Photo of Brad Pechter, Psychiatrist in 60077, IL
Brad Pechter
Psychiatrist, MD
Verified Verified
Skokie, IL 60077
Bradley Pechter, MD is a psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience. He has attended school at Stanford University, Northwestern Medical School, and the Universities of Illinois and Colorado. He has been board-certified in adult, child & adolescent and addiction psychiatry over the course of his career. Dr. Pechter has also been on the faculty at Northwestern, Rush and the University of Illinois. He has been in private practice for the past 10 years and has a special interest in Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry.
Bradley Pechter, MD is a psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience. He has attended school at Stanford University, Northwestern Medical School, and the Universities of Illinois and Colorado. He has been board-certified in adult, child & adolescent and addiction psychiatry over the course of his career. Dr. Pechter has also been on the faculty at Northwestern, Rush and the University of Illinois. He has been in private practice for the past 10 years and has a special interest in Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry.
(312) 625-5179 x1302 View (312) 625-5179 x1302
Photo of Christopher Lynn, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in 60077, IL
Christopher Lynn
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, PhD, NP, PMHNP, FNP
Verified Verified
Skokie, IL 60077
I look forward to the prospect of working with you. I provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, psychiatric medication management and supportive therapy for adult clients ages 18 and above. I am double board-certified as a Family and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of healthcare experience. I am dedicated to maximizing your health and wellness by integrating traditional healthcare with complementary/alternative therapies in order to prevent/manage chronic illness and promote a healthy lifestyle.
I look forward to the prospect of working with you. I provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, psychiatric medication management and supportive therapy for adult clients ages 18 and above. I am double board-certified as a Family and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of healthcare experience. I am dedicated to maximizing your health and wellness by integrating traditional healthcare with complementary/alternative therapies in order to prevent/manage chronic illness and promote a healthy lifestyle.
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Bipolar Disorder Psychiatrists

What is the most successful approach to treating bipolar disorder?

Living with bipolar disorder can be challenging, and a number of therapies have been found effective in providing support to patients as they gain the skills to understand and manage the disorder. Family-focused therapy is often helpful for children and teens (the majority of cases develop before age 19); it aims to minimize mood cycling by improving family communication and reducing conflict. It also helps young people navigate the developmental challenges the disorder can create. Cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) and variants such as Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)help patients manage the thoughts and feelings that influence bipolar mood swings as well as develop specific behavioral strategies to counteract them.

What happens in therapy for bipolar disorder?

Because the patterns of mood switching and its triggers differ for each person and can change over time, mood tracking or monitoring becomes a basic way patients learn about the nature of their condition. One of the most common features of therapy is finding a workable method of mood monitoring, in which patients track their daily activities and rate their moods, then use the findings to adjust routines accordingly. Patients learn ways of handling the many stresses that arise in life so that they do not trigger mood swings.

What kinds of problems does therapy help with?

Like many other mental health disorders, BPD is heavily influenced by stress; therapy provides skills for coping with stressors of all kinds. Therapy is extremely important for helping individuals identify the situations that may trigger mood switching, so that mood swings can be prevented. Therapy may especially target recognition of the early stages of mood change so that they can be managed. In addition, therapy helps patients deal with the significant amount of turbulence the disorder can create in relationships and in work life.

What is the goal of therapy for bipolar disorder?

Therapy helps patients set up their lives to maintain stability so that their mood isn’t constantly threatened by daily events. Perhaps the first task of therapy is to educate people about the nature of the disorder. At the same time, a primary goal of therapy is to enhance adherence to drug treatment. Extended periods of mood stability can prompt patients to discontinue medication, triggering relapse, while the early phases of manic episodes can feel so energizing that patients stop medication, ushering in full-blown mania and the altered self-perception that can lead to destructive behaviors. Another major goal of therapy is to understand one’s mood patterns so as to minimize both the frequency and intensity of mood cycling.