Programs / Psychiatry
Psychiatry & Medication Management.
What is medication management? Thoughtful prescribing with your care team — integrated with therapy inside PHP and IOP, not isolated in a fifteen-minute appointment or a pharmacist-only review.
Admissions answers when you call.
A real person — never a call center.
Psychiatry
On staff
Integration
With therapy
Appointments
Unhurried
Levels of care
PHP, IOP & outpatient
What thoughtful psychiatry looks like
Medication decisions made with your full story.
The question isn’t whether you need support. It’s whether the support you have matches the weight you’re carrying.
Psychiatry at High Tide isn’t a separate service you bolt onto therapy. It’s woven into every level of care — PHP, IOP, and outpatient — because medication only works when the prescriber actually knows what’s happening in your sessions, your groups, and your evenings at home.
Our psychiatrists carry smaller patient loads than typical outpatient practices. Appointments are long enough to review symptoms, side effects, substance use history, and what your therapist observed this week — not just adjust a number on a prescription pad.
Whether you’re starting medication for the first time, stabilizing after a crisis, or untangling a complicated regimen that hasn’t worked, psychiatric care here happens in context — alongside the therapy and skills work that make medication stick.
Who it's for
For people who need psychiatric care that actually coordinates.
Medication management at High Tide is for clients who want a psychiatrist integrated with their therapy team — not a prescriber they see twice a year in isolation.
This level of care fits when
- You’re starting psychiatric medication and want close monitoring during the adjustment period.
- Your current medication regimen isn’t working — or side effects are worse than the symptoms.
- You have co-occurring substance use and need a psychiatrist who prescribes with both conditions in view.
- You’re in PHP or IOP and need daily or weekly psychiatric oversight, not monthly check-ins.
- You want psychiatry and therapy under one roof, communicating about your care in real time.
A different setting may fit better when
- You only need a quick prescription refill with no therapy component — a standalone psychiatric practice may be simpler.
- You need inpatient psychiatric stabilization or involuntary hold evaluation.
- You’re seeking ketamine, TMS, or other specialty treatments we don’t offer.
- You need medical detox — we’ll refer you to appropriate partners first.
What we treat here
What our psychiatrists treat.
Medication is a tool, not a cure. Our psychiatric team prescribes for conditions where pharmacology has evidence — always alongside therapy, skills work, and lifestyle support.
01
Mood disorders
Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and augmentation strategies for depression and bipolar spectrum conditions.
- Major depression
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Bipolar I & II
- Cyclothymia
02
Anxiety disorders
Careful prescribing for anxiety — with attention to dependence risk and the role of therapy alongside medication.
- Generalized anxiety
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety
- OCD (with ERP therapy)
03
Trauma-related
Medication support for PTSD and trauma symptoms — always paired with trauma processing therapy.
- PTSD
- Nightmares & hypervigilance
- Dissociation
- Sleep disruption
04
Complex presentations
Dual diagnosis, personality disorders, and psychosis-spectrum conditions — where prescribing requires nuance.
- Dual diagnosis
- Borderline personality disorder
- Psychosis-spectrum conditions
- ADHD (adult)
Not sure if medication is right for you? That’s a conversation, not a sales pitch. Our psychiatrists will tell you honestly when therapy alone may be enough — and when pharmacology could help.
See everything we treatThe rhythm of a day
How psychiatric care fits your treatment.
Psychiatry scheduling depends on your level of care and where you are in medication stabilization. Here’s what it looks like across our programs.
All levels include communication between your psychiatrist and therapist — formal case conferences, shared notes, and real-time updates when something shifts.
PHP
Multiple weekly check-ins
Psychiatric evaluation in your first days, then two to three appointments weekly during medication changes — close enough to catch side effects before they become crises.
IOP
Weekly or as-needed
Regular psychiatric appointments scheduled within your IOP week — medication review, symptom tracking, and coordination with your therapist.
Outpatient
Monthly maintenance
Steady-state medication management for stable clients — with the option to increase frequency during adjustments or difficult periods.
New starts
Initial evaluation
A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation — history, current medications, substance use, medical conditions, and therapy goals — before any prescribing decision.
Changes
Titration monitoring
Structured follow-up during dose changes — your psychiatrist and therapist track symptoms, side effects, and functioning together.
Discharge
Aftercare prescribing
Medication plans documented and follow-up appointments scheduled before you leave — no gap between program and outpatient psychiatry.
What's included
How psychiatry integrates with treatment.
