Fish oil for depression- Make certain you buy a reputable brand that is free of heavy metals such as mercury (molecularly distilled) At
a minimum you want to take 3,000 mg of the essential fatty acids
(EPA+DHA) per day. Add up the EPA+DHA noted on the back of the bottle
to determine how many pills to take. If you are using Metagenics the highest dose pill is the EPA/DHA 720 and you would take 2 of those twice a day at baseline.
When
using high dose fish oil you also want to supplement with Vitamin E
100- 200 IU of the mixed tocopherals to prevent the body from oxidizing
the fish oil too quickly. A good quality multivitamin is helpful for overall health and wellness. The B vitamins are also very important in depression, anxiety and stress. A good quality B complex vitamin will cover the bases.
Vit D deficiency is reaching epidemic proportions and studies have shown a significant impact on depression. Vitamin D3 5000 IU per day is a good starting point but you may require much higher doses if you are deficient. After
2-3 months Ask your doctor to check a blood level of 25 hydroxy Vitamin
D. If you have depression, migraines or other pain syndromes it may be
beneficial to have the blood level be between 50-70 mg/dl. Increase
your vitamin D dose to reach this level. It may take as much as 1000 IU
per 25 pounds of body weight.
For more information about Vitamin D visit vitamindcouncil.org.
Magnesium
is very important in having Vitamin D used efficiently by the body.
Start with 400 mg. and push the dose to between 800-1000 mg. If you
encounter gastrointestinal side-effects you may try Magnesium
glycinate. There are also topical preparations if you cannot tolerate
it orally. For more information about magnesium visit mgwater.com or ancient-minerals.com.
See
the Nutrition Dynamics website for details and ordering information at
the Nutrition Dynamics/Supplements tab or the Nutrition Dynamics link
under the links section.
SAMe
Source: NEWSWEEK Date: July 1999 What Is SAMe
Proponents
claim that this hot new over-the-counter dietary supplement can ease
depression, restore arthritic joints and combat chronic liver disease.
Here's what we know about it?and what we don't. By Geoffrey Cowley and Anne Underwood
She
was making lunch for herself and a friend one Saturday this spring when
an unfamiliar feeling swept over her. The 50-year-old social worker had
fallen deep into depression two years earlier, and had given up on
prescription antidepressants when the first one she tried left her
sluggish, sexually dormant and numb to her own emotions. Then, in
mid-March, she heard about a naturally occurring substance called SAMe
(pronounced "Sammy"). She had been taking it for just a few days when
she began setting the table that Saturday morning. A ginger-miso sauce
was chilling in the fridge, and she was garnishing her finest plates
with fresh anemones. Suddenly, there it was: a sense of undiluted
pleasure. This woman (who asked not to be named) has taken SAMe ever
since, and her mood isn't the only thing that has changed. Until this
spring she took prescription-strength anti-inflammatories for her
arthritis, and still had trouble bending her knees. She's now off those
drugs?and feeling more nimble than she has in 20 years. Could an
over-the-counter tonic really do all this? Pills purporting to cure
everything from hemorrhoids to hangnails are usually worthless and
sometimes dangerous. And because SAMe has not been studied extensively
in the United States, many doctors are leery. Beware, says Dr. Gilbert
Ross of the American Council on Science and Health, a conservative
watchdog group. Supplement dealers are once again trying to "flimflam
the public into using untested remedies instead of FDA-approved
pharmaceuticals." The Food and Drug Administration has not
rigorously evaluated SAMe, let alone approved it. (Federal law permits
the unregulated sale of naturally occurring substances as long as
marketers avoid therapeutic claims.) And the studies that researchers
have conducted are not of the magnitude the FDA would require for a
drug approval. But that doesn't mean SAMe is "untested." In dozens of
European trials involving thousands of patients, it has performed as
well as traditional treatments for arthritis and major depression.
