SHARON PACKER MD Psychiatrist offers comprehensive, results-oriented, affordable treatment via TELEPSYCHIATRY if your are located in NEW YORK STATE or FLORIDA. 

TELEPSYCHIATRY APPTS are available!!! We take MOST INSURANCE for psychiatric-medicine appts, psychopharm appts, and short CBT appts (w/ homework). Jungian-style dream analysis & arts-based therapies & horticulture therapy are also available.  

Our PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS are known for their thoroughness, breathe of scope and attention to detail. We review current and past problems, discuss prior treatments and treaters that helped or hindered, focusing on psychological symptoms plus medical conditions or medications that mimic or cause psychiatric symptoms. A thorough family history illuminates genetic influences as well as influences from familial (or cultural) child-rearing techniques or personal values. We consider family structure, national origin, social, cultural, religious and spiritual factors before attributing distressing symptoms to psychiatric or medical conditions. We view race as a blend of culture as well as biology and have extra interest in adoption issues. We review lifestyles (diet, exercise, sleep, sexual practices and preferences) that affect mood and mentation and medication choices. Because we use natural approaches when possible, we ask about alternative meds, herbals, and nutriceuticals, as well as alcohol, caffeine, recreational drugs or performance-supplements--before prescribing meds that might interact. 

DR. PACKER PSYCHIATRIST PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIST offers psychiatric care for depression, anxiety, social anxiety, panic, mood swings, bipolar disorder; bulimia, anorexia, binge eating disorder food addiction; alcohol, opiate, marijuana use disorders: porn/sex addiction; sexual dysfunction & gender identity/transition issues; post-partum depression/PMS/pregnancy issues.  BUPRENORPHINE/SUBOXONE TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE WHEN APPROPRIATE and is usually covered by insurance. 

ATTENTION ARTISTS: Since most visual artists communicate best through their chosen medium, Dr. Packer encourages artists to show reproductions of their creations to supplement standard verbal or written information in psychiatric interviews.

ABOUT WRITER'S BLOCK: Depression or compulsive traits (or other readily treatable issues) can contribute to WRITER'S BLOCK. Untreated depression makes one overly-critical of one's work and extra-sensitive to unkind comments. Depression impairs concentration, increases procrastination, leaves one indecisive, saps confidence, and contributes to compulsive traits that lead to repeated changes. Untreated depression can promote self-medication with drink or drugs. Relief for creative block is here!

DRINKING OR DRUG PROBLEMS? Genetics contribute to such comulsions. Luckily, several safe effective meds can curb the urge. We've come a long way since Antabuse! While we support AA, we also support moderation management, Sinclair Method, or abstinence. Those with family histories of alcohol overuse often do best. Are you an ACOA (Adult Child of Alcoholics)? Pl ask!

BREAKTHROUGHS in BINGE EATING/BULIMIA BREAKTHROUGHS and FOOD ADDICTION, which afflicts some people, as proven by scientific imaging studies. Meds that ease ALCOHOL, DRUG, GAMBLING cravings can also relieve bingeing. Treatments for depression, mood disorders, or OCD (which can accompany EATING DISORDERS) are available. We offer SHORT TARGETED CBT TREATMENT that was experimentally proven to be more effective for EATING DISORDERS than traditional time-consuming, expensive analytic treatment (as per American Psychiatric Association). CBT includes short, easy homework assignments, 

ABOUT DR. PACKER 
Dr. Packer is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology. She is a DISTINGUISHED FELLLOW OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION and is an Asst. Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. SINAI, where she supervises psychotherapy for psychiatrists-in-training and mentors their research. DR. PACKER was appointed to American Psychiatric Association's Council on Addiction and to the Executive Ctte. of the Religion & Spirituality Caucus. She has a special interest in creativity and culture. Her many books and articles weave science, psychiatry, medicine, ancient myth, popular culture and visual arts. For ten years, she taught innovative college and graduate courses in Media Studies and Psychology, including "Different Approaches to Dreams," "Meanings of Madness," "Insanity, Psychiatry & Society," "Dreams, Drugs & Ideas," "Dream & Film," and "Movies & Madness." Some courses became books or workshops for patients.

A native of Chicago, Dr. Packer earned her M.D. from University of Illinois College of Medicine (Chicago) and completed psychiatry training at St. Vincent's Hospital in NYC's Greenwich Village. After 9/11, when temporarily displaced from Downtown Manhattan, she opened a satellite office in Woodstock, NY. Her personal and educational experiences in NYC, the Midwest, small upstate towns (plus world travels) enriches her appreciation of her pts' varied backgrounds and life experiences.

AFFORDABLE TREATMENT SHARON PACKER, MD PSYCHIATRIST PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIST dedicates her practice to people who work for a living (or worked their way up) or study for careers or pursue creative careers. So we accept most insurance plans for evaluations, short psychopharmacology (med management), & brief CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).  Extra services are available outside of insurance. FAMILY SESSIONS are available as needed (and as permitted by the patient).

SHARON PACKER, MD PSYCHIATRY PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY does not accept pharma funds and prescribes affordable (yet effective) meds, using generics if possible. When branded meds do the job best, Dr. Packer gets coupons or samples.

INSURANCES ACCEPTED for Initial Evaluations, Short Psychopharmacology Appointments, Short CBT Appointments:

Aetna, Blue Cross, Cigna, Magellan, Oxford, United (some out-of-state insurances "piggyback" with NYS plans---pl ask!) 

SHARON PACKER, MD         PSYCHIATRIST     PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGIST  TELEPSYCHIATRY

info@drsharonpacker.com   DRPACKER@HOTMAIL.COM  917-855-8475