Answer

Brief strategic therapy is a psychotherapeutic intervention and does not use medication. However, if the patient comes into therapy already on a pharmacological treatment, it will be suggested that they continue to take the medication prescribed by their psychiatrist or MD. During the last stages of therapy, the therapist ‘s attention will be on making the patient capable, if possible, of progressively reducing the use of medication. This generally happens in cases of Anxiety Disorders (generalized anxiety, panic attacks, obsession, compulsion, agoraphobia and other phobias), eating disorders, or reactive depression, where the patients arrive in therapy already on  a pharmacological treatment.

The exceptions to this rule are the rare cases of psychotic disorders or endogenous sub-type of depression, where the therapist can propose an integrated therapy and  seek to work with a psychiatrist.  In these cases and with the agreement of the patient, the therapist will work with the patient’s psychiatrist to define a pharmacological treatment that will optimize the efficacy and efficiency of the psychotherapeutic intervention.