Dr. Butler completed his medical school training at University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and completed his residency in psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.  He also completed a Visiting Fellowship in Electroconvulsive Therapy at Columbia University Medical Center.  Dr. Butler’s board certifications include General Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.  He also specializes in interventional psychiatry including ECT and TMS.  Dr. Butler is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.  

Dr. Butler’s interests include psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, substance abuse, bipolar illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic disorders.  Psychiatric diagnosis and the use of evidence-based treatments are the cornerstones of his treatment philosophy.  He believes in a collaborative approach to treatment utilizing input from members of the treatment team including nursing, social services, pharmacy, referring physicians and most importantly the patient.  This is an all-inclusive approach that provides better and longer lasting treatment outcomes for his patients. He also believes in a continuum of care concept that is based on a patient’s individualized psychiatric needs.  This includes the use of varied treatment modalities such as inpatient treatment, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), office-based treatments and Telehealth. Dr. Butler is the Behavioral Health Medical Director and Graduate Medical Education Program Director at HCA Florida Largo Hospital, IROC campus. His primary office is located at Behavioral Healthcare Options in downtown Safety Harbor, FL.