THERAPY AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT

Medication and therapy work well separately but they work really well together. What I love about working with pediatrics (besides loving kids) is that there is an increased opportunity to catch things early in life that can change their trajectory in adulthood. Kids who are suffering from anxiety or depression are less likely to experience it throughout adulthood if treated early. If it goes untreated then they are likely to suffer from it for the rest of their life. That can be a struggle as an adult to be trying to find the right combination of medication or the right therapist to manage it. If we can catch it early enough, we could possibly spare them from that. Working in pediatrics allows me to help create that foundation early in life to have a fulfilling life in adulthood. My perspective is that therapy will help to uncover any negative patterns of thinking or learned behaviors and guide you through ways to alter your thoughts and modify your response to the environment. Medication, on the other hand, will help with aspects that you can’t physically change about yourself such as the level of hormones in your brain. When you have the right balance between the two you will have much better results with your overall mental well-being. 

YOUR INITIAL MEDICATION MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENT

Our initial visit will be a healthy amount of time ranging from 45 minutes to an hour. During that time, you’ll be able to share your story and thoughts on how you think medication management can play a role. The more open and honest you can be, the better I can help treat you. It’s also important to be open and honest for safety precautions because any habits could interfere with how you metabolize medication. I am human too, and it is invaluable to create a judgment-free, safe space, that is also confidential for you to open up. My number one goal is to make sure you get optimal results and that you experience whole-body health and wellness – mental, emotional, and physical.  

ASSESSMENTS, QUESTIONNAIRRES, AND LABS  

To help paint a full picture, a comprehensive assessment will be done. As a result, it will provide more data and insight on your habits, mental health, and lifestyle. Additionally, it will show how genetics might play a role. You will share information about your diet, eating habits, nutrition, sleeping habits, quality of sleep. school life, social life, interests, hobbies and more. Lastly, you’ll share family history. While a lot of people think this isn’t important, it actually impacts the mental health a great deal. 

After the comprehensive assessment we may do screening as well depending on what you’re experiencing. Think of this as a guide to help you express what you’re experiencing and symptoms. Whether it’s anxiety, depression, ADHD or something else, we will have screening questionnaires to help. 

Lastly, there is the key piece which is lab work. There are a lot of organic issues in the body that could give symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges such as vitamin deficiency, anemia and thyroid problems. Lab work will help uncover any underlying health conditions that could be triggering mental health challenges. 

HOW WILL OUR REOCCURRING VISITS GO

If things are going well, the reoccurring visits will be much shorter than the initial visit. If you feel you will need more time that is always an option when booking your follow-up appointments.

You will get to go over any side effects of the medication, how you are feeling with the medication, appetite, and sleep. Additionally, you’ll  spend a fair amount of time discussing how your treatment plan and talk therapy is helping with the improvements of whole-body health and wellness.