Dr. Rick Bingham M.D.

Retiring January 23rd, 2023

I am a physician, with an M.D. degree. who specializes in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Pediatric). I am also an adult psychiatrist, but have chosen to mostly work with children, adolescents and their families.

I have a BA and an MD from the University of Vermont and my further clinical ("residency") training in psychiatry at the University of Colorado. I am board certified in both pediatric psychiatry and general or adult psychiatry. I am a member of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the Oregon Council for Children & Adolescent Psychiatry, the Marion and Polk County Medical Society, and on the staff at Salem Hospital. I have worked in the Salem area for a number of years and up until 2004, held a part- time position at the Salem Hospital as the Medical Director for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. I left that position after helping to successfully establish and grow the Child & Adolescent Day Hospital Program, which had been the central reason I had been recruited into that position. Previous to that I was on the faculty of the School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Colorado. I have been at my current practice since 2004.

On a personal side, my roots are in Colorado and Vermont, and now I have thoroughly embraced yet another extraordinary state, Oregon. I have three children, all born in Oregon.. My lovely wife, Dr Julie Bingham, PhD, and I share this office.

services

Psychiatric assessments (evaluations). Just as a specialist, e.g. a cardiologist would do a specialized assessment, I do this in psychiatry. Most of the time I provide ongoing medical care, treatment, following the initial assessment.

Psychiatric Consultation: This is the same as the assessment, but it is planned ahead that I will not be doing ongoing care, but rather will provide direction and guidance for your primary care doctor (clinician) to then provide the care.

Psychiatric treatment without regular of frequent full psychotherapy sessions: These are generally 'doctors visits' that last 10 to 20 minutes, include supportive psychotherapy, guidance, ongoing assessment, and medication treatment (as needed).

Psychotherapy: This is weekly or every two week 45 minute visits using a range of techniques and approaches that have been proven effective for treating: for example, depression or relationship problems.

Treatment style

The renowned Harvard physician and teacher Francis Peabody said, "...for the secret of the care of the patient is caring for the patient." This means bringing the whole of one's humanity to the work as a physician and engaging with the whole person who is your patient. I was one of two in my medical class of about 100 who received the award based on this principle. I do my best to follow this wisdom.

Another renowned physician and teacher, George Engel, extended this idea. He believed, "that to understand and respond adequately to patients’ suffering [distress, dis-ease]—and to give them a sense of being understood—clinicians must attend simultaneously to the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of illness. This is referred to as the "bio-psycho-social model, and it is the framework that I follow.

To this I would add the spiritual dimension. I attend a progressive Christian church, but am not a "christian therapist." I rarely bring up the spiritual dimension, but recognize its importance and when religion is an important part of a patient's life or their families life (any and all religions), then I deeply respect and support that.