Do I need psychotherapy and psychiatry?

Each client is unique. Many psychological and emotional difficulties can be resolved with psychotherapy. However, there is research indicating that for some conditions, a combination of psychotherapy and psychiatric medication may be the most effective treatment. Your Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner will help you make the best choice for your unique circumstance.

While both disciplines share the goal of improving client daily functioning and outcomes, psychotherapy is centered on talk therapy and behavioral interventions to help ease emotional difficulties. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice nurses who are trained to examine biological factors along with social and emotional elements. An evaluation by a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner can help to determine if psychiatric medication may be an appropriate treatment option for an individual client, and if so, which medications are indicated along with the proper dosage.

Medication consultation and ongoing medication management are generally the two main psychiatry services clients come to East Central Behavioral Health for. Some Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners may incorporate talk therapy and counseling into their treatment sessions as well, or they may refer clients to a therapist that is experienced in the struggles you or your child is experiencing.

If I see a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, will I have to take medication?

No. The purpose of a psychiatric evaluation is to closely look at all the factors that may be contributing to the difficulty you are experiencing. Once the biological, social, and psychological factors involved and how they are interacting is determined, a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner can make treatment recommendations. Treatment plans including medication may or may not be indicated. The psychiatry team at Sana Psychiatry works collaboratively with clients to hear their concerns, questions, and to agree upon treatment goals.

Will I have to be on medication forever?

Not necessarily. Each client and treatment plan is unique so how long you may take medication will be determined between you and your Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. It is common for some clients to take medication during a particularly difficult time so that they are able to experience improved functioning while they are working on emotional and behavioral struggles during therapy. Once symptoms improve, the medication plan can be re-evaluated.

What types of conditions can psychiatric medication help with?

There are a wide range of psychiatric medications for many different types of conditions and diagnoses. At East Central Behavioral Health, our Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner often prescribes medication to help clients experiencing depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and to manage symptoms related to ADHD and autism.

Do you prescribe medication to children and teenagers?

Our Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Jeremiah is trained to examine the role biological, psychological, and social elements may play in emotional and behavioral concerns presenting in children ages 6+ and adolescents. He works with both children and their families to understand the presenting issues, formulate diagnostic impressions, recommend treatment plans, and to provide additional related services such as ongoing medication management, therapy, and collaborating with other healthcare providers. The goal is to help children improve daily functioning in school and social situations, and also to help parents and families learn how to best support their child during treatment.

What if medication doesn’t help or if I don’t like the side effects?

For adult clients experiencing depression that has not responded satisfactorily to medication or psychotherapy, or for those who cannot tolerate the side effects of antidepressant medications, our Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner may refer you for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Depression (TMS Therapy for Depression). TMS Therapy is an FDA-approved, non-medication treatment for depression. TMS Therapy uses a magnetic pulse similar to that of an MRI and works by stimulating areas of the brain that are underactive in patients with severe depression. TMS Therapy is associated with very few side effects. Generally, a course of TMS Therapy involves five 20 minute sessions per week, for five to six weeks. Clients are able to return immediately to their daily activities after each session. To learn more about TMS Therapy for Depression, click here.  

What if it’s difficult for me to travel to your office locations for psychiatry services?

Some clients may be candidates for virtual visits via online TelePsych services.  Virtual visits are just like in-office appointments, but they are conducted via a secure video-conferencing system. This may be ideal for those who may have difficulty traveling to our office locations. Please note the due to licensing and insurance requirements, clients must be physically located in Texas during appointments.

Do you take insurance?

We are currently in the process of credentialling with Medicare, Medicaid, Health Partners, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. In the event a client has an insurance East Central Behavioral Health is not in-network with and chooses to start or continue to receive psychiatric treatment with us, we will provide a super-bill which the client may submit to their insurance for reimbursement. If requesting a superbill client is responsible for paying their balance in full, they then submit the superbill to their insurance carrier who sends a reimbursement.