Skip to main content

Harborside Psych

New Clients
Contact us
(508) 876-3448

Functional Psychiatry for Barrington, MA

Unlike a traditional psychiatric work-up, functional psychiatry takes the whole person into account rather than starting and stopping at a symptom checklist. Harborside uses targeted testing to look for underlying deficiencies and physiological concerns that may be contributing to poor mental health, alongside a full clinical history. In a town like Barrington, where families have often lived for generations alongside newer arrivals drawn by the water and the quiet, people tend to want a straight answer about what is actually going on in their body before they agree to any long-term plan. That is the starting point for this kind of care.

Rhode Island law does not permit Harborside’s prescribers to prescribe controlled substances, including stimulants and benzodiazepines, to patients in the state. Functional psychiatry as offered here works within that limit and focuses on non-controlled medication options, nutrient and lab-based assessment, and a coordinated plan between prescriber and therapist.

Find a Clinician

Functional Psychiatry for people in Barrington

Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care to patients across Barrington and the rest of Rhode Island by video. You do not travel to a Massachusetts office. Appointments happen over a secure video platform from wherever you are, whether that is home, a car during a lunch break, or anywhere else you have privacy and a stable connection.

You need a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone, and a decent internet connection. A link is sent ahead of each appointment. Initial appointments run longer than follow-ups, since the first visit involves a full history and often a discussion of what testing may be useful. Follow-up appointments are typically shorter and scheduled at an interval your clinician sets based on your plan, often monthly to start.

If medication is part of your plan, prescriptions are sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choosing in Barrington or wherever you fill prescriptions locally. Lab work, when ordered, is typically done at a local draw site or through an at-home kit, with results reviewed together at a follow-up appointment.

How telehealth care actually works

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used alongside standard evaluation for concerns such as persistent low mood, anxiety, chronic fatigue tied to mood or focus, sleep disruption, and mood symptoms that have not responded the way someone expected under a more conventional approach. It is also used for people who want their nutritional status, thyroid function, or other physiological factors reviewed as part of understanding what is affecting how they feel, rather than treating mental health symptoms in isolation. This is not a replacement for therapy or for standard psychiatric care. It is an additional layer of assessment that some patients want as part of a broader plan.

What we treat

The first appointment is a full clinical conversation. Your prescriber will ask about your mental health history, current symptoms, sleep, diet, energy, relevant physical health history, and any medications or supplements you already take. Depending on what comes up, your prescriber may recommend specific lab work to check for things like nutrient deficiencies or thyroid irregularities that can affect mood, energy, and focus. You will leave the first appointment with a working plan, which may include lab orders, a medication discussion, a referral to one of Harborside’s therapists, or some combination of the three.

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 Harborside’s clinical director and a cofounder of the practice, Emily Pardue, RN PMHNP-BC, and Kirstin Ritchie, RN PMHNP-BC. Each is qualified to evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe for mental health conditions, including the functional psychiatry approach described on this page. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are available on the team page.

Therapy and eating disorder work are delivered by Harborside’s licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. Depending on your plan, your prescriber may work alongside one of these therapists so that medication management and talk therapy are coordinated rather than happening in separate silos.

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 appointments are listed on the pricing page. If you have questions about cost, you can ask them before anything is booked.

What it costs

If you are in Barrington and considering functional psychiatry, the next step is scheduling an initial appointment. You can review clinician bios on the team page, check current fees on the pricing page, and reach out with questions before committing to anything. Sessions happen by video, so there is no in-person visit to arrange.

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 on your specific situation, schedule an appointment with a Harborside clinician.

[CITATION: National Institute of Mental Health overview of nutrition and mental health research, to support the functional psychiatry framing with an independent government source]

Contact Us

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.

Contact Us