Integrative Psychiatry

Contemporary psychiatry is a field that is especially conducive to the principles of integrative medicine. With the exception of a few disorders, such as schizophrenia, most psychiatric disorders respond to interventions other than drugs. Patients who have not tolerated or not responded optimally to traditional treatments are also good candidates for integrative treatments. Additionally, herbals such as St. John's wort for the treatment of depression and ginkgo for the treatment of memory impairment in dementia have been found effective in traditional clinical trials. Patients' use of alternative and complementary therapies in psychiatry has created a need for physicians to become informed about these treatments, to advise patients on their efficacy, and to be able to make judgments on integrating these therapies into existing regimens, including discussions of such issues as potential drug-herb interactions. In this volume in the Weil Integrative Medicine Library, the authors describe a rational and evidence-based approach to the integrative therapy of mental disorders integrating the principles of alternative and complementary therapies into the principles and practice of conventional psychiatry and psychology. The authors will examine what works and what doesn't, and offer practical guidelines for physicians to incorporate integrative medicine into their practice and to advise patients on reasonable and effective therapies. The text discusses areas of controversy and identifies areas of uncertainty where future research is needed. Chapters also cite the best available evidence for both the safety and the efficacy of all therapies discussed. The information is presented in accessible and easy-to-read formats, including clinical pearls and key points, with a second text color for highlighting key information.

Preceeded by: Integrative psychiatry / edited by Daniel A. Monti, Bernard D. Beitman. 2010.

An integrative approach to modern mental healthcare Textbook of Integrative Mental Health Care is the first book to present a comprehensive framework of conceptual information and clinical guidelines for the integrative assessment and treatment of common mental illnesses. Complete coverage of the conceptual foundations of integrative mental health care allows the practitioner to gain a firm understanding of the philosophy and clinical methodology of integrative medicine. The textbook also describes evidence-based paradigms that enable the practitioner to develop assessment techniques and individualized treatment plans that address the unique needs of each patient. Highlights: Extensive evidence tables summarize assessment and treatment approaches Easy-to-follow algorithms guide the practitioner step-by-step from initial assessment to treatment planning Case vignettes describe intake, assessment and initial formulation, treatment plan, and follow-up This textbook will help psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health care professionals develop safe and effective integrative approaches for the evaluation and treatment of emotional and mental problems.

With its unrivaled scope, easy readability, and outstanding clinical relevance, Complementary and Integrative Treatments in Psychiatric Practice is an indispensable resource for psychiatric and other health care professionals. It is also well suited for individuals with mental disorders and their family members who are seeking updated, practical information on complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM). An international group of experts, researchers, and clinicians examines an expansive range of treatments that have been chosen on the basis of their therapeutic potential, strength of evidence, safety, clinical experience, geographic and cultural diversity, and public interest. This guide offers advice on how to best tailor treatments to individual patient needs; combine and integrate treatments for optimal patient outcomes; identify high-quality products; administer appropriate doses; and deal with concerns about liability, safety, and herb-drug interactions. Treatments discussed include: Nutrients and neutraceuticals Plant-based medicines Mind-body practices -- breathing techniques, yoga, qigong, tai chi, and meditation Art therapy and equine therapy for children and adolescents Neurotherapy, neurostimulation, and other technologies Psychiatrists and other physicians, residents, fellows, medical students, psychologists, nurses, and other clinicians will benefit from guidelines for decision making, prioritizing, and combining CAIM treatments, as well as safely integrating CAIM with standard approaches. That the treatments considered in this clinician's guide are applied to five of the major DSM-5 categories -- depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, bipolar and related disorders, and schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders -- ensures its applicability, timeliness and timelessness.

This crucial volume provides a concise overview of the conceptual foundations and clinical methods underlying the rapidly emerging subspecialty of integrative mental healthcare. It discusses methods for guiding practitioners to individualized integrative strategies that address unique symptoms and circumstances for each patient and includes practical clinical techniques for developing interventions addressed at wellness, prevention, and treatment. Included among the overview: Meeting the challenges of mental illness through integrative mental health care. Evolving paradigms and their impact on mental health care Models of consciousness: How they shape understandings of normal mental functioning and mental illness Foundations of methodology in integrative mental health care Treatment planning in integrative mental health care The future of mental health care A New Paradigm for Integrative Mental Healthcare is relevant and timely for the increasing numbers of patients seeking integrative and alternative care for depressed mood, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental health problems such as fatigue and chronic pain. “Patients are crying out for a more integrative approach, and this exemplary book provides the template for achieving such a vision.” -Jerome Sarris, MHSc, PhD, ND “For most conventionally trained clinicians the challenge is not “does CAM work?” but “how do I integrate CAM into my clinical practice?” Lake’s comprehensive approach answers this central question, enabling the clinician to plan truly integrative and effective care for the mind and body.” -Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH

In a nation plagued with chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, a different predator is the single greatest reason for disability in the United States: mental disorders. Our fast-paced and frenetic lifestyle, coupled with a grossly polluted environment, has created the perfect breeding ground for mental instability. With the spread of brain disorders on the rise around the world, nutritional biochemistry and one of its stars, lithium, has stepped into the spotlight to offer proven methods to heal our bodies from the inside out. Historically linked to severe psychiatric illness, lithium as an agent of good health and well-being is often ignored and brushed aside. Known as the Cinderella drug, it is an essential mineral in our physical and psychological makeup. Lack of its presence in the body can result in poor brain development, psychiatric symptoms, and so on. When administered in small, controlled doses, lithium can significantly improve the lives of those suffering from mental disorders. Nutritional Lithium: A Cinderella Story illustrates the significance of this precious mineral not only as a nutrient vital to human development, but also as a nutritional component that can help millions of people worldwide.

"This is the long-awaited text on interdisciplinary treatment and assessment of, among other clinical topics, brain-derived behavioral, cognitive, and neurological disorders...." --Niels Birbaumer, PhD University of T ̧bingen, Germany Member of the German Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina "Gone is the unidimensional approach of the expert summarizing a topic from a single vantage point. Instead, the content shifts laterally, embracing not only interdisciplinary expertise, but an integrative way of thinking that transcends each discipline....What makes the Handbook so refreshing is that this cross pollination of ideas and approaches is more than novel theorizing. It offers clinicians a new way forward." --Anthony Feinstein, MD, MPhil, PhD, FRCP University of Toronto To maintain the highest standards, allied health care practitioners must keep pace with evolving trends in diagnostics, interventions, and methodologies. This book supports clinicians by disseminating important perspectives, research, and procedures. It provides an integrative roadmap that fosters interdisciplinary cooperation. Key Features: Presents reviews of research on a broad selection of clinical disorders Includes a wide range of established and emerging diagnostic and intervention approaches Discusses viable evidence-based alternative treatment methods Critiques certain approaches, paradigms, and practices that may need to be revised Includes contributions from renowned psychologists, psychiatrists, and researchers Clinicians, researchers, and students will find this book a valuable source for interdisciplinary practice and research. It facilitates a sorely needed move toward integrative practice in an era in which specialization pervades.