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Functional Psychiatry for Hanover, MA

Unlike a traditional psychiatric work-up, a functional approach takes the whole person into account. Instead of matching symptoms to a diagnosis and stopping there, Harborside uses targeted testing to look for underlying deficiencies and physiological concerns that may be contributing to how you feel. For people in Hanover, where the day often starts with a commute into Boston and doesn’t leave much room for anything that eats into it, this matters because the work of figuring out what’s actually going on can happen without adding another long trip to your week.

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Functional Psychiatry for people in Hanover, MA

Hanover has a rhythm to it. Long workdays, a lot of driving, families managing school schedules around commuter rail timetables and highway traffic. Whether you’re near the center, out toward the Assinippi side, or closer to the Norwell line, the common thread is time: there isn’t much of it to spare on health care that requires sitting in a waiting room.

Functional psychiatry asks a different starting question than a standard evaluation. Rather than only asking what symptoms you have, it asks what might be driving them. Sleep, nutrition, thyroid function, inflammation, and other physiological factors can all play a role in mood, focus, and anxiety. Harborside builds an evaluation around that broader picture, using lab testing alongside a clinical interview, and works with people across Hanover to do it by video.

How telehealth care actually works

Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care by telehealth to patients across the state. For someone in Hanover, that means the appointment happens wherever you have privacy and a stable internet connection: a home office, a parked car during a lunch break, a quiet room after the kids are down.

You’ll need a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone, and a private space for the session. A first appointment for functional psychiatry typically runs longer than a standard visit, since it involves a detailed history and a discussion of any lab work needed. Follow-up appointments are shorter and scheduled at an interval that fits your situation, often monthly at the start and spaced out from there.

If a prescription is appropriate, it’s sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice, so you can pick it up locally without an extra errand. Lab orders, when part of your plan, can typically be completed at a lab location near you rather than requiring a visit to Yarmouth Port.

What we treat

People come to functional psychiatry for a range of concerns: persistent anxiety, depression that hasn’t responded the way expected, difficulty concentrating, low energy, mood swings, and sleep problems that haven’t resolved on their own. Some patients have already tried a standard medication approach and want a fuller picture before continuing. Others are looking for an initial evaluation that considers physiological contributors from the start, alongside the psychiatric history.

This isn’t a replacement for therapy or for medication management when that’s what’s needed. It’s a way of asking a broader set of questions before deciding what care makes sense.

What the first appointment involves

The first session is a conversation. Expect questions about your health history, current symptoms, sleep, diet, stress, and family history, along with a discussion of any prior treatment. Based on that conversation, your clinician may recommend lab testing to look at areas like thyroid function, vitamin and mineral levels, or other markers relevant to your symptoms. Once results are back, a follow-up appointment reviews what they show and what that means for your care plan, which may include medication, referral for therapy, or further testing.

Who our clinicians are

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. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are on the team page.

When therapy is part of the picture, it’s delivered by Harborside’s licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. Jacquelyn is also a registered art therapist, and the team includes clinicians experienced in eating disorder care.

What it costs

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.

Getting started

If functional psychiatry sounds like the right fit, the next step is scheduling an initial appointment. You can review clinician availability, ask questions about the process, and get a sense of timing before committing to anything. Care is delivered by video, so there’s no need to plan around a drive from Hanover: you just need a quiet space and a working connection.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is functional psychiatry the same as functional medicine?

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 specific to your situation, schedule an appointment or speak with a qualified clinician.

For general information on nutritional and physiological factors in mental health, see the National Institute of Mental Health [CITATION: NIMH overview of mental health conditions and contributing factors, used for general public education on the biological aspects of mental health].

Reviewed by Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, Clinical Director. Last reviewed: {LAST_REVIEWED}.

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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