Medication Evaluation and Management in Stamford and online across CT & NY
An evidence-based, personalized approach to mental health care with medication.
Serving teens and adults.
You’ve tried everything you can think of—self-help, journaling, therapy—to feel better. Now, you’re wondering if medication might be worth considering.
Whether you’ve tried medication before and are ready to revisit it, or you’re brand new to the idea, I’m here to help you learn and evaluate if medication to support your mental health could benefit you.
Evaluation involves my assessing with you your emotional symptoms and the specific aspects of your distress to make a recommendation about whether medication could bring you relief. How these drugs work in the body and brain, their pros and cons, and alternatives to medication altogether are central topics we will discuss prior to prescribing.
I provide evaluations, prescriptions, and ongoing medication management for people who…
Feel stuck in sadness, self-doubt, lack of motivation, or not reaching their potential
Experience panic attacks that disrupt their life and want to find a way to manage them
Are dealing with repetitive thoughts or behaviors that are interfering with their lives and want relief from cycles that seem to control them
Feel overwhelmed by social situations, the pressure to perform, stress, or anxiety
Experience frustration that’s easily-triggered, feel agitated or often erupt in annoyance
Struggle with sleep, wake up tired and want to feel more rested with greater energy
Have been through a major loss, life shift, or trauma and want help coping with the subsequent emotional weight
Are not sure whether their medical issues are causing their emotional upset, or vice versa, or both are occurring
Are questioning their use of substances, including food, to feel better and are wondering about other ways to ease their discomfort
How it WORKS
The opposite of one-size-fits-all.
When we start exploring medication options together,
I’ll ask you to come in for an in-person appointment at my office in Stamford, CT. This is a valuable opportunity for us both to ask questions. I’ll assess aspects of your physical and mental health that need to be considered when making recommendations about medications that could help you. You’ll have as much time as you need to inquire about pharmacologic treatment, therapy, either or both.
The first thing we’ll discuss in our initial medication appointment is what’s bothering you right now. You are the expert about yourself and I’m here to listen. This isn’t just about symptoms—it's about understanding you as a whole person, what you’ve been through, how you're responding, and how you have tried to help yourself. Your perspective is key and it will guide our therapeutic plan.
I will work with you to provide all the information you need and want to make confident decisions about Mental Health Treatment with medication.
I'll teach you about the benefits and potential side effects of each medication that is appropriate for you. We will prioritize your personal health and discuss possible impacts on your current medical conditions, other medications, and individual constraints and preferences. I’ll present non-medication alternatives, as well as approaches complementary to medication. Nutrition, movement, sleep, and other lifestyle interventions will be considered to support a comprehensive treatment approach.
Medication recommendations are never presented with pressure, but rather as options that could support your health. If we choose a medication, we will start with a low dose trial to minimize side effects and adjust dosing as needed. We will have regular check-ins to follow your reactions and progress. You will have access to reach me promptly about concerns or questions. And with your permission, I’ll coordinate with other medical or mental health providers you see to facilitate integrated care among members of your health care team.
With the help of medication, it’s possible to feel…
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You may find that your reactions feel less disruptive, that you’re more able to bounce back from upsets, and that you're increasingly able to enjoy the things that bring you happiness. The tasks of day-to-day life can feel more do-able and the ups and downs can be more manageable.
Medication is not a panacea. The goal is to help you feel like yourself again in the best way possible, not to numb you to life in technicolor. You will still experience trials and tribulations, have good days and not so good ones. But with appropriate medication and finely-tuned dosing—ideally, in conjunction with therapy—you may feel that your fuse is a bit longer, the bottom not so low, and that you are able to see opportunities - not just road blocks.
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Medication can empower you to make the most of therapy and other tools for wellness. Some individuals ask, "Will I even need therapy if I take medication?" I have found that individuals can sometimes make BETTER use of therapy with a trial of medication. They can take a step back and examine their patterns more clearly and become increasingly able to utilize ideas and new skills introduced by their therapists.
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When we find what works for you, you can feel more grounded, less burdened by stress, and more capable of dealing with daily challenges. Anxious thoughts may ease, leaving room for calm and clarity, while feelings of sadness or low energy can lift, helping you reconnect with the things you used to enjoy. Your mood may feel more stable overall; this can allow you to trust yourself to handle conflict, demands and disappointments in more constructive ways.
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With the help of medication, you may find it easier to fully engage with the people and activities that are most important to you. One goal of medication is to help you better access your own strengths. You may find your focus regained, and that you are able to set priorities and be productive in gratifying ways. You may also feel more motivated to take care of your health and more open to appreciating the present, with less intrusive thoughts that can be distracting and a burden.
Choosing to take medication is a significant decision that requires thorough and sensitive evaluation as well as informed understanding.
First appointments are often information-gathering in nature. Consider coming in to learn and ask questions.
FAQs
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I prescribe medications to help manage many different symptoms of emotional distress: depression, anxiety, panic, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive difficulties, and sleep problems. If you are unsure if medication could help you with a specific concern, please reach out for a consultation by phone and we can discuss this. Medication can be one of many tools offered to help you regain your emotional equlibrium and feel better.
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How long you stay on medication depends on your needs and how well it's working for you. We’ll regularly review how you're feeling and decide when the time is right to make adjustments. I will make recommendations about the most effective ways and time frames to try medications so that you can derive the most benefit from them. I also work with patients to help them safely discontinue medications.
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I generally recommend therapy as the foundation of mental health care, but therapy does not have to be with me. Medication plus therapy combine to have synergistic effects; each one supports the other and the patient is the beneficiary. I encourage individuals to work with a therapist they feel comfortable with, whether that's me or another person. I will collaborate with all providers who are caring for my patients, to promote optimal coordinated treatment.
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Individuals who are solely seeking prescriptions for benzodiazepines (anxiety medications such as Xanax), pain medications, or certification for medical cannabis would not be appropriate for my services.
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A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe psychiatric medications and provide psychotherapy. Many psychiatrists are psychopharmacologists, specializing in the prescription and management of medications. These psychiatrists often refer patients to other providers for therapy.
A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who is qualified to prescribe medications, as well as offer therapy. As a Psychiatric NP, I have advanced training and experience in prescribing psychiatric medications. My background as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker enables me to draw on more than two decades of experience in providing therapy to meet the mental health needs of individuals across the lifespan. My professional path as a Family Nurse Practitioner honed my clinical skills in primary and urgent care, with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention.
I listen with three sets of ears: as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, clinical social worker, and family nurse practitioner. The whole person matters to me in all interventions I offer.