Research suggests it can also ease normally intractable liver
conditions. SAMe doesn't seem to cause adverse effects, even at high
doses. And doctors have prescribed it successfully for two decades in
the 14 countries where it has been approved as a drug. Until
recently, few Americans had heard of the stuff. An Italian firm
developed it as a pharmaceutical in the early 1970s but lacked the will
or the resources to make a run at a drug approval in the United States.
Then, this spring, two U.S. vitamin companies, GNC and Pharmavite,
started importing large quantities of SAMe to sell as a supplement. The
product took off quickly?Pharmavite's Nature Made brand now ranks 25th
among the 13,000 supplements sold in grocery and drugstores?and the
impact is still growing. When you consider that some 50 million
Americans suffer from arthritis or depression, the implications are
staggering. SAMe (known formally as S-adenosylmethionine) is not
an herb or a hormone. It's a molecule that all living cells, including
our own, produce constantly. To appreciate its importance, you need to
understand a process called methylation (chart). It's a simple
transaction in which one molecule donates a four-atom appendage?a
so-called methyl group?to a neighboring molecule. Both the donor and
the recipient change shape in the process, and the transformations can
have far-reaching effects. Methylation occurs a billion times a second
throughout the body, affecting everything from fetal development to
brain function. It regulates the expression of genes. It preserves the
fatty membranes that insulate our cells. And it helps regulate the
action of various hormones and neurotransmitters, including serotonin,
melatonin, dopamine and adrenaline. As biochemist Craig Cooney observes
in his new book, "Methyl Magic," "Without methylation there could be no
life as we know it." And without SAMe, there could be no
methylation as we know it. Though various molecules can pass methyl
groups to their neighbors, SAMe is the most active of all methyl
donors. Our bodies make SAMe from methionine, an amino acid found in
protein-rich foods, then continually recycle it. Once a SAMe molecule
loses its methyl group, it breaks down to form homocysteine.
Homocysteine is extremely toxic if it builds up within cells. But with
the help of several B vitamins (B6, B12 and folic acid), our bodies
convert homocysteine into glutathione, a valuable antioxidant, or
"remethylate" it back into methionine. SAMe and homocysteine are
essentially two versions of the same molecule?one benign and one
dangerous. When our cells are well stocked with B vitamins, the brisk
pace of methylation keeps homocysteine levels low. But when we're low
on those vitamins, homocysteine can build up quickly, stalling the
production of SAMe and causing countless health problems. High
homocysteine is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. During
pregnancy, it raises the risk of spina bifida and other birth defects.
And many studies have implicated it in depression. How, exactly,
might taking extra SAMe improve a person's mood? Researchers have
identified several possibilities. Normal brain function involves the
passage of chemical messengers between cells. SAMe may enhance the
impact of mood-boosting messengers such as serotonin and
dopamine?either by regulating their breakdown or by speeding production
of the receptor molecules they latch on to. SAMe may also make existing
receptors more responsive. These molecules float in the outer membranes
of brain cells like swimmers treading water in a pool. If the membranes
get thick and glutinous, due to age or other assaults, the receptors
lose their ability to move and change in response to chemical signals.
By methylating fats called phospholipids, SAMe keeps the membranes
fluid and the receptors mobile. Whatever the mechanism, there is
little question that SAMe can help fight depression. Since the 1970s,
researchers have published 40 clinical studies involving roughly 1,400
patients. And though the studies are small by FDA standards, the
findings are remarkably consistent. In 1994 Dr. Giorgio Bressa, a
psychiatrist at the University Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Rome, pooled
results from a dozen controlled trials and found that "the efficacy of
SAMe in treating depressive syndromes... is superior [to] that of
placebo and comparable to that of standard... antidepressants." This
isn't the first natural substance to show promise as a mood booster.
