Q & A


Here is information in response to commonly asked questions. We are not permitted to give specific medical advice through this website. Most of the information you need and your doctor need to make medical decisions about adding complementary treatments to your health care plan can be found in our book, How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care, RP Brown, PL Gerbarg, and PR Muskin (WW Norton 2009). More information about the book, including the table of contents is available on our book page. You may order the book at: www.wwnorton.com.

Q: I heard you lecture at a recent conference. Where can I get your Breath~Body~Mind CD that teaches the practices you use.
A: In order to assure that people learn to do the practices correctly, the CDs are only distributed at our workshop. You may follow the link to our workshop schedule. If you live too far away to attend a workshop, you may register for our fall online workshop through Fellowship of the Spirit in Lilly Dale, NY (see information on our workshop schedule). After completing this workshop, you will be able to obtain a practice CD.

Q: Where can I get the breathing CD with the chime track you used in a recent lecture?
A. You can get the Respire-1 CD at www.Coherence.com.

Q. When is your next workshop?
A. Check our Upcoming Lectures and Courses page for information about dates and locations of all workshops. Also, you may sign up for our free newsletter on the homepage for information on lectures, workshops, research and news.

Q. Can you recommend a good brand of SAM-e, Rhodiola, or another herb? is the brand I am using of good quality?
A. For information on quality supplement brands and where to obtain them, look in the appendix of our book, "How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care." Other sources of information are consumerlabs.com and supplemetnwatch.com.
We cannot make specific recommendations through this web site. We do not have information on all supplement brands.

Q. Can you refer me to a Integrative Doctor in my area who practices the kind of treatments you write and teach about?
A. Because Integrative Psychiatry is a new field, psychiatrists are just starting to learn how to practice it. We do not have a list of practitioners around the country who are trained in these methods. We know of a few in the New York City area. However, you could discuss your interest in an integrative approach with your physician and show your doctor the sections of our book that are relevant to your issues. Your doctor could then read about it, get further information by reading the scientific references listed in the book, attend our lectures (for example, the American Psychiatric Association annual meetings), or contact us for a consultation. We hope to develop a list of integrative practitioners, but that is likely to take several years.

Q. Where can I get the CD with a chime track for breath practice?
A. www.coherence.com sells the Respire-1 CD

Q. I would like to attend one of Dr. Brown’s workshops. When will the next workshop be scheduled in my area?
A. For a list of upcoming workshop return to the Haveahealthymind.com homepage. On the left side of the page, click on the link to Lectures and Workshops for a complete list. Also, on the homepage in the left column, sign up for the free newsletter so that you will receive information about workshops and lectures.

Q. I want to try Rhodiola rosea. What brand do you recommend? What dose should I take? Can I take Rhodiola rosea with my current medication?
A. You will find the information you need in our book, “How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care.” In the appendix of our book there is a list of quality brands we recommend. If you have a medical condition, discuss the use of Rhodiola rosea with your physician. If your physician is not familiar with this herb, loan him/her your copy of our book to read about it.

Q. I suffer from depression. My antidepressants aren’t working well. Would SAM-e help improve my depression? Can I take SAM-e with my antidepressant?
A. You will find information about SAM-e and how to use it in combination with other antidepressants in our book, “How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care.” Take a copy of the book to your doctor’s office so that the two of you can discuss whether it would be appropriate for you to do a trial of SAM-e.

Q. I have read your book and discussed it with my doctor. We would like to arrange a consultation with you. How can we schedule a consultation appointment?
A. For consultations with Dr. Richard Brown call: 212-737-0821.
For consultations with Dr. Patricia Gerbarg call: 845-331-8881.