Page 78 - Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments in Psychiatry

78 | Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments in Psychiatry

discovered art therapy with Helen Landgarten, then guided
imagery and other more cutting-edge interactive techniques
such as Voice Dialogue with Hal Stone. Not only did these
methods work more quickly, but they clearly could affect the
body in many ways, from relieving more obvious symptoms to
boosting the immune system.
Then, during my family therapy fellowship, I discovered the
“systems approach,” where the “identified patient” was not
necessarily the true problem! It wasn’t just Johnny who was the
“bad kid” or Jenna who was the depressed adolescent. In fact,
there were secret family issues (Mom’s depression, Dad’s
gambling) that had unbalanced the whole family dynamic, and
the children’s problems were the family’s symptoms. Treatment
would be successful only so far as the underlying issues (i.e., the
parents’ problems) were uncovered and healed.
By the same token, I became aware that the symptoms my
patients reported were just messages that something in their
body systems was awry. They were clues that needed closer
evaluation in order to uncover the real cause. I paid more
attention to the mind-body connection and the doctor-patient
relationship.
I carried what I had learned into my new medical practice and
began to explore the influences of nutrition and lifestyle on
health. I observed how imbalance in the body can affect the
mind. The brain, after all, is an organ affected by its internal
physiological environment.
It became obvious to me that psychotherapy is more effective
once the brain is functioning properly. I went on to discover how
many typical psychiatric complaints—anxiety, depression,
premenstrual syndrome (PMS), even schizophrenia—are
frequently related to biochemical imbalances. These can range
from low blood sugar, viral and fungal infections, hormonal
imbalances, allergies, and toxic overload to deficiencies of
specific nutrients.
I am able to diagnose these conditions with the appropriate
laboratory tests that give a scientific basis for treatment