Prospective patients sometimes ask about clinicians' practice style. Although the specific style depends in large part on the patient's circumstances, the following generalizations describe Dr. Menaster's approach. In an interactive, compassionate and non-judgmental manner, Dr. Menaster listens, strives to understand the patient's circumstances, stresses, needs, and preferences. He seeks to develop rapport and establish a trusting, professional relationship with patients. When possible, he seeks to provide diagnoses, not to label or stigmatize patients, but rather to help them understand their condition and to guide treatment. Diagnoses provide guidance as to causes and exacerbating circumstances of the patient's condition. With a diagnosis and understanding of the patient's condition, Dr. Menaster can then suggest a treatment plan. He spends the time to educate patient about their diagnoses, particularly known causes and factors that likely worsen symptoms. Medications aren't for everyone; when medications might be helpful, Dr. Menaster takes the time to perform a detailed informed consent, discuss options and alternatives, recommends that patients give serious deliberation to deciding whether or not to take medications, and encourages for active patient participation in this process.
He can work independently or in cooperation with other psychotherapists and physicians. With patients' permission, Dr. Menaster maintains regular contact with significant others and other members of the health care team.
In the forensic setting, he provides impartial (ie not plaintiff or defense-oriented) evaluations; Dr. Menaster is not affiliated with any medical group, hospital, university, or insurance company and will disclose any known conflicts of interest up-front.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Dr. Menaster has a diverse clinical background. Practice settings in which he has worked include university hospitals, Veterans Affairs hospitals, private hospitals, group and solo practice, family practice, and occupational/industrial medicine. Currently, his scope of practice includes:
Adults, young adults, and adolescents on an outpatient basis.
Anxiety Disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Social phobia
Performance anxiety (especially for actors and entertainers)
Generalized anxiety disorder
Depression
Head trauma/traumatic brain injury (TBI)
ADD/ADHD
Men's issues
Eating disorders, including obesity and binge eating
Anger management
Bipolar/manic-depressive disorder
Borderline personality disorder
substance abuse
Asian-American issues
Self-esteem issues
Coping with grief and loss
Dealing with chronic illnesses, including HIV/AIDS
Sexual disorders, including fetishes and sexual addiction
GLBT issues
Second opinions regarding psychotherapy and medications
Impartial evaluations and reports for third parties (competency, disability, conservatorships, personal injury, PTSD, attorneys, courts, employers, schools, immigration, etc.)
Psychological Testing.
EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
MD, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Illinois
Psychiatry Residency, LA County-USC Medical Center, Los Angeles
MA, Forensic Psychology, Canyon College, Caldwell, Idaho
BS, Chemistry, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
Certification in Eating Disorders, John F. Kennedy University
Psychiatric Consultant, Equinox Group
Psychiatric Consultant, The Brand Institute
Psychiatric Consultant, Physicians Insight Panel
Professional Reviewer, Williams and Wilkins Publishers
Psychiatric Consultant, The Physicians Advisory Panel
Psychiatric Consultant, The Council of Health Care Providers
Instructor in Psychopharmacology, John F. Kennedy University, 2001
Clinician, Social Anxiety Disorder Referral Network, University of Wisconsin
Clinician, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Referral Network, University of Wisconsin
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING CREDENTIALS
MA in forensic psychology, Canyon College
Certificate, Professional Program in Neuropsychological Assessment, UC Berkeley Extension
Fully Credentialed with:
Caldwell Report (MMPI-2)
NCS Pearson Assessment
NFER-Nelson (as a psychiatrist, 10641D)
Psych Screen, Incorporated
Psychological Assessment Resources, Incorporated
University of Minnesota (MMPI-2)
Western Psychological Publishing
PUBLICATIONS
Use of Olanzapine in Anorexia Nervosa, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, May 2005
Anorgasmia in Women, e-Medicine Continuing Medical Education, September 2004
Anorgasmia in Men, e-Medicine Continuing Medical Education, September 2004
Antidepressants and Suicide: What the Data Show, Clinical Psychiatry News, May 2004
Psychometrics: a Valuable Tool, Clinical Psychiatry News, April 2004
The Role of Unmet Expectations, Clinical Psychiatry News, March 2004
Asian-American Mental Health Issues, Asia Pacific Perspectives, May 2003
Treating Physicians, Psychiatric Times, April 2003
Fee Policies: the 'Write' Way To Prevent Payment Disputes, Current Psychiatry, March 2003
Preparing Patients for Life after Bariatric (Obesity) Surgery, Current Psychiatry, January 2003
Risk Management with Electronic Media, 15th Annual US Psychiatric Congress, Las Vegas, Nevada, October 28-29, 2002
Controversies in Eating Disorders among Men, Psychiatric Times, October 2002
Improving Patient Compliance, Psychiatric Times, September 2002
When 'Informed' Patients Think They Know What's Best for Them, Current Psychiatry, August 2002
What You Don't Know Can Hurt You, SF Weekly, May 8-15, 2002
Reducing Biases, Metro Newspapers, May 2-9, 2002
Our Debt to the Mouse Community, SF Weekly, April 17-23, 2002
Eating Disorders in Men, Out Now Magazine, July 2001
Coping with HIV-related Depression, The Slant, July 2001
Memories of a Memory, Nob Hill Gazette, May 2001
Computer Phobia, Nob Hill Gazette, May 2001
A Return to Normalcy, Out Now Magazine, April 2001
The Stockholm Syndrome Revisited, San Francisco Bay View, August 16, 2000
Panic Disorder, Simi Valley Family Magazine, Spring 1995
PRESENTATIONS
Why Patients Are Non-Compliant and How To Deal with It, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Concord, California, June 16, 2005
Depression and Its Effect on Medical Professionals, Fremont-Rideout Medical Center, Yuba City, California, November 4, 2003
Psychopharmacology for Therapists, John F. Kennedy University, 2001
Depression: Myths and Facts, St. Thomas More Church, San Francisco, 2001
Emergency Assessment of Psychiatric Patients, Tom Waddel Clinic, San Francisco, 2001
New Antipsychotic Medications, San Francisco Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), 2001
Treatment Resistant Depression, St. Francis Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds, San Francisco, 2001
Recognizing and Treating Depression among Asian Americans, Northeast Medical Clinic, San Francisco, 2001
Psychopharmacology: a Survey Course for Therapists, John F. Kennedy University, 2001
The Treatment of Depression, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1999
New Treatments in Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, Simi Valley, CA, 1996
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Simi Valley, 1996
The Role of Medications in Treating Depression, Simi Valley, 1995
Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors and Depression, Northridge, CA, 1995
Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitor Use in Depression, Simi Valley, 1994
Computer Applications in Psychiatry, LA County-USC Medical Center, 1994
Amino Terminal Radioimmunoassay for Human Parathyroid Hormone, North Chicago, 1990
Oriented Polycrystalline Film Growth from Solution for Infrared Studies, USC, 1986
Oriented Polycrystalline Film Growth from Solution for Infrared Studies, CSU Pomona, 1986
Amino Terminal Radioimmunoassay for Human Parathyroid Hormone, Los Angeles, 1984
