Qualified psychiatrists who use a holistic approach while treating their patients, by combining both mainstream as well as unconventional healthcare techniques, are known as Integrative Psychiatrists. These healthcare professionals focus on following a personalized healthcare approach while treating psychiatric disorders, with emphasizing primarily on healing the patients through integrative medicine. Integrative Psychiatrists evaluate a patient by assessing all aspects of his/her life including physical, emotional, interpersonal, environmental, nutritional, and spiritual dimensions as well.

Forms of Treatment

An Integrative Psychiatrist uses different forms of treatment to alleviate the patient’s distress. The treatments include all types of conventional as well as non-mainstream healthcare techniques. Some of the treatment techniques integrated together by Integrative Psychiatrists with conventional medicine are described below:

• Nutritional Changes: The dietary intake and routine is assessed carefully by an Integrative Psychiatrist and the patients are provided a proper nutritional plan with an exercise routine.
• Eye-Movement Exercises: Eye Exercises such as EMDR can also help the patients suffering from psychological disorders.
• Other Exercises: Some other exercises that are focused on relaxing the mind are also prescribed by Integrative Psychiatrists. Meditation is a good example in this regard.
• Guided Imagery Techniques: This technique involves the stimulating the mind of the patient by letting it follow a specific image. This encourages the healing process.
• Massage Therapy: Treatments and therapies that are focused on relaxing the body are also a great way of stress alleviation. This technique is widely prescribed by Integrative Psychiatrists and has shown positive results.

Who can benefit from Integrative Psychiatrists?:

As every treatment is not for everyone, traditional psychiatric treatments and techniques may not work for everyone. Therefore, for such people who are not suffering from intense disorders such as anxiety, depression, phobias etc., can definitely benefit from Integrative Psychiatrists as they are experts in their fields and experiencing the desired results through easy treatment can give you an improved sense of self being as well.

Principles of Integrative Psychiatry

Integrative Psychiatry has now become a distinct field and there are numerous Integrative Psychiatrists all over the world. Some of the main principles of Integrative Psychiatry are given below:

• Focusing on improving overall mental health, not just treating a particular disease.
• Healing the patients by forming a healing relationship between the patient and the practitioner. As Integrative Psychiatry focuses on healing power of relationships between individuals, it uses this power to benefit the patient and improve his/her overall mental health.
• Integrative Psychiatry is a holistic approach. Therefore, it targets the whole body and lifestyle of the patient instead of just pointing out and curing a disease.
• Such treatment protocols are adopted that prevent other diseases from developing. The golden rule of ‘Prevention is better than Cure’ is applied and the patients are treated accordingly.