Home » What is Integrative Psychiatry

The integrated approach of medicine is supported by the European Parliament and the World Health Organization (EP, 1997; WHO, 2003) and is successfully being applied by no less than 39 medical academic centers in Northern America (www.imconsortium.org). The American Psychiatric Association (APA; www.apacam.org) has acknowledged the integrated psychiatry as well.

Integrative psychiatry (IP) follows, as well as conventional psychiatry, the principles of Evidence Based Medicine. The principles entail: (a) a search for the highest available scientific proof for every single treatment; (b) the course of treatment is determined by the patients principles, preferences, and their reference framework, as well by (c) the experience and expertise of the therapist (see: Sackett ea, 2000). However, in IP (a) does not only focus on Western medicine; complementary and alternative treatments are included as well. IP has three additional important elements:

• the reaffirming and optimization of the therapeutic relation as a key element of every treatment
• the focus is on health and well being
• all aspects of human existence are involved in the treatment. (including psychological, biological, sociological, ecological, and spiritual aspects)

For extensive information concerning Integrative Psychiatry we direct the reader to relevant and recent (study) books on the subject (Lake, 2006; Lake en Spiegel, 2006).

Besides the fact that Integrative Psychiatry is a worldwide acknowledged movement, and is being stimulated by the European Parliament and the WHO, there are additional reasons for taking these matters seriously. A growing number of people (people in general, but especially psychiatric patients) make use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); annually 30 to 70% of the population (Eisenberg, Davis & Ettner, 1998; Knaudt, Connor & Weisler, 1999; Bodeker & Kronenenberg, 2002; Hoenders et al., 2006). A patient oriented health care should at least consider implementing CAM in their health care programs. Because our society is getting more multicultural, traditional western medicine is not the obvious and only way of treatment anymore. For this reason alone a health care center should be more open to other methods of treatment and different perspectives.

There is a notable increase in scientific evidence supporting some CAM. Especially different kinds of herbs, supplements, sports, meditation, massage, relaxation, biofeedback and acupuncture have proven to have a positive effect on different types of psychological disorders (Muskin, 2000; Manber, Schnyer, Allen, Rush & Blasey, 2004; Cahn & Polich, 2006; Ernst, 2006; Hillifield, Sinclair-Lian, Warner & Hammerschlag, 2007). Frequently heard criticism concerning CAM's unproven scientific status or comparing the effects of CAM treatment to placebo, no longer stands ground.

The growing number of studies into the effectiveness of CAM show that not every complementary or alternative treatment is without risk. Again, this should be reason enough for health care centers to take action on this topic. CAM can have side effects and can interact with Western medicine (Ernst, 2003). Although patients have become more independent and seem to know exactly what there options are nowadays, the information often comes from family members, friends, internet or a newspaper that holds no scientific proof. This way of collecting information is often biased (Crone & Wise, 2000) and that is why it is so important for therapists working in the field of Western medicine to provide professional support and open communication about CAM and possible side effects.

Finally there is evidence suggesting that CAM can lead to cost reduction (Sarnat & Winterstein, 2004). After all, CAM is directed to the self healing potential of the patient, for instance by changing life style or eating and exercise habits. This is an important argument for integrating CAM and Western medicine (Boon, Verhoef & O’Hara, 2004).

Integrative medicine beliefs that there are more roads to ‘therapeutic and scientific Rome’ and therefore proposes an uniform approach in answering the multi layered questions that society asks our health care system. Moreover, an integrated approach respects the patients own convictions and his or hers own culture; beliefs often embedded in ancient old traditions. Because tradition does not guarantee efficacy and because traditions are not always interchangeable between cultures a critical point of view needs to be chosen. Additionally we need to realize that western medicine is also culturally determined and that it changes with time, western medicine can therefore not claim to hold universal truth.

The staff of Lentis are devoted to the Center for Integrative Psychiatry and belief that patient care, scientific research, informing and education are all equally important (more information at Center for IP - Lentis).