Non-Medication Treatments
Medication is Only One Part of the Equation
I try to approach medication as about 10% of the solution. All healing comes from connection. Connection with our body (exercise and diet), with others (community), with our purpose (spirituality) are all absolutely necessary to really feel your best.
I have a special interest in the Psychiatric care of athletes of all skill levels. I have worked with many competitive athletes across a range of skill levels, from high school to professionals. Sports Psychiatry, to be clear, is not recognized by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as a distinct specialty.
If your primary concern is your athletic performance, I'm happy to refer you to a Sports Psychologist, as this is their area of expertise. Sports Psychiatrists focus on treating pathology in athletes, such as Eating Disorders, Depression, or Substance Abuse, understanding the nuances of the lifestyle of the competitive athlete. For example, certain medications used to treat Depression and ADD are considered performance enhancing, and therefore banned substances, and others are fine for use in all situations.
Getting yourself situated spiritually brings a sense of peace, and is every bit as important as other aspects of treatment. My own faith got me through an extraordinarily difficult phase of life a few years ago. We'll discuss spirituality as much, or as little, as you need--and frankly, it may be the case that your experience with religion harmed you in some way. I really want to hear about your beliefs and cultural experiences. Please be yourself with me.
People often ask if I do counseling. The answer is "ABSOLUTELY," although due to cost and the time constraints of a Psychiatrist, I don't have, for example, patients who come for an hour once or twice a week. But I will not just focus on medication, I will always ask about other facets of your life.
For patients who do need regular, weekly counseling, I have a wonderful network of colleagues to whom I refer. It is common practice, and cost effective, for folks to see me for meds and their counselor for talk therapy.
I am always amazed at the effect nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle choices can have on mental health. I always want to know what's going on in these areas of your life, so that I can help you improve in the most efficient way possible.