Psychiatric Services

What is Psychiatry?

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. Psychiatric care providers are licensed medical professionals — a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.), a mental health nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant. As such, they are qualified to assess both the physical and mental aspects of psychological problems and can prescribe medications.

How does Psychiatry work?

You will discuss your symptoms, personal and family history, and medical history with your psychiatrist or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. This is all part of your comprehensive mental health care plan.

Your psychiatric provider may order some physical tests such as blood tests. Diagnostic tests can help determine the extent to which your physical health may be contributing to your mental or emotional state.

Psychiatry considers all aspects of your health when trying to understand and treat your problems. This includes a complete assessment of your physical health, mental health, and emotional wellbeing.

Can Psychiatry help me?

Psychiatry can successfully diagnose and treat a great variety of mental health conditions (see below). The professionals on your psychiatric team are trained to recognize how your physical and mental health can affect each other.

What can I expect from Psychiatric services at Elite DNA Behavioral Health?

After your assessment, your psychiatric provider will prescribe a course of treatment for you, which may, or may not, include medications. The right medication can be extremely helpful in treating mental health conditions. Should your treatment include medication, we will carefully monitor its effectiveness for you.

Medication management is a vitally important step in the treatment process. We will call your prescription into your preferred local pharmacy and schedule frequent check-ins so we can assess the effectiveness of your medication. If you have insurance that covers mail order delivery, you will be able to get your medication delivered to your home by mail.

Your personalized mental health treatment plan may include some form of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy and psychiatry are different disciplines with the same goal. Both provide support to patients living with mental, behavioral, or emotional conditions that affect their quality of life. They differ in their approach, but both can be an important part of your mental health treatment plan.

Psychiatry includes the use of medicine prescribed by a licensed medical professional (doctor or nurse practitioner). Psychotherapy can help you process trauma and give you tools to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression without medication.

The beauty of the Elite DNA Behavioral Health treatment model is that we provide both services under one roof. You can remain with the people and place you are comfortable with. Remember, you are not alone.

How Can It Help?

Personalized Psychiatry Services Can Help You Manage Symptoms Related To:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, and tic disorders such as Tourette’s Syndrome
• Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
• Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety
• Bipolar disorders
• Depressive disorders
• Anxiety disorders, including panic attacks or social anxiety disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, intense fear, and other stress-related disorders
• Attachment disorders
• Dissociative disorders
• Somatic symptoms and related disorders, like hypochondria
• Feeding and eating disorders
• Sleep-wake disorders, like insomnia and narcolepsy
• Gender Identity Issues in children and adults
• Disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders
• Neurocognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s disease
• Personality disorders
• Relational problems, abuse and neglect, and partner violence
• Support for LGBTQIA youth