Psychiatry & Therapy in Durham, NC
Wellness First Psychiatric Associates
A fee-for-service psychiatry and therapy practice serving Durham families and professionals, providing care with an experienced psychiatrist, nurse practitioners, and therapists.
Psychiatry that hasn't lost the human touch
New Additions
Somatic Therapy
April 7, 2026
Somatic Therapy
Concepts from somatic therapy can be helpful across many areas of mental health care. As Bessel van der Kolk famously said, “the body keeps the score.” Gentle practices that bring awareness to the body—such as tai chi walking—can be surprisingly calming.
Synthetic Drugs, out of control and a game of Russian Roulette for users.
March 31, 2026
Synthetic Drugs, out of control and a game of Russian Roulette for users.
Synthetic psychoactive drugs are now common on the illegal market—“Spice” being one well-known example. This article highlights the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between clandestine labs and public health authorities. Some of these compounds are extraordinarily potent and unpredictable; a newer class of opioids, the nitazenes, can be many times stronger than fentanyl. The takeaway is simple: purchasing drugs online is a kind of Russian Roulette with not uncommon deadly consequences.
Psychiatric Rx without Drugs
Before schizophrenia becomes a major impairment in one late teens and early adulthood there are subtle signs that the disorder is developing. Because psychotic events are destructive to the brain, i.e. schizophrenia is neurodegenerative, early identification and treatment can be life changing.
March 4, 2026
Human to AI interactions are quite common. Above is a link to an excellent podcast with a sophisticated discussion on the nuances of such relationships. We too have been thinking about AI in mental health and have a blog post considering the potential of a Chat Bot serving as therapist.
February 16, 2026
Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy is an enhanced form of TMS, a non pharmacologic therapy. The latter is part of a trend in modern psychiatry where treatments are beginning to take advantage of an awareness of the importance of brain circuits and connectivity rather than simply neurotransmitters and brain regions. TMS offers promise for many conditions, depression, anxiety, even substance abuse.
February 15, 2026
Psychedelics and Novel Treatments
Methylone is a currently an illegal drug with properties similar to MDMA. Transcend Therapeutics, a New York based company, has completed a safety trial in which 60 percent of subjects reached achieved remission with a relatively benign side effect profile. Further trials preparing for FDA approval are soon to come.
March 20, 2026