Christian Kcomt, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist with a great deal of expertise in his specialty. At Beacon Psychological Services of Pennsylvania, he treats a wide range of mental conditions, specializing in mood, anxiety and substance abuse disorders, and finds that in many cases, a holistic approach is most successful for achieving overall health and balanced wellness.

Kcomt believes that mental health and physical health are inextricably intertwined, and that treating both requires an integrated approach to wellness. “My whole life, I was always prone to a more holistic or integrated approach to health,” Kcomt says. “I see health not just like, ‘Okay, take a pill and go home.’ It’s more about a change in lifestyle; how you eat, how you work out and your attitude. My patients are looking to do something more holistic.”

He explains, “I treat patients with PTSD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; very enduring, pervasive conditions,” Kcomt says. “We use special vitamins and supplements, plus a special diet, and combine that with medications. We’re complementing the medications with vitamins, and that minimizes side effects.”

Kcomt, who has practiced psychiatry in Central Pennsylvania and for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, believes the biological component of psychiatric disorders is only a small part of the overall issues patients are working to overcome. “We all know that medications and chemicals are only part of the solution; not the whole solution,” he says. “If we only treat the physical component, we’re missing the emotional and mental components, and real healing takes place in all those areas. The biological component is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Kcomt, a native of Peru who is fluent in Spanish, French and English, is presently pursuing a certification in ayurvedic medicine, the ancient system of medicine that has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. Ayurveda theory centers on three elemental substances called doshas: vata, pitta and kapha, and the understanding that a balance between the three results in mind and body health, while an imbalance can cause diseases or disorders. Kcomt will be officially certified in ayurveda in July with the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, in California.

“There are many combinations of the doshas,” says Kcomt. “First, we figure out what combinations of energies you have, and then determine the best approach. We determine the best diet, medication, everything; even music. Each dosha has different ways to balance it.”

In addition, Kcomt recommends finding balance through meditation, which he calls “the basis for everything.”  He notes, “I’ve been doing meditation and yoga for the last 20 years. To me, it feels normal and I love it. My patients are all advised to do meditation, and some of them are so surprised by how much better they feel.”

Although he places great emphasis on the more holistic and integrative aspects of his practice, Kcomt is still a man of science. He doesn’t believe one type of medicine is more effective than another. “If a person is seriously injured in an accident, that person needs to go to the ER," he says. “But likewise, if a person has just a common headache, no need to jump into medications right away. You have to know what to use, how to use it and when to use it, and how to combine all these approaches. I am more inclusive. I’m not exclusive. If a client has an acute condition that requires medications, of course I’ll prescribe that. But when I do, I’ll combine that with vitamins, herbs and holistic medications.”

While a holistic approach to psychiatry may seem like a foreign concept, Kcomt says the community has been more than accepting. They’ve embraced his methods. “The client population in Camp Hill are not only open, they’re looking for it,” he says. “They’re tired of, ‘Okay, take this pill, go home.’ There’s some inner intelligence about what’s the right thing to do. More people are coming to me because they hear that I do this approach, and they’re specifically asking for this. It makes me feel so humbled and so honored that I can make a difference in their health.”

Beacon Psychological Services of Pennsylvania is located at 3903 Hartzdale Dr., Ste. 305, in Camp Hill, PA. For more information, call 717-763-8650 or visit BeaconPsychologicalPA.com.

Kate Morgan is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings.