Psychiatric Medication Tapering Support
There is no shame in taking psychiatric medication. And there should be no judgement for those not wanting to start psych meds or for those wanting to taper off of their psych meds. But often there is judgement, and therefore, very limited support for those who want to eventually discontinue their psychiatric medications or for those who never want to start them in the first place.
Psych meds are often presented as the only option when folks are struggling with their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors- but psych meds are not the only option. I respect and support the choice of those who are not wanting to start psych meds or who are wanting to taper off their psych meds, and I can offer and educate clients about many other options.
Starting or stopping psych meds is a very personal choice. I have done both. (You can read about my experience with psych meds in my blog). I do not encourage or discourage the use or discontinuation of psych meds. I am a proponent of body autonomy, informed consent, choice, and empowerment.
I work with clients who are on psych meds and have no plans to discontinue, clients who are not on psych meds, those who are tapering, and those who are unsure of what they want to do about psych meds. I do not judge anyone’s choices around psych meds. It is your body. It is your life. You get to choose what is best for you.
It is not uncommon for those taking psych meds to find that the drug that was easy to start, is quite difficult to discontinue; it can even feel impossible. But completing a psych med taper doesn’t have to be impossible.
Having a plan, support, and being equipped with skills and tools can position a person for a successful psych med taper. This is part of what I offer clients, along with emotional and spiritual holding, and guidance to navigate things that may come up during a psych med taper: Things like: self-trust issues, attachment issues, relationship issues, addiction, grief, unprocessed pain, a resurfacing of suppressed parts of self, and newfound desires and purpose.
If you were medicated during or following a birth, death, divorce, or loss of any kind, it is not abnormal for the feelings associated with these losses to come back up as you taper off of your psych meds.
I am in the business of helping people navigate challenges, change, stuckness, and loss. And these experiences can all occur during the psych med tapering process. Often, those who are tapering find themselves facing fear and uncertainty.
A psych med taper is often not just a physical challenge. It can also be an emotionally grueling, spiritual pursuit as well- and an invitation to connect with yourself on a deeper level. This will call for the cultivation of new levels of compassion, gentleness, and patience with yourself, which are powerful expressions of self-love, and therefore potent change agents. When people taper off of their psychiatric medications, they often go through both a reclamation and a transformation of self.
Medical professionals can create taper schedules, suggest supplements, monitor vitals, etc, but often they don’t have the time or are not equipped to help with the other supports needed during a psychiatric medication taper.
This is where I come in. To my clients who are tapering off of psych meds, I can provide support and guidance around such things as:
Self-advocacy coaching
Life-style habit adjustment guidance
Assistance in creating a support team
Nervous system education and practical application
Body attunement and communication
Mindset strategies
Emotional intelligence and resilience
Exploring limiting belief systems
Cultivating self-trust
Connecting to your intuition
Body, mind, and spirit self-care
Helping clients navigate changes and challenges that may come up during a psych med taper
*I do not create psych med taper schedules
*I do not make recommendations regarding any medication
*I do not encourage or discourage the use of or the discontinuation of psych meds