Dr. Edward Kaufman is Northbound’s Medical Director and truly one of the cornerstones for our team’s daily effort.
How?
Maybe it’s because there’s much more to the man than just his prominent job description — an unmistakable dry sense of humor, a calm demeanor, a frequent smile that makes him comforting to approach. Frankly, he could easily be described as “friendly,” which is refreshing when considering that he is a professional with a strong reputation in his field and over 40 years of experience in psychiatry.
Certainly it’s a remarkable career journey. He was one of the founding presidents of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, and Editor of the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. He has written over 200 articles and book chapters on family therapy, alcoholism, drug addiction, anxiety, and depression. He was also one of the four people who developed the board exam in addiction and psychiatry. And since receiving a Best Doctors in America recognition began 12 years ago, he has consistently been voted by his peers to be included on the prestigious list each year.
But again, it’s not all work-work-work with Dr. Kaufman. He’ll frequently be found on long walks with Roy, his 65 lb golden-doodle. In fact, he takes pride living the same healthy active lifestyle and self-love that he asks his patients to practice.
So as Northbound’s Medical Director, Dr. Kaufman meets with each and every client who admits to make sure that their distinct medical needs are met during their time at Northbound.
He is an expert when in co-morbidity, which requires an acute talent for assessing what medications will be most helpful as our clients begin their journey of recovery. As patients are developing their sober lifestyle and decreasing withdrawal symptoms, Dr. Kaufman is right there consistently evaluating their progress.
Very often, addicts are diagnosed with various psychological conditions while they were recreationally using uppers and downers. Drugs cause an addict’s moods to be all over the place. Their systems level out, free from drugs and alcohol, and someone who once needed high doses of several medications may find the need for far fewer prescriptions.
This is why Northbound is so fortunate to have Dr. Kaufman on our team. He is the one closely monitoring all clients as they come off medication. For instance, some clients have come to Northbound with a personal history of 25 or more previous medications, yet Dr. Kaufman will identify the one best for the client to effectively address the distinct health issue he pinpoints.
It’s a professional role that delights him.
“I think compared to most psychiatry patients, when addicts get sober, their positive changes are so dramatic,” Dr. Kaufman said during a recent interview. “I think that’s the gratifying part.”
Truly he practices psychiatry from a place of compassion and care for each client who enrolls at Northbound, where he apparently finds a similar sense of inspiration.
“It’s probably one of the most loving places I’ve ever been to,” Dr. Kaufman said.
Last summer, staff throughout Northbound were asked to submit selfies as part of a team-building exercise. In nearly half the photos: Dr. Kaufman.
It’s just a common a sentiment here, from patients to fellow executive-level leaders to staff: Dr. K is simply a cut above the rest.
