The New Psychiatry

How my profession has come unhinged—and how to fix it.

by Daniel Carlat, M.D.

Mind Over Meds

One day several years ago, I was reaching the end of my first visit with a patient, J.J., who had come to see me for anxiety and insomnia. He was a salesman for a struggling telecommunications company, and he was having trouble managing the strain on his finances and his family. Read More

Psychologists and Prescription Privileges: A Conversation (Part One)

The always controversial topic of whether psychologists should be allowed to prescribe medications is back on the public stage with a vengeance. Oregon just overwhelmingly passed legislation authorizing psychologists' prescription privileges after a 3 ½ year course of extra training after their PhD. Recently, I had a conversation with one of my patients about this issue. Here is Part One. Read More

What Is the New Psychiatry?

I am a practicing psychiatrist and I am proud and committed to my profession. But I think it's time that my colleagues and I smarten up and realize that the field of psychiatry is changing, and that we need to change with it. We have entered an era of the New Psychiatry. Read More