Afraid not. Currently, I am just offering televideo appointments. Once Serenity River grows, I hope to bring in more providers and staff and open a brick and mortar establishment and expand from there! 

Talk to me before your session. Hopefully we can figure something out that benefits us both!

If you are having a life threatening, severe or intolerable reaction to a medication, do not take any more of that medication and seek emergency medical care and then notify me!

If you are having mild symptoms, that are not life threatening, severe or intolerable, contact me. Leave me a detailed message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. If you are unsure, stop the medication and we will discuss it.

No. There are no after hours on call providers. I am not immediately avaiable every moment of the day. I do take days off. 

If you are in crisis and/or are at risk of hurting yourself or others, call The National Suicide Hotline by dialing 988 or call 911 for immediate emergency services. You may also go to the nearest emergency room. Get yourself to safety, then call me. I will certainly want to know you are going through this and be there for you when you are no longer in immediate danger!

I do not! I can, however, do a capacity evaluation! The two are often confused but a capacity evaluation is much different than a competency evaluation. Competency evaluations are for courts to review in order to declare some one competent or incompetent, legally. Capacity evaluations, reviews if a patient can make certain decisions on their own, which may eventually lead to a competency evaluation. For example, in a hospital, if a patient is refusing a life saving treatment, the doctor can do/order a capacity evaluation to ensure the patient understands why the treatment is being recommended and what the likely outcome will be if they refuse. 

Just the basics. I am by no means a therapist and as soon as I feel you need more than what I can offer, I will tell you. I can offer support, active listening, problem solving, education, perhaps offer different prospectives. I have also been know to tutor patients in math, when needed. I utilize motivational interviewing and techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy. If for some reason you can not find or afford a therapist, I am willing to break out the old CBT textbook for the real deal. I just never want to sell myself as the "great therapist" just to gain a buck. As Serenity River grows, we will be adding highly qualified therapists, until then, I can refer you to therapists if you need more in that way than just me. 

Kind of. Often, weight gain is associated with an eating disorder or a side effect of many mental health medications. By treating the eating disorder, hopefully weight is reduced. Reviewing current mental health medications for potential changes to reduce the side effects can help reduce weight. 

Yes. I would require drug screens (scheduled and random) and attendance to all appointments. You will NOT be prescribed suboxone on the first visit. This visit will be for the assessment, review of the rules, ordering of treatment records and ordering of the first drug screen. Once I have your records and your toxicology report, we will meet again to discuss treatment options.

Yes! If you are deemed to be safe to detox at home, I can help you with medications to support you. If you are not deemed safe to detox at home, I would recommend that you go to a detox facility to be medically monitored while you detox. Detoxing from alcohol can be very deadly and have some serious side effects that are better managed in a monitored facility. If you are at high risk but do not want to go to detox, I would work with you on weaning yourself down SLOWLY while supporting you and treating your withdrawal symptoms, as possible. 

The quick answer is "no" but sometimes the pain is causing other mental health problems or vice versa. When I see a person for a mental health issue who also has issues with chronic pain, I consider psychotropic medications that may also reduce their pain, as clinically indicated. I can also refer you to therapists who focus on pain, such as CBT-Pain, which has been shown in studies to actually reduce pain. I do not directly treat pain. I do not prescribe traditional pain killers. No tramadol, no opioids, no muscle relaxers, no anti-inflammatory medications are EVER prescribed. 

I will consider completing FMLA forms, as appropriate, for established patients only. Any disability forms, also for established patients only, would be on a case to case basis. I will not just complete forms because you want them. I will complete them only if they are clinically appropriate for you. But know, I will help support you in any way I can. 

As of now, no. As Serenity River grows and more providers are brought in, this will change. Until then, I have a commitment to serve our nations veterans through the work week. After my call of duty, I then bring you the same quality service I give my vets, and you get me nights, weekends and some holidays. Please note, I am unavailable on Wednesdays as I work overnight at a community crisis center, as well as at the VA. 

Not at this time but I am working toward this goal. In the meantime, you are able to submit your receipt for services to your insurance company for reimbursement. I would be considered out of network.