Is functional psychiatry the same as regular medication management?

No. A traditional psychiatric medication visit typically focuses on symptoms and prescriptions. Functional psychiatry adds a step: targeted lab testing to look at physiological factors, such as nutrient levels or thyroid function, that can contribute to how you feel. The prescriber uses that information alongside your history to shape a treatment plan.

Do I need to travel to Yarmouth Port for testing?

Lab work is typically drawn at a local lab or through an at-home kit, depending on what is ordered. Appointments themselves, including the visit where results are reviewed, happen by video from wherever you are in Massachusetts.

Can Harborside prescribe controlled medications, like stimulants, in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts licensure allows our psychiatric nurse practitioners to evaluate for and prescribe controlled medications, including stimulant medication for ADHD, when clinically appropriate, following state and federal requirements for telehealth prescribing.

What if I already have a therapist?

That is common. Many patients come to Harborside for the prescribing side of care while continuing therapy elsewhere, or they work with one of our therapists alongside a Harborside prescriber. Coordination between providers can be discussed at your first appointment.

What is medication management in psychiatry?

Medication management is a psychiatric service that involves evaluating medications, monitoring effectiveness, adjusting treatment plans, and supporting overall mental health care.

Does Harborside Psychiatry provide medication management in Forestdale, MA MA?

Yes, Harborside Psychiatry provides personalized medication management services for individuals seeking psychiatric care in Forestdale, MAssachusetts.

How does psychiatric medication management work?

Psychiatric medication management includes reviewing your symptoms, discussing treatment options, monitoring progress, and making adjustments when needed.

Functional Psychiatry for Forestdale, MA

A traditional psychiatric work-up asks what symptoms you have and which medication might address them. Functional psychiatry asks a wider question first: what else might be driving how you feel, physically as well as mentally. Harborside uses targeted lab testing to look for underlying deficiencies and physiological patterns, alongside a standard clinical evaluation, before settling on a plan.

Forestdale is a year-round village, not a summer address, and the households here tend to know the difference between the Cape’s two seasons better than most. Retirees managing new health questions, families whose work and school schedules flip in June and flip back in September, people running seasonal businesses who need care that does not depend on foot traffic. Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, on the Cape, and works with patients across Forestdale by video, which means an appointment does not have to compete with a summer schedule or a winter one.

Functional Psychiatry for people in Forestdale, MA

Harborside is based at 411 Main St in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care by video across the state. You do not come to an office. You need a private space, a phone, tablet or computer with a camera, and a stable internet connection. Sessions are held through a secure telehealth platform, and the link is sent ahead of your appointment time.

An initial evaluation typically runs longer than a follow-up, since it covers your history, current symptoms, and any lab work relevant to a functional psychiatry approach. Follow-up medication management visits are shorter and scheduled at an interval your prescriber sets based on your treatment plan, often monthly at first and spaced out over time. If a prescription is part of your plan, it is sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose, the same as any other prescriber would do, so you pick it up locally in Forestdale or wherever is convenient.

How telehealth care actually works

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used with adults dealing with conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood dysregulation, and sleep disruption, particularly when someone wants their evaluation to include a look at physiological contributors, not medication alone. This can mean checking thyroid function, nutrient levels such as vitamin D or B12, or other markers that research links to mental health symptoms, and using that information to inform diagnosis and treatment planning alongside standard psychiatric evaluation.

This approach is not a replacement for medication when medication is appropriate. It is a way of building a fuller picture before deciding what a treatment plan should include.

What we treat

Your first visit is a full evaluation. Expect questions about your current symptoms, mental health and medical history, medications you have tried, sleep, diet, and stress levels. Your prescriber will talk with you about which lab tests, if any, make sense given what you describe, and how those results would factor into your care. You will leave the first appointment with a plan, whether that includes lab work, a medication, a referral to one of our therapists, or a combination.

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, including ordering and interpreting the lab testing used in a functional psychiatry approach. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are on the team page.

Therapy and eating disorder care are delivered by Harborside’s licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. Some patients work with a prescriber and a therapist at the same time, coordinated as part of one plan.

Who our clinicians are

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

What it costs

If you are in Forestdale and want to know whether functional psychiatry fits what you are dealing with, the next step is scheduling an initial evaluation. You can ask questions about the process, the testing involved, or the cost before you commit to anything. Appointments are held by video, so the visit fits into your day wherever you are on the Cape.

Getting started

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

This page is educational and is not medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. For guidance on your specific situation, schedule an appointment with a Harborside clinician.

[CITATION: National Institute of Mental Health page on mental health medications and evaluation, to support the description of functional/integrative evaluation practices]

Clinically reviewed by Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, clinical director, Harborside Psychiatrics. Last reviewed: {LAST_REVIEWED}.

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.

Do I need labs done before my first appointment?

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

What if I already have recent bloodwork?

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

Is lab work included in the appointment fee?

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

Can I do this alongside therapy I'm already in?

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

How is this different from medication management?

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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