FAQ
Integrative psychiatry is a holistic approach to mental health treatment that combines conventional evidence-based psychiatric practices with complementary therapies. It focuses on nurturing both the mind and body, offering personalized care to empower mental wellbeing and resilience. It can include:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Neutraceuticals (such as vitamins, minerals, and supplements)
- Pyschotherapy
- Lifestyle recommendations
- And more
Choosing to see an integrative psychiatrist can offer several advantages for patients:
- A holistic approach: Integrative psychiatrists take a more holistic approach to mental health, considering not only medications but also lifestyle, nutrition, and complementary therapies.
- Personalized and thorough care: Private practitioners typically offer more personalized and longer appointments, allowing for in-depth discussions and customized treatment plans.
- Access to alternative therapies: Integrative psychiatrists can incorporate alternative therapies such as lifestyle recommendations, neutraceuticals, mindfulness, or nutritional counseling.
- Long-term relationship and continuity of care: Patients may establish a more stable and long-term therapeutic relationship with a private practice psychiatrist. There is often greater continuity of care, as patients are able to see the same provider consistently.
- Comprehensive assessments: Private practitioners can dedicate more time to comprehensive assessments, potentially uncovering underlying issues or co-occurring disorders that may be missed in rushed visits.
Patients who choose an integrative psychiatrist and choose to pay cash only also have further added advantages, including:
- Shorter wait times and reduced administrative hassles: Patients don’t have to deal with the administrative complexities of insurance claims, pre-authorizations, and referrals when paying in cash. Patients may also find it easier to schedule appointments and avoid long wait times compared to in-network providers.
- Greater autonomy: Patients have more control over their treatment decisions, as they aren’t limited by insurance coverage restrictions.
- Privacy and confidentiality: Cash pay provides a higher level of privacy and confidentiality, as there is no involvement from insurance companies, unless patients choose to apply for reimbursement with a superbill (see below).
I treat patients ages 18-60 years old on a case-by-case basis.
I offer virtual appointments via Luminello to patients located in Michigan.
I offer virtual appointments only at this time.
My clinic does not provide emergency services. If you are struggling with a psychiatric emergency, please visit your closest emergency room or urgent care center, or call 911.
The Intake Process
The intake process begins with filling out an initial assessment form. This allows me to get a general sense of who you are as an individual and whether or not my clinic will be the best fit for you. This is based on a number of factors including presenting symptoms and severity of illness, among others. After intake, you will be notified of whether we are a good fit for treatment at this time. You will then be able to schedule your initial assessment, which is up to 70 minutes long.
Intake paperwork and forms will be available to you once you have been accepted as a patient. Intake paperwork must be completed prior to initial evaluation appointment.
Follow Up Appointments
Follow up appointments are generally scheduled every 1-6 months, depending on patient needs.
Outside of the initial intake assessment paperwork, the following are required for a virtual visit:
- A strong wifi or ethernet connection
- Updated web browser software
- Minimal background noise (no TV’s, radios, etc.)
- Adequate lighting
- Privacy
Not all patients are appropriate for treatment in my clinic. I will make every reasonable effort to provide you with alternative options for an appropriate level of psychiatric care in the event that a patient is not a good fit for treatment.
We accept Aetna, Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan at this time. You may also choose to pay out of pocket for services as a private pay patient. As a private pay patient, you may request to receive a superbill for your services within the clinic and seek reimbursement from your insurance company. Please contact the clinic here for current rates.
Medicare patients: Please note that I cannot accept Medicare patients at this time.
A superbill is a record of medical services received during a healthcare visit. Patients can use it to seek reimbursement from their insurance provider for cash-pay medical services. The superbill includes details such as service dates, procedure and diagnosis codes, and provider information, allowing patients to submit a claim to their insurance company for potential reimbursement, helping them offset out-of-pocket expenses.
All patients are required to have a credit card on file, regardless of whether they are utilizing insurance. For cash pay patients, payment is due via credit card at the time services are rendered.
I do not fill out paperwork related to state unemployment or disability at this time. Other paperwork, such as accommodations or FMLA forms, is to be completed on a patient-by-patient basis at an additional cost of $50 per form.
Please note that I do not provide paperwork allowing for emotional support animals (ESA’s) at this time.
Cancellations must be made at least 48 business hours in advance of appointment time (ex. a Tuesday 1pm appointment must be cancelled by no later than the previous Friday at 1pm).
Cancellations made within 48 business hours will be charged at 100% of the normal rate. A missed appointment (“no-show”) is charged at 100% of the normal rate.
A missed appointment (“no-show”) is charged at $150. There is a 10-minute grace period. Patient’s arriving to their appointment more than 10 minutes past the start time (i.e. 1:10 pm for a 1:00 pm appointment time) will be considered a no-show and charged per this policy.
Medication refill requests should be made at least 48 business hours in advance of their due date. Please note that I do not prescribe controlled substances at this time. If you are currently being prescribed controlled substances related to psychiatric conditions, I can recommend an appropriate taper schedule to your primary care provider.