Even if we do not work together, you may find these traits to be helpful to look for if you’re trying to find a psychiatrist to work with.

Being “Good” vs. Being An Expert

The use of “good” to describe my psychiatric treatment style is intentional. Though there is certainly an appeal of seeking out experts in medical fields who can diagnose and devise treatments other clinicians are unable to do, the truth is that uncertainty in medical treatment cannot be avoided. Especially in a specialty such as psychiatry, where there is relatively more uncertainty regarding psychiatric diagnosis, pathology, and treatment mechanisms, it may be not ideal to seek out an “expert” who may disregard any of these uncertainties. Additionally, as with many industries, there exist some bad actors who promise fantastic treatments with little proof and potentially dangerous outcomes who tend to market themselves as specialized experts.

With this concept in mind, I try to explicitly acknowledge the inherent uncertainty in psychiatric practice and discuss the existing evidence base around the interventions that I use with my patients.

Collaboration

A good psychiatrist will spend time collaborating with you as a patient to discuss your current symptoms, past history, and assess your interest in starting psychiatric treatment. They will understand that ambivalence and uncertainty are a part of psychiatric treatment and work collaboratively with you on treatment outcomes. They will also understand that collaboration with patients is also helpful in reducing some of the uncertainty in psychiatric treatment.

Flexibility

Psychiatric symptoms can get better or worsen with time. An individual may have been given a prior diagnosis that with time, may not match their current symptoms. Try to find a clinician who will understand that diagnoses can remit or relapse and that flexible adjustment of medications in treatment should reflect this.

The Importance of Good Enough

The notion of “good enough” is a concept initially described by pediatrician and therapist, Donald Winnicott. This concept is based on Dr. Winnicott’s observations that perfection in parenting is an impossible task and can also result in negative outcomes with child development as children tend to learn their thinking patterns and behaviors from their parents. An overemphasis on perfection can lead to traits related to perfectionism, inability to tolerate uncertainty, and poor distress tolerance.

Similarly, psychiatric treatment is inherently imperfect. For some individuals, modern psychiatry cannot offer complete remission of symptoms. Some medications can cause serious side effects that should be carefully considered before starting. I believe it is our role as psychiatrists to model this good-enough behavior when discussing psychiatric treatment.