Is Dr. Preter’s Practice Right for You?
Our practice is specifically designed for patients who require a depth of clinical insight that transcends standard psychiatric or neurological care. You may be an ideal candidate if you identify with any of the following profiles:
Psychotherapy & Therapeutic Philosophy
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Physician-Level Psychotherapy: You are seeking psychotherapy but prefer an experienced physician-therapist who can integrate medical, neurological, and psychological perspectives—rather than a non-medical provider (e.g., a psychologist or social worker).
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Globally-Integrated Treatment Models: You want a psychiatrist or neurologist who applies a truly international framework, synthesizing the rigorous diagnostic traditions of German, French, and British-American medical schools and psychotherapeutic thought.
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Integrative & Functional Medicine: You are inherently interested in integrative thinking, and wish to actively explore CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and Functional Medicine strategies alongside conventional treatment.
Complex Medication & Polypharmacy Management
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Medication Failures & Treatment Resistance: You are concerned about previous psychiatric or neurological medication failures and need an expert review of your current regimen (particularly if you are managing multiple prescriptions).
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Over-Medication or Under-Medication Concerns: You suspect you are currently over-medicated (or, conversely, under-medicated) and require a safe, evidence-based deprescribing or titration plan.
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Polypharmacy vs. Neurological Disease: You need a precise differential diagnosis to determine whether your cognitive decline (e.g., memory loss, possible dementia) stems from an underlying neurological illness or is an adverse effect of polypharmacy and drug interactions.
Diagnostic Clarity & Second Opinions
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Treatment Impasse or Stalled Progress: You (or your current psychologist/psychiatrist) feel that you have reached a treatment impasse, and you would benefit from a fresh, comprehensive second opinion using a broad, integrated clinical lens.
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Medically & Neurologically Unexplained Symptoms: You are suffering from persistent symptoms that have been labeled "medically unexplained" or "neurologically unexplained," and you are seeking diagnostic clarification where previous evaluations have been inconclusive.
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Diagnostic Uncertainty: You have been told there is significant diagnostic uncertainty in your case, and you are looking for a definitive, holistic diagnostic clarification.
Specialized Neurological Protocols
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Anti-Dementia & TBI Recovery: You are interested in the Anti-Dementia Protocol developed by Dr. Preter. Note: This protocol is also highly applicable and beneficial for patients recovering from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), mTBI (mild TBI), and other acquired brain injuries.
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Cognitive & Memory Assessment: You require a specialist who can differentiate between neurodegenerative processes and medication-induced cognitive blunting.
Multilingual Psychiatric & Neurological Care
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Francophone & German-Speaking Patients:
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Vous cherchez un psychiatre ou neurologue qui parle français couramment – you are looking for a psychiatrist or neurologist who offers comprehensive evaluations and psychotherapy fluently in French.
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Sie suchen einen Psychiater oder Neurologen, der Deutsch spricht – you require diagnostic assessments and therapeutic sessions conducted fluently in German.
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Culturally-Adapted Psychotherapy: You prefer to process psychological material in your native language (French or German) to ensure the deepest possible therapeutic connection and diagnostic accuracy.
Comprehensive Conditions Treated | Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry & Neurology
Our practice serves a diverse patient population, ranging from young adults to middle-aged individuals, and extends to advanced geriatric and centenarian patients. We provide diagnostic clarity and tailored treatment plans for the following conditions, life transitions, and complex medical-psychiatric intersections.
Life Transitions & Psychosocial Stressors
Navigating major life milestones often precipitates psychological and neuropsychiatric distress. We provide specialized support for:
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Major Life Transitions: Managing the psychological, medical, and psychiatric challenges associated with career shifts, relocation, and aging.
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Parenthood & Family Dynamics: Addressing perinatal mood disorders, parental burnout, and the emotional toll of caregiving.
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Succession Planning & Inheritance: Coping with the complex emotional and relational stress tied to wealth transfer, family business succession, and inheritance disputes.
Primary Psychiatric & Mood Disorders
We offer advanced psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic management for:
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Anxiety & Panic Disorders: Including panic disorder (see clinical video resource below), generalized anxiety, and phobias.
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Integrating ERP-informed therapy with medication management.
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Depression & Bipolar Disorder: Differential diagnosis and treatment for unipolar depression and bipolar spectrum disorders (formerly "manic depression").
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Psychological Trauma, Grief, & PTSD: Evidence-based interventions for acute grief reactions, complex bereavement, and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Cognitive, Memory & Neurodegenerative Disorders
We specialize in the precise differential diagnosis of cognitive decline to distinguish between treatable factors and progressive disease:
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Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia: Comprehensive diagnostic clarification for "senility," forgetfulness, and progressive cognitive loss.
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Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Early detection and intervention strategies, including CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) approaches.
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Anti-Dementia & TBI Protocols: Utilization of Dr. Preter’s specialized protocol, which is also effective for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and mTBI (mild head trauma) recovery.
