Choose an integrative psychiatrist the way you would choose any psychiatrist: confirm the license and training first, and then look at how they use integrative approaches. A qualified clinician should be able to prescribe when needed, explain the evidence for what they suggest, including where it is weak, and work with your other clinicians.
Part of our guide: A Guide to Integrative Psychiatry
The word "integrative" tells you less than you might hope, so the practical work is checking credentials and asking a few pointed questions before booking. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or go to the nearest ER. Choosing a long-term clinician can wait.
What "integrative" should mean
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) describes integrative health as bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. It draws a line between "complementary" approaches, used together with conventional medicine, and "alternative" ones, used in its place. That distinction is a helpful first filter. A practice that treats medication and evidence-based therapy as part of the toolkit fits the definition. A practice that rules them out on principle does not.
If you want more on the concept itself, read What Integrative Psychiatry Actually Means. For a side-by-side look at the two styles of care, see Holistic Psychiatrist vs. Regular Psychiatrist. This article focuses on how to check a specific person.
Step 1: Be clear about what you need
Your needs shape who is a good match. Before you search, write down:
- Your main concerns, and any diagnoses or past treatments
- Whether you are open to medication, or already taking it
- Whether you need therapy too, in one place or with a separate therapist
- Other conditions, or life stages such as pregnancy, perimenopause or adolescence, that call for specific experience
- Whether you need in-person care, telehealth, or either, and what you can spend
Step 2: Verify the license and training
These checks take a few minutes, and they are the part you can confirm independently.
- Confirm what the title means. The American Psychiatric Association explains that a psychiatrist is a medical doctor (an M.D. or D.O.) who specializes in mental health, including substance use disorders, and completes a psychiatry residency. Other titles, such as psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychologist, involve different training and scope, so ask what each person can do.
- Check the license. In New York, the State Education Department's Office of the Professions offers online verification of licensees. If you use telehealth, the clinician needs to be licensed where you are located, so ask if you are not sure.
- Check board certification, if relevant. The APA describes this as a voluntary exam from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. The board's verifyCERT system shows who is certified and the status of their certificates.
- Look further if you want more detail. New York's Department of Health runs a health profiles site with quality and safety information on facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies, and it links to a separate doctor profile site.
Step 3: Look closely at integrative training claims
Extra training in nutrition, functional medicine or mind-body practices can be valuable, but the credentials are harder to compare. NCCIH says there is no standardized national system for credentialing complementary health practitioners, and that being licensed or certified is not always a guarantee of being qualified.
So ask specifics: where the training took place, how long it lasted, and how it changes what the clinician does with patients like you. A clear answer matters more than a long list of initials. If someone on the team does not diagnose or prescribe, such as a coach, it is fair to ask how their work connects with the clinician who does.
Step 4: Ask questions that reveal how they practice
| Question | Reassuring answer | Reason for caution |
|---|---|---|
| How do you decide whether medication is a good idea? | It depends on the diagnosis, severity, history and your preferences. | Medication is always, or never, the answer. |
| What is the evidence for this supplement or diet? | A plain account that includes what is uncertain or weak. | Vague references to "studies," or promises. |
| How do you check for interactions? | They review your full list of medications and supplements. | "It's natural, so it's fine." |
| Why this test? | They explain what the result would change. | A standard large panel for everyone. |
| Will you work with my other clinicians? | Yes, with your permission. | Reluctance, or asking you to keep things from them. |
| How will we know if this is working? | You agree on goals and a time to review them. | No plan to measure progress. |
| What would make you refer me elsewhere? | They can name limits, such as acute safety risks or conditions outside their scope. | They say they can treat anything. |
NCCIH's own guidance for choosing a practitioner points the same way. It suggests finding out about education, training, licensing and certifications, asking about experience with your specific conditions, and asking whether the practitioner is willing to work together with your conventional providers. It also says not to assume your insurance will cover the service.
On supplements and specialty labs, it is worth learning more before your call. Are Specialty Functional Lab Tests Worth It? and Supplements That Interact With Psychiatric Medication will help you ask better questions.
Step 5: Compare two or three practices
You do not need to find a perfect match. A short comparison is usually enough. For each practice, note:
- Fit: Do they treat your concerns and age group? Would you see a prescriber, a therapist, or both?
- Evidence: Did they explain limits as well as benefits?
- Communication: Did you feel listened to? Do you know how to reach someone between visits?
- Coordination: Will they share information with your other clinicians?
- Cost: Do you understand the fees, your insurance benefits, and likely extras? This cost guide can help you plan.
- Logistics: Are location, telehealth and scheduling workable for you?
The first few appointments are part of the evaluation too. NIMH notes that rapport and trust are essential in therapy, and the same common sense applies to a prescriber. If the fit is off after a fair try, you can raise it directly or look elsewhere.
Warning signs to take seriously
- Claims of cures, or a protocol said to work for everyone
- Advice to stop prescribed medication quickly or without a monitored plan
- Diagnosis based on a lab report or questionnaire alone, with no clinical interview
- Pressure to buy large packages, or products sold only through the practice, before an assessment
- Reluctance to give a license number or explain credentials
- Telling you not to share your plan with other clinicians
When integrative care may not be the first stop
An integrative psychiatrist is one option among several. If you have a clear diagnosis and need a straightforward start, or you need the lowest cost through your insurance, an in-network psychiatrist may suit you better. If you are in crisis, or your safety is at risk, urgent care comes first. When to Consider Integrative Psychiatry Instead of (or Alongside) Medication Alone can help you weigh this.
Learning more about Mind Body Seven
You can read about integrative psychiatry at Mind Body Seven and meet the clinicians on the team page, including founder Dr. Beata Lewis, MD. Bring the questions above. If you request a consultation, the intake team confirms fit, scheduling and costs.
FAQs
Is there a board certification in integrative psychiatry?
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology does not list integrative psychiatry among its subspecialty exams. Ask each clinician which certifications they hold and who issued them. You can verify general psychiatry and its subspecialties through that board, while other certificates need to be checked with the organization that grants them.
Can a nurse practitioner provide integrative psychiatric care?
Psychiatric nurse practitioners do provide mental health care, and scope rules vary by state. Ask about their training, whether they prescribe, and how they work with physicians and therapists. Their license can be checked the same way.
Should I choose someone who avoids medication?
If you would prefer to minimize medication, tell them, and look for someone who respects that and is still able to recognize when medication is needed. A clinician who rejects medication outright can leave some conditions undertreated.
Do I have to choose someone in Brooklyn?
Not necessarily. Telehealth can widen your options, as long as the clinician is licensed where you are located. Some assessments or preferences may still favor in-person care.
