Integrative Psychiatry Services
What is Integrative Medicine?
Alternative medicine, complementary medicine, functional medicine, integrative medicine, so many names for the same thing.
My interest in integrative psychiatry came from my own experiences with healthcare and my own personal struggle with my physical and mental conditions.(See my story) After years of suffering, I only began to heal after I found a world of healing techniques that existed outside of the western medical system. I then launched into finding research on whether these same techniques could be used to help my psychiatric patients.

Why Work with Me?
I am a board certified psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience.
I am an energy healer – reiki master and shaman.
I am a quantum healer (helping you to heal across time and space)
I am a spiritual healer (I can work with the spirit world) – shaman.
I have soul searched and worked hard to integrate all of the above approaches along with an understanding of basic principles and treatments from Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy, Sound Healing and many others.
I have a sacred commitment to helping humanity not my pocketbook.
I have been there and done that – I can deeply empathize with the journey because of this and I have also personally used most of the therapies I recommend to people.

So many people suffer from mental health conditions.
And so many of them have very little improvement even when going through active treatment. For those who have some improvement, the medication may stop working or they are left with symptoms that still negatively impact their lives. It becomes a chronic condition. And that is what my severe pain condition and my complex PTSD are, chronic conditions. It turns out western medicine isn’t very good at treating chronic conditions. And what do we do about that? Well, the cold reality for many is our doctor saying we need to try a lot more of the same things that have previously not made us better. Or, even worse, “there is nothing more we can do for you.” Given what I now know, with all the healing practices in the world, no doctor should ever utter those words. There is always something more we can try, and something else and something else. The list is never ending.
Integrative psychiatry is taking western medicine and using it along with other forms of healing to help people find the highest level of health possible for them. This can benefit people in many ways.
The truth is there aren’t enough different forms of treatment in psychiatry. Often once you have gone through the first several medications and psychotherapy, chances are very slim that that person is ever going to fully recover. So, instead of reaching for more and more medications we know are unlikely to be beneficial we have a world of other healing options available. And we can use them instead of the medications or in addition to.
We can reduce the amount of medications people need which can result in fewer side effects. While combining other forms of healing, people can get more symptom relief with less medication.
The power goes back in the hands of the person who really matters, you. In traditional western medicine you go to the doctor and tell them your symptoms and ask them what to do. They give you medication, do a procedure or tell you to see your therapist and you go home. What do you do in between appointments? How do you manage your symptoms? Yes, your therapist can help you with that but what if your therapist is out of the office? What if it’s the middle of the night? Many integrative techniques are self directed. This means you know when to use them, how to use them and they are always available to you.
Integrative psychiatry is based on functional medicine. This means a treatment doesn’t have to have scientific studies behind it to be used. This greatly benefits the patient. How? Because scientific studies are extremely limited. Someone has to pay for them and someone has to have a financial incentive to do them or they simply don’t exist. Do we ignore scientific studies? No. I research every treatment I recommend. I preferentially use the ones with scientific research supporting them. But I also give a lot of weight to 1000’s of years of people seeing benefit from something in cultures across the world. That is useful evidence too.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is Integrative Psychiatry?
We use the best modern western psychiatry along with other forms of healing to bring you the highest outcome possible for you. The important part is that you feel better and you function better.
How is integrative psychiatry different from other psychiatry?
In psychiatry, we were taught to prescribe medication and to recommend therapy. But, there are so many other options out there to improve your mental health. As an integrative psychiatrist, I know how to compare all of these options, pick the ones with the best chance for bringing you improvement and I know how to help you to integrate all of them safely.
How can I find a reputable integrative psychiatrist?
First, if you take medication or are interested in taking medication, then you need to make sure they have an MD, DO or NP after their name. It is best if the practitioner has many years of experience or has completed a fellowship at an integrative psychiatry program like University of Arizona or the Osher Center for Integrative Health.
Secondly, if they are trying to sell you something, beware. I do not make money from running tests or from any of the treatments I recommend to people. My recommendations are based on scientific research, my own personal use of these methods or from my over 20 years of experience in treating mental health conditions.
What to expect during a visit?
Your initial visit may be a lot like a typical psychiatry appointment. We still need to gain all of the same history and information. The treatment plan portion should be different, however. When discussing options for improving how you are feeling, there should be several options offered. Often, I talk broadly about many possible modalities and gauge a patient’s openness or interest in each. Based on that, we will talk more specifically about what they want to try. I like to be specific with people. When are you going to do that? What day of the week? What time of day? For how long? That way it is easier for you to follow through with it.
Does insurance cover integrative psychiatry?
It depends on the practitioner but it can be covered. I accept insurance for my integrative psychiatry appointments but not for my integrative psychiatry and beyond appointments.
Is it safe to use integrative psychiatry along with my medications?
Yes, this is why it is important to pick a provider who has the experience and education to practice integrative psychiatry. I can safely integrate holistic practices with medications for psychiatric and medical problems, even chemotherapy.
Can I use integrative psychiatry along with my regular primary care doctor?
Yes. Most of my patients also see a western medicine primary care physician. These can safely be used together.
Can integrative psychiatry help with every condition?
Yes. The recommendations will change based on the person, their history and their symptoms. But, it can be used to provide benefits for any condition.
Can integrative psychiatry be safely used in pregnancy?
Yes. The pregnancy may change which treatments we choose but we can safely use many holistic treatments in pregnancy.
Healing Starts Here
Traumas can steal our power but I can show you how to heal and bring
this power back to you.