Neurological, Movement & Seizure Disorders
Our neuropsychiatric lens is essential for conditions that blur the line between neurology and psychiatry:
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Parkinson’s Disease: Managing motor symptoms alongside the associated anxiety, depression, and cognitive changes.
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Epilepsy & Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES): Critical differential diagnosis to distinguish physiological epilepsy from psychogenic non-epileptic events.
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Psychogenic & Unusual Movement Disorders: Evaluation and treatment of "functional" or psychogenic movement abnormalities.
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Post-Stroke Depression & Cerebrovascular Events: Psychiatric and neurological rehabilitation following stroke, including evaluation of sequelae like sinus venous thrombosis.
Post-Infectious & Complex Medical-Psychiatric Intersections
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Long-COVID / Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC): Targeted treatment for incomplete emotional recovery, cognitive fog, and neuropsychiatric debility following COVID-19 infection.
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Chronic Medical Illness & Psychiatric Comorbidity: Integrated care for patients who suffer from a chronic medical condition and experience secondary psychological or neuropsychiatric adversity.
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Psychiatric-Onset Medical Illness: Evaluation for patients who have a primary psychiatric condition and subsequently develop a major medical problem, ensuring both are treated synergistically.
Sleep, Circadian & Neurodevelopmental Differential Diagnosis
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Insomnia & Sleep Disorders: Comprehensive management of sleep disturbances, including advanced circadian rhythm dysregulation and jet-lag.
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ADHD Differential Diagnosis: Critical re-evaluation of the "catch-all" Attention Deficit Disorder diagnosis. We distinguish true ADHD from anxiety, affective disorders, sleep apnea, or medication-induced inattention.
Polypharmacy, Medication Management & Diagnostic Second Opinions
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Medication Failures & Over-Medication: Expert review for patients concerned about current medication regimens, potential polypharmacy interactions, or iatrogenic cognitive blunting.
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Treatment Impasse: Second-opinion consultations for patients who have reached a stalemate with their current providers and seek a fresh, globally-informed integrated perspective.
Clinical Resource on Panic Disorder
For a deeper dive into our approach to acute anxiety:
More on panic disorder (videoclip)
Neuropsychiatry: An Integrative, Dual-Layered Approach to Mind-Brain Health
In neuropsychiatry, a structured, step-by-step methodology consistently delivers superior clinical outcomes. True healing requires addressing both the biological bedrock of brain function and the psychological narrative that gives a patient's illness its unique meaning. Neither layer can be neglected without compromising diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy.
Layer 1 – The Biological & Physiological Foundation
The first layer targets fundamental physiological disturbances that directly impair immediate emotional regulation, cognitive performance, and general well-being. Critically, these disturbances are often easily correctable with targeted intervention. When left unaddressed, however, they threaten long-term neurological and psychiatric health.
Common physiological drivers we evaluate and treat include:
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Sleep-Disordered Breathing: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and related circadian disruptions that fragment deep sleep and impair daytime cognition.
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Endocrine & Metabolic Imbalances: Thyroid dysfunction (hypo/hyperthyroidism), adrenal dysregulation, and sex hormone deficiencies.
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Nutritional Deficiencies & Micronutrient Insufficiencies: Suboptimal levels of Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, ferritin, and omega-3 fatty acids that compromise neuronal integrity.
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Iatrogenic & Polypharmacy Effects: Adverse reactions, improper dosing, and unnecessary medication duplications that cumulatively impair daily mental functioning, exacerbate distress, and mimic primary psychiatric or neurological illness.
Layer 2 – The Psychobiographic & Integrative Synthesis
The second layer is equally critical. It moves beyond reductive diagnostic labels to provide a long-term, psychologically informed perspective that honors the patient's unique lived experience. This layer demands a sophisticated, scientifically informed reassessment that synthesizes often isolated or fragmented pieces of medical data into a cohesive clinical narrative.
Our integrative synthesis incorporates the following data streams:
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Biographic Narrative & Autobiographical Memory: Personal history, developmental milestones, attachment patterns, and the subjective meaning of illness.
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Structural & Functional Neuroimaging: MRI, fMRI, and PET data to visualize brain architecture and metabolic activity.
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Comprehensive Laboratory & Serological Data: Complete blood panels, inflammatory markers, autoimmune screens, and genetic polymorphisms.
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Medication Reconciliation & Chronobiology: Detailed review of prescription timing, interactions, and circadian alignment.
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Formal Neuropsychological Testing: Objective cognitive performance metrics that clarify deficits versus normal aging or medication blunting.
The Synergy of Both Layers – Why Integration Matters
Treating Layer 1 without Layer 2 results in sterile, depersonalized symptom management that ignores the human context. Conversely, focusing solely on Layer 2 (psychotherapy/narrative) without addressing underlying sleep apnea, thyroid imbalances, or toxic polypharmacy often leads to treatment resistance and therapeutic impasse.
