Skip to main content

Harborside Psych

New Clients
Contact us
(508) 876-3448

Functional Psychiatry for Andover, MA

Unlike a traditional psychiatric work-up, functional psychiatry takes the whole person into account, not just a list of symptoms checked against a diagnostic manual. Harborside uses targeted testing to look for underlying deficiencies and physiological concerns, thyroid function, nutrient levels, inflammation, sleep patterns, that may be contributing to how someone feels and functions. In Andover, that approach tends to appeal to two different people asking the same question: a parent trying to understand what is actually going on with a teenager before agreeing to a prescription, and a commuting professional who wants their mental health care to look at the same level of detail they’d expect from any other specialist.

Find a Clinician

Functional Psychiatry for people in Andover, MA

Andover has a lot of families who moved here for the schools and stayed for the commute into Boston or up 495 to the tech corridor. That combination, a full household schedule and a demanding job, means the people looking into functional psychiatry are often doing it carefully. They’ve usually already tried one thing, or read about several, before they call. They want to understand the reasoning behind a treatment plan, not just be handed a prescription pad.

For parents, that often means wanting to know why a teenager is anxious or withdrawn before deciding what to do about it. For adults managing their own care, it often means wanting a fuller picture of what might be affecting energy, mood, or focus, beyond a ten-minute conversation. Functional psychiatry is built around that kind of question. It does not replace a careful evaluation. It adds another layer of information to it.

How telehealth care actually works

Harborside is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care by video to patients across the state, including Andover. You do not travel to an office. Appointments happen over a secure video platform from your home, your car during a lunch break, or wherever you have privacy and a stable internet connection. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone.

An initial appointment runs longer than a routine follow-up, because it involves a detailed intake: your history, current symptoms, relevant lab work if you have it, and a conversation about what functional testing might add. Follow-up appointments are shorter and scheduled at an interval that depends on where you are in treatment, sometimes every few weeks at first, then spaced out further. If a prescription is part of your plan, it’s sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choosing in Andover or wherever is convenient for you.

What we treat

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used alongside evaluation and treatment for conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood dysregulation, and difficulty sleeping. It’s also relevant for people whose symptoms haven’t responded to a standard approach and who want to know whether something physiological, a nutrient deficiency, a thyroid issue, chronic inflammation, might be part of the picture. This is not a separate diagnosis category. It’s a way of gathering more information before and during treatment, so that medication decisions and therapy referrals are made with a fuller understanding of what’s driving the symptoms.

What the first appointment involves

The first appointment is a conversation, not a quick check-in. Your clinician will ask about your history, your current concerns, your sleep, diet, and any prior treatment. If functional testing is appropriate, they’ll explain what’s being tested and why, and where the sample is collected. From there, you’ll talk through what a treatment plan could look like, whether that involves medication, therapy, lab work, or some combination. Nothing is decided before that conversation happens.

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 the clinic’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 reviewing functional lab results as part of a treatment plan. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are 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, functional psychiatry and therapy can work alongside each other, with your prescriber and therapist coordinating on your care.

What it costs

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 them before anything is booked.

Getting started

If you’re ready to schedule, or you want to ask a few questions first, you can reach out through Harborside’s intake process. There’s no obligation to commit to a full plan before your first conversation. Many people start simply by asking what functional testing might involve for their particular situation.

Contact Us

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. Reading it is not a substitute for an individual evaluation.

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