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Functional Psychiatry for Atkinson, NH

A standard psychiatric work-up asks what symptoms you have and which medication might address them. A functional approach asks a wider question: what is happening in your body that might be driving those symptoms in the first place. Harborside uses targeted testing to look for underlying deficiencies and physiological factors, alongside a full clinical evaluation, rather than treating symptoms as the whole picture.

Atkinson sits in the state’s population center, part of the corridor running from Nashua and Merrimack out through Windham and Londonderry. A lot of households here work across the Massachusetts line, and many chose New Hampshire in part for its tax structure while keeping one foot in a Massachusetts commute or a Massachusetts paycheck. That back-and-forth life does not leave much room for appointments that require driving somewhere new. Video care fits how people in Atkinson already manage their week.

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Functional Psychiatry for people in Atkinson, NH

Harborside Psychiatrics is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and delivers care to patients in New Hampshire entirely by video. You do not travel to Massachusetts, and there is no local office involved. Sessions happen over a secure video platform from wherever you are, whether that is a kitchen table in Atkinson or a car during a lunch break in Nashua.

You need a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and a stable internet connection. A link is sent ahead of each appointment. Initial evaluations typically run longer than follow-up visits, since there is more history and, for functional psychiatry, testing information to cover. Follow-up appointments are shorter and scheduled at an interval your clinician determines based on your situation, whether that is a few weeks out or a few months out.

If a prescription is part of your care plan, it is sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice in New Hampshire. There is no paper prescription to pick up and nothing that requires an in-person visit to fill.

How telehealth care actually works

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used for people dealing with persistent anxiety, low mood, fatigue that does not resolve with rest, concentration difficulty, sleep disruption, and mood symptoms tied to hormonal or metabolic shifts. It is also used by people who have tried a more conventional approach and want a fuller picture before deciding on next steps. The goal of the evaluation is a clearer understanding of what is contributing to how you feel, not a single diagnosis handed down after a short conversation.

This is not a replacement for emergency care, and it is not designed for acute crisis stabilization. It is a longer-view approach for people who want their physical and mental health looked at together.

What we treat

Your first visit is a video appointment focused on history: your symptoms, your medical background, your sleep, your diet, your stress load, and any patterns you have noticed over time. Depending on what comes up, your clinician may order lab testing to check markers such as thyroid function, key vitamins and minerals, and other physiological indicators that can affect mood and energy. Testing is usually done through a local lab or an at-home collection kit, and results come back to your clinician for review at a follow-up video visit, where you go through what was found and what, if anything, it points toward.

What the first appointment involves

Medication management and functional psychiatry at Harborside are provided by psychiatric nurse practitioners: Rachel Egan, RN PMHNP-BC, who 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 her own approach to how testing and history are woven into a care plan. Full bios and credentials for all three are on the team page.

Therapy and eating disorder care are provided by Harborside’s licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC, ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. Some patients in Atkinson work with a prescriber alone, others work with a therapist alone, and others coordinate care across both.

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 Atkinson and considering functional psychiatry, the next step is scheduling an initial video evaluation. You can bring existing lab results if you have them, but you do not need any testing done in advance. Your clinician will let you know what, if anything, makes sense to order after hearing your history.

Getting started

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.

This page is educational and does not constitute medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. For guidance on functional and nutritional approaches to mental health more broadly, see the [CITATION: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, for general information on nutrient status and mental health, as a neutral government source unaffiliated with Harborside].

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

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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.

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