Dr. David Gersten MD, Psychiatrist
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Dr. David Gersten MD

Psychiatrist | Psychiatry

3/5(10)
187 Calle Magdalena 208 Encinitas Ca, 92024
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Rating

3/5

About

David Gersten, M.D. specializes in Integrative Psychiatry. He has utilized amino acid therapy for 30 years. Whether treating with medications or amino acids his decisions are based on comprehensive nutritional and metabolic lab work. His approach is holistic - integrating body, mind, and spirit. "I don't believe in splitting psychotherapy from physical treatments. I come from an era in which psychiatry residencies were half psychopharmacology and half psychotherapy. The psychotherapy I utilize (which starts with non-judgmental listening) involves mental fitness techniques (interactive guided imagery, use of the breath, and meditation). Guided imagery is similar to hypnosis."

Education and Training

University of Colorado Medical Shool MD 1975

UCSD Residency in Psychiatry 1978

Board Certification

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Provider Details

MaleEnglish
Dr. David Gersten MD
Dr. David Gersten MD's Expert Contributions
  • Is negative thinking a disease?

    The nature of the mind is to churn out thoughts. The average person runs 5,000 random thoughts per day, 35,000 per week, 1,825,000 per year. The faster the mind moves the more anxious and stressed a person is. Very rarely is this a disease. Neurotransmitters can be involved (dopamine, norepinenephrine and/or serotonin), along with GABA (our most calming neurotransmitter). Low grade inflammation is often an issue. In situations like this I usually combine physical with mental treatments. (meditation, use of the breath, mental imagery). I've spent a career trying to figure out what the mind is. Oh, hmm I forgot something. I wrote a book for the POWs of Operation Desert Storm, and re-wrote it last year. It was part of military training for army and navy in Operation Desert Storm. The POW Survival Guide will be re-named and briefly re-written. The military is no longer interested in this information. It's on Amazon. It is high on technique, low on theory, and the most important thing it teaches is how to establish "Mental Home Base," a place you can return to internally over and over again, instead of constantly churning out thoughts. Most thoughts, by the way, are pretty neutral, even if a person is feeling negative. Affirmations are useful, but not as important as mantra meditation, and regular exercise is important. READ MORE

Areas of expertise and specialization

Depression, Anxiety, Marital Therapy, PTSD. Rx: amino acid therapy as part of complete nutritional evaluation; psychopharmacology, strategic counseling, interactive guided imagery, peak performance.

Dr. David Gersten MD's Practice location

David Gersten, MD

187 Calle Magdalena 208 -
Encinitas, Ca 92024
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New patients: 760-633-3063
Fax: 760-487-7737
Www.drdavidgersten.com

Dr. David Gersten MD's reviews

(10)
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Patient Experience with Dr. Gersten


3.0

Based on 10 reviews

Dr. David Gersten MD has a rating of 3 out of 5 stars based on the reviews from 10 patients. FindaTopDoc has aggregated the experiences from real patients to help give you more insights and information on how to choose the best Psychiatrist in your area. These reviews do not reflect a providers level of clinical care, but are a compilation of quality indicators such as bedside manner, wait time, staff friendliness, ease of appointment, and knowledge of conditions and treatments.

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