What Is A Holistic Psychiatrist? A Las Vegas Psychiatrist Answers This Question.
A holistic psychiatrist takes into account every aspect of the patient‘s life. That means, obviously, inquiring in great detail about the symptoms and problems that brought the patient for a consultation. But it doesn’t end there. For example, a holistic psychiatrist will explore family dynamics, family history of emotional problems, medical conditions the patient currently has and had in the past and childhood and adolescence issues. A psychiatrist who practices in a holistic way will ask patients to describe a typical day in their lives. This can point to possible sources of the presenting problem as well as give information about potential solutions. Do they sleep well, do they exercise, is their job stressful? How is their appetite? Is their food intake healthy? What do they do for fun? What is their social support? Sometimes a relative or a significant other is having a crisis or behaving in a way that causes suffering in the consulting patient. Or perhaps the patient is having side effects like anxiety or depression from medications or “natural remedies” they take. Other times, the source of suffering is an existential crisis: the recognition that what seemed to work before no longer does. And, more often then not, there are multiple factors contributing to the psychiatric problems people have.
A holistic psychiatrist is particularly interested in knowing about the times when the problems that the patient is having were not present. What made things better at that time? Was it the treatment received? Was the family situation different? The possibilities are many, and the holistic psychiatrist is curious about all of them. This quest for knowledge about the whole person is of the utmost importance because it will lead the psychiatrist to the right diagnosis, to the best treatment approach, and ultimately to greater chances for success for the patient.
In order to practice such comprehensive psychiatry, the professional must spend a good deal of time performing a psychiatric evaluation. Allotting less than 40 minutes is not sufficient time for a thorough evaluation and for explaining the rationale for the recommended treatment. Finally, as we are all unique individuals, so is our suffering. Therefore, a good holistic psychiatrist will be devising treatment plans tailored for each patient.
What is a Holistic Psychiatrist?
“The Whole is More than the Sum of its Parts”. Aristotle, Metaphysica