FAQs
What ages do you treat?
I generally treat kids and young adults - people between the ages of 12 and 35 years old.
I may treat patients younger than ages 12 on a case-by-case basis.
However, I generally refer out patients above the age of 60. This is because I recognize that there are unique treatment considerations for older adults, in terms of psychosocial issues, medical co-morbidies, prescription dosing, so I prefer to refer patients older than 60 to psychiatrists who specialize in treating older adults.
Why don't you take insurance?
As you may know from personal experience of being a patient, interacting with health insurance companies can be time-consuming, stressful, and unproductive. This also tends be true from the healthcare provider's perspective.
However, I do recognize the drawbacks of not taking insurance (ie patients are not able to use their insurance). I am mindful that most people don't have unlimited money to spend on psychiatric care.
As such, I have partnered with Reimbursify, which helps patients better understand their insurance benefits, and makes it easier to submit out-of-network reimbursement claims following our appointments.
I also am able to provide low-cost lab work through LabCorp that tends to be about the same profile or even less than the cost of labs through insurance companies.
But my insurance company said you take insurance?
Some insurance companies have me listed as in-network, because I used to work on inpatient psychiatric units. However, I do not accept insurance in the outpatient setting.
Are you a good fit for every patient?
No - I run a small private psychiatric practice with limited resources and availability. My regular office hours are M-Th, from 9am-3pm CT (excluding major holidays).
If you are a patient with a currently higher acuity condition (more severe symptoms, more medically unstable, or higher risk of self-harm or harm of others), then I am not the most appropriate psychiatrist for you, as you may require closer monitoring or more frequent interventions than I am able to provide. If it is determined that I'm not the best fit, we will make efforts to refer you to other providers who may be more appropriate.
In limited cases, I may serve as a consultant psychiatrist to a patient with higher acuity illness who has an existing primary psychiatrist. In those cases, the patient will need to contact either their primary psychiatrist or emergency services in case of an emergency.
Do you provide therapy?
I do enjoy providing therapy! My style is best described as eclectic - I align with person-centered therapy, and typically involve components of interpersonal therapy, DBT, ACT, and expressive arts.
Do you offer virtual sessions?
I am able to see patients virtually who live in the state of Texas.
Will you complete my disability paperwork?
Generally speaking, I do not offer disability assessments. In rare instances with existing patients with severe, non-refractory mental illness (who I have seen for over a year), I may consider completing disability paperwork.
Do you treat substance abuse?
I am comfortable treating substance use disorders when they are co-occuring with other mental illness, and mild to moderate in severity. However, I am not the best option for persons with severe substance use disorder (in part, because as mentioned above, my office hours are limited).
What is integrative psychiatry?
Please click below to be directed to the "About our approach" page.