How does one shop for a psychiatrist?

[Ptah]

ebay? craigslist? want ads?

Call their offices listed in the yellow pages and ask "Are you any good?"

Ask random strangers on the bus?


:shrug:

[kedrys]

1. I called Employee Assistance Program, but only because I'm up here

where there'z privacy laws. The s.o. got a referral after shopping online.

Outside of that, I got nothing.

[Ptah]

10. Thanks, kedrys

I'll ask at work.

:thumbsup:

[Midlodemocrat]

2. No, silly. One calls their dear friend Midlo for a recommendation.

Seriously. Call me in the AM. I'm in the office from about 8AM EST on.

I'll do an AMA search.

[Ptah]

3. Son's first appointment [ yesterday} since his release was a

fifteen minute video conference. :wtf:

I think I need to learn more about the agency that
he has been assigned to.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. yeah, call me.

You still have my number?

I'm downstairs right now because my son's tutor is here, but I'll be in the office right about 8AM or so tomorrow.

Call me. Seriously.

[Ptah]

5. Thanks, my friend.

I'll get more info and contact you tomorrow.

:thumbsup:

[Midlodemocrat]

7. PM me the information you have and I'll do a preliminary search on them.

And give PtahBoy a smooch for me. He's adorable.

[Ptah]

9. You've got mail

[sasquatch]

8. What do you know about my shrink?

:hi:

[ThomCat]

42. You're a wonderful person.

:hug:

I just have to tell you that. :loveya:

[FloridaJudy]

6. Ask a friend

Who's really crazy but seems to be getting better. That's how I found mine, and he's a gem. The guy my assistance program sent me to was a real nightmare.

[Ptah]

12. That's a good suggestion, FloridaJudy.

I think I remember a couple of people that have mentioned
they have had positive experiences.

:thumbsup:

[no name no slogan]

18. Seconded

Get a referral from someone you know, if possible. That's how I found mine.

Also you may want to cross post this to the DU mental health group-- they probably have some good advice, too.

[Bucky]

11. Personal referrals from trusted friends.

Everything else is a crap shoot.

[Ptah]

13. That's a very good idea.

Thanks, Bucky.

:hi:

[Juche]

14. I got lucky

When I was in college I just went to the health center and asked to see one and they set me up with a really good one. Some of the others there were not so good.

You might need to try 2 or 3 before you find one whose personality you click with.

It also depends on what you are looking for. Talk therapy, EMDR, CBT, sexual therapy, etc.

[Ptah]

15. OK, now I'm confused by the abbreviations and short hand.

Talk therapy, ?
EMDR, ?
CBT, ?
sexual therapy, ?
etc.?

[Juche]

21. Various forms of therapy for various problems

CBT = cognitive behavior therapy. Used for anxiety or dealing with depression
EMDR = Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Useful for dealing with painful memories and traumas
Sexual therapy = therapy to deal with sexual dysfunctions or aberrent sexual desires


http://www.psychnet-uk.com/psychotherapy/summary_of_therapy_types.htm

[Ptah]

22. From those I think CBT is appropriate.

How would I find this out.

"Hello, Dr. Professional, are you a CBT?"

[Juche]

23. No idea

I would assume if the place you are looking at going to has a website, they will list the therapy methods that the therapist intends to use. But if not, you'll just have to ask in person or on the phone what methods they use.

There is probably a website that lists different therapists in your area and what therapy they use, but I don't really know where to find it.

[Ptah]

24. I have many websites, many service providers, clinics and doctors.

None of them mention CBT.

[Juche]

25. Look into NWA then

NWA is a pretty good form of therapy. PCP is also nice.

[Ptah]

27. You keep up with the alphabet soup.

I wish I could believe you are being helpful.

[Juche]

28. I was up until that last post

I really don't know what to tell you. If you need you can call the therapist or email to set you up with someone who does CBT. I would look into group therapy as well as individualized therapy for your son if he is having behavioral problems. If his behavior is due to past traumas he can't deal with, then EMDR is a good idea. You also might want to talk to an orthomolecular nutritionist who deals with behavioral problems.


http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/37/19/26

They recruited 231 young-adult prisoners aged 18 and over for their study. Half the subjects were randomized to receive one vitamin-mineral supplement and four essential fatty acid supplements daily for an average of four or five months. The others were given placebos. Neither group knew what it was getting. The placebos looked like the supplements—opaque gelatin capsules—but contained vegetable oil instead.

The researchers tracked the number of disciplinary offenses that the subjects committed throughout the study period to determine whether the nutritional supplements had any effect on them. And the supplements indeed had an impact, Gesch and co-workers reported. The number of disciplinary offenses committed by the supplement group at the end of the study was reduced 35 percent compared with the number it had committed by the start of the study—a highly statistically significant difference. In contrast, the placebo-group’s number of disciplinary offenses was reduced only 7 percent during the study period, which was not a statistically significant difference. With regard to reduction in violent incidents from the start to the end of the study, the supplement group experienced a 37 percent decrease, which was highly statistically significant. In contrast, the placebo group experienced a 10 percent reduction, which was not statistically significant. When the number of disciplinary infractions of the supplement group at the end of the study was compared with that of the placebo group, there were 26 percent fewer in the former, a statistically significant difference



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10706231

The effect of vitamin-mineral supplementation on juvenile delinquency among American schoolchildren: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

INTERVENTION: Daily vitamin-mineral supplementation at 50% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance (RDA) for 4 months versus placebo. The supplement was designed to raise vitamin-mineral intake up to the levels currently recommended by the National Academy of Sciences for children aged 6 to 11 years.

