Getting Started
Initial phone consultation
If interested in pursuing treatment, please call my office at (802) 491-3220 or submit a New Patient Inquiry. We will schedule a 15 minute complementary phone consultation, during whcih time my goal will be to learn about your primary concerns, symptoms, and goals for treatment, and any questions you have. If I think I am likely to be helpful and you feel that I am a good fit for you/your child, we can discuss scheduling and next steps. I look forward to speaking with you!
During our initial phone call, my goal will be to learn about your/your child’s primary concerns, symptoms, and goals for treatment, and any questions you have. If I think I am likely to be helpful and you feel that I am a good fit for you/your child, we can discuss scheduling and next steps.
Please see website link highlighting payment and fees.
Initial Psychiatric Evaluation Appointment
Initial Evaluation appointments for children and adolescents typically occur over two appointments, last a total of 90 - 120 minutes in duration. While this might seem like a long time, it is important to devote necessary time to ensure a thorough history is obtained.
When meeting with parents during the initial evaluation, I will begin by carefully listening to your concerns about your child. I will also review the full medical, psychiatric, social, emotional, and academic history with parents, and will frequently ask to obtain additional information from the child’s school, pediatrician, mental health providers involved in your child's care, and other significant adults in the life of the child or adolescent. The process is thorough and intended to review current and historic symptoms while also considering the presence of any other medical, psychiatric, or learning comorbidities.
The meeting with the child or adolescent may involve talking, drawing, or playing with toys to help in better understanding the child's thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Questions may be asked to better understand their perspective with regard to any difficulties they may be experiencing at home and within the school or social settings. An assessment is made of the child or adolescent's strengths as well as their challenges.
It is important to note that during these Initial Evaluation Appointments, I will assess whether your child’s needs are a good fit for my practice and areas of expertise. If I determine that your child’s treatment needs demand a higher level of care or a likelihood of frequent emergency services beyond what I can provide in my solo practice schedule, I will coordinate treatment recommendations and referrals so that your child can receive the most optimal services with provider availability that is necessary to support your child’s needs.
Please know that prescribing typically does not occur during the first two Initial Evaluation Appointments.
For Adolescents
For adolescents, I will typically meet first with your teen for 30 minutes and then spend the remainder of the first session meeting with parent(s). We will then schedule a second Initial Evaluation Appointment, typically a week later, giving me time to connect with any collateral treatment providers, school personnel, or others involved in your child’s care, with the goal of gathering additional information that may assist in the diagnostic and treatment planning process. During the second 30-60 minute Initial Evaluation Appointment, I typically meet with both teen and parent together for at least part of the session and then will spend additional time with the teen and/or parent alone. If enough necessary information has been obtained by the end of this second Initial Evaluation Appointment, the scheduling of a follow-up Treatment Planning Appointment will take place. This appointment will ideally be scheduled for the following week, at which point we will discuss initial impressions, diagnosis, and the establishment of a comprehensive treatment plan.
For Younger Children (< 13 Years of Age)
For younger children, I typically meet with parents alone for the initial 60 minute visit. During the second 30-60 minute Initial Evaluation Appointment, ideally the following week, I will meet with the child alone and then typically together with parent. During the time between appointments, I will connect with any collateral treatment providers, school personnel, or others involved in your child’s care, with the goals of gathering additional information that may assist in the diagnostic and treatment planning process. If enough necessary information has been obtained by the end of the second Initial Evaluation Appointment, the scheduling of a follow-up Treatment Planning Appointment will take place. This appointment will ideally be scheduled for the following week, at which point we will discuss initial impressions, diagnosis, and the establishment of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Treatment Planning Appointment
The follow-up treatment planning appointment is typically scheduled as a 25 minute appointment and will allow us time to discuss my clinical impressions, including diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We will, additionally, together establish short-term and long-term treatment goals, and the development of a comprehensive treatment plan. Although my role in working with you/your child will primarily be that of psychopharmacologist/prescriber, my treatment planning extends beyond medications and involves recommendations that typically involve lifestyle interventions such as exercise, sleep hygiene, nutritional support, parenting support, and social engagement. I will provide ongoing psychoeducation and counseling relative to these areas over the course of our work together and provide referrals to professionals specializing in such supports when deemed necessary. I will also include in my treatment planning recommended therapeutic modalities and will work with families to assist in finding a therapist who is a good fit, if they don’t have an on-going relationship with such a clinician prior to beginning work with me.
Follow-Up Appointments
There are generally four types of follow-up appointments:
20 to 25-minute Medication Management Sessions
50 - 55-minute Medication Management Sessions
20 to 25-minute Parent Support Sessions
50 to 55-minute Parent Support Sessions
20 to 25-minute medication management sessions
For routine ongoing medication management - including evaluation of medication response, safety monitoring, treatment plan progress review, psychoeducation, and plans for follow-up check-ins and medication refills.
50 to 55-minute medication management sessions
For more complex medication management follow-up visits requiring more extensive/complex monitoring and evaluation, psychoeducation, and/or modifications to treatment planning.
20 to 25-minute Parent SUpport sessions
Allows time for additional parent psychoeducation, parenting guidance and support, and discussion regarding treatment planning.
50 to 55-minute Parent Support sessions
Allows for extended time to provide additional psychoeducation, guidance and support, and discussion regarding treatment planning.