Small studies suggest that St. John's wort can ease low-grade
melancholy, but SAMe has been tested against far more serious
disorders. In one of several small U.S. studies, researchers at the
University of California, Irvine, gave 17 severely depressed patients a
four-week course of SAMe (1,600 mg daily) or desipramine, a
well-established antidepressant. The SAMe recipients enjoyed a slightly
higher response rate (62 percent) than the folks on desipramine (50
percent). No one has found SAMe significantly more effective than
a prescription antidepressant, but it's clearly less toxic. The drugs
that predate Prozac (tricyclics and MAO inhibitors) can be deadly in
overdose, or in combination with other medications. Newer
antidepressants, such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil, are less dangerous,
but their known side effects range from headaches and diarrhea to
agitation, sleeplessness and sexual dysfunction. And SAMe? Studies
suggest that like other antidepressants, it may trigger manic episodes
in people with bipolar disorder. Aside from that, the most serious side
effect is a mild stomach upset. Until large U.S. studies confirm
these findings, few American doctors will recommend SAMe to severely
depressed people. "The evidence looks promising," says Harvard
psychiatrist Maurizio Fava, "but it's not definitive. In some European
countries they have different marketing standards than we do." UCLA
biochemist Steven Clarke echoes that concern, saying the nation is
embarking on a large, uncontrolled experiment in which consumers are
the guinea pigs. A key concern is that depressed patients will drop
other treatments to try SAMe, and end up suicidal. Columbia University
psychiatrist Richard Brown warns of that hazard in "Stop Depression
Now," a new book coauthored with Baylor University neuropharmacologist
Teodoro Bottiglieri. Yet Brown himself has treated several hundred
patients with SAMe in recent years, sometimes combining it with other
drugs, and he has never had a bad experience. "It's the best
antidepressant I've ever prescribed," he says flatly. "I've seen only
benefits." If the world needs a better antidepressant, it could
also use a better arthritis remedy. Nearly a third of the 40 million
Americans with chronic joint pain use drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen.
In arthritis-strength doses, these so-called NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, can have devastating gastric side effects.
Some 103,000 Americans are hospitalized annually for NSAID- induced
ulcers, and 16,500 die. Even when NSAIDs don't destroy the digestive
tract, they may ultimately worsen people's joint problems, for they
slow the production of collagen and proteoglycans, the tissues that
make cartilage an effective shock absorber. Could SAMe provide an
alternative? In a dozen clinical trials involving more than 22,000
patients, researchers have found SAMe as effective as pharmaceutical
treatments for pain and inflammation. But unlike the NSAIDs, SAMe shows
no sign of damaging the digestive tract. And instead of speeding the
breakdown of cartilage, SAMe may help restore it. You'll recall that
after giving up its methyl group, SAMe becomes homocysteine, which can
be broken down to form glutathione (the antioxidant) or remethylated to
form methionine (the precursor to SAMe). As luck would have it, the
reactions that produce glutathione also yield molecules called sulfate
groups, which help generate those joint-sparing proteoglycans. What
does this mean for patients? The Arthritis Foundation, a mainstream
advocacy group, recently said its medical experts were satisfied that
SAMe "provides pain relief" but not that it "contributes to joint
health." The evidence that SAMe can repair cartilage is admittedly
preliminary, but it's intriguing. When German researchers gave 21
patients either SAMe or a placebo for three months, using MRI scans to
monitor the cartilage in their hands, the SAMe recipients showed
measurable improvements. That wouldn't surprise Inge Kracke of Cologne.
She was an active 48-year-old when a 1996 auto accident mangled her
left knee and left her hobbling on a cane. Dr. Peter Billigmann of the
University of Landau prescribed a regimen that combined SAMe (1,200 mg
a day for three months) with injections of hyaluronic acid, a cartilage
component. Cartilage injuries don't normally heal, but a year later
Kracke's knee looked better on X-rays. She now plays golf three times a
week. SAMe may have other benefits as well. Studies suggest it can
help normalize liver function in patients with cirrhosis, hepatitis and
cholestasis (blockage of the bile ducts). SAMe has also been found to
prevent or reverse liver damage caused by certain drugs. As patients
hear more about this supplement, they may try treating themselves for
all these conditions and others. But many of them will be
disappointed?either because they expect miracles that SAMe can't
deliver, or because they take the wrong dose or form. The first
challenge is to buy full-strength SAMe. "Some companies are very
reliable manufacturers," says Dr. Paul Packman of Washington University
in St. Louis. "But some aren't. You can't always tell from the label on
the bottle how much active ingredient is actually in it."
