First, let me start out by stating that I am not anti-drugs, nor anti-CBT or anti-R.E.B.T. Everyday we take drugs such as caffeine (e.g. coffee or soda throughout the day-perk to us up) and depressants (e.g. wine at dinner to sooth and clam us down from our hectic day.) However, no one pretends or informs us that we have a caffeine or dopamine deficiency when we are groggy in the morning or because the drug changes our behavior and feelings. No one tells us we have a genetic chemical imbalance because we look horrible when we stop the coffee or go without it. Drugs serve a purpose and have a definite effect upon our brain, thus, psychiatric drugs also cause changes in brain chemistry, attitudes, behaviors, thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the behavioral, emotional or psychological effects are desired and often they are not (i.e. side effects.)

I was trained as a scientist-Practitioner. My understanding and thought processes are based both in science, through my formal training, and in my humanity (i.e. in my spirituality-life lessons). Initially during my psychological training, I did not believe people suffering from such things often labeled Schizophrenia, Bipolar, ADD/ADHD, etc... could be helped without the use psychotropic drugs. I was told early on these people had brain diseases and their suffering was not the result of a magnitude of social factors within the environment. Often it was told to me it was a combination of environment and underlying illness waiting to be activated. Later during my graduate studies, while being trained by Dr. Kevin McCready, Ph.D. at San Joaquin Psychotherapy Center (SJPC) in Clovis-Fresno, CA, I was enlightened on how people with severe "mental illness" were able to fully recover, heal, work through, adapt and develop without the use or reliance upon psychotropic drugs.

I, along with thousands of others around the world, have now been treating people often diagnosed Schizophrenic, Manic– Depressive (Bipolar) and Major Depressive Disorder-Severe without ANY medications, AND without the negative consequences often reported by medical model treatment centers and supporters. This is in spite of not using drugs, locks, force and intrusive measures to keep the peace and or symptoms at bay. There are no locks on our doors, no coercive techniques or agendas. While in treatment, there have not been any major acts of violence or suicides either, despite unfounded warnings verbalized to me during my graduate training. The experience I encountered, combined with the peer reviewed data (see Diagnosis Page) clearly sends one message:

It is elementary Dr. Watson...treating people without psychotropic medications.

I have been successfully treating people, not diagnosis, for many years, and I have honored the patient’s right not to use or rely upon medications. For more information regarding this philosophy and research visit our locate treatment page and click on one of the many related sites that are listed.


Dr. Toby Tyler Watson, Psy.D.