Resources

 

This section contains much of the same material found in the appendices of my book.

Appendix A provides a list of valuable online resources on mental health care. Links to valuable databases and other online resources on both Western mental health care and CAM are provided, including expert resources on specific CAM modalities. You can navigate to the websites by clicking on the title. The appendix also includes a list of textbooks on integrative mental health care. Updates and links to significant new web resources and books will be added on an ongoing basis.

Appendix B contains links to the author’s main website and a series of 10 e-books on integrative mental health care.

Appendix A

Web resources on Western medicine and CAM

Websites on specific CAM therapies

Textbooks on complementary, alternative and integrative mental health care

Resources on Western medicine

    • Drugs@FDA is a resource for obtaining Food and Drug Administration (FDA) research studies and meta-analyses pertaining to psychotropic medications. Information about FDA-approved brand name and generic prescription and over-the-counter human drugs and biological therapeutic products. The database includes most of the drug products approved by the FDA since 1939, and most patient information, labels, approval letters, reviews, and other information are available for drug products approved since 1998
    • Cochrane database of systematic reviews (CDSR) is regarded as the leading resource for systematic reviews in health care. The CDSR includes Cochrane Reviews as well as editorials. The CDSR is updated regularly as monthly Cochrane Reviews.
    • http://www.guideline.gov/ is a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This site contains summaries of, and links to, over 50 different sets of practice guidelines covering a range of mental health diagnoses and issues.
    • Psychguides.com contains practical clinical recommendations on Western medical treatments of common mental health problems based on expert consensus. While the guidelines are comprehensive they emphasize medications over psychotherapy and generally omit CAM.
    • American Psychiatric Association practice guidelines include full texts of many (but not all) of the practice guidelines developed by this organization. Topics include: Psychiatric Evaluation of Adults, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder in Adults, Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders (Alcohol, Cocaine, Opioids), Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias of Late Life, Schizophrenia, and Nicotine Dependence.

Resources on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

    • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NCCIH is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals. The site includes a database of clinical trials pertaining to CAM.
    • Office of Dietary Supplements National Library of Medicine PubMed includes citations related to vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, botanical, and herbal supplements in human nutrition and animal models.
    • Search CAM on PubMed NCCAM and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) have partnered to create a subset of the National Library of Medicine's PubMed. A literature search from this website will automatically be limited to the subset of PubMed pertaining to non-conventional medicine. PubMed provides access to citations from the MEDLINE database and additional life science journals. It also includes links to many full-text articles at journal Web sites and other related Web resources
    • Natural Medicines is an excellent resource covering the range of CAM modalities. Natural Standard is an international research collaboration that aggregates and synthesizes data on non-conventional therapies. The goal of this collaboration is to provide objective, reliable information that aids clinicians, patients, and healthcare institutions in making more informed and safer therapeutic decisions.
    • Alt Health Watch  provides a gateway to full-text searches of over 100 serials on all major non-conventional medical approaches. The list is maintained by EBSCO Publishing a leading provider of popular secondary databases such as CINAHL, PsycINFO and others. Extensive use of linking enables users to access full text information from virtually all library holdings.
    • Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies FACT is a quarterly review journal that aims to present the evidence on CAM in an analytical and impartial manner. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies (FACT) systematically searches the world literature to uncover key articles in CAM research. The most important factual papers found worldwide are summarized and then critically appraised in FACT. They are followed by an expert commentary written by a member of FACT's international editorial board and include a reply from the author of the original paper. All FACT summaries and commentaries are evidence-based, reporting clinical trials, systematic reviews or meta-analyses, compiling, interpreting and disseminating the up-to-date evidence for or against complementary medicine.
    • Cochrane field on complementary medicine is coordinated by an international group of individuals dedicated to creating systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials in diverse areas of CAM including acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, mind-body therapy and other modalities. The Cochrane complementary medicine field was founded in 1996 and is coordinated by the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine.
    • Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) produced by the Medical Information Centre of the British Library and contains over 100,000 references including 400 biomedical journals. Many of the journals included in AMED are not indexed by other biomedical sources. This bibliographic database is designed for physicians, therapists, medical researchers and clinicians looking to learn more about alternative treatments. The scope of coverage within this resource is mainly European and is updated with new content on a monthly basis.

Resources on Western medicine and CAM

    • Bandolier - Evidence based thinking about healthcare Bandolier is an independent journal about evidence-based healthcare written by Oxford University scientists. The journal first appeared in February 1994. It is directed at both healthcare professionals and patients. The e-journal provides information about evidence of effectiveness in bullet format based on critical analysis of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and single randomized controlled trials drawn from the Cochrane Library and PubMed. The electronic version of Bandolier has over one million visitors each month from all over the world. Many visitors are healthcare professionals however Bandolier is also a source of useful information for patients.
    • Trip Database Plus The TRIP (Turning Research into Practice) Database started in 1997 as a small search engine with a focus on evidence-based medicine. The goal of the TRIP Database is to allow health professionals to easily find the highest-quality material available on the web on a range of conventional and CAM practices. Typically 300-400 new articles are added monthly. The content of the TRIP Database is separated into a number of categories: evidence-based medicine; guidelines; query-answering; medical images; e-textbooks; patient information leaflets; and peer-reviewed journals.
    • Embase Created and managed by Elsevier this website is a gateway to biomedical and pharmacological information pertaining to both conventional and non-conventional treatments. Approximately 2,000 records are added daily and 600,000 articles are added annually. It includes many search tools quick to facilitate rapid identification of relevant clinical or research information, and the user can generate table-of-content alerts to keep up to date with significant emerging findings.
    • The Cochrane Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Database includes cites of completed and ongoing health technology assessments from around the world. The data set includes health technology assessments from which it is possible to estimate cost-effectiveness of specific CAM modalities with respect to a specified psychiatric disorder.
    • The Cochrane NHS Economic Evaluation Database (EED) intended for use in clinical decision-making is a catalog of economic evaluations of modalities from around the world, including appraisals of quality and comments on their relative strengths and weaknesses.
    • Cochrane Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) contains details of systematic reviews that evaluate the effects of healthcare interventions and the delivery and organization of health services. DARE includes citations of both Cochrane and non-Cochrane reviews for comparison. 
    • Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups (CRGs) are formed around professional reviewers who systematically examine published and unpublished studies pertaining to specific medical or psychiatric illnesses. Cochrane CRGs collect information on emerging evidence for treatments of depression, anxiety, dementia, cognitive impairment, and schizophrenia. A CRG called “Brain, Nerves and Mind” includes podcasts on topics of interest and feature reviews of important therapies. 

 

Resources for monitoring research in Western medicine and CAM

    • NCCIH Extramural awards provides citations of publications by NCCIH grantees. It covers the results of NCCIH-funded research. Publications are continuously added to this database. Specific citations can be found by the principal investigator's last name, title of article, journal name, grant mechanism, or grant number. Searches can also be done by key word or phrase contained in the title of the article.
    • Clinicaltrials.gov includes mostly government-sponsored studies and is the most comprehensive clinical trials directory on the internet. The site provides regularly updated information about federally funded and some privately supported human clinical trials that are currently in progress and includes studies on some CAM modalities. Data include the purpose of the study, who may participate, locations, and contact information for those interested in finding out more details.
    • CenterWatch is a useful resource for identifying studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry or private institutions. The site provides proprietary data and information analysis on clinical trials through a variety of newsletters, books, databases, market research, benchmark reports and information services used by all industry professionals involved in the management and conduct of clinical trials. The site lists thousands of active industry and government-sponsored clinical trials on drugs and CAM modalities, as well as new drug therapies in research and those recently approved by the FDA. Patients interested in participating in clinical research can make enquiries about specific on-going trials. A section of the site includes a listing of CAM research trials actively recruiting patient volunteers.

Evaluating safety and effectiveness of natural supplements and selecting quality brands

    • Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (subscription fee) This website is a valuable resource for both practitioners and patients. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database was released in 1999 and is updated daily. The mission of the research and editorial team is to critically evaluate the literature to produce an objective resource designed for healthcare professionals. The Database provides a comprehensive listing of brand name natural product ingredients and includes detailed monographs on the particular ingredients. Thousands of new references are added each year, and new interactions and safety concerns are added as soon as they are recognized. Effectiveness ratings are raised or lowered based on emerging research findings. There is an interface that permits identification of potential interactions between a specified natural product supplement, other natural products, and prescription drugs. A consumer version of the database has been created specifically for patients with the goal of providing patient-friendly wording on natural medicines. Sections of the patient database can be printed for patients during sessions.
    • ConsumerLab.com (subscription fee) provides independent test results and information to help consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness, and nutrition products. It publishes results on its website and technical reports covering a range of supplements. ConsumerLab is a certification company and enables companies of all sizes to have their products voluntarily tested for potential inclusion in its list of Approved Quality products and bear its seal of approval. Products tested and rated include: herbal products; vitamins and minerals; other natural product supplements sports and energy products; functional foods; foods and beverages; and personal hygiene products.
    • Herb Research Foundation includes expert compilations on specific herbals that contain carefully selected articles, studies, and discussions by experts that are available as downloads or in print form. The work of the Herb Research Foundation is based on its dedicated holdings of more than 300,000 scientific articles on thousands of herbs.
    • The United States Pharmacopeia Convention (USP) is the official public standards-setting authority for all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and other healthcare products manufactured and sold in the United States. USP is an independent, science-based public health organization. USP sets standards for the quality of these products and works with healthcare providers to help them reach the standards. USP's standards are recognized and used in many other countries outside the United States. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines available in the United States must, by federal law, meet USP's public standards, where such standards exist. USP disseminates its standards to pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacists, and other users through publications, official USP Reference Standards materials, and courses. USP also conducts verification programs for dietary supplement ingredients and products. These programs involve independent testing and review to verify ingredient and product integrity, purity, and potency for manufacturers who choose to participate.
    • NSF International is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, devoted to standards development, product certification, education, and risk-management for public health and safety that has been in existence over 60 years and provides services for manufacturers in 80 countries. NSF provides third-party conformity assessment services. NSF has earned the Collaborating Center designation by the World Health Organization (WHO) for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. The site includes a section aimed at educating consumers on identifying and selecting supplements that are safe and effective. 

Identifying qualified CAM practitioners

    • ByRegion Community Directory lists registered CAM practitioners by specialty area and geographic region. This site is a useful tool for identifying practitioners who use a wide range of CAM approaches. The vast majority of listings are in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe.
    • The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is a professional organization for physicians who practice holistic medicine. The site includes a search engine for identifying AHMA members when looking for appropriate referrals in your area. The vast majority of listings are in the U.S. and Canada.

Note that qualified CAM practitioners can also be identified through many websites included in the following sections.

CAM biological therapies

    • Office of Dietary Supplements Database (subscription fee) This site is the official website of the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. The database provides access to the subset of citations in the National Library of Medicine, NIH, on the range of dietary supplements.
    • Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases This site was created by Dr. Jim Duke, noted ethnobotanist, and the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a valuable clinical resource that includes links to many phytochemical and ethnobotanical, and nutritional databases, and is intended primarily for researchers. Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical databases facilitate in-depth plant, chemical, bioactivity, and ethnobotany searches using scientific or common names. Search results can be downloaded in PDF or spreadsheet form. The site includes an on-line dictionary of ethnobotany.
    • Phytotherapies.org (free service for registered users) Although this site is the product of an herbal company based in Australia, it is a valuable resource for herbal practitioners and conventionally trained medical practitioners interested in learning more about herbal medicine. The site is updated weekly and includes editorial content, articles and an extensive searchable and hyperlinked herbal database that includes monographs on current herbal therapeutics. On-line enquiries can be submitted to experienced herbalists
    • The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) (subscription fee) The mission of the IFM is to improve patient outcomes through prevention, early assessment, and comprehensive management of complex, chronic disease through developing the functional medicine knowledge base as a bridge between research and clinical practice; teaching physicians and other healthcare providers the basic science and clinical applications of functional medicine; and working with policy makers, practitioners, educators, researchers, and the public to disseminate the functional medicine knowledge base more widely.
    • HerbMed is an interactive, electronic herbal database and provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for the range of medical and mental health problems. It is an evidence-based information resource about herbal medicines provided by the Alternative Medicine Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. A limited free version of the database contains information on 75 common herbs, and a fee-based professional version, HerbMedPro, provides access to the entire database. The site makes extensive use of hyperlinks to cross-reference an extensive bibliographic collection on all aspects of herbal medicine. The databases are updated on a regular basis. Subscribers can request searches on specific herbs or particular clinical applications. The website is linked to numerous medical, scientific and health-related web sites, including the National Library of Medicine and many others.
    • Herb Research Foundation - Herbs and Herbal Medicine for Health (subscription fee) This site includes expert compilations on specific herbals that contain carefully selected articles, studies, and discussions by experts that are available as downloads or in print form. The work of the Herb Research Foundation is based on its dedicated holdings of more than 300,000 scientific articles on thousands of herbs.
    • American Botanical Council - Herbal Medicine (subscription fee) Established in 1988, the American Botanical Council (ABC) is the leading independent, nonprofit, international member-based organization providing education using science-based and traditional information to promote the responsible use of herbal medicine. The site includes databases on safety, use conditions for specific herbals, and searchable monographs depending on the level of membership.
    • NAPRALERT Database (subscription fee) The NAPRALERT File (NAtural PRoducts ALERT) contains bibliographic and factual data on natural products, including information on the pharmacology, biological activity, taxonomic distribution, chemistry of plant, microbial, and animal (including marine) extracts as well as ethnomedicine use records. In addition, the database contains information on the chemistry and pharmacology of secondary metabolites that are derived from natural sources and that have known structure. NAPRALERT contains records from 1650 to the present however roughly half of the content comes from systematic literature reviews from 1975 to the present. Napralert is a valuable information research tool for practitioners interested in the history and basic science of natural product-derived medicines.