Pharmaceutical-grade SAMe comes in two forms, one called tosylate and a
newer, more stable form called butanedisulfonate. Only Nature Made and
GNC sell the new butanedisulfonate version, but several U.S. retailers
import reliable tosylate products. And because SAMe is absorbed mainly
through the intestine, it's best taken in "enteric coated" tablets that
pass through the stomach intact. None of the products comes cheap. The
price of a 400-mg dose ranges from $2.50 (Nature Made) up to $18.56 for
an uncoated Natrol product called SAM sulfate. Assuming you buy
full-strength SAMe, the second challenge is to use it effectively.
Experts advise taking it twice a day on an empty stomach, but different
people may require different amounts. Though studies suggest that 400
mg a day is an effective dose for arthritis, the daily doses used in
depression trials have ranged as high as 1,600 mg. Clinicians generally
start people with mood problems at 400 and ratchet up as necessary. Unfortunately,
there is no convincing evidence that SAMe can make healthy people
happier or more mobile than they already are. But there are lessons
here for everyone. We now know that methylation is vital to our
well-being. It's equally clear that the modern Western diet?rich in
protein, light on the plant foods that supply folate?is a prescription
for stalling that vital process. "SAMe works as a medication to treat
certain diseases," says Paul Frankel, a biostatistician at the City of
Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, Calif. "But for most people the
problem is undermethylation of homocysteine." In other words, many of
us could arm ourselves against low moods, bad joints and weak hearts
simply by upping our intake of B vitamins. That may sound less exciting
than taking a miracle supplement. But with luck, it could keep you from
ever needing one.
Jeffrey B. Sawyer, MD Board Certified Adult & Addiction Psychiatry Holistic Medicine www.jeffreysawyermd.medem.com
"We must become the change we want to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Resources:
Center for Spirituality and Healing University of Minnesota C592 Mayo Memorial Blding 420 Delaware St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 612-624-9459 www.csh.umn.edu
The Penny George Institute for Health and Healing Abbott Northwestern Hospital Mail Route 15115 2833 Chicago Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55407 612-863-3333 http://www.allina.com/ahs/anw.nsf/page/ihh_home
Loring Mindfulness Center 1409 Willow St. Minneapolis, MN 55403 612.874.8608 www.loringpsychotherapy.com
Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center for Mindful Living Joen Snyder O?Neal and Michael O?Neal 3206 Holmes Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55408 612-825-7658 www.oceandharma.org
Book: The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself From chronic Unhappiness Jon Kabat-Zinn
Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine
Linda
Li has moved her successful Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine practice to my
office and began seeing patients on 12/01/08. She is very skilled at
treating a variety of disorders including chronic pain, headache,
stress/anxiety, mood disturbances and other mind-body related
conditions. Please ask her about her special smoking cessation package.
You can reach Linda directly at 952-297-5600.
Linda (Xinsong) Li, L.Ac. Acupuncture & Chinese Medical Practice
Acupuncture as an alternative medical treatment
The
practice of acupuncture is over 2,000 years old. In its simplest terms,
acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural
healing and improved function. This is accomplished by inserting very
fine sterilized, stainless steel needles into specific points located
near or on the surface of the skin. This helps the body to alter
various biochemical and physiological conditions in order to treat a
wide variety of illnesses.
Linda Li is also very skilled in
the practice of acupressure for those patients uncomfortable with the
use of needles in acupuncture. The practice of acupressure requires no
needles.
