This week’s podcast features Rebecca Allen, MD. Rebecca is a neuropsychiatrist who completed her residency and fellowship at Harvard in 2017. Her specialty is interventional psychiatry, including treatments such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Electroconvulsive Therapy, ketamine, and Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Her work has included research on quality of life in multiple sclerosis, sleep and memory, and authoring a book chapter on sleep for a Harvard textbook.
Our conversation covered a lot of ground (as usual) because Rebecca is currently participating in research on Vagus Nerve Stimulation, comparing techniques in brain stimulation, electro compulsive therapy for bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, and the other psychotic disorders. It’s quite a fascinating field and she is an expert with a lot of experience and education in this area. She is on the forefront and cutting edge of the current treatments and technology available which allows her to provide the best treatments available for her patients.
She can make suggestions but as with all fields of medicine it is ultimately up to the patient to make their own decisions. Her last advice is to not just take what she says, go talk to other people, do some of your own research before making a decision about treatment. Very good advice!
Rebecca is Partner and Director of Research at Seattle Neuropsychiatric Treatment Center, where she also teaches psychiatry residents from three training programs. Her leadership positions have included being President of the Washington State Psychiatric Association and President of the international Clinical TMS Society.