Does anybody live near Philadelphia - suburbs???

[[Ho...]]

I am trying to find a Benzo Wise Therapist to help me with coping tools for this w/d.  I just wondered if there is anybody on this site who may live near Philly and might have a good doctor recommendation.  Thank you!

Hoping2BFree

[[dr...]]

Hi Hoping:

 

If you have insurance, you can also try calling your insurance company and asking them for a therapist who deals with benzodiazepine withdrawals.  Another possibility is calling the local Psychology association in your area and asking the same.  I hope you find someone.

 

Draftsman 

[[No...]]

The latest issue of Philadelphia Magazine has it's annual "Top Doctors" list. It's been my experience that the doctors recommended  by this publication really are excellent. So that might be a place to start. You could always call one of the psychiatrist's office and ask for a recommendation.

 

Good luck finding someone you can work with, and with your withdrawal.

[[va...]]

Here is a doctor listed as benzo wise from another board. I don't know if it's updated or not but worth a try. It was the only one from that state. (Forgive me, I'm from Canada so I'm not clear on near or far areas in these states.)

 

Pennsylvania

 

Dr. Gregory Richards

462 Chestnut St. Meadville, PA 16335 - (814)336-6308

 

Other office: 115 W. Spring St., Titusville, PA 16354 - (814) 827-2790

 

 

[[Ho...]]

Thanks for the suggestions - Philly's Top Doc magazine is a great place to start....I always get that issue every year so thanks for reminding me.

I'll check out the other suggestions - the doctor in Meadville isn't really too close and he is an MD - and I just want to see a therapist who understands Benzos - I don't need an MD or tapering, etc.

    Thank you all - you are great!

Love Hoping2BFree

[[ve...]]

Hi Hoping.  If you can't specifically find a therapist who understands benzos per se, maybe look for an "addiction specialist".  Some may have more experience with benzos than others, but perhaps you can interview a few and find one who does have experience and understanding of benzodiazepene addiction and withdrawal.  Also, there are probably 12 step programs for addiction.  You might get a referral that way too.

 

V

[Guest [Si...]]

In my case. I have never found a Benzo-Wise doctor. There's suppose to be one somewhere in NY, but I have never met him.

I have had to personally talk to the doctor, and teaching him about benzo's. I'm like, "Huh! Where the hell was you when Benzo Class was going on"!

I finally found a doctor here in the suburbs on Syracuse, he is ok, but not the best .. I'm sure.  

These doctor's are ignorant when it comes to Benzo's. They know how to put one on them, but to get them off.. forget it.

I hope you 100% make that 1,000% best of luck when it comes to finding a Benzo Wise doctor. Especially here in the US.

 

S#

[[ma...]]

I have to agree with Sigma--I've never found a benzo-wise therapist or psychiatrist, and have had to "educate" the ones I have seen or am seeing. 

 

Also, a note about the so-called Top Docs.  Remember, these doctors are considered "Top" by conventional allopathic medicine standards, which doesn't include knowing anything about benzos.  I've gone to a couple of these doctors and actually found them worse than those not given the Top Doc award.  A lot of them are not the most open-minded.

 

Personally, I have found osteopathic doctors to be the most well-informed because their approach to medicine is more about the whole person not just symptoms.  I have an osteopathic GP and she knows a fair share about benzos.  I don't know how happy you are with your primary care doctor, but if you switched to an osteopath (I'm assuming you don't already have one), they might be able to suggest a therapist/psychiatrist.    I would do this myself but my current psychiatrist, who got me on benzos, is helping me taper and giving me Valium so I don't want to jeopardize that.  I also don't want the stress of switching if I don't have to.

 

There is the Osteopathic College of Medicine in Philadelphia.  You might want to call them and see if there's a doctor practicing near you.  I wish you luck.

 

Mal

[Guest [CM...]]

Ruth,

When I was looking for a therapist in NYC (which was hard to find), I called Dr Peter Breggin and asked him for a recommendation. If you don't know a lot about Breggin you can go to his website, you will find that he is an MD and Psychiatrist but is against all of the insane amount of drugging going on.

I was persistent as I know he and his wife Ginger are very busy, but they did give me a name of a therapist in NYC. Other good resources are Robert Whitaker and Will Hall. Also try Mind Freedom International.

All movements away from Psych drugs for the masses..... They most definitely have colleagues and counterparts in a big City like Philadelphia.

