Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions most people have before reaching out.

If you don't find what you're looking for here, you're welcome to contact me directly. I'd rather you ask than wonder.

GETTING STARTED

New patients

  • Start by submitting a new patient request using the button on the website. You'll complete a brief screening form as part of that request, which I review to confirm that Harborlight Psychiatric is a good clinical fit. If accepted, you'll receive a welcome letter along with a link to register for your patient portal, where you can book your first appointment. You do not need a referral from another provider to request care.

  • No referral is required. You can reach out directly. If you are coming from another prescriber or therapist, I may request records to ensure continuity of care, but this is not a requirement to get started.

  • Harborlight Psychiatric provides outpatient psychiatric care for adults. I’m able to see patients who are physically located in Illinois at the time of each appointment. I’m not able to see patients who are covered by Medicare, or patients who are court-mandated to treatment. If you are unsure whether we are a good fit, please reach out, I’m happy to help you figure that out before you schedule.

  • No. As a private pay practice, Harborlight Psychiatric is not able to see patients with Medicare coverage, including patients who have both Medicare and a supplemental plan. This is a legal requirement that applies regardless of whether I would otherwise be a good clinical fit. I’m happy to help you identify Medicare-covered psychiatric providers in your area if needed.

  • No. Harborlight Psychiatric does not provide court-mandated psychiatric treatment. This includes treatment ordered as part of legal proceedings, probation conditions, custody evaluations, or similar requirements. This is an outpatient private practice, not a forensic or court-affiliated provider.

FEES & PAYMENTS

What it costs

Harborlight Psychiatric is a private pay, cash-based practice

Harborlight Psychiatric is a private-pay practice. I do not bill insurance, verify benefits, or accept Medicare or Medicaid. A 25% deposit is required at the time of booking to hold your appointment, with the remaining balance charged on the day of the visit. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. For eligible services, a superbill may be available upon request for you to submit to your insurance company. Reimbursement is not guaranteed, and a superbill may not be available if the clinician participates with your specific insurance plan through another arrangement.

  • Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation (60 minutes): $375. Follow-Up Visit (25 minutes): $225. Extended / Complex Follow-Up Visit (50 minutes): $350. Comprehensive ADHD Evaluation with QbCheck (includes evaluation, at-home assessment, and follow-up): $700. Hormonal Mood & PMDD Evaluation (two 60-minute sessions): $700. Extended Evaluation & Whole-Person Care (120-minute single session): $750 — ongoing care within this track uses the Extended Follow-Up rate of $350. QbCheck Assessment as a standalone add-on or repeat: $175. See our full fees page for a complete breakdown by service.

  • Harborlight Psychiatric is intentionally private pay, so appointments are structured around the time and depth your care requires rather than insurance-defined visit lengths, and treatment decisions are made between us without an insurance company weighing in.

  • Yes. HSA and FSA cards are accepted for all services at Harborlight Psychiatric.

  • For eligible services, a superbill may be available upon request for you to submit to your insurance company. Harborlight does not verify out-of-network benefits, and reimbursement is not guaranteed. A superbill may not be available if the clinician participates with your specific insurance plan through another arrangement. Please contact your insurer directly regarding your plan’s benefits and reimbursement requirements.

  • We ask for at least 48 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Appointments canceled with less than 48 hours' notice, or missed entirely, are subject to a cancellation/no-show fee of up to 100% of the service cost, with your 25% deposit applied toward that fee. If you cancel or reschedule with at least 48 hours' notice, no fee applies; your deposit carries forward to a future appointment scheduled within 30 days, or is refunded if a new appointment isn't scheduled in that window. This policy allows me to offer that time to another patient who may need it.

APPOINTMENTS

What to expect

  • Before your first appointment, you'll complete a thorough intake packet through the patient portal — including consent forms, office policy notices, and a detailed patient history that takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete. This must be submitted at least 48 hours before your visit. At the appointment itself, I use that history as a foundation and spend the full session getting to know you, your current symptoms, prior treatments, and goals. You will leave with a clear sense of my initial impressions and next steps.

  • It depends on the service. Comprehensive evaluations (used for your initial visit, deprescribing intake, ADHD and PMDD evaluations) are 60 minutes. Extended Evaluation & Whole-Person Care is 120 minutes. Standard follow-up visits are 25 minutes. Extended follow-up visits are 50 minutes and are available when a situation calls for more time, such as a significant medication change or a more complex conversation about your care, and are the standard cadence for patients in the Extended Evaluation & Whole-Person Care track. Follow-up appointments are unhurried. I do not rush through medication checks.

