At this time I am not "in-network" with insurance. If you want to use your insurance I can generate a "super bill" on request. This document can be submitted to your insurance company to claim any out-of-network benefits that you may be entitled to through your insurance.
For more information about this process, please contact your insurance company. Your insurance company may be able to provide you with an estimate of how much you can expect to be reimbursed.
While my primary focus is treating children and adolescents, I also have limited availability for adults.
There are multiple factors that determine how often I follow up with a patient, which may include the patient's diagnosis, stability of their symptoms, the age of the patient, and the kind of medications prescribed. Initially I will follow up more frequently, especially for younger children and adolescents. This allows extra time for us to get to know each other and to fine tune the treatment plan. During times of crisis and early in treatment appointments may be scheduled every week to two weeks. Once symptoms are more stable appointments may be gradually spaced out to every 4-8 weeks. For patients who have been stable for a while, appointments may be every 12 weeks.
As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, I primarily treat children and adolescents ages 4yo to 17yo. I am also board certified in General Psychiatry and treat adults of all ages, although I primarily focus on treating young adults. I treat a wide variety of diagnoses that include Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism. For those individuals primarily struggling with substance use disorders, I unfortunately do not manage methadone or Suboxone. I recommend searching Psychologytoday.com to find providers who specialize in substance use disorders.
I am unable to provide letters for emotional support animals, disability paperwork, letters for return to work, custody evaluations, or forensic evaluations. I recommend seeking a provider who specializes in these types of assessments.
I believe that medications can be one of many valuable tools for finding balance in your life. For some individuals, medications are a temporary way to help manage symptoms that are causing significant distress so that patients can strengthen their coping skills or get through a difficult phase in their life. For others, medications are a vital tool for managing chronic mental health disorders, much like someone would take insulin to manage diabetes. In addition to discussing potential roles for medication, we will also discuss lifestyle changes, coping strategies, psychotherapy, and other interventions to help address your concerns.
When it comes to treating children, I believe in respecting their agency in a manner appropriate to their development, while also ensuring their legal guardian is involved in treatment plan decisions. Any recommended medications will be discussed with the legal guardian(s), and I will discuss medication decisions with the patient in an age appropriate manner.
As children transition into adolescence it is normal for them to have increasing agency and involvement in their treatment plans appropriate to their development while also respecting the continued important role of their legal guardian in making decisions regarding medications. Medications recommendations will be discussed jointly with the patient and their legal guardian(s) so that together we can cooperatively develop a plan that everyone can support.
Generally speaking, I encourage patients to bring any support person to their appointment who they feel will help advocate for them and who may be able to provide important information. Regardless of the patient's age, I will want to speak with the patient privately at some point during the appointment, as long as they are comfortable. For older teenagers, it is understandable if their legal guardian is not present at all follow-up appointments - it is expected a legal guardian will be available by phone during the appointment so we can discuss the treatment plan. For minors, please do not bring siblings to their appointment unless we have discussed it ahead of time. Our office space is not suited to accommodating unsupervised children.
To allow sufficient time and privacy to meet with patient and their legal guardian(s), initial evaluations for children and adolescents are split into three separate hour-long appointments. The first appointment will be scheduled with the legal guardian(s) and/or caregivers alone to discuss the patient's history and recent concerns. The second appointment will be with the patient alone (based on their comfort) and provide them with an opportunity to speak confidentially. The final appointment will be scheduled with the patient and the guardian/caregiver(s) together to discuss professional recommendations, treatment planning, and to decide together if this practice will be a good fit.