Paradigm shift: stages of physicians' entry into integrative practice

Integrative medicine and psychiatry are more than areas of interest; they represent a clear philosophic paradigm with a wide range of beliefs that separate it from conventional care. A child psychiatrist will typically pass through a developmental trajectory as he or she begins to embrace this approach to patient care, which can be broken down into common stages that represent the incorporation and expression of a new philosophy. This article outlines those common stages of development, and also walks through the process of opening an integrative mental health clinic.