Your first session with me online would include a 90min initial psychiatric diagnostic evaluation that would review your past psychiatric, medical, social, developmental, and substance use history in detail (some of this information would be obtained/submitted via messaging ahead of the appointment). I would also explore recent and past distressing psychiatric symptoms that have caused recurrent or serious problems in your relationships, jobs, finances, or other areas in order to clarify a working psychiatric diagnosis. This takes time, but would offer you an initial direction to go with a collaboratively created treatment plan. I follow this initial evaluation up with a detailed, written treatment plan, including all recommendations discussed during our first meeting. I am open and available for clarifying questions, and real time feedback, via email or messaging prior to the next appointment.
Typically, during the second appointment, I would review what is better or going well, what's unchanged or distressing, review treatment goals/plan, obtain additional history and diagnostic information, and begin a Nutritional Psychiatry assessment that explores your current relationship with food, typical eating pattern, formative family or cultural values, dietary challenges and preferences to increase brain resiliency and health. I am not dogmatic nor do I belong to ONE dietary tribe, but look for nutritional throughlines that aim to improve key nutrients, reduce inflammation and nourish brain health.
Each person's "recipe" for stabilizing mental health is unique, but often includes a combination of evidence based psychiatric medication, nutritional interventions, improving quality sleep behaviors or circadian rhythms, including movement, and examining how things like chronic stress, loneliness, spirituality, lack of purpose, social connection, and trauma may impact mental health.
