Skip to main content

Harborside Psych

New Clients
Contact us
(508) 876-3448

Functional Psychiatry for South Kingstown, RI

A traditional psychiatric work-up asks what you feel. A functional approach also asks why, at the level of the body. For South County residents balancing the rhythms of a university town in Kingston with the quieter, more seasonal pull of the coast toward Narragansett and East Greenwich, that distinction matters. Sleep, thyroid function, nutrient levels, and hormonal shifts all move mood, and a work-up that never looks at them is only looking at half the picture.

Harborside Psychiatrics uses targeted testing to check for underlying deficiencies and physiological concerns that can drive or worsen symptoms like anxiety, low mood, and fatigue. Because Rhode Island law does not allow us to prescribe controlled medications, including stimulants and benzodiazepines, in this state, our work here centers on non-controlled medication management paired with functional testing and therapy. That combination is often exactly what people looking for a fuller explanation of their symptoms are after.

Find a Clinician

Functional Psychiatry for people in South Kingstown, RI

Harborside Psychiatrics is based in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, and provides care to South Kingstown and the rest of Rhode Island by video. You do not travel to us and we do not have a South Kingstown office. What you need is a private space, a phone, tablet, or computer with a camera, and a stable internet connection.

An initial evaluation typically runs longer than a follow-up, since your clinician is reviewing history, current symptoms, and any relevant labs or testing recommendations in detail. Follow-up appointments are shorter and scheduled at an interval that fits your treatment plan, often every few weeks at the start and spacing out from there. If medication is part of your care, prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice, including pharmacies in South Kingstown, Wakefield, or wherever is most convenient for you. Lab orders, when part of a functional work-up, are typically handled through a local draw site near you.

How telehealth care actually works

Functional psychiatry at Harborside is used alongside standard mental health treatment for conditions like persistent anxiety, depressive symptoms, low energy and concentration difficulties, and mood changes tied to hormonal or metabolic shifts. Many patients come to us after months of feeling like something is being missed. A functional approach looks at thyroid markers, vitamin and mineral levels, inflammatory markers, and other physiological factors that can contribute to how you feel, and folds those findings into a broader plan that may include medication management and therapy.

This is not a replacement for psychiatric care. It is a more complete version of it, one that treats the body and the mind as connected rather than separate problems.

What we treat

Your first visit is a conversation, not a checklist. Your clinician will ask about your current symptoms, sleep, diet, energy, medical history, and any medications or supplements you already take. From there, they will explain what functional testing might make sense for your situation and why, along with what a reasonable treatment plan could look like. You leave the first appointment with a plan, not a diagnosis handed to you cold.

Testing results, when ordered, are reviewed together at a follow-up appointment, where your clinician explains what the numbers mean for your care and adjusts the plan accordingly.

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 also our 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 that training to how functional findings get translated into a workable treatment plan. Full bios and credentials for each clinician are available on our team page.

Therapy is delivered by our licensed therapy team: Hannah Legesse, LICSW, Tori Mahoney, LMHC, Jacquelyn Duford, LCMHC ATR, and Lexie Carchedi, LCSW. When a functional plan includes therapy alongside medication management, these are the clinicians you will work with.

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 our pricing page, and questions about cost can be answered before anything is booked.

What it costs

If you are in South Kingstown or elsewhere in Rhode Island and want a fuller picture of what may be driving your symptoms, the next step is scheduling an initial appointment. We will walk you through what testing options are relevant to you and what the appointment itself involves before you commit to anything.

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 is not medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. For information on nutrient-related mental health research, see the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements [CITATION: NIH ODS fact sheets on nutrients and mental health, as a government source supporting the functional testing rationale].

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

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