--- title: "Which Road Will You Take? | Denver Psychiatry Blog" description: "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other,..." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": [ "MedicalBusiness", "MedicalOrganization", "LocalBusiness" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "alternateName": "Denver Psychiatry - Dr. Steve Sarche", "description": "Denver Psychiatry is a private psychiatric practice founded by Dr. Steve Sarche in 2004, providing comprehensive mental health services for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver metropolitan area.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/logo.png" }, "image": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/og-image.png", "telephone": "+1-303-393-8808", "faxNumber": "+1-303-399-6069", "email": "drsteve@denverpsychiatry.com", "foundingDate": "2004", "founder": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "priceRange": "$$", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "720 S Colorado Blvd, Suite 910N", "addressLocality": "Denver", "addressRegion": "CO", "postalCode": "80246", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "areaServed": { "@type": "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "geoRadius": "50000" }, "medicalSpecialty": [ "Psychiatry", "Child and Adolescent Psychiatry", "Adult Psychiatry" ], "employee": [ { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" } ], "availableService": [ { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Psychiatric Evaluation", "description": "Comprehensive initial evaluation for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Medication Management", "description": "Expert prescription and monitoring of psychiatric medications" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Child & Adolescent Psychiatry", "description": "Age-appropriate psychiatric care for children and adolescents (ages 10+)" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Anxiety Treatment", "description": "Treatment for generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Depression Treatment", "description": "Comprehensive treatment for major depression and mood disorders" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "ADHD Treatment", "description": "Diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorders in all ages" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "PTSD & Trauma Treatment", "description": "Compassionate, evidence-based care for post-traumatic stress and trauma-related conditions" } ], "openingHoursSpecification": { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": [ "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday" ], "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "5", "reviewCount": "50" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": [ "Physician", "Person" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O.", "alternateName": "Steve Sarche", "description": "Dr. Steve Sarche is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. 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This holistic perspective informs Dr. Sarche's approach to mental health, considering how physical and emotional well-being influence each other." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I schedule an appointment with Denver Psychiatry?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "You can schedule an appointment by calling Denver Psychiatry at (303) 393-8808. The staff will help you find a convenient time and answer any questions about your first visit." } } ] }, { "@type": "Blog", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#blog", "name": "Denver Psychiatry Mental Health Blog", "description": "Expert insights and articles on mental health topics from Dr. Steve Sarche, board-certified psychiatrist in Denver, Colorado.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/blog", "author": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Which Road Will You Take?", "description": "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other,...", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Psychiatrist" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com" }, "datePublished": "2011-05-20T17:36:32+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/article/which-road-will-you-take" } } ] --- [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [](tel:303-393-8808) [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [Home](#home) Services ### Conditions We Treat [ ADHD Treatment Child & adult ADHD specialist care ](/adhd)[ Anxiety Treatment Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety ](/anxiety-treatment)[ Depression Treatment Major depression, bipolar, mood disorders ](/depression-treatment)[ PTSD & Trauma Treatment Trauma recovery focused on full healing ](/ptsd-trauma-treatment) ### Specialty Care [ Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship-trained, ages 10 and up ](/child-adolescent-psychiatry)[ Performance Optimization Precision psychiatry for high performers ](/performance-optimization)[ Medication Management Expert prescription and monitoring ](#services) #### Talk to Dr. Sarche Call to schedule your initial evaluation [Call Now](tel:303-393-8808) About ### About Us [ Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. 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Dr. Steve Sarche Board Certified Psychiatrist • Friday, May 20, 2011 • 5 min read Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take&text=Which%20Road%20Will%20You%20Take%3F)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take&title=Which%20Road%20Will%20You%20Take%3F)[]() _Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,_ _And sorry I could not travel both_ _And be one traveler, long I stood_ _And looked down one as far as I could_ _To where it bent in the undergrowth;_         _Then took the other, as just as fair,_ _And having perhaps the better claim,_ _Because it was grassy and wanted wear;_ _Though as for that the passing there_ _Had worn them really about the same,_         _And both that morning equally lay_ _In leaves no step had trodden black._ _Oh, I kept the first for another day!_ _Yet knowing how way leads on to way,_ _I doubted if I should ever come back._         _I shall be telling this with a sigh_ _Somewhere ages and ages hence:_ _Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—_ _I took the one less traveled by,_ _And that has made all the difference._         -Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”, 1916 People often ask me if a major childhood event, great or horrible, could be affecting them in their adult lives.  