Common problems that can be effectively treated by Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs:
Linda (Xinsong) Li received
her formal medical education, in Western Medicine and Traditional
Chinese medicine, in Kunming, China. Linda Li also received a
Certificate of Clinical Research Methodology from the Chinese Medical
Academy in Beijing, China. She was a member of and served as Secretary
of the Board on the Kunming City Traditional Chinese Medical
Institution. Linda (Xinsong) Li served as In-patient doctor with
Kunming City Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital in Yunnan, China for
eight years. At the end of this period, she was promoted to
Physician-in-Charge of Internal Medicine at the hospital. She worked,
in this capacity, for five years. Also, during her thirteen-year tenure
with the hospital, Dr. Li wrote ten medical clinical research papers,
which were published in several medical journals in China. Linda
(Xinsong) Li acquired her acupuncture license from the Minnesota Board
of Medical Practice in 2004.
From January 2005 to November
2008, Linda Li has been practicing acupuncture and Chinese medicine in
Southdale Medical Center, with Carolyn Bowles, MD for 4 years. She
recently moved her practice to Parkdale Plaza Building, in Saint Louis
Park. She is in practice with Jeffrey Sawyer, MD.
Linda Li's Clinic
Parkdale Plaza Building South Highway 100 Suite 338. Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 Tel: 952-297-5600 Fax: 952-224-0152 Email: lindalee882000@yahoo.com Web: 1stopwellnesscenter.com
Acupuncture for Depression/Anxiety
Non-drug Options for Depression and Anxiety
Depression and Anxiety Can Affect Anyone
Depression
and generalized anxiety disorder are serious conditions that a person
can't just snap out of. They are usually characterized by nearly
constant feelings of despair or worthlessness (depression), or worry
(anxiety). Other common signs are difficulty in concentration or
sleeping or sleeping too much. And, while depression and anxiety are
separate illnesses, they share many symptoms and may occur at the same
time.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health,
about 20.9 million Americans age 18 and older suffer from some form of
depressive disorder each year. And approximately 6.8 million people in
the United States live with generalized anxiety disorder. Many
individuals who are affected by depression may also experience symptoms
of anxiety.
What Causes Depression and Anxiety
Certain
chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters, play a key role in
regulating mood and behavior. When these chemicals become imbalanced,
it can lead to depression or anxiety. People with a low level of a
specific neurotransmitter called serotonin seem to be more likely to
develop depression and anxiety. For some reason, anxiety is about twice
as likely to appear in women as in men, and may run in the family. Many
people with depression also have a family history of the condition.
Acupuncture:Non-drug Option for Depression and Anxiety
While
the causes of depression or anxiety are not always known, they are
treatable illnesses. There is tremendous hope and potential for
recovery in most cases. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, most
people will see improvement in their symptoms. For conventional
medicine, the two main treatments are counseling (also called
psychotherapy) and medication. Since 1990s, the World Health
Organization has recognized the use of acupuncture to treat a variety
of medical conditions, including depression and anxiety.
Acupuncture,
the ancient art of Chinese medicine, is gaining acceptance in
traditional medicine as an effective way to treat various medical
problems with no side effects. The modern explanation of acupuncture is
based on the belief that needling strategic points on the body
stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles,
spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals either change the pain
experience or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that
help the body's internal regulating systems. The net result is to
stimulate the body's natural healing abilities, to help the chemicals
or hormones become balanced, and to promote physical and emotional well
being.
Contact Information: Linda (Xinsong) Li, licensed
acupuncturist @ Acupuncture & Chinese Medical Clinic of Hennepin
County. Telephone: 952-297-5600
MIND-BODY MEDICINE SKILLS GROUP
SMARTT-(Stress Management And Relief in Trying Times) 10
week MIND-BODY MEDICINE Skills Group- Learn to cope and function at
your optimum level during these stressful and trying times using
creative and energizing mind-body medicine skills.
