I have treated a wide variety of adult patients with psychiatric problems for a number of years, first in New York and then in Houston. I believe that it is crucial to not only make a diagnosis but, also, to get to know each patient as a human being. There is an increasing trend in psychiatry to limit patient care to diagnosis and pharmacological management. I am a strong believer in the scientific evidence that demonstrates that people do much better with a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy and I have always made psychotherapy a central part of my work. I received my medical training at the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University and completed my psychiatric residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. I served on the faculty of Mt. Sinai for a number of years before moving to Houston. I am also a graduate of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Psychoanalytic concepts help me understand people. In Houston I created and directed the psychiatric consultation/liaison service (psychiatric care to the medically ill) at the VA Hospital for 12 years before moving into full time private practice where I continue to function as both a psychotherapist and pharmacotherapist. Ever since arriving in Houston I have been on the faculty of the psychiatry department of the Baylor College of Medicine (now the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at BCM) and I currently hold the rank of Clinical Professor of Psychiatry. I have been supervising psychiatrists in training in psychotherapy and the psychiatric problems of the medically ill for my entire professional life. For the past twenty years I have focused much of my attention on people suffering the consequences of psychological trauma, particularly extensive and severe trauma such as long term childhood trauma and abuse. In this context I am a co-founder and past president of the Houston Galveston Trauma Institute which teaches other institutions about trauma treatment. One thing which consistently dominates my work is an interest in really knowing and caring about each patient as an individual.

Education & experience

Education

Medical School - Columbia University

The Mount Sinai Hospital, Residency in Psychiatry

New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute, Fellowship in Psychoanalysis

Practice

Norman Decker, M.D.

Certifications

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Professional memberships

American Psychiatric Association

Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians

Harris County Medical Society

Houston Psychiatric Society

Houston Psychoanalytic Society

International Psychoanalytical Association

Awards and publications

Past Director, Psychiatric Consultation Service, Brooke General Hospital, San Antonio, Texas

Baylor College of Medicine, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry

Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association

Co-Founder, Past President and Current Faculty at Houston-Galveston Trauma Institute

Past President of the Houston Psychiatric Society

Creator and Past Director, Psychiatric Consultation Service, US Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston, Texas

Past Director, Psychiatric Consultation/Liaison Section, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas

Past Medical Director, Multiple Personality Disorder/Dissociative Disorder Program and Unit, HCA Belle Park Hospital, Houston, Texas

Past Chairman Board of Directors and Counselor, Cancer Counseling, Inc., Houston, Texas

Numerous Professional Journal Articles and Book Chapters Roessler, R. and Decker, N., (editors), Emotional Disorders of the Physically Ill, Human Sciences Press, New York, 1986.

Background

Languages spoken

English

Gender

Male

NPI number

#1629032123

Norman Decker does not participate in Zocdoc to offer online booking at this time

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