Frequently Asked Questions

I am accepting patients into my ketamine treatment program through Nashville Ketamine Center. I am not, however, currently accepting new patients for my general psychiatry and psychotherapy practice. That can change frequently, so interested patients are welcome to call my office voicemail at 615-349-1820. The voicemail message will indicate whether I am accepting new patients at that time.

I no longer see children in my private practice. I do occasionally work with older adolescents when the situation and treatment needs are a good fit.

Most psychotherapy and combined therapy and medication appointments are approximately 50 minutes.

Shorter medication-management appointments are approximately 25 minutes.

I make every effort to begin and end appointments on time. Psychiatry is a field in which emergencies occasionally arise, including during another patient’s appointment. When that happens, I do my best to balance the needs of the person experiencing the emergency with respect for everyone else’s schedule.

Most of the people I see work with me for both psychotherapy and medication management. I do not view these as completely separate parts of treatment.

My approach is thoughtful, individualized, and grounded in the belief that meaningful treatment begins with understanding the person rather than simply treating a diagnosis. No two patients arrive with exactly the same story, and their treatment should not be identical either.

No. Most of my patients see me for a combination of psychotherapy and medication management, including some who also work regularly with another therapist.

There are rare circumstances in which shorter medication-management appointments are appropriate, but my practice has generally been built around knowing patients well and understanding how medication fits into the larger context of their lives.

My practice typically includes people dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship concerns, life transitions, longstanding emotional patterns, and other forms of emotional or psychological distress.

I also work with individuals who are seeking help understanding and integrating experiences involving non-ordinary states of consciousness, including ketamine experiences, psychedelic experiences, and other profound or non-ordinary states of awareness.

I am considered an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance companies directly. Patients are responsible for submitting any necessary paperwork to their insurance company and for determining whether reimbursement is available under their particular plan.

After an appointment, I provide patients with a superbill by email containing the diagnostic, procedure, and payment information commonly requested by insurance companies for out-of-network claims. Superbills are generally sent monthly but are available sooner upon request.

A superbill is a detailed receipt for a medical appointment. It includes information an insurance company may require when considering an out-of-network reimbursement claim, such as the date of service, type of appointment, diagnostic and procedure codes, fee paid, and provider information.

A superbill does not guarantee reimbursement. Each insurance plan has its own out-of-network benefits, deductibles, documentation requirements, and reimbursement policies. Patients should contact their insurance company directly to understand what their particular plan may cover.

My current fees are:

50-minute appointment: $350

25-minute medication-management appointment: $250

Most patients in my practice are seen for both psychotherapy and medication management and therefore use the 50-minute appointment.

A portion of my practice is reserved for reduced-fee appointments based on special circumstances, financial need, and ability to pay.

There are currently no openings in that portion of my practice. Circumstances can change, however, and it never hurts to ask.

Brief administrative work is generally part of providing care. When a request requires more substantial time outside an appointment, typically more than approximately five to eight minutes, that time may be billed on a prorated basis using my hourly rate.

Types of work falling into this category include letters for work, school, or insurance companies, extensive record or documentation review, forms, and time spent working with an insurance company to obtain prior authorization for a medication.

Whenever possible, I try to let patients know when a request is likely to involve a separate charge.

Appointments must be canceled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid incurring a cancellation charge.

When an appointment is canceled with less than 72 hours’ notice, I will try to offer that time to someone else if possible. When I am able to fill the appointment, there is no cancellation charge. When I cannot fill it, the patient is responsible for the full fee for the canceled appointment.

Cancellation fees are generally waived when illness, snow, or unsafe road conditions make it unreasonable to attend. In some situations, we may be able to meet by telemedicine instead.

The purpose of this policy is not to be punitive. A reserved appointment is time that has been set aside specifically for one patient and usually cannot be replaced on short notice.

I work hard to remain on time and to respect each patient’s schedule. At the same time, emergencies occasionally occur in psychiatry, and sometimes they happen during an appointment.

When that occurs, I will do my best to minimize the disruption while continuing to provide responsible care to the person who needs immediate attention. Sessions still generally end at their scheduled time so that delays do not continue throughout the day.

I do not typically begin treatment through telemedicine. I believe it is important to meet in person and establish the treatment relationship that way.

After I have worked with someone in person for a period of time, I may occasionally use telemedicine with an established patient when it is clinically appropriate and useful.

For patients using telemedicine, I generally ask that at least one out of every four appointments occur in person. There may be circumstances in which we decide together that more frequent in-person appointments are needed.

Telemedicine may also be helpful when illness, snow, or another temporary circumstance makes coming to the office difficult.

Routine communication between appointments should occur Monday through Friday during normal business hours. My preference is that patients communicate with me through my office telephone and confidential voicemail at 615-349-1820. Please note that this phone number does not receive text messages.

Please allow up to one business day for a returned telephone call. I am often able to respond much sooner, but there are days when clinical responsibilities make an immediate response difficult.

More complicated concerns are often best addressed during a scheduled appointment, when there is enough time to understand the issue rather than trying to manage it through a series of brief voicemail messages.

Yes. I continue to accept new patients who are interested in being evaluated for ketamine treatment through Nashville Ketamine Center.

Ketamine treatment is separate from becoming a patient in my ongoing general psychiatry and psychotherapy practice. Additional information about evaluation, treatment, fees, and scheduling is available at NashvilleKetamine.com or by calling 615-601-1315.

My office voicemail is not continuously monitored and should not be used for emergencies. Please allow up to 24 hours for a return telephone call.

If you are experiencing a mental-health crisis or significant emotional distress, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Nashville’s Mobile Crisis service can also be reached at 615-726-0125.

If you are experiencing an immediate medical or psychiatric emergency, believe that you may be in immediate danger, or are unable to remain safe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.