What is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. Like any general practitioner, psychiatrists first qualify as medical doctors with a MBChB degree, but then choose to further their studies to become specialists in the field of psychiatry – the study of the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental illness. This means that a psychiatrist has a deep and thorough knowledge of both the human body and mental health and understands how these two aspects of our being affect each other. They are trained doctors who can diagnose and treat – through medication and psychotherapy – mental disorders like:
and other emotional disturbances and abnormal behavior.
About Dr Bosch
He obtained his MBChB degree in 1995 from the University of Pretoria and then completed his internship at Wynberg, Cape Town, where he worked for 2 years in the Department of Internal Medicine and later also in the Department of Psychiatry.
In 1998 he moved to Malelane, Mpumalanga, where he was employed in general practice prior to his appointment as Registrar of Psychiatry at the University of Pretoria. This position provided him with rotations at the Witbank Hospital, Weskoppies Hospital in Pretoria and clinics at Tshwane District Hospital. As part of his appointment he also attended a six-month rotation at the Department of Neurology at the University of Pretoria and another six months at the Child and Adolescent unit at Weskoppies Hospital.
Dr Bosch has been in private psychiatric practice since 2003, when he joined Drs. Lynette Nel and Martelle Slabber at 345 Dey Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk. In 2013 he moved his practice to Denmar Hospital where he sees outpatients in addition to treating patients who have been admitted to that hospital.
Practice
Dr. Bosch integrates psychiatric diagnosis with psychodynamic diagnosis. He views medication as a useful tool, but asserts that better mental health also requires work on the part of the patient, and that the path to improved mental health it is not just a passive process of taking medication. He views his patients as whole persons and appreciates the role of medical testing to exclude any physical causes of psychiatric symptoms.
Dr. Bosch’s particular interest lies in personality disorders. He consults with a wide demographic of patients of all ages and from diverse backgrounds. His aim is to help each one to become more aware of their subconscious processes as an aid to relieving their emotional distress. He is assisted in this effort by a team of psychologists.
Services
Dr. Gert Bosch treats outpatients at his private practice located at Denmar Psychiatric Hospital in Garsfontien, Pretoria. Patients may be referred by other medical practitioners, or call on their own behalf to set up an appointment.
Young people have strong emotions and might need help with emotional regulation, which requires psychological input and not just pharmacotherapy. A few of the conditions that are prevalent amongst this demographic and with which Dr. Bosch can assist, includes:
- ADHD, a common condition in both the young and adult populations.
- Mood problems, anxiety and psychosis
- Personality difficulties.
Patients of all ages are also assisted in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of, amongst others:
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders
- Substance abuse / addiction
- Stress-related disorders
- Eating disorders
- Personality difficulties
- Disruptive behavioral disorders