Services

Initial Assessment

Your first appointment is generally a 60-75 minute evaluation that involves identifying current concerns, collecting relevant mental and medical history, and identifying psychosocial factors effecting your mental health. I will ask you to complete some forms and questionnaires prior to your appointment to ensure our time is used efficiently.

Establishing Diagnoses

Information gathered in the initial evaluation is thoroughly reviewed to establish an accurate DSM-V diagnosis to help guide further treatment and to help you understand your individual experience. Mental health diagnoses can vary from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, and personality disorders, among others.

Developing a Treatment Plan

Based on your diagnosis and contributing stressors together we develop an individualized treatment plan to address your needs moving forward. This plan often includes a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Collaboration with your primary care provider and any specialty providers may also be necessary along with relevant laboratory testing and pharmacogenomic testing. If it is determined your treatment needs would better be addressed by another provider/clinic we may refer you to a higher level of care or to providers that can more specifically address your needs.

Medication Management

Medication is often an important component of mental health treatment. If medication is recommended we will discuss risks, benefits, and any potential adverse effects both when starting or adjusting medications. We understand many people have conflicting feelings about medications and we aim to ensure patients are well informed when making decisions about medications.

Our prescribing practices are directed by evidenced based practice guidelines as well as your comfort level to come. We are generally conservative when prescribing with a goal of using the lowest effective doses and fewest medications to reach your treatment goals. We are particularly conservative regarding controlled medications. We do not prescribe benzodiazepine medications or stimulants for ADHD.

Psychotherapy

Therapy is a very important component of mental health treatment. The combination of therapy and medication is often more effective than either alone. My recommendation to most patients is to include therapy to some degree in their treatment. I provide a combination of approaches and various modalities guided by your needs and response in combination with medication management. We do not provide psychotherapy alone but can provide recommendations to those who do should you be interested.