Shahid Insaf, M. D.
Psychiatrist

We are pleased to announce the inauguration of a second location for EmoLogic Clinic in Springfield, MO. Currently we are a private practice Psychiatric Services clinic in Branson. The practice will open its Springfield location in January 2012.

About the Doctor

Dr. Shahid Insaf has extensive experience in the practice of Psychiatry and unique expertise in specialized services such as Vagus Nerve stimulation for refractory depression, Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and Psychodynamic psychotherapy. After completing medical school in Odessa, Ukraine (the former USSR), he finished residency training in Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. Upon graduation, he worked as the Medical director of Area mental Health Center in Garden City, Kansas for 4 years before moving to Springfield to join St. John’s hospital, where he has worked for the last 4 years as a Staff Psychiatrist and the Director of the Depression Clinic and ECT services.

Over ten years, Dr. Insaf has been recognized three times by the Consumers’ Research council of America as one of America’s Top Psychiatrists. He has presented numerous lectures to Physicians and other health care professionals, covering various topics such as Sleep disorders, Psychopharmacology, ECT, Psychotherapy, Brain SPECT imaging and Brain-friendly nutrition.

Services offered

In addition to traditional services such as comprehensive Psychiatric evaluations lasting a full hour and follow-up appointments lasting 20-30 minutes, EmoLogic clinic also intends to offer cutting-edge treatment modalities such as Transmagnetic stimulation (rTMS), Vagus Nerve stimulator parameter settings, personal and couple’s psychotherapy and Consultation services. For the first time in this geographical area, patients will have the unique opportunity to opt for weekend assessments and treatment. This is intended for working professionals who would rather not cancel their own important obligations on a weekday in order to come to a doctor’s appointment.

What is Brain SPECT imaging?

Dr. Insaf is also specially trained in Brain SPECT imaging, a method of looking at the functioning of the brain and diagnosing emotional conditions based on the results. Brain SPECT has changed many lives for the better by conclusively showing which parts of the brain are functioning poorly, what the primary condition is that needs treatment and whether or not someone has Bipolar illness or just Unipolar depression. It is also used to diagnose conditions such as Alzheimer’s dementia, Post-traumatic stress disorder and the possible emotional consequences of substance abuse. It enables the accurate selection of medications by actually looking at the brain instead of just a clinical estimate based on an interview. This option would be available to patients who would like more comprehensive assessment and to those who have had minimal or no benefit from previous treatments.

What is rTMS?

rTMS is a newly-approved treatment by the FDA for difficult-to-treat depression that directly improves and regulates the functioning of the brain. A magnetic coil over the Frontal lobe of the brain depolarizes nerve cells to create beneficial emotional effects much faster than medications are able to. Additionally, it is a great and very safe option for depression that has not responded to any medication or therapy, with efficacy that is comparable to ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy). The essential difference is that rTMS does not involve general anesthesia, time off from work and some of the temporary memory problems that are seen with ECT. A patient’s appropriateness for this treatment would be decided based on the results of the initial and subsequent sessions, in consultation with Dr. Insaf.

Co-ordination with other physicians

Just as Logic and Emotion need to be integrated together for optimal mental health, so do mind and body. Good Psychiatric care cannot be accomplished without proper attention to underlying medical issues, if any. For this reason, we believe that corresponding and sharing information with the patient’s Primary medical physician is of utmost importance. After we have received a written consent from our patients, it will be our policy to work closely with other treatment providers to achieve optimal clinical results.