How long will treatment take? (The most common question I get asked)

Each patient is a uniquely complex individual with many compounding variables therefore predicting how long it will take to make effective change is impossible without a good deal of evaluation. However, research from the field of Interpersonal Neurobiology and the work of Daniel Siegel, M.D. at UCLA, suggests a stem (omnipotent) cell divides to become a daughter cell which divides and differentiates into the neuron. The planting of this neuron to the areas of the brain and body engaged in the new learning and the subsequent establishment of the dendritic root system is a 4-month long process. I tell my patients to give me 4 months of weekly therapy while they do their best with daily homework practices and expect significant changes will occur in your condition. This is the foundation of how a large number of my patients who have been able to go on from treatment without reliance on psychotropic medication while replying on lifestyle medicine principles.

Behaviorally mediated processes of directing of neurons to specific parts of the brain is the theory and there is research evidence this occurs in the nucleus accumbens so I believe it can occur almost anywhere new learning is possible.

What will be asked of me, the patient?

A set of written goals (I will provide you with a template and you are welcome to listen to my CDs on goal setting) which will be revised as treatment proceeds. In all of my years of doing this work, I have found the benefits of treatment to occur much more rapidly and consistently when this is done. We will call it programming of the subconscious mind and I guarantee it will save you money on therapy in the long run.

A DAILY (as best as you are able) effort to work at incorporating lifestyle medicine practices (see Lifestyle Medicine section of this website) into your life. This will require a delicate balance of building up slowly so as not to overwhelm one in this excessively busy culture in which we live. You will be held accountable to the goals you are pursuing via the DAILY TEXTCHECKI-IN in (see Treatment section of this website) as best as you are able. Following an accountability structure helps the "Field Researcher" in developing his/her awareness of what needs to shift to the next level of development. This usually takes the form of daily text message check-ins in the initial phase of treatment often lasting 4 months. It is also, very important to celebrate your positive steps taken, feel the success generated feelings IN THE BODY as well as bringing awareness to the obstacles which often arise when one starts on the path of self-healing.

A DAILY (again, as best as you are able) practice of mind and emotion management USING Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tools learned in the Mind Over Mood workbook (See References section (DANIEL-we need or do we have this book somewhere on the sight?). This practice is ultimately a practice of energy management and eventually leads to mind/emotion/energy mastery. Why you ask? Because E-motions are basically Energy in Motion and when suppressed, prepressed, denied and avoided tend to gunk up the body's energy system

Do you take my insurance?

I do not take any insurances/I am not on any insurance panels. I am a fee for service private practice doctor. I (my bookkeeper does) do offer patients superbills/invoices they can submit to their insurance provider for reimbursement. I am what is considered an "Out of Network" provider so if you have a PPO (Not an HMO-they will NOT reimburse for my services) you should get money back from them using my invoice once your deductible is met. My reason for doing this is billing insurance requires the complication office and billing staff. I have chosen from the beginning to put my attention to honing my craft and focus intensively on a manageable amount of patients instead of managing the challenges of staffing and running a big office.

Please note, if you want to submit to your PPO insurance to get reimbursement for my services a DIAGNOSIS will be required. For me, the process of coming to a diagnosis is no small matter as diagnoses tend to stick, become part of the insurance system, i.e. become a pre-existing condition that may travel with you if you change insurances. As noted earlier the coming to a diagnosis may take many sessions and is rarely clear in the first hour (the initial evaluation).

Would you do only medication management or psychopharmacology with me?

There are many psychiatrists in the area that do medication management as the only thing they do all day long. They, therefore have a obvious higher level of skill and experience than I do dealing with the complexities of psychopharmacology. It is best in my experience, if you are seeking only to be medicated, to go to one of them as we would not be a good fit to work together. I am happy to do basic psychopharmacology as it is part of being a medical doctor and psychiatrist however this kind of work alone, in my experience rarely works long term and so does not interest me. I really am dedicated to working with individuals who are ready to commit to and intent on doing the challenging work of personal growth. To support patients in becoming free of psychiatric medications is where my gift lies and is the best use of my talents. That said, I will rarely, for a patient I know and fell comfortable with I am, do meds only treatment but when I see you the sessions will be usually 45-55 minutes long. If I really know you well, the least I will do is 30 minute medication appointments. What I enjoy is doing is described earlier on this website in detail and it is what I do with 99% of the patients I work with.

Will I do medication management for another therapist?

It depends how well I know the other practitioner. Since medication management/psychopharmacology isn't primarily how I function like most psychiatrist do and do therapy with most if not all the cases I work with I generally only do medication management for a therapist that I know their work well. If I have known you for a long time as a colleague I will consider doing this. Also, It is not uncommon that I will be doing the CBT or medications/supplements/holistic/functional medicine diagnosis and treatment on a case while the you/the referring therapist is focusing on other areas they specialize in like trauma treatment (EMDR, Somatic Experiencing etc.), attachment issues or other areas that I do not currently specialize in.

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Text Dr. Gary today at 949-466-6866 to book your first appointment