OUTCOME MEASURE: Violent and nonviolent delinquency as measured by official school disciplinary records.

RESULTS: Of the 468 students randomly assigned to active or placebo tablets, the 80 who were disciplined at least once between September 1st and May 1st served as the research sample. During intervention, the 40 children who received active tablets were disciplined, on average, 1 time each, a 47% lower mean rate of antisocial behavior than the 1.875 times each for the 40 children who received placebos (95% confidence interval, 29% to 65%, < 5 .020). The children who took active tablets produced lower rates of antisocial behavior in 8 types of recorded infractions: threats/fighting, vandalism, being disrespectful, disorderly conduct, defiance, obscenities, refusal to work or serve, endangering others, and nonspecified offenses.



----------------

That is my suggestion. Personal therapy (talk, CBT, whatever), psychosocial rehab therapy, group therapy and nutritional therapy at the same time.

[Critters2]

31. Yes. Ask what form of therapy the therapist is trained in. If the answer

is something you've never heard of, ask for an explanation. I only make referrals to practitioners of CBT, or dialectical behavioral therapy for more serious issues. My own training is in client-centered therapy, but not enough training to be licensed. I don't know of any other client-centered therapists in town, so I send 'em to CBTs. If the CBT doesn't think it's the right choice, they can make another referral.

[Lance_Boyle]

39. careful with the abbreviations

as one of our traumatic stress disorder researchers recently discovered (in a comically brilliant manner), "CBT" also stands for "cock and ball torture."

Next APA meeting to be held in Dresden...

[woo me with science]

16. Call a teaching university in your area

(Department of Psychiatry) for referrals. They usually have a sense of who the competent people are versus the fly-by-nights.

[Ptah]

19. I think the university is a good idea.

Thanks.

[latebloomer]

17. are you looking for someone who can prescribe medications?

Because these days that's mainly what most psychiatrists do- see patients for 10 minutes and renew their prescriptions. They are medical doctors. A therapist is usually also needed- and that could be a psychologist or a licensed clinical social worker.

I agree with the idea of getting a referral through word of mouth. But, in any case, don't feel you need to stay with someone if you don't click with them. It's a very personal choice, and many factors come into it, including personality style and chemistry.

[Ptah]

20. Someone close to me was recently

released from prison. He is on a heavy schedule of medications.

His first meeting with a psychiatrist was only a video conference.

Clearly from his demeanor, it was not a helpful experience.

I'm worried for him.

[latebloomer]

33. Well, that sounds totally inadequate

He needs someone wise and caring who will sit and listen and talk to him for an hour. I don't know if he has insurance, but, if not, try to find a low-cost clinic where they have actual therapists.

[haele]

26. Kidlet found a good one at a GLBT youth club...

Well, a therapist, anyway. Go to where there's a lot of offbeat people who might have problems and ask around. A VA center is also a good place to ask around at, depending on what you think is going on. If you find someone who seems to have their shit together and they're seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, that's usually the one to go to.

Her psych (the meds prescriber) was recommended by my employer's "hotline service" - our benefits package includes an Employee Resource Hotline that recommends local doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, therapists, etc, based on feedback and who takes the employer's insurance. One of her schools recommended someone, but I got the feeling he might not have been that good, considering all the kids at that school that still showed major problems and had been recommended to him earlier, according to the kidlet.

Google anyone who is recommended - if you're in a relatively large area, there should be directory reviewers or recommendations - and you can see if the person you're looking at has ever made the evening news...

Haele

[Critters2]

29. Ask for a referral from your primary physician. nt

[Ptah]

30. That's a helpful suggestion.

Thanks, Critters2.

[Critters2]

32. If you're looking specifically for a psychiatrist, that is, an MD, seeing your

own doctor is the best place to start. Among other things, this will probably avoid insurance issues, will keep you "in network", etc. Your MD may not be as aware of choices for a psychologist, a PhD, but I'd still get a referral to a psychiatrist, and ask him/her for names of psychologists. Good luck!

[datasuspect]

34. they can't do shit for ya

except prescribe meds.

[TZ]

38. and save someone's life.

My uncle. He'd be dead without both his doctor and his meds. Fuck that bullshit about them being frauds.

[Juche]

41. Not true at all

A good therapist will help you learn the tools to cope with life's problems. Not only that but they will help create an environment safe and understanding enough that you can address pains, fears and traumas that people are not able to face or to cope with on their own so that those pains and fears do not end up being expressed in other forms like neuroticism, anxiety, insecurity, depression, insomnia, etc.

Starting to see a therapist my senior year in college was one of the best decisions I've made in my entire life. I told her my only regret was that I hadn't started sooner.

[qb]

35. Angie's List started rating health care providers a while ago.

There may be a few reviews in your area.
http://www.angieslist.com/Angieslist/

[Jamastiene]

36. Just make sure you don't buy one at Wal-Mart.

Those are the crappiest ones I've ever tried...and they smell funny too.

[Lance_Boyle]

37. If she charges more than $.05 per question, it's a ripoff.

[mnhtnbb]

40. Hubby (who is a psychiatrist) has colleagues in Arizona. If you want to PM me

I can put you in touch with him to see if he'll suggest someone for you, or put you in touch with
someone who knows the local professional community.