Connecticut Anxiety and Depression Treatment Center

The CADTC Method

Treatment of mental health problems has advanced dramatically over the past quarter century. No one treatment is “the best” for everyone. The brain is the most complex organ in the body and problems can occur in an infinite number of ways. In addition, individuals learn to adapt to these problems with very different coping skills that may mask or confuse the underlying clinical picture. Assessment and treatment must reflect this complex array of possibilities. This includes evaluation and treatment of any biologic, medical or neurochemical problems as well as psychotherapy to address teaching new, more appropriate coping skills as the underlying condition remits.

CADTC takes a multidisciplinary approach, utilizing the expertise of psychiatric physicians, advanced practice nurses and highly experienced clinicians in psychiatric social work and psychology. They practice in a collaborative team approach, sharing expertise, clinical insights and treatment goals. Practicing in the same location, sharing a common medical record and awareness of each specialty's expertise, clinicians can adjust treatment goals to the needs of individual patients rapidly.

Advances in pharmacology have out paced diagnosis, leading to the need to make a more comprehensive assessment of a patient’s profile of symptoms, family history and response to prior treatment to identify the best medications. Specificity of newer medications, while causing fewer side effects, often leaves incomplete remission of symptoms. Thoughtfully chosen combinations of medications at low dosages may lead to more complete remission of symptoms while having a lower burden of side effects than a high dose of a single medication. Medications are chosen to target specific chemicals in the brain in the right ratio to give a personalized profile for each patient. Much like an artist mixing pigments to achieve just the right shade of purple, the psychopharmacologist mixes medications to achieve the right balance of neurochemical effect.

Psychotherapy is similarly personalized to the patient's needs. Early stages may be focused on support to improve coping with intense symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral methods of relaxation, goal setting and thought reframing are aimed at further symptom reduction. As symptoms lessen, more exploratory therapy may address changes in interpersonal relationships, impact of past traumas and life transition issues. Family and marital counseling may occur at any phase to lessen the negative impact of the condition on the family and help foster a supportive and collaborative home environment.