Skip to main content

Harborside Psych

New Clients
Contact us
(508) 876-3448

Medication Management for West Hartford, CT

Harborside Psychiatrics is based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and delivers medication management by video to patients across New England, including Connecticut. You don’t need to travel to Yarmouth Port to work with our clinicians, and you don’t need to take half a day off work for an appointment.

West Hartford is a place where people tend to do their homework before they commit to anything, whether that’s a mortgage, a school district, or a course of medication. Many residents work in insurance, state government, or the public sector, and they’re used to reading the fine print. If that’s you, this page is written to answer the practical questions first: what an appointment involves, who you’ll see, and what it costs, before you pick up the phone.

Find a Clinician

Medication Management for people in West Hartford, CT

Care at Harborside happens over secure video, using a platform you can access from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone with a camera, microphone, and stable internet connection. There’s no special software to buy. You’ll get a link ahead of your appointment and join from wherever you have privacy, whether that’s a home office in West Hartford Center or a quiet room after the kids are asleep.

An initial evaluation typically runs longer than a follow-up, giving your clinician time to go through your history, current symptoms, and any medications you’ve already tried. Follow-up appointments are shorter and are scheduled at an interval that fits your situation, sometimes every few weeks at first, then spacing out as things settle into a routine. Prescriptions, when appropriate, are sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choosing in Connecticut, so you pick it up locally the same way you always have.

Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts. Every appointment is conducted by video, not in person, and that’s true whether you’re the first patient we see that day or the last.

How telehealth care actually works

Our psychiatric nurse practitioners work with adults managing conditions such as depression, anxiety, panic symptoms, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive patterns, and sleep difficulties that affect daily functioning. We also see people navigating major life transitions, chronic stress, or mood changes tied to work, family, or health, where medication may be one part of a broader plan.

Every evaluation starts from where you are, not from a script. Some people come in already on a medication that isn’t working well. Others have never taken anything for their mental health and want a clear-eyed conversation about options, including the option of no medication at all.

What we treat

Your first visit is a structured conversation, not a quiz. Your clinician will ask about your current symptoms, your health history, any medications or supplements you’re taking, and what’s brought you in now. You’ll talk through what’s worked before, what hasn’t, and what matters to you in a treatment plan, whether that’s minimizing side effects, avoiding certain drug classes, or coordinating with a primary care provider.

By the end of that first session, you should have a clear next step, whether that’s a prescription, a plan to monitor symptoms before deciding, or a referral to one of Harborside’s therapists for concurrent support.

What the first appointment involves

Medication management and functional psychiatry at Harborside are performed by psychiatric nurse practitioners: Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, who co-founded the practice and serves as 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 a distinct clinical background to that work. 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. Many patients in West Hartford work with a prescriber and a therapist together, coordinated as one plan rather than two separate tracks.

Who our clinicians are

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

What it costs

If you’re in West Hartford and ready to schedule, you can request an appointment online. You’ll fill out some basic intake information first, then be matched with one of our psychiatric nurse practitioners for an initial evaluation by video. There’s no obligation to continue past that first visit if it isn’t the right fit.

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 does not constitute medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. For guidance specific to your situation, schedule an appointment with a Harborside clinician.

For general information on medication treatment for mental health conditions, see the [CITATION: National Institute of Mental Health page on mental health medications, as a neutral government source on medication classes and considerations].

Contact Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a diagnosis already to book an appointment?

No. The first appointment includes a full evaluation, so a prior diagnosis isn’t required to get started.

Yes, with your permission. Many patients keep an existing therapist and use Harborside only for medication management.

It depends on the medication and how you’re responding to it. Some patients are seen monthly at first, then less often once things are stable.

Prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice, the same as they would be after an in-person visit.

Harborside is private-pay and doesn’t bill insurance directly. A superbill is available for out-of-network reimbursement, where a plan allows it.

That’s part of ongoing management. Changes are discussed and made together at a follow-up visit, not on your own.

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.

Contact Us