Whole body and mind-body approaches

    • F E D E R A T I O N _ M B S This is the website of the federation of massage, body work and somatic practice organizations, a non-profit membership organization in the massage, bodywork and somatic practice field. The site is a gateway to websites of organizations related to different somatic approaches including massage, rolfing, Feldenkrais, the Alexander technique and others.
    • TRI Homepage The Touch Research Institute is dedicated to studying the effects of touch therapy. The TRI have researched the effects of massage therapy at all stages of life, from newborns to senior citizens. The site includes summaries of studies conducted through the TRI as well as abstracts of studies on Tai Chi, yoga and acupuncture.
    • Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies The site provides access to the electronic version of Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies which covers therapeutic advances using bodywork including: Alexander technique, chiropractic, cranial therapy, dance, Feldenkrais, massage therapy, osteopathy, Shiatsu and Tuina massage, tai chi, qigong, and yoga.
    • AMTA Foundation | Research Database This is the website of the Massage Therapy Foundation and the Massage Therapy Research Database SM. The mission of the Foundation is to chart an agenda for research on health benefits of massage therapy. The initial version of the database was compiled in 2000 and is updated quarterly. There are currently more than 4,700 citations of articles and books about massage therapy. All Citations are reviewed by a committee of massage therapists, physicians, and researchers. There is no subscription fee and the Database is available only through the Foundation's web site.

CAM therapies based on forms of energy validated by current science

    • American Music Therapy Association The mission of the American Music Therapy Association is to advance public awareness of the benefits of music therapy and increase access to quality music therapy services in a rapidly changing world.
    • Global Virtual Reality Association seeks to educate consumers, governments, and industry about VR’s potential and to promote the worldwide growth and development of the VR industry. The Association hosts international discussions on important topics in VR to shape the public discussion on the technology.
    • Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is a non-profit organization established to promote understanding of biofeedback and advance the methods used in this practice. AAPB's mission is to advance the development, dissemination and utilization of knowledge about applied psychophysiology and biofeedback to improve health and the quality of life through research, education and practice.
    • The USC Institute of Creative Technologies provides research updates on studies done at USC on advanced VR technologies and their applications in medicine and mental healthcare. The site includes links to an extensive list of research publications.

CAM approaches based on postulated forms of energy not validated by current science