I wish you the best on your journey Ruth. Boy, is the tough. I get a good day or two and then I get whacked again by the sleep deprivation. Praying it ends for us all very soon.

Much love

Melo xoxo

[Guest [CM...]]

John A Snyder & Associates

Place page

524 Lombard St # B

Philadelphia, PA 19147-1409

(215) 925-2935

 

This therapist is listed on Breggin's Counsel, I googled him and found the address above. Hopefully that works for you.

 

John A. Snyder, B.S.,B.D.,StM.,EdD., Psychologist ~ Insight Oriented Psychotherapy and Supervision: Dr. Snyder is formerly an Instructor in Psychiatry at the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania – following a grant from NIMH to introduce relational therapy as taught in the Washington School of Psychiatry.  After years of training of psychiatrists in an understanding of depression as a manifestation of personal and relational dysfunction, he became marginalized in 1975 by the department’s choice to support pharmacological research and “treatment” as the answer to these complexities of human emotional distress.  Following the publication of Flying Lessons: the Psychology of Intimacy and Anxiety (2005), Dr. Snyder has come full circle, supervising psychiatrists who wish to learn about relational therapy and give up the unsatisfying monitoring of antidepressant medications which don’t seem to work as advertised.  Dr. Snyder comes to his understanding of the complexities of human relationships and emotional issues from a background in existential philosophy, liberal theology, and eclectic psychology -- Freudian, Jungian, and Sullivanian.  He has a work in progress: Overcoming Depression without Drugs: a Polka with an Introductory Funeral March - believing that the answer to depression is moving toward feelings, all feelings, especially the ones we dislike the most to feel.  As the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio says, “Feelings comprise the background music of our lives, feelings in the key of joy, feelings in the key of pain,” both equally essential for emotional health and well-being.  Snyder believes, as Breggin proves, brain-disabling treatments to suppress or silence feelings only succeed in making men, women and children less than human.

 

 

with love

melo x

[Guest [Si...]]

melo,

 

Thanks for providing this info. for Hoping.

 

When I lived in NYC. I never could find a Benzo-Wise doctor there either. You'd think in a city with a population of 9.2 Million people. A Benzo-Wise doctor would surely be available somewhere. I even went out to LI, and couldn't find one.

 

S#

[[Ho...]]

Thanks Christine - that is a big help and I will look him up.  I tried calling Dr. Breggin last fall and even wanted to go up to see him, but he never would call me back.  I talked to his wife once and she gave me the name of a therapist in NYC but he couldn't see me.....thanks again - hope you feel better - I am going to stay off the forums for a little while so I won't be talking to you or anyone so please take care and lots of luck and love to you Chris.

Love Hoping

[Guest [CM...]]

Sigma

I know a benzo and Psych Med-wise therapist in NYC, Sarton Weinraub, PhD.

There is also a benzowise MD in Glen Cove.

I was detoxed and already 4 months out when I found out about any of this. I was cold turkeyed and at 6 months am still paying heavily. housebound because of symptoms and lack of sleep 3-4 days a week. It was 7. when I sleep i push thru. Im waiting to turn that corner and have more good days than bad.

 

xoxo Melo

 

Michael Gurevich, MD

Holistic MD

997 Glen Cove Avenue

Glen Head, NY 11545

Tel: 516-674-9489

Fax: 516-759-5946

gurevichmd@gmail.com

[[Sk...]]

Hello,  I live in Yardley. I guess this response is a little late. I see you posted this comment in May 2011.  I was in bad shape at that time from Benzo w/d.  I couldn't find anybody in the Philly area to help me. I couldn't find any web results that would direct me to help either. Two years later, I'm back to normal. No thanks to any Doctors that I saw.  I don't check in with BB very often anymore. I would be interested in hearing from you as to whether you got any help or if you recovered.

[[ki...]]

Hey Skippy I live in Philly and would.like to hear of your story and how you coped.  I am still in the thick of it over here and terribly suffering.....please pm me....thanks glad you recovered....

[[Ho...]]

Hi Skippy and Kimmy - it was nice to hear from you guys....Skippy - I don't live too far from you and so glad to hear that you are all healed... I am still at it but much better.  Not totally healed yet but getting there.  I have not found any benzo-wise doctors at all.  I do see an osteopathic doc up in Allentown, PA but he is not too benzo-wise.  But he is very compassionate and very kind...and so I go to him for support.  Thanks for writing.

Hoping