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Functional Psychiatry for Arlington, MA

A traditional psychiatric work-up asks what symptoms you have and which medication might fit them. Functional psychiatry starts a step earlier and asks what might be driving those symptoms in the first place, using targeted testing to look at deficiencies and physiological factors that a standard intake often does not touch. For a lot of people in Arlington, working long days in Boston or nearby and coming home to a house full of commitments, that broader look is what makes a mental health appointment feel worth fitting into the calendar.

If you live in one of Arlington’s older triple-deckers near Mass Ave or a postwar split-level off Park Avenue, your day probably does not leave much room for a mid-afternoon office visit. Functional psychiatry with Harborside is built to work around that: video appointments, a process explained up front, and a clinical picture that looks at more than symptoms in isolation.

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Functional Psychiatry for people in Arlington, MA

Harborside Psychiatrics is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care by video to patients across the state, including Arlington. There is no local office to visit and no waiting room. You need a private space, a stable internet connection, and a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera.

Appointments happen over a secure video platform at a scheduled time, the same way any other appointment would work, except you are on your own couch or in your own office instead of driving to one. Initial evaluations typically run longer than follow-up visits, since there is more history to cover and, where functional testing is part of the plan, more to explain about what is being ordered and why. Follow-up appointments are shorter and focus on how things are going, what the testing showed, and any adjustments to the plan.

If medication is part of your care, prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose, near your home in Arlington or wherever is convenient. How often you are seen after the first appointment depends on your situation. Some people are seen monthly while a plan is being adjusted; others move to longer intervals once things are more settled.

How telehealth care actually works

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used for people dealing with depression, anxiety, attention and focus difficulties, mood instability, and situations where standard treatment has not accounted for physiological factors like nutrient status, sleep, hormonal shifts, or metabolic health. It is also used by people who want a fuller picture before starting or adjusting medication, rather than a symptom checklist alone.

This is not a replacement for emergency care, and it is not a diagnostic label in itself. It is a way of evaluating and treating mental health conditions that takes the body’s physiology into account alongside the more familiar clinical interview.

What we treat

The first appointment is mostly conversation. Your clinician will ask about your current symptoms, your health history, your sleep, your diet, medications and supplements you take, and family history. From there, targeted lab testing may be ordered to look at things like thyroid function, nutrient levels, or other markers that can affect mood, energy, and concentration.

You will leave the first session with a clearer sense of what testing, if any, is being done, what it is meant to rule in or out, and what the next appointment will cover. Nothing about the process is rushed through in a single visit; the picture builds over the first few sessions as results come back and get discussed.

What the first appointment involves

Medication management and functional psychiatry at Harborside are performed by psychiatric nurse practitioners: Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, who is also Harborside’s clinical director, Emily Pardue, RN PMHNP-BC, and Kirstin Ritchie, RN PMHNP-BC. Each is qualified to evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe for mental health conditions, and each brings her own approach to functional testing and treatment planning. Full bios and credentials for all three are on the team page.

Therapy and eating disorder care, when part of a patient’s plan alongside medication management, are delivered by Harborside’s licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW.

Who our clinicians are

Harborside is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly for appointments. Current fees for an initial appointment and for follow-up visits are listed on the pricing page. If you have questions about cost, you can ask before anything is scheduled.

What it costs

If you are in Arlington and want to look into functional psychiatry, the next step is scheduling an initial appointment. You will be asked some background questions ahead of time so the first visit can focus on your history and what matters most to you. From there, your clinician will talk through whether testing makes sense and what a reasonable plan looks like.

Getting started

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988. Harborside Psychiatrics does not provide emergency or after-hours care.

This page is educational and is not medical advice. Reading it does not create a provider-patient relationship with Harborside Psychiatrics or any of its clinicians.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is functional psychiatry the same as functional medicine?

No. It’s psychiatric care from a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner that also reviews lab work and lifestyle factors, not a separate functional medicine practice.

No. Whether labs make sense is decided together at the first visit, based on your history and symptoms.

Bring it to your first appointment. Existing results can often be used instead of repeating tests.

No. Labs are typically billed separately by the lab itself and may be partly covered by insurance depending on the plan.

Yes. It’s meant to work alongside an existing therapist or primary care provider, not replace them.

Functional psychiatry includes the same prescribing and monitoring, plus a review of physical health factors like sleep, nutrition, and lab markers.

If you need help right now

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crisis support, call or text 988. Harborside Psychiatrics does not provide emergency or after-hours care.

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