Your Mental Health Providers Should Actually Talk

Mental health care is typically fragmented. You might have a therapist who knows your life story, a doctor managing your medication, and no one who puts pieces of the puzzle together. You’re generally expected to navigate your own healthcare.

At Mind, Medicine & Meaning (MMM), we believe providers are responsible for collaboratively guiding patient care.

At MMM, our therapist and physician collaborate, when appropriate, so we can look at the full picture together. Symptoms, medication, trauma, relationships, stress, physical health, daily functioning, and what you actually want your life to look like all matter. We comprehensively assess patients through a medical and therapeutic lens.

There is research to support that there are better outcomes for healing when collaborative care occurs consistently in mental health. In the IMPACT Trial, 45% of patients receiving collaborative care had at least a 50% reduction in depressive symptoms, compared with 19% receiving usual care. That’s a pretty significant difference.

You should not have to piece your own care together. If you’d like more information about MMM, give us a call today! If you want to remain with your therapist and psychiatrist, try having a gentle conversation regarding consenting for them to collaborate.

Your care should feel connected, not scattered.

Source: Unützer J, Katon W, Callahan CM, et al. JAMA. 2002;288(22):2836–2845.