  • This depends on where you are in treatment. Patients who are new to care, starting or adjusting medication, or going through an active taper are typically seen more frequently at the start, sometimes every two to four weeks. Once things are stable, follow-up intervals may extend. I work with you to find a schedule that supports your care without being burdensome.

  • Not always. The first appointment is primarily an evaluation. If the clinical picture is clear and medication is appropriate, I may discuss starting something; I do not prescribe before I have enough information to do so thoughtfully. Some patients leave the first appointment with a prescription; others leave with a plan and a follow-up.

TELEHEALTH

Remote Appointments

You must be physically located in Illinois at the time of your appointment

State licensing laws require that patients are in Illinois during telehealth visits. If you are traveling or temporarily out of state, your appointment will need to be rescheduled.

  • Yes, with some structure to it. Your first appointment is in person, which gives us the chance to do a thorough evaluation and start building a real clinical relationship. After that, most ongoing care can move to telehealth for your convenience, as long as you are physically located in Illinois at the time of each visit. In certain situations, including some medication management and specific clinical circumstances, an in-person visit will still be required periodically. I'll let you know upfront if that applies to your care, so there are no surprises.

  • I use PracticeQ, a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform for telehealth visits, scheduling, and patient communication. You will receive a link before your appointment, and no special software download is required, it's accessible from any device with a browser or camera.

  • If you are temporarily located outside Illinois, your telehealth appointment cannot proceed as scheduled. Please contact me as soon as you know you will be out of state so you can reschedule without a late cancellation fee. This requirement applies regardless of how briefly you are out of state.

  • If your treatment involves a controlled substance (including stimulant medications, benzodiazepines, or certain sleep medications), Harborlight Psychiatric requires an in-person appointment at least once every 12 months. Additional in-person visits may be required based on your medication, clinical needs, or changes in applicable law. Between required in-person appointments, follow-up visits may generally be completed by telehealth when clinically appropriate. I’ll let you know if these requirements apply to your care.

Telehealth visits require a safe, private, and undistracted setting

If a telehealth appointment must be canceled, ended early, or rescheduled because the patient is physically located outside Illinois, the patient's location cannot be verified, the setting lacks privacy or appears unsafe, or the patient is driving or otherwise engaged in a prohibited activity, the appointment may be treated as a completed visit or a late-canceled appointment. Fees are not refunded in these situations.

This is different from proactively letting us know in advance that you'll be out of state — see above for how to avoid a late cancellation fee in that case.

MEDICATIONS & PRESCRIBING

How I approach medication

  • Yes. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner practice, Harborlight Psychiatric prescribes and manages psychiatric medications. Medication is one tool; I discuss the evidence, options, and tradeoffs with you, and decisions are made collaboratively.

  • Yes. Psychiatric evaluation and ongoing support do not require that you take medication. If you are interested in understanding your diagnosis, exploring non-medication approaches, or simply having a knowledgeable provider in your corner, that is a valid reason to be here.

  • Often, yes, but I review everything before continuing. I request records from your previous provider, evaluate whether the current regimen is appropriate, and discuss any changes with you before making them. I do not automatically continue prescriptions without my own clinical assessment.

  • Yes, when clinically appropriate. This includes stimulants for ADHD, benzodiazepines in specific circumstances, and sleep medications. Controlled substance prescribing involves additional monitoring and clear expectations around our prescribing relationship, which we discuss during the evaluation.

  • Yes. Deprescribing (the thoughtful, medically supervised reduction or discontinuation of psychiatric medications) is a specific service I offer. See our deprescribing page for more detail on how the process works and what to expect.

COORDINATION

Working with other providers

  • Yes, and I encourage it. With your written permission, I communicate with your therapist to keep treatment aligned. I do not require you to have a therapist, but for many conditions (anxiety, depression, ADHD, PMDD) the combination of psychiatric care and therapy tends to produce the best outcomes.

  • Yes, with your permission. Coordinating with your PCP (particularly for shared medications, physical health factors that affect mental health, or lab monitoring) is something I take seriously. I send records and notes when it is clinically relevant and when you have authorized us to do so.

  • We welcome referrals from therapists and other providers. Your patient can request an appointment directly through the website. With their permission, I am happy to communicate with you throughout their care. If you have questions about fit before referring, please reach out — I’m glad to connect.

  • I provide clinical documentation for established patients when it is within our scope and clinically appropriate. I do not provide forensic evaluations, court-mandated documentation, or letters for legal proceedings. If you have a specific documentation need, please discuss it with me before assuming I can or cannot accommodate it.

Still have questions? I'd rather you ask.

Reach out directly — I’m happy to help you figure out if Harborlight is the right fit before you schedule.

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