Medication Management
Psychiatric Medication Management
Medication Management, aka Psychopharmacology
I start with you and your treatment goals. I genuinely believe that with the right support, we can find the answers within ourselves.
Medications can facilitate insight. At times, they are lifesaving. They can serve as bridges, fulcrums, and basic daily tools. But medications are not the final answer—you are the answer, and your connection to the world around you is the answer. I am here to support you on the path home to yourself, dedicated to helping you flourish using the many resources inside and outside yourself that are supportive.
As a steward to your homecoming, my approach to prescribing varies tremendously from patient to patient. My clinical goal is always the fewest medications, at the lowest effective doses, with the least side effects.
In all cases, there is attention to:
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While diagnosis in psychiatry is imperfect, it helps guide treatment plans, facilitates coverage by insurance companies, and often reduces shame by validating experience. If necessary, we can conduct a gentle inquiry, always acknowledging the limitations of the DSM-5.
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We will foster lifestyle changes to support your growth. I am as likely to prescribe walks in nature and naps as I am to add yet another medication to your regimen. I will challenge you to care for yourself as you would a beloved.
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If you are on multiple psychotropic medications, this is often where our journey begins. Sometimes, simplification can have a profound impact. Questions about decreasing doses or discontinuing medications are always welcome.
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I monitor and adhere to current standards of care as they evolve. I access the wisdom of elders in the field via regular supervision. And together, we keep our fingers on the pulse of you. If a treatment approach isn’t working for you, we will reorient and make thoughtful, deliberate changes.
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All medications can have side effects, and sometimes the side effect causes more suffering than the condition for which the medication was prescribed. I welcome your concerns about side effects, and we will recalibrate as necessary.
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“Five aspects of psychiatry particularly call for humility and specific action by educators. First, we remain uncertain about the nature of the illnesses we treat and their treatment. Second, there is a moral dimension that pervades our clinical work and cannot be resolved with science. Third, we acknowledge that discrimination and disparities of mental health care persist in our field and that we ourselves may be subject to implicit bias. Fourth, our ability to change the outcomes of serious mental illness remains limited. Fifth, our ability to modify the major social factors that contribute to the etiology of mental illness is also limited, though we have an ethical obligation to inform the public about social forces that may influence psychiatric disorders and their treatment.” – Adam Brenner, “Staying Grounded: Humility as an Aim in Psychiatry Education and Practice”