Bio


Dr. Lazarow is a licensed psychologist who specializes in providing clinical care for individuals and couples dealing with acute and chronic medical conditions. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium and completed her clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at California Pacific Medical Center in the Health Psychology track. Dr. Lazarow is currently serving patients of the Neuropsychiatry Clinic at Stanford University's School of Medicine. In addition to providing individual and couples therapy, Dr. Lazarow has created multiple therapy groups specifically designed for individuals dealing with neurological conditions.

Clinical Focus


  • Psychology

Academic Appointments


  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Professional Education


  • Professional Education: Palo Alto University PGSP Stanford PsyD Consortium (2019) CA
  • Fellowship, California Pacific Medical Center, Psycho-oncology (2020)
  • Internship, California Pacific Medical Center, Health Psychology (2019)
  • PsyD, PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium, Clinical Psychology (2019)
  • M.A., Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Clinical Psychology (2014)
  • B.A., Colgate University (2010)

All Publications


  • Using Patient-Centered Clinical Neuroscience to Deliver the Diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): Results from an Innovative Educational Workshop. Academic psychiatry : the journal of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and the Association for Academic Psychiatry Medina, M., Giambarberi, L., Lazarow, S. S., Lockman, J., Faridi, N., Hooshmad, F., Karasov, A., Bajestan, S. N. 2020

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVES: Psychiatry training is lacking examples of neuroscience education that translates neuroscience literature into accessible clinically oriented concepts. The authors created a teaching activity using patient-centered neuroscience education that focused on delivering the diagnosis of functional neurological disorder (FND). This study aimed to (i) develop a workshop modeling a clinician-patient interaction, (ii) provide a modern neuroscience perspective of FND, and (iii) evaluate the change in clinicians' perceptions of FND.METHODS: A total of six workshops (each 1 h long and consisting of a video, PowerPoint slides, and pre and post questionnaires) were conducted. Paired t tests were used to measure the change.RESULTS: Forty-seven clinicians participated. After completing the workshop, nearly all endorsed that functional symptoms are "real" (95%) and that treatment is helpful (100%). Participants also reported a greater comfort level with discussing FND diagnosis (46% vs 85%, p < 0.001), an overall increase in understanding the disorder (33% vs 82%, p < 0.001), assessing need for tests (33% vs 66%, p < 0.001), understanding treatment options (26% vs 89%, p < 0.001), and recognition that treatment can help control these symptoms (81% vs 100%, p < 0.01). In addition, learners were more likely to report that patients with FND are truthful (75% vs 95%, p < 0.001) and less likely to be manipulative (48% vs 80%, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: A brief, educational intervention using neuroscience-based content was found to significantly improve clinicians' perception and confidence when delivering the diagnosis of FND.

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s40596-020-01324-8

    View details for PubMedID 33058046

  • Evidence-Based Practice for the Clinical Assessment of Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures: A Report From the American Neuropsychiatric Association Committee on Research. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences Baslet, G., Bajestan, S. N., Aybek, S., Modirrousta, M., D Clin Psy, J. P., Cavanna, A., Perez, D. L., Lazarow, S. S., Raynor, G., Voon, V., Ducharme, S., LaFrance, W. C. 2020: appineuropsych19120354

    Abstract

    The American Neuropsychiatric Association's Committee on Research assigned the task of defining the most helpful clinical factors and tests in establishing the diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) during a neuropsychiatric assessment. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using three search engines and specified search terms for PNES and the predetermined clinical factors and diagnostic tests, followed by a selection process with specific criteria. Data extraction results from selected articles are presented for clinical factors (semiology, psychiatric comorbidities, medical comorbidities, psychological traits) and diagnostic tests (EEG, psychometric and neuropsychological measures, prolactin level, clinical neuroimaging, autonomic testing). Semiology with video EEG (vEEG) remains the most valuable tool to determine the diagnosis of PNES. With the exception of semiology, very few studies revealed the predictive value of a clinical factor for PNES, and such findings were isolated and not replicated in most cases. Induction techniques, especially when coupled with vEEG, can lead to a captured event, which then confirms the diagnosis. In the absence of a captured event, postevent prolactin level and personality assessment can support the diagnosis but need to be carefully contextualized with other clinical factors. A comprehensive clinical assessment in patients with suspected PNES can identify several clinical factors and may include a number of tests that can support the diagnosis of PNES. This is especially relevant when the gold standard of a captured event with typical semiology on vEEG cannot be obtained.

    View details for DOI 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19120354

    View details for PubMedID 32778006