This is a hard question to answer because, as Frost suggest in his poem, you never know what would have happened if life took you down a different road, and you can’t really go back.  With that in mind, however, I generally answer “Yes, it can.”   This answer is based on concepts of developmental neuroscience.  “Developmental neuroscience” is basically a fancy way of saying, “Really smart people studying how genetics and environmental factors interact to make us who we are.”  Genes act as a blueprint for what we look like, how smart we are, how strong we will be, and so on.  Genes code for the development of systems in the brain that are related to emotions such as sadness, anger, and anxiety.  The debate of whether genetic expression in terms of psychological problems can be affected by the surrounding environment was sparked by Freud and has been carried on by his bow-tie wearing protégés since.  Recently in the Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry, John March and James Leckman reported that “A scientific consensus is emerging that the origins of adult disease are often found among developmental and biological disruptions occurring during the early years of life.”   They continue, “…there can be a lag of many years, even decades, before early adverse experiences are expressed in the form of disease.”  The importance of these statements cannot be emphasized enough.   As this phenomenon becomes better understood, it gives mental health care providers a new way to view psychopathologic outcomes.  It helps explain why some people with similar genetic predisposition for a psychiatric disorder such as major depression struggle with depression their entire life while others do not.  It additionally helps us understand how some who suffer severe stress in childhood, for example physical abuse, become severely depressed or anxious in adulthood while others do not.  There is a term that is derived from general systems theory that helps summarize this concept.  It is called “multifinality”.  This is the idea that one etiologic (causative) factor, such as genetic risk for depression, can lead to several different outcomes that could include a lifetime of feeling depressed or no significant struggle with depression.   The reason that I like the concept of multifinality is that it can be applied to help people change the course of their disease or disorder.  In other words, just because you have depression does not necessarily mean you have to suffer with it the rest of your life.  There are ways to affect the multifinality of depression that include good life habits such as regular sleep schedules and diet and exercise routines.  Additionally, learning productive coping and stress management skills as well as reducing or eliminating unneeded stress can change the course of depression.  The avoidance of drugs and alcohol will almost guarantee a better outcome in managing depression.  The acceptance of professional help is often needed for a person to begin his or her journey down these paths, and to help navigate the proverbial forks in the road.  In my work, I tell people that disorders such as anxiety and depression can make them feel out of control.  I urge them, however, to challenge that thought and look at it through a totally different lens.  I work towards teaching that they can have the ultimate control, which is deciding what they put in their body and what they do with their body.  Since the days of Freud and probably long before, many providers intuitively believed in multifinality; their beliefs are now being proven biologically.  People can change the course of their genetic predisposition to illness in a permanent way.  People can also overcome the grip that severe childhood stress maintains on their psyche.  This often takes hard work in breaking habits and thought distortions that have deep roots in childhood.  It is not only challenging, but often downright terrifying to confront the fears of change or the memories that bring feelings of embarrassment, anger, guilt, resentment, jealousy or terror.  It can be extremely difficult work at the beginning, but it is the work that, as multifinality suggests, can change the course of an illness and a life.  If you read Frost’s poem carefully, you will notice the irony in it.  He writes that the two roads had nearly equal wear and “that morning equally lay…”, but concludes in the end that he had taken the road less traveled, “and that has made all the difference.”  This ironic twist may have been tongue-in-cheek on Frost’s behalf or may have been a literary technique to emphasize a point; that when confronted with a fork in the road, stop and think; make the decision and take the road you do as if it is definitely the best one.  Sometimes that may be the more difficult road, or the road less traveled, but ultimately, that journey will be the best you could take. Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take&text=Which%20Road%20Will%20You%20Take%3F)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fwhich-road-will-you-take&title=Which%20Road%20Will%20You%20Take%3F)[]() ### Need Help With Your Mental Health? Dr. Steve Sarche provides compassionate psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver area. [Call to Speak With Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) ### Get new articles from Dr. Sarche We'll only email you when Dr. Sarche publishes a new article. Unsubscribe anytime. Subscribe ## Related Articles [ Wellness & Lifestyle ### The Low Effort High Reward Paradox Managing internet harm May 13, 2026 4 min read ](/article/the-low-effort-high-reward-paradox)[ Wellness & Lifestyle ### ADHD Awareness ADHD Awareness If you are seeing orange awareness ribbons around this month, they are not to raise awareness for Halloween. They represent ADHD awareness month. I think October is an apt month for hav... Oct 4, 2024 5 min read ](/article/adhd-awareness)[ Wellness & Lifestyle ### The Osteopathic Approach to Mental Health Care Understanding how osteopathic medicine's holistic philosophy enhances psychiatric treatment. Jun 10, 2024 1 min read ](/article/osteopathic-approach-mental-health) ### Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. Providing compassionate, comprehensive psychiatric care to children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver area since 2004. 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