Medication management here means more than prescriptions. It means psychiatric care that talks to your therapy team.
01
Comprehensive evaluation
Full psychiatric assessment before prescribing — not a five-minute checklist.
02
Therapy coordination
Regular communication between your psychiatrist and therapist — shared clinical picture, not siloed notes.
03
Dual diagnosis expertise
Prescribing that accounts for substance use history, withdrawal risk, and interaction concerns.
04
Titration protocols
Structured monitoring during medication starts and changes — with clear plans for what to watch and when to call.
05
Psychoeducation
You understand what you’re taking, why, and what to expect — informed consent, not passive compliance.
06
Aftercare continuity
Psychiatric follow-up scheduled before discharge — same team, no scramble to find a new prescriber.
What changes
What integrated psychiatry changes.
Medication works better when the prescriber knows the whole story. Our model is built for that — not for maximizing appointment volume.
Day 1
Psychiatric evaluation in your first days of PHP — not weeks of waiting.
2–3×
Weekly psychiatric touchpoints in PHP during active medication changes.
1 team
Psychiatrist and therapist sharing clinical information — not working from separate charts.
Planned
Medication plans and follow-up appointments coordinated as part of discharge planning.
Psychiatry here vs. standalone practice
Integrated vs. isolated prescribing.
Many clients come to us after years of medication trials with prescribers who never talked to their therapist. Here’s how integrated psychiatric care differs.
High Tide psychiatry
This program- Therapy coordination
- Same facility, shared team, regular case conferences
- Appointment length
- Unhurried — time for symptoms, side effects, and context
- Monitoring intensity
- Daily to weekly in PHP; scales with your level of care
- Dual diagnosis
- Substance use history integrated into every prescribing decision
- Crisis pathway
- Direct step-up to PHP if symptoms escalate
Typical outpatient practice
The step down- Therapy coordination
- Separate providers who rarely communicate
- Appointment length
- Often 15–20 minutes, refill-focused
- Monitoring intensity
- Typically monthly regardless of stability
- Dual diagnosis
- Often unaddressed or referred elsewhere
- Crisis pathway
- ER or hospital referral with care gap
How to start
From first call to first day — usually within a week.
Admissions is one phone call, not a paperwork gauntlet. Here’s the whole process.
01
Call or verify online
A confidential conversation with our admissions team — what’s going on, what you’re looking for, and whether psychiatric care is the right fit. We verify your insurance the same day, usually while you’re still on the phone.
02
Clinical assessment
A licensed clinician conducts a full biopsychosocial assessment — history, symptoms, safety, and level-of-care fit. If PHP, IOP, or outpatient is not the right match, we’ll say so and help you get there instead.
03
Start within days
Clients often begin within a few days of assessment when clinical fit and insurance align. Your first days include psychiatric evaluation, meeting your primary therapist, and building the treatment plan everything else draws from.
Most PPO plans cover this program. Verification is free, confidential, and usually same-day.
Common questions
Answers before you have to ask.
Can't find your question? Call us — a real person answers, and there's never pressure to commit.
What is medication management?
Medication management is ongoing psychiatric care — choosing, adjusting, and monitoring prescriptions based on symptoms, side effects, and therapy progress. At High Tide it happens inside PHP, IOP, or outpatient with your care team, not as a standalone refill mill.
Why is medication management important?
Especially if you take more than one medicine, unmanaged regimens can stack side effects, interactions, or stalled symptoms. Integrated medication management keeps psychiatry talking to therapy so prescriptions support — not replace — skills work.
Do I need to be in PHP or IOP to see your psychiatrist?
Psychiatry is integrated into all our levels of care. Most clients access psychiatric services through PHP, IOP, or outpatient treatment — not as a standalone medication-only service.
Will my insurance cover psychiatric appointments?
Most PPO plans cover psychiatric evaluation and medication management. We verify your benefits before your first appointment — free and confidential.
How long are psychiatric appointments?
Longer than industry standard. Initial evaluations are comprehensive; follow-ups are scheduled with enough time to review symptoms, side effects, and therapy progress — not just refill a prescription.
Can you help if I’m on multiple medications that aren’t working?
Yes — medication reconciliation is a common reason people come to us. Our psychiatrists review your full regimen, coordinate with your therapist, and make changes with close monitoring.
What happens to my medication plan when I discharge?
Your psychiatrist schedules outpatient follow-up before you leave. Medication plans are documented, and your therapist and prescriber stay connected through the transition.