A psychiatric evaluation occurs when a patient has realized that they may have a condition ranging from depression and anxiety to ongoing suicidal or homicidal thoughts or behaviors, and/or psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, paranoia or erratic behavior that needs attention. The patient undergoes a comprehensive assessment to determine the type of disorder as well as find a proper treatment.

Crisis evaluations may be needed to treat a psychotic break induced by untreated mental disorders or a heavy reliance on drugs and other illegal substances. In these situations, your provider may refer you to an acute healthcare facility to get the appropriate treatment.

Often times, the loved-ones and relatives are the ones who have to admit patients involuntarily into hospitals, an act that can be painful, but very much needed in order for the patient to receive the professional help they require.

Following evaluation your provider will discuss medication options aligned with your treatment plan to help you achieve the best results. For those with mental health disorders, medication management is often an important part of the recovery process when used in an effective way as part of the overall treatment.

Many of those struggling with substance use disorders also suffer from an underlying mental health condition. We offer psychiatric treatment to address the person's addiction and the co-occurring mental health disorder*. Dual Diagnosis treatment stems from the awareness that treating these conditions separately is often ineffective and may be even dangerous. We will create an individualized care plan for you that treats all conditions simultaneously so you can have a full and lasting recovery.
Dual diagnosis is key to true recovery because addiction, in its essence, have roots that are more likely related to trauma, anxiety, depression, biochemical imbalances, and the person's attempts to regulate and relieve his or her own level of emotional and/or physical pain.

*Common co-occurring mental health conditions found present with an addiction may include: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Eating Disorders and Schizophrenia

Not all individuals with a history of trauma identify themselves as the victims of traumatic events*. This may happen for several reasons. Sometimes, you have repressed memories of trauma. In other cases, you think the behavior was normal, or you may be too embarrassed to discuss it.

It is the utmost importance to treat the trauma, since it is often one of the primary triggers for mental disorders and one of the potential causes of addiction. Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents such as child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, sexual assault, among others that are likely affecting your present-day experience. Individual trauma therapy combined with mindfulness group therapy, and the help of a trained and compassionate behavioral health professional, can be an outlet for those who have not verbalized their trauma in the past, and one of the most important steps towards healing.

*Patients might talk about a traumatic experience such as:

• Witnessing a violent crime
• Being physically attacked
• Being a victim of sexual abuse or assault
• Military action
• First Responders

If you have any Trauma and PTSD questions or concerns, please ask your provider for more information.

Addiction can occur in many forms. Often, it is assumed that physical dependence characterized by withdrawal symptoms is required in order for someone to be diagnosed with an addiction disorder, but the fact is that addictive behaviors can occur with all the negative consequences in a person’s life similar to those who compulsively engage in substance abuse such as alcohol or drugs.

The compulsion to continually engage in an activity or behavior despite the negative impact on the person’s ability to remain mentally and/or physically healthy and functional in the home and community is often indicative of a behavioral addiction*. You may find the behavior rewarding psychologically or get a “high” while engaged in the activity but may later feel guilt, remorse, or even overwhelmed by the consequences of that continued choice. Unfortunately, as is common for all who struggle with addiction, people living with addictive behaviors are unable to stop without treatment and intervention.

Addictive Behavior Therapy^TM (ABT) is a combined behavioral health and complementary medicine therapy that deals with the challenge of determining where the specific symptom stems from, so you can work with your behavioral health provider in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.

*Common addictive behaviors:

• Sex / Porn / Love addiction
• Gambling
• Shopping
• Gaming
• Food
• Exercise
• Internet / Social Media

If you believe that you, or someone you love, are struggling with an addictive behavior, consider calling us. An integrated treatment is a powerful tool to address and manage the addictive behaviors.

Children, adolescents, and adults may be referred to us for Computerized Psychological Testing, to better understand and determine the core components of their psychological or mental well-being. Psychological Testing helps us to better determine the best plan of action by allowing you to answer questions about your daily activities, challenges, personal history and much more.
We perform these tests on site to help evaluate patients in a fast and effective way. Other benefits to computerized tests are that they eliminate human error and help your provider to further evaluate and easily track your progress.

It is our goal at better understand the underlying issues that affect you or your loved one. With the specific, detailed information we gain from Computerized Psychological Testing, we can recommend a unique treatment plan.

Just as gene variation controls hair or eye color, it also controls how the body processes certain medications, drugs, food, etc. Before prescribing any medications, your provider may give you a genotype test to make sure it will be effective for you. A genotype is an analysis of some aspect of your genetic make-up. Knowing your genotype will help you and your doctor choose the most effective path.