Psychopharmacology

What About Medication?

During the course of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, questions often arise about the use of psychotropic medication. Likewise, many patients with ongoing, primarily psychiatric, difficulties may find during the course of intensive psychotherapy that their symptoms change in ways that require a reevaluation of the pharmacologic dimension of their treatment. In such cases, standard psychopharmacologic evaluation can result in any number of medical misadventures, including over- and under-prescription of drugs, misapplication of anxiolytic, antidepressant, antipsychotic and other medications, and the "collusion of experts" in overlooking such important and meaningful matters as occult substance abuse or unrecognized transference and countertransference enactments. Over the past twenty years I have consulted and prescribed successfully for many patients such as these in a variety of institutional and private settings, as well as prescribing for my own patients and for those of othe ranalytic practitioners. In response to an increasing volume of requests, I have recently opened a segment of my private practice specifically for patients and therapists in need of this specialized psychopharmacologic consultation. Under the aegis of the "Analytic Pharmacology Consultation Service," I am available to see patients new to your practices, in need of initial psychopharmacologic evaluations, as well as established patients for whom questions concerning new or ongoing psychoactive medications have arisen. Where necessary, I will make recommendations to primary care physicians and other prescribers. Where indicated, I personally will take responsibility for prescribing, or will refer the patient to another appropriate source within a local network of qualified prescribers. Initial consultations will take place in my office at 89 Magazine Street, Cambridge. Sliding scales may apply in qualified cases, and insured patients may expect reimbursement according to the terms of their third-party contracts, but all fees will be billed directly to patients. For appointments, please have patients call 617-864-1707. You may address inquiries at this number, or by way of email at dm@mannpsych.com.