FAQ’s

ManyOptions

What if you need urgent help now?

In case of an emergency  or crisis you may utilize the following resources:

Go to nearest emergency room or call  911
Washington County Crisis Line  503 291-9111
Multnomah County Crisis Line 503-988-4888
Clackamas County Crisis Line 503-655-8401
Clark County Crisis Line 503-696-9560
Poison Control 503-494-8968 or 800-452-7165
Alcohol and Drug Help Line 503-244-1312 or 1-800-923-HELP
Cascadia Urgent Walk in Clinic at 2415 SE 43 Ave 7am-10:30pm

Additional crisis assistance may be found at:
http://www.co.washington.or.us/HHS/MentalHealth/GettingHelp/crisis-services.cfm
http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dchs/dv/dvman_crisistb.shtml

What kind of issues can I help you with?

There are many challenges facing adolescents, women, couples and families.  Please call me to discuss your specific needs. Here are some of the issues with which I work:

adjustment to changing relationships
adolescent and family development
ADHD
anxiety
depression and mood disorders
enhancing the school environment
GLBT teens and families
obsessive compulsive disorder
postpartum depression
preparing for pregnancy
PTSD
relationship issues

How often will you see me?

This depends on the services you need.  Sometimes people choose just to have a psychiatric evaluation for more information, others choose to continue with therapy and medication, and others already are working with a therapist and would like medication management with me only.  In general, I recommend meeting weekly if I am providing therapy.  Medication management appointments are generally every 2 weeks at the beginning and with medication changes then less frequently as your condition stabilizes.

When you start on a psychiatric medication do you have to stay on it forever?

There are many different types of psychiatric medications that are prescribed for many different purposes. Many people will not need to stay on psychiatric medication for the rest of their lives. Some conditions are expected to last a lifetime while others are not. The brain is not static and we will continually re-evaluate how you are healing and how the medications are affecting you.

How do we get started?

Adults:

If you are trying to decide whether I am the right provider for you, please read my website carefully and jot down your questions.  Note that I am not skilled in working with people dealing with schizophrenia, severe eating disorders or substance abuse.  I am also not contracted with insurance companies and ask you to pay for your care at the time of service.

When you decide you’d like to come in for an appointment, please call me and leave a detailed message as to what you are looking for.  I will return your phone call within one to two business days and offer you a free 15 minute screening call to help us see if I provide some help.

Once you agree to an initial evaluation, you should read my office policies information, print off the new patient packet and fill out the information in as much detail as possible.  Please arrive punctually at my office and expect to spend 60-90 min with me for your first appointment.  Check the New Clients page for more details.

Teens:

I begin with a three part evaluation, first meeting with parents and then the teen.  At the parents’ appointment I gather information about your teen’s mental health and medical history, development, and family medical and mental health history. At the second appointment I will talk to your teen. I may ask for school reports, previous evaluations, or to speak to a current therapist or primary care practitioner. At our third appointment, I will offer you and your teen my recommendations for treatment.

Besides prescribing medications and doing therapy, what else do I do?

I enjoy offering my clients resources outside of my office – support groups, body work, other kinds of therapy and healthcare experts that might assist you in feeling better and getting your needs met.

What’s OK to voice mail or email?

I strongly prefer voice mail messages to text messages.  If you are a prospective or new client with questions or an established client who wishes to make or change an appointment, please leave me a voice mail or email.  Electronic mail is not secure, may not be read every day, and should not be used for urgent or sensitive issues. Please communicate medication, including refills and therapy issues within our appointments when at all possible. If you are experiencing medication side effects or other physical concerns, please leave me a detailed voice mail message. I will get back to you as soon as I am able, no longer than 24-48 business hours.

ALife

Why the artwork on this site?

The art comes from a visual tool I sometimes use to move beyond just talking about things. Sometimes it’s helpful to try something new to access what is going on in our lives.  If you click on the link above you can learn more about the company VisualsSpeak.  We may be using some of these visual images in our work together.   I am grateful to Christine for helping my website and work come alive !