Our Treatment Approach Balanced Treatment Mood disorders affect the whole person, from their thoughts and emotions to their family relations and physical health. Today, full recovery is possible, and there are many effective treatments to choose from including medication, therapy, light-boxes, supplements and dietary and lifestyle approaches. Not all treatments are right for everyone, and not all aspects of mood disorders are negative. These conditions also bring strengths which are important to identify so they don’t get lost in the treatment. Our goal is to help people find the right balance between the benefits of full treatment and the risks of overtreatment. Careful Assessment There are many kinds of mood and anxiety disorders, and accurate diagnosis is essential to finding the right treatment. At our first meeting we will gather a lot of information about your life to get to the root cause of your symptoms. We will use standardized diagnostic tests to make sure we are on the right path. Shared Decision Making At each visit, you will play a key role in choosing the treatment that best fits your goals. When making recommendations, we consider both the long and short-term effects of treatment. To do this accurately, we have developed a computerized version of the LifeChart, a system developed at the National Institutes of Health to closely monitor individual responses to mood treatments. During treatment, we will teach you how to track your progress as well using an internet or paper version of the LifeChart. Family Involvement Mood and anxiety disorders impact the whole family, and healing from these effects is an important part of recovery. We offer therapy and educational programs for family members whose loved one is suffering from a mood disorder. Input from friends or family can also help in your treatment. Many important signs of mood are seen only by those close to you, and this information can be critical to making the right diagnosis. However, everyone differs in how comfortable they are with family input. We respect people’s need for privacy and will discuss with you what level of family involvement is best for your own situation.

This picture shows brain cells growing. Our brains change through time, and both medication and psychotherapy can promote strengthening and growth in the brain. We try to select treatments with the health of the brain in mind.