychologist currently licensed to practice in the state of Oklahoma (HSP #1143) and previously in Arkansas (#07-37P). He also holds his Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT #6422) and can perform telehealth in all PSYPACT states (including Texas, Kansas, Colorado, and many others). He received his training in the APA-approved clinical psychology doctoral program at Oklahoma State University and completed his predoctoral internship at the University of Florida.
Dr. Lack's primary clinical interest is in the application of evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to the treatment of severe anxiety and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders across the life span, such as social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, Tourette's Disorder or chronic tics, and trichotillomania. He is also an expert in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods used include exposure with response prevention (ERP), cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT), written exposure treatment (WET), and other well-studied and effective methods.
Dr. Lack sees a small number of private clients. Due to this and working full time as a professor, he cannot bill insurance for his clients, but is able to provide forms for you to turn into your insurance company. Dr. Lack charges a flat per-hour fee that is due upon receipt of service, as detailed below:
- $235 per hour in person (with an additional $0.75 per mile from my home charge if doing home based visits)
- $185 per hour telehealth
- $150 per hour telehealth for Written Exposure Treatment sessions
Dr. Lack performs both office-based and home-based therapy, but does charge a mileage fee for seeing people outside of Edmond. He also supervises graduate students performing therapy in the UCO Psychology Clinic. If you would like to contact Dr. Lack about being seen for therapy or for a consultation, please click the "Contact" link at the top of this page.
What is evidence-based practice?
Dr. Lack uses scientifically proven treatment and assessment methods, based on 60 years of evidence from basic and applied research, which shows that these methods work. Having been extensively trained in both the science and practice of psychology, Dr. Lack is familiar with the most reliable methods to treat a wide range of mental, behavioral, emotional, and physical problems. Via his teaching and supplementary training, he strives to keep up to date on the latest developments in the field so that clients are provided with the most effective services possible.
To learn more about evidence-based practice and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, the specific type of therapy used by Dr. Lack, please visit the following websites:
ABCT.org - What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?
International OCD Foundation - How to Choose a Behavior Therapist
NACBT.org - Cognitive-Behavior Therapy
APA.org - Evidence-based Practice in Psychology
EBBP.org - Defining Evidence-based Behavioral Practice
How should I choose a therapist?
The best advice that Dr. Lack can give anyone when choosing a mental health professional is to see someone who practices evidence-based psychology. Stated simply, evidence-based psychology (EBP) is a guiding principle that means a therapist, whether that person is a psychologist, counselor, social worker, or psychiatrist, is guided in the treatment and assessment methods they use by the current best practices as defined by scientific evidence. Unfortunately, many therapists have not been trained in these methods, and instead rely on intuition, what they think has worked well, or what they were trained in - regardless of the evidence or lack thereof for its effectiveness. Asking a potential therapist what their primary therapeutic orientation is, and how they know the type of therapy they do works, are a great way to find out if a therapist uses EBP.
The second piece of advice is that you need to be sure that your therapist does not attempt to push their own personal values system onto you. While this is both an unethical and inappropriate thing to do, from his own experience with clients Dr. Lack can tell you that a large number of them report this happening. While this does not mean that you need to find a therapist with your exact religious, political, ethnic, and cultural background, it does mean that your therapist needs to respect what your beliefs and values are and recognize that their job as a therapist is not to convert you. If you find yourself in a situation where this is occurring, he would recommend giving the therapist a warning that you are becoming offended by their actions. If they continued to push their own agenda at the expense of your mental health, a report to the state licensing board would be appropriate.
As a psychologist, a scientist, and a professor, Dr. Lack has a deep concern that mental health practitioners use the current best evidence to guide the services they provide their clients. To that end, he has compiled (and will continue adding to) the below links. Included below are treatment manuals, workbooks, self-guided treatment options, and more. If you are aware of something that should be on this list, please contact him and he will include it if appropriate.
If you would like to have Dr. Lack give a training for your clinic or agency, please contact him. Over the past 15 years he has trained clinicians around the globe in how to treat difficult mental health issues in the most effective ways, both via in person trainings and webinars. Sample recent trainings are below:
Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Youth & Adults
Exposure Therapy for Fear and Anxiety
Risk Assessment & Management: Ethical and Evidence-based Practices
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics with Youth
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for Chronic Pain
DSM-5-TR: Changes and Updates to Know
Written Exposure Treatment for PTSD
Evidence-based Clinical Supervision
Functional Neurological Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment
Behavioral Activation for Depression
Evidence-Based Treatment of Trichotillomania, Excoriation, and other Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Psychopathology Resources
Treatment Guidelines
Learning Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Manuals & Tools
SocietyCognitive-Behavioral Therapy Self-Help
Recommended Therapist Locators
Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapy's "Find a Therapist"
Academy of Cognitive Therapy's Certified Therapists
International OCD Foundation's Treatment Providers
Dr. Lack teaches several courses that cover CBT principles and techniques, such as Advanced Counseling and Child & Adolescent Counseling. Visit his teaching page for information, including recommended readings, articles, lecture notes, and more.
You can also visit his YouTube channel to find full recorded lectures on treatment of various problems.
Treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in youth.
Treating anxiety in children and adults using exposure with response prevention.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder.
Evidence-based treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive & related disorders.
Behavioral activation for depression.
Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Tics.
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