Self Injury is the 8th Leading Cause of Death

Peter ForsterMajor Depression

Self injury (including suicide) is the 8th leading cause of death in this country. It is time to do something about it. An article just published online in the prestigious journal JAMA Psychiatry makes us drawn case that our fascination with trying to come up with clear answers to questions that may ultimately be impossible to answer (what a person’s …

When is my appointment?

Peter ForsterAbout GPS, General, GPS Update

A fair number of emails we get have to do with an urgent request to be reminded when someone’s appointment is to take place. Sometimes the email gets sent only a few minutes before the start of the appointment. Since we don’t interrupt sessions to answer emails, and often don’t have time to answer emails between sessions, this can be an exercise …

Communication

Peter ForsterAbout GPS, GPS Update

I love email. Really. It has allowed me to communicate much more effectively with my patients.  And the ability to have that kind of relationship with the people we see is very important to me. However, I have recently been feeling overwhelmed by email communication. I am also aware that email is not a secure way of discussing confidential information. Email considerations. If you are a …

Farewell by Liz Ren

Hershe GesmundoGPS Update

My suspicions about this wonderful clinic rang true in my experience: this is a team that is devoted to an individual’s recovery, in ways that are meticulous, creative and collaborative. The providers here at Gateway are spirited about their work and their field, which yields high quality treatment that is both compassionate and thoughtful. I’m so grateful to have been …

Collaboration with Your Clinician

Peter ForsterAbout GPS, Best Practices, Self Care, Treatments of Depression

There are a number of things about the clinical practice at Gateway that are a little bit different.  If you have seen another psychiatrist or psychotherapist it might be helpful to read this blog post to orient yourself to those differences and also to see if this is the right place for you to be receiving treatment. We strive to …

MIND Diet Prevents Cognitive Decline

Peter ForsterPhysical Conditions and Health, Self Care

Researchers at Rush University have developed a diet (the MIND diet) that appears to be associated with significantly reduced cognitive decline in aging. The diet was developed from three sources of information: the Mediterranean diet (as elsewhere on this blog), the DASH diet for the prevention of hypertension, and a review of the literature on the effects of specific dietary …

Collaboration with Health Professionals

Peter ForsterAbout GPS

After a number of traded phone messages and emails, a psychologist we have been trying to talk to about a mutual patient, sent an email: “Unfortunately, our schedules are a complete mis-match.” Earlier this week we finally managed to talk to a naturopathic physician about another mutual patient, after three weeks of traded phone messages with her secretary. Good communication with …