Sharon Packer, MD

Exploring the impact of fermented foods like sauerkraut on social anxiety, revealing surprising insights and practical solutions for mental health.

Fava beans emerge as a powerful natural source of L-DOPA, offering potential benefits for mood disorders and Parkinson's disease and holding enriching culinary traditions.

The Osheroff v. Chestnut Lodge case had a transformative impact on psychiatric practices and the evolving relationship between science and religion.

Uncertainty fuels anxiety, yet knowing outcomes—even grim ones—can bring relief.

Could social media offer a new approach for clinicians working with patients experiencing some phobias?

How one resident found a free and accessible way to cope with her arachnophobia.

How does author Charles Fulton Oursler’s famous quote—'Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for the past and fear of the future'—relates to modern cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness?

What does Han Kang’s 2007 book reveal about psychiatric diagnoses and societal pressure?

How should psychotherapy supervisors go about their supervision? Sharon Packer, MD, reviews Supervising Individual Psychotherapy (The Guide to “Good Enough”) and offers her insight into how the book can guide the future of psychotherapy supervision.

Eating pros vs those with eating disorders: what’s the difference?

In this 2-part series, a psychiatrist explores the connections between hostage films and psychiatry.

In this 2-part series, a psychiatrist explores the connections between hostage films and psychiatry.

When exploring urgent treatment options for your patients, be sure to look at the bigger picture before you push the panic button.

Captagon tablets: how are they impacting the current state of world affairs?

“Oates’ poems force us to reflect on the ethics of experimentation and to ask if the proverbial ends justify the means.”

"My attitude toward The Sixth Sense shifted when I realized that I had been treating a patient whose death date was set before our appointments began..."

Psychiatrists are physicians first...

A psychiatrist looks back at a case with a surprising parallel to the 1999 film.

You may have heard of Thanksgivukkah—but here is a new American-Jewish tradition for consideration.

Here’s why this is important.

Comparing our contemporary concerns to lessons learned from a clinical case involving a patient from almost 50 years ago.

A psychiatrist reflects on how we can educate patients about avoiding alcohol misuse without getting caught up in polemics on politics.

Psychiatrists are physicians first. This case demonstrates why that’s important.

Can religion provide boundaries that extend beyond those of clinical psychiatry?

How have William Wordsworth's ideas about creative visualization influenced cognitive behavioral therapy in contemporary psychiatry?

Reflections from the Russo-Ukrainian war and the importance of being needed.

What do these have to do with CBT, creative visualization, and contemporary psychiatry?

The recent hostage situation at a synagogue in Texas in indicative of a larger underlying problem.