- Lesson 1 - Meditation Achieving a Mindful and Relaxed Awareness - Lesson 2 - Drawings Visualizing the Unconscious - Lesson 3 - Biofeedback Taking Control of Your Vital Functions - Lesson 4 - Guided Imagery Using the Imagination for Health and Healing - Lesson 5 - Breathing & Exercise Relieving Stress and Promoting Health through Movement - Lesson 6 - Understanding Emotions Transforming and Celebrating Our Emotional States - Lesson 7 - Mindful & Healthful Eating An Introduction to Nutrition - Lesson 8 - Family History Using Genograms to Understand How You Got Here - Lesson 9 - Science, Spirit & Healing Understanding the Role of Spirituality & Meaning - Lesson 10 - Bringing it All Together Reviewing the Material and Bringing Developing Next Steps
CALL DR SAWYER FOR DETAILS
SMARTT(Stess Management And Relief in Trying Times
See Mind-Body Medicine Skills Group
Quit Smoking with Acupuncture
Quit Smoking with Acupuncture
Linda (Xinsong) Li, L.Ac.
The High Cost of Smoking
In
the excellent book The Price of Smoking, the authors Frank A. Sloan,
Jan Ostermann, et al. provide a very convincing, longitudinal study on
the private and social costs of smoking (including second-hand smoke
and the tobacco related costs of Medicare, Medicaid and Social
Security). They conclude that, over the lifetime of an average smoker,
the costs of each pack of cigarettes they smoke is almost $40.00 per
pack. The costs to the individual smokers, their families and society
as a whole are staggering.
But it doesn?t take PhD?s in
economics to prove the high cost of smoking. Simply consider this. If
you are a 24 year old smoker that averages one and one half packs of
cigarettes per day over a 30 year period at an average cost of $3.00
per pack your out of pocket costs alone will be $49,275.00.
But
there is much more to smoking than money. Smoking is the leading cause
of preventable death throughout the world according to the World Health
Organization. According to their figures, smoking is responsible for
approximately five million deaths worldwide every single year. Tobacco
smoking is a known or probable cause of approximately 25 diseases.
Numerous studies have shown that smokers in their 30s and 40s are five
times more likely to have a heart attach than non-smokers.
If
you smoke for a lifetime, you have a 50% chance that your eventual
death will be smoking-related. And half of all these deaths will be in
middle age. Studies have shown that men who smoke increase their
chances of dying from lung cancer by more than 22 times. Another health
problem associated with tobacco is emphysema. The lung damage which
causes emphysema is irreversible and makes it extremely difficult to
breathe.
There is good news, however. Although the health
risks of smoking are cumulative, giving up can yield health benefits
regardless of the age of the patient, or the length of time they have
been smoking.
The first thing you need to do is be serious about quitting and be highly motivated to take action to stop.
Quit Smoking with Acupuncture
For
those who want to quit smoking, acupuncture directed to selected points
of the body may help curb the desire to smoke according to a report in
the journal Preventive Medicine (Vol. 33; pages 364-372). This report
came out of a study which followed 46 participants over a five year
period. 26 members, in the study, were given acupuncture treatments at
points selected to affect smoking-related organs such as the lungs,
airways, and mouth. The remaining 20 served as the control group and
also received acupuncture but not at points related to smoking. None of
the subjects were aware of which group they were in. Blood tests were
administered, over the five year period, to ensure integrity of the
study. The participants in the group, who were given the strategically
placed treatment, reported quitting or smoking less and had a decreased
desire to smoke. The control group received no lasting effect from the
treatment they were given in terms of reducing their smoking or desire
to smoke. The National Institutes of Health has recently endorsed
acupuncture as an alternative or complement to standard medical
practices and may help in the treatment to stop smoking. In an article
by Rick Chillot, in the November 1998 issue of Prevention magazine, he
discussed a study from Norway which revealed that a combination of
acupuncture techniques may hold real hope for those trying to quit
smoking.
My Program
I have studied the relationship
between acupuncture and its positive effects on smoking, alcohol and
other addictions in considerable depth. I am convinced that an
acupuncture program, administered properly, can help people stop their
addition if they seriously want to quit.
