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About Dr. Schroeder+ EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS
TREATMENT PHILOSOPHY While psychiatrists are often primarily associated with the use of medication for the treatment of mental disorders, Dr. Schroeder firmly believes that optimal mental health treatment almost never consists of medication alone. Our life struggles and internal reactions and conflicts are much more complex than something that can be addressed by simply taking a pill. Even in those situations where the use of medication is essential, optimal treatment includes a strong working alliance with an empathic and caring provider who takes the time to get to know you, understand you as the unique individual that you are, and help you discover things about yourself that you might not have realized previously. For this reason, an initial visit with Dr. Schroeder lasts for approximately 60 minutes, and all standard follow-up appointments are scheduled for a full 40 minutes. Dr. Schroeder believes there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach when it comes to addressing mental health and well-being, and thus she will work with you to develop a treatment plan that best fits your individual preferences and needs. While medication may be a necessary component in the successful treatment of the most severe conditions, in other situations medication may be less essential or even inappropriate. Regardless of whether or not you receive medication, the optimal approach to your mental health and well-being requires an integrated consideration of you as a whole being, which often includes a collaborative exploration of your inner life. For this reason psychiatrists are trained in psychotherapy, also known as "talk therapy." Dr. Schroeder takes a flexible approach to psychotherapeutic encounters, incorporating techniques from a variety of therapeutic orientations in order to provide the personalized treatment that best meets your individual needs. Dr. Schroeder's work with you may include techniques drawn from one or more of the following therapeutic traditions: Supportive Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Rogerian Psychotherapy (aka Humanistic, or Client-Centered Psychotherapy), Mindfulness, Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT), and holistic mind-body approaches such as those promoted by the Anthropedia Foundation. Some patients may prefer to see a separate psychotherapist, either for economic reasons, or because they already have an established psychotherapeutic relationship with a separate provider. Such patients may consider Dr. Schroeder's role in their care to be primarily one of "medication management." Again, Dr. Schroeder is committed to finding the approach that best works for you. Even if you do not consider her to be your primary psychotherapist, your 40-minute appointments will ensure adequate time to address your individualized needs, and you will find that your work together does take on its own therapeutic quality. If you would like, Dr. Schroeder is also happy to collaborate and coordinate care with your primary psychotherapist, primary care physician, or any other providers involved in your care. (See "About Psychiatry," below, for more of Dr. Schroeder's thoughts on the general role of psychiatrists in the provision of mental health care.) + PERSONAL About Psychiatry |