    • The Samueli Institute is a non-profit research organization dedicated to investigating the safety, effectiveness and integration of healing oriented practice. Development of objective and clinically relevant measures is a key focus of the program. These measurements include patients' quality of life, changes in health, effects on brain function, cell and gene changes and the overall risks, benefits and costs associated with delivery of spiritual and energy healing practices in healthcare.
    • Acubriefs provides a comprehensive online database of English languages references on acupuncture. The site plans to eventually incorporate non-English references depending on funding.
    • Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) promotes scientifically rigorous research in acupuncture and other modalities used in Asian medicine. SAR publishes monthly evidence-based assessments of newly published research articles and includes extensive links to other websites on acupuncture.
    • British Acupuncture Council represents professional acupuncturists who have extensive training in acupuncture and the biomedical sciences. The Acupuncture Research Resource Centre has produced a valuable set of Briefing Papers reviewing the evidence of effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of specific medical and mental health conditions including addiction and substance abuse, anxiety and depression, stroke, menopause, migraine and others. The briefing papers are available as free downloads in PDF format.
    • The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) is a not-for-profit training and advocacy organization that promotes improved understanding of the principles of both Chinese medicine and chemical dependency. It encourages community wellness through the use of a standardized auricular acupuncture protocol for behavioral health, including addictions, mental health, and disaster & emotional trauma. More than 500 clinical sites in the US, Europe, Australia and the Caribbean currently utilize NADA protocols for the management of detoxification in alcohol and drug abuse. The protocols are promoted through public education about acupuncture as a recovery tool, training and certification of professionals in use of the techniques, consultation with local organizations in setting up treatment sites, and the distribution of NADA-approved literature, audiotapes and videotapes.
    • British Homeopathic Association promotes and develops the study and practice of homeopathy and advances education and research in the theory and practice of homeopathy. 
    • The Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States provides online information on homeopathic remedies that are regulated by the FDA and listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.
    • Healing Touch International is an organization dedicated to disseminating information about Healing Touch and supporting member practitioners. The site is a gateway to classes, research information and other resources on Healing Touch.
    • The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine was established to explore the application of subtle energies to the experience of consciousness, healing, and human potential and is designed as a bridging organization for scientists, clinicians, therapists, healers, and laypeople. ISSSEEM encourages open-minded exploration of phenomena associated with the practice of energy healing. The site includes abstracts and contents of the Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine Journal. Links to conferences on subtle energy healing, Shamanic healing and consciousness research are provided.
    • Earl E Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota has the goal of integrating biomedical, CAM, cross-cultural, and spiritual care. The Center provides interdisciplinary education, clinical care and outreach while integrating evidence-based research to renew, enhance and transform health care practice, health sciences education and clinical care.

Textbooks on safety in CAM

  • Mosby’s Handbook of Drug-Herb and Drug-Supplement Interactions, Harkness, Mosby (2003)
  • Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs and Natural Supplements, Skidmore-Roth, Mosby (2009)
  • Natural Standard Herb and Supplement Handbook, Basch & Ulbricht, Elsevier, (2004)
  • Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database www.naturaldatabase.com
  • Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions, Stargrove, Treasure and McKee (2008), Mosby
  • A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions, Gaby, Healthnotes (2006)

 

Textbooks on complementary, alternative and integrative mental health care

  • Chinese Medical Psychiatry: A Textbook and Clinical Manuel, Lake, J. & Bob Flaws, (2001), Blue Poppy Press, Boulder, CO.
  • Complementary and Alternative Treatments in Mental Health Care (2006), Lake & Spiegel Eds, American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., Washington, DC
  • Complementary and Integrative Treatments in Clinical Practice, (2017) Eds. Gerbarg, Muskin and Brown, APA Publishing, Arlington, VA.
  • Healing and Wholeness: Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Mental Health (2008), Fredricks, R. (Ed), All Things Well Publications, San Jose, CA.
  • Integrative Mental Health Care: A Therapist’s Handbook, Lake, J. (2009) Norton, New York, NY.
  • Integrative Psychiatry and Brain Health, 2nd edition, Monti, D. & Newberg A. Eds, (2018) Oxford Univ Press, New York, NY
  • Integrative Therapies for Depression: Redefining Models for Assessment, Treatment and Prevention Greenblatt & Brogan Eds. (2016) CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.
  • Mental Health for the Whole Child: Moving Young Clients from Disease and Disorder to Balance and Wellness (2013), Shannon, S., Norton, New York, NY.
  • Mental Health Naturally: The Family Guide to Holistic Care for a Healthy Mind and Body, Kemper (2010), American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, Il.
  • Nutrition and Mental Health, Leyse-Wallace (2013) CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.
  • Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health: A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection, Korn, L., (2016), Norton, New York, NY.
  • Textbook of Integrative Mental Health Care, Lake, J. (2006), Thieme Medical, New York, NY. 

 

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