The program will
consist of 2--4 treatments over a two week period. The treatments will
be specifically related to those areas of the body that are related to
smoking. The total cost of the program will be $125.00--$375.00 and
will include an in-depth analysis of your health, smoking history and
your commitment to quit your addiction. For some people, they only need
to take one acupuncture treatment to quit smoking, and the cost for
them is only $125.00. For other people, they may need to have 2--3
acupuncture treatments, and the maximum charge is $375.00.
There
will be no additional charge after 3 treatments if it is determined
that certain people require additional treatment in order to stop
smoking. In addition, if you are successful in quitting but find that
you want to go back, at a future date, there will be 50% off charge for
those future treatments.
Contact Information
Linda ( Xinsong ) Li, Licensed Acupuncturist Parkdale Plaza Building 1660 South Highway 100 Suite 338 Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 Tel: 952-297-5600 www.1stopwellnesscenter.com
PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION
PSYCHIATRIC
CONSULTATION: A psychiatrist is a mental health practitioner who is
also trained as a physician. In addition to being able to prescribe
medication, a psychiatrist's medical training allows them to address
not just the mental health issues but also how they interplay with
other medical problems and medications. An initial consultation is
typically 60 minutes and involves obtaining a history of the presenting
issue, any past mental health issues, past medication use, past history
of medical problems and information related to childhood, family and
social history. At the end of the session the patient is engaged in a
discussion about the best approaches for resolving their issues
including appropriate medication and psychotherapeutic approaches.
MIND-BODY THERAPIES
Mind-Body Therapies The
mind and body have often been thought of as separate and independent
worlds. However, modern science has come to recognize that mind and
body are in constant communication with one another in a large number
of ways. Practically speaking, we know this to be true. After all, who
has ever met a body without a mind, or a mind without a body? Mind-body
therapies utilize these natural links between our physical, emotional
and mental makeup to positively influence mood disorders and anxiety
patterns, physical conditions of one sort or another, manage pain, or
address the ways in which experiences from the past continue to leave
unhealthy imprints on our physical, emotional and mental functioning in
the present. In addition to various talk therapies, mind-body therapies
frequently utilize clinical hypnosis, guided imagery, EMDR, and a range
of approaches that work from the body up to the mind, such as
cranial-sacral therapy, or various forms of massage.
HYPNOSIS/IMAGERY
Clinical Hypnosis/Guided Imagery
Clinical
hypnosis and Guided Imagery are two of the oldest forms of therapy
known to humankind, with descriptions of these approaches found in
ancient Egyptian, Greek and Hindu temples dating back thousands of
years. With nearly 10,000 published studies involving hypnosis, which
often involves the use of guided imagery, these approaches remain among
the most studied of all therapeutic approaches.
Imagery
represents the fundamental "language" of the mind and body. Guided
imagery directs this non-verbal language to elicit healing effects.
Hypnosis, in spite of centuries of experiences all around the globe is
still difficult to define in a simple and widely accepted manner. The
word hypnosis continues to evoke reactions to its apparent "power" and
"mystery". Essentially, hypnosis, like guided imagery, involves focused
attention directed toward a positive therapeutic outcome. The American
Psychological Association (APA) defines hypnosis as, "a procedure
during which a health professional or researcher suggests that a
client, patient or subject experience changes in sensations,
perceptions, thoughts, or behavior."
There are common
misconceptions in particular about hypnosis that sometimes discourage
people from seeking to use this very powerful and proven method for
achieving desired personal change. For example, hypnosis does not
involve losing control over your behavior and being made to do things
you do not want to or that violate your personal values. It does not
involve loss of awareness of who you are or where you are, loss of
memory or, conversely, being able to retrieve lost memories that a
person is not otherwise ready and able to recall. Going into hypnosis
does not mean you are "weak-minded" or subject to the "power" of the
therapist. And, being in hypnosis is not the same as being asleep.
Common applications of hypnosis and guided imagery include: Habit control (e.g. smoking cessation or weight loss) Depression or anxiety disorders Pain problems Medical or dental procedures, obstetrics (e.g. labor and delivery) Sexual dysfunction Trauma resolution Mind-body
oriented treatments for a variety of acute and chronic health problems
(e.g. IBS, fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome, headache/migraine).
