Board Members:

Lauren Davies,
  M.Ed., LMHC, president

Harvey Schwartz,
  D.C., vice president

Pam Roberts,
  LMP, secretary

Elaine Gold,
  B.S., treasurer

PHR Viewpoints . . .

We do not advocate diagnostic labeling for those with mental/emotional concerns; it is preferable to view each individual as having a unique response to life events and environmental stressors, for which there is often hope for complete recovery. We believe such concerns are the result of psychological and emotional wounding, not the result of neurochemical imbalances. We are concerned about the use and overuse of psychiatric medication in the field of mental health — we believe information on these drugs should be made available to individuals and families facing this decision, enabling them to make informed, conscious choices on this matter. We believe that the role of the physician and the clinician should be to provide consultation on issues such as medication; patients’ decisions to use medication or not to use medication should both be honored.

We are especially interested in helping children, adolescents, those who have experienced trauma, and those recovering from chemical dependency gain access to non-medication approaches to treatment.

The non-medication approach is often a more challenging process, but clients who choose this method are generally very satisfied with the outcome. Clinicians who have experience in this field emphasize responsible treatment and are committed to ensuring the health and safety of clients and their families.

We acknowledge with appreciation the work of Peter Breggin MD, of New York, Bertram Karon PhD, of Chicago, and Ty Colbert PhD and Kevin McCready PhD of California, (and scores of other clinicians, in the U.S. and abroad) who have successfully treated individuals and families without psychiatric drugs for the past several decades.

Please note: It is not our intention to give medical advice or make recommendations to anyone regarding medication. If you choose to withdraw from medication, please consult your physician or experienced clinician.

We believe psychotherapy clients are entitled to complete privacy and advocate decreased reliance on third party payors who request extensive, confidential information from providers.