Our integrative neuropsychiatry practice bridges this gap. By systematically applying this dual-layered assessment—biological correction combined with narrative integration—we provide:
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Diagnostic Clarity for complex, "unexplained" symptom presentations.
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Personalized Treatment Plans that respect both brain chemistry and personal identity.
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Root-Cause Resolution rather than superficial symptom suppression.
Who Benefits Most from This Layered Approach?
This methodology is particularly valuable for patients who:
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Have been told their symptoms are "medically unexplained."
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Are taking multiple medications and suspect adverse cognitive effects.
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Have received conflicting diagnoses from different specialists.
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Suffer from chronic medical illness with concurrent psychiatric distress.
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Experience cognitive decline where dementia versus depression versus medication effect remains unclear.
Integrative Treatment Modalities. Psychotherapy, Biology & CAM
Our practice offers a curated, flexible selection of evidence-based and emerging therapeutic modalities. We seamlessly integrate psychodynamic psychotherapy with standard biological interventions and complementary-alternative (CAM) strategies. This layered, patient-centered framework allows us to tailor a unique treatment blueprint for each individual—honoring both brain chemistry and personal narrative.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – The Foundation of Healing
At the core of our psychological care lies psychodynamic psychotherapy. This depth-oriented approach explores unconscious patterns, relational histories, defense mechanisms, and the unique meaning a patient assigns to their illness experience.
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Why it matters: Psychodynamic work uncovers the emotional and biographical roots of distress, providing durable, long-term change rather than merely suppressing surface symptoms.
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Integration: When combined with our medical expertise, this therapy allows for real-time assessment of how psychological states interact with neurological and medication variables.
Precision Psychopharmacology & Biological Interventions
We approach medication management with rigorous, result-oriented precision. Every recommendation is preceded by a thorough, individualized risk-benefit assessment that considers the patient's specific genetic, metabolic, and clinical profile.
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Neurological & Psychiatric Medications: Prescribed judiciously to address disabling symptoms while minimizing adverse cognitive or systemic effects.
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Promising Old & Novel Compounds: We evaluate both time-tested pharmaceuticals and emerging compounds that show clinical promise for neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Medication Reconciliation: Comprehensive reviews to identify and deprescribe unnecessary or improperly dosed medications that may be impairing daily cognitive function.
Non-Drug Neuromodulation & Somatic Therapies
For patients who have not responded fully to medications or psychotherapy alone, we offer advanced non-drug modalities:
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): A non-invasive, FDA-cleared neuromodulation technique used primarily for treatment-resistant depression, but also showing efficacy in OCD, PTSD, and certain anxiety disorders.
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Other Somatic Adjuncts: We evaluate and integrate additional biologically-based CAM modalities that align with the patient's neurological status and treatment goals.
Preventative Neuropsychiatry & Lifestyle Medicine
We place special, dedicated emphasis on long-term brain and mind health. This proactive dimension of our practice—what we term preventative neurology—focuses on preserving cognitive reserve and promoting healthy aging.
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Biochemical Risk Factor Control: Systematic identification and correction of inflammatory markers, metabolic syndrome components, hormonal imbalances, and nutritional deficiencies that accelerate neurodegeneration.
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Lifestyle Risk Factor Modification: Evidence-based guidance on sleep optimization, stress reduction, physical activity, and circadian alignment to mitigate future cognitive decline.
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Cognitive Rejuvenation Measures: Targeted interventions designed to enhance neuroplasticity, memory consolidation, and executive function across the adult lifespan—from middle age to the centenarian years.
The Anti-Alzheimer & Metabolic Neurology Protocol
One of our flagship integrative programs is the Anti-Alzheimer Protocol, which harnesses the neuroprotective power of the ketogenic diet developed at Johns Hopkins University. This metabolic approach is not merely dietary advice—it is a therapeutic intervention deployed as part of a comprehensive, disease-modifying treatment plan.
This protocol can be particularly beneficial for patients suffering from:
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Chronic Body Pain & Fibromyalgia: Reducing systemic inflammation and central sensitization.
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Migraine Headaches: Stabilizing cerebral metabolism and reducing neuronal hyperexcitability.
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Neurodegenerative Diseases:
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Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) – Early intervention to slow or halt progression.
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Alzheimer's Disease – Addressing cerebral glucose hypometabolism, a hallmark of the condition.
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Parkinson's Disease – Supporting mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.
Note: This metabolic program is carefully monitored and integrated with ongoing psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic care to ensure safety and synergy.
Why Choose This Layered, Integrative Choice?
This multi-modal approach ensures that no avenue for healing is left unexplored. By offering a genuine choice of treatment pathways—from talk therapy to TMS, from novel compounds to metabolic ketogenic protocols—we meet patients where they are and guide them toward the combination that yields the most profound, sustainable restoration of health.
More on the Anti-Alzheimer Protocol (videoclip)