AboutPatricia A. Schafer, Ph.D. Expertise I received my Ph.D. from Kent State,in Ohio in Counseling.I specialize in various forms of depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and forms of addictions such as substance abuse,eating disorders and gambling. My licenses are: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor -Supervisor(LPCC-S) and Licensed Professional Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC) My experience includes counseling substance abusers, families of alcoholics/drug addictions, and codependency issues. I also specialize in social phobia; stress; anxieties; women`s issues; grief and adjustments to life changes. Some therapeutic techniques used are: CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behaviorial Therapy)REBT (Rational Emotive), SFT (Solution Focused) and 12-Step, etc. If you live in the Cleveland area, you can contact me at my office for an appointment at: 440-349-4521. I accept insurance and EAP programs.
Experience Twelve years experience as a professional clinical counselor; 30 years member of Al-Anon.
Organizations ACA, OCA, OMHCA, NBCC
Publications Experiences of prejudice among individuals in African American and Caucasian Interracial Marriages: A Q-methodological Study (Doctoral Dissertation - December 2008;
Wilsnack and Beckman's book: Alcohol Problems in Women (1984). Alcohol use and marital violence: Female and Male Differences in reactions to alcohol(pages 260-279.
Education/Credentials Ph.D. in Counseling - Kent State
MS in Counseling - John Carroll University
BS in Psychology - University of Pittsburgh
Awards and Honors Previous president of NCOCA (North Central Ohio Counseling Association); previous president of Chi Sigma Iota. Two years VISTA volunteer on Navajo reservation in Inscription House and Shonto.
Question I have been taking 10mg of Cipramil for about 12 months for treatment of panic attacks and depression. I was fine up until a few weeks agowhen my appetite decreased and I started feeling nauseous and anxious. Last week I increased my dosage to 15mg after consulting the stand-in local GP. My own GP is away until next week. However the increased dosage has only slightly mad me better.
What advice can you give me?
Answer Hi Niall:
I would stick with what you have until your regular GP returns. However, if you are feeling desparate, then I would contact the same GP that increased the dosage for you. You could also call a pharmacist to ask what side affects would be if you increase it further. Also, check up on the drug on Medline's drug info or another site.
My professional and personal experience is that psychiatrists know their medications better than GP or family physicians because they have more education in that area. One psychiatrist that may help you right now is Dr. Ivan Goldberg. You can contact him through his web site at: http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html Just scrolll through his web site, somewhere along there is a place where you can contact him and he is pretty quick in responding to his e mails.
He is a New York psychiatrist that can give you better advice than I can.