For
further information on hypnosis you may refer to the American Society
of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) website at www.asch.net. For information on
guided imagery, please refer to www.healthjourneys.com .
EMDR
EMDR:
EMDR
stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a
relatively short-term, safe and effective therapy developed by Francine
Shapiro, PhD that helps mind and body resolve the distressing
psychological and physical problems that experiences of trauma leave
behind. EMDR involves an eight-step treatment process that integrates
elements of other therapies that are well established. Through a series
of targeted questions combined with different types of alternating
neurological stimulation (typically involving the eyes, the ears or
touch), EMDR brings new hope to traumatized individuals with a
treatment approach that often progresses very rapidly and produces
lasting benefits.
Post-traumatic reactions involve: intrusive thoughts alterations
in our memory functions (e.g., not being able to remember certain
things while other things can't seem to be forgotten) intense emotional swings difficulties concentrating or focusing generalized feelings of emotional distress and instability vivid re-experiencing of events from the past a host of symptoms involving the physical body
EMDR
helps the mind and body re-integrate information in a different way and
lay to rest repeated negative thoughts, images, feelings and physical
sensations associated with the trauma.
EMDR helps the brain to
store the new adaptive response patterns, allowing the person to
finally have a sense of relief and to feel that the trauma is "done".
For more information on EMDR, please go to their web site www.emdr.com.
MEDICATION MANAGEMENT
MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT: Follow-up psychiatric visits to monitor the progress of a
patient's medication treatment are typically referred to as "Med
Checks". This is a somewhat misleading term as, obviously, what is
important here is to follow up with the individual taking the
medication and ascertain how they are doing. Visits are typically 20
minutes in length and include not just what is happening with
medications or symptoms but a discussion of pertinent issues in the
person's life which need to be addressed. Longer visits are available
for therapy sessions if periodic briefer appointments are not
sufficient to address the issues at hand.
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Psychotherapy People
typically make the decision to enter psychotherapy only after giving
the decision considerable thought. Usually, they are in a situation
that is causing them significant distress and where other options for
making things better have already been exhausted. Having made the
decision to seek psychotherapy, it is helpful to know what
psychotherapy involves!
The word therapy implies in the service
of healing. Psychotherapy literally means a therapy of the mind (the
Psyche). We now recognize that mind involves our thoughts, our
emotions, the connections between our thoughts/emotions and also our
physical bodies. Mind operates at both a conscious level (in our
awareness), as well as out of our direct awareness, in what we call the
unconscious mind. There are many different approaches to psychotherapy,
each of which emphasizes slightly different aspects of the relationship
between these different parts of the mind and our day-to-day behavior.
Ultimately, the decision about which psychotherapy approach you pursue
depends on the concerns with which you are wrestling. Certain
psychotherapies have shown to be more effective with certain kinds of
presenting problems. However, one of the biggest factors to consider in
deciding whether to go forward with psychotherapy often has less to do
with the psychotherapy approach itself and more to do with the comfort
level and trust that you develop in working with a particular
psychotherapist.
Stress Relief - HeartMath
According
to the American Institute of Stress, up to 90% of all health problems
are related to stress. Additionally, a large body of research confirms
that our thoughts and emotions have a dynamic effect on our health and
vitality.
Emotions like frustration, insecurity and depressing
feelings are stressful and inhibit optimal health. Positive emotions
like appreciation, care, and love not only feel good, they promote
health, performance and well being.
HeartMath's research has
shown when you learn how to intentionally shift to a positive emotion,
heart rhythms immediately change. A shift in heart rhythms may not seem
important but in fact it creates a favorable cascade of neural,
hormonal and biochemical events that benefit the entire body. The
stress-reducing effects are both immediate and long lasting.
Ask Dr. Sawyer about training in the HeartMath technique and available tools to practice stress reduction at home.
