A Holistic View on Psychopharmacological Interventions

 

Not all practitioners who consider themselves holistically oriented share the same beliefs about the applicability of psychotropic medication as this relates to health and wellness concerns.

For example, while integrative psychiatrists generally view psych meds as a form of treatment which may be used in combination with alternative/complementary strategies, traditional naturopathic doctors tend to shun the use of pharmaceutical drugs in accordance with a philosophy which underscores restoring balance within the body by locating *root* causes and addressing them; so the body can facilitate its own natural healing process *without* the use of surgery, drugs or any other type of medically invasive procedures.

Due to the overwhelming amount of things that are known and unknown about the potentially harmful (side) effects of psychotropic medications, it is my personal and professional belief that practitioners are obligated to unabashedly explore the issue of medications with their clients. While I have zero desire to judge anyone for choosing to take psychotropic medications, within the scope of my practice I am invariably interested in working with people to ensure that their choices are as informed as possible. 

This may include encouraging people to engage in their own consumer medication information research; consulting with folks surrounding the most important questions to ask prescribers prior to a psychiatric evaluation and/or advocating on behalf of my clients on request. I am most in my element acting as a guide for people who desire to learn about an array of natural health approaches in conjunction with reducing and/or graduating completely from psychotropic medications.