Dr James Greenblatt
A pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, James M. Greenblatt, M.D.†, has treated patients with complex behavioural and mood disorders since 1990. After receiving his medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine, Dr Greenblatt completed his psychiatry residency at George Washington University Medical Center. He went on to pursue a two-year fellowship at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he served as chief resident and became board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry. During the fellowship, Dr Greenblatt received specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that appear in childhood, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioural disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and complex mood and anxiety disorders.
Following the fellowship, Dr Greenblatt noticed the current treatment model in psychiatry relied solely upon symptom-based recommendations for medication, with little consideration for the biochemical individuality or the underlying biological mechanisms that may be contributing to or causing symptoms. This prompted Dr Greenblatt to develop an outpatient clinic, Comprehensive Psychiatric Resources, which provided patient-centred care for families with children struggling with ADHD and other behavioural disorders. Dr Greenblatt was one of the very few physicians at that time who knew how to utilize nutritional interventions to help patients achieve relief from their symptoms. His work in the 1990s was years ahead of his time, as the field of psychiatry had not yet understood how genetics, nutrition and biochemistry played a role in an individual’s mental well-being. Dr Greenblatt’s expertise in integrative medicine attracted patients from all across the world seeking consultations for complex mood, behavioural and eating disorders.
Pioneers like Dr Greenblatt have contributed to the revolution of consumers seeking “personalized medicine.” The culture has since shifted and the fields of medicine and psychiatry are rapidly changing, as more physicians are acknowledging the accumulating research looking at nutritional interventions for psychiatric illness. The understanding of genetics, metabolism and nutrition is now incorporated into mainstream medicine. Integrative medicine has eclipsed terms such as “alternative” medicine. For the last three decades, Dr Greenblatt has devoted his career to educating his colleagues, clinicians and patients on how integrative medicine can have profound effects on mental wellness and how to employ balanced, integrative strategies in the treatment of mental illness. Dr Greenblatt has published multiple books, sharing his clinical experience treating complex mood and eating disorders through an integrative approach.
Dr Greenblatt currently serves as a chief medical officer at Walden Behavioral Care in Waltham, Massachusetts, and serves as an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine.
