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FAQs

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Updated 01/21/2024

What services do you offer?

We offer personalized psychiatric evaluations, medication management, laboratory testing, and brief talk therapy services. We have experience in integrative practice methods as well and can discuss non-pharmacological options. The great majority of patients will benefit from additional talk therapy services; if these are not already established, we can assist in finding a clinician that will support continued care.

We offer telehealth services to established patients located within Virginia when appropriate. At this time, new patients must be located within driving distance of Charlottesville, VA.

 

What is "personalized" about your care?

We understand that every individual is unique, with a unique background, history, family, values, goals, and more. As such, we intend to treat every individual in a personalized fashion, applying the best evidence we have available to assist in creating a treatment plan for moving forward. That treatment plan may include medical interventions, but it is just as likely that we will recommend talk therapy, skill-building exercises, behavioral modifications, and more. You will always have a say in that treatment planning process.

We are advocates of the recovery model when it comes to working with mental health. 

Do you work with children and adolescents?

We do!  We work with individuals between the ages of 6 and 64. During the pandemic, however, we are temporarily unable to see ages 6-12 via telehealth platforms. 

 

Do you complete disability, FMLA, etc. evaluations and forms?

As noted in our practice policies, if we determine that you may benefit from such services, we can generally address these at/after the 90-day mark in terms of when you established care.  (Patients must also keep follow-up appointments as scheduled and there is no guarantee that forms will be completed at any time). Forms cannot generally be completed during the appointment time and will require a few business days to complete. Remember, too, that anything a provider completes is simply one piece of the process; your disability insurance company is responsible for addressing your concerns.  

 

We do not complete evaluations/forms related to Social Security disability insurance, as these evaluations are coordinated by the Social Security Administration itself. We are also unable to write emotional support animal (ESA) letters or complete related forms.

 

Do you practice psychotherapy (aka talk therapy or counseling)?

Dr. Moore practices psychotherapy with the great majority of his patients, in some form or fashion. Dr. Moore was originally trained as a professional counselor, so he has an extensive background in the various theories and modalities of talk therapy (ex. cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, and solution-focused brief therapy).  Most commonly, therapy is integrated into the standard appointment; if you might benefit from additional therapy, we will generally refer you to an outside psychotherapist.

 

Dr. Moore has also trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which is a short-term therapy that can assist with numerous symptoms. ART is related to EMDR.

Are you a psychiatrist, an MD, etc.?

Dr. Moore is a certified and licensed advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP); as such, he has backgrounds in both generalist nursing and training in psychiatric-mental health nursing. Dr. Moore can evaluate and treat in a manner quite similar to a psychiatrist, but he will more heavily draw upon nursing knowledge and theories.

 

Nursing focuses on wellness and treating the whole person, so you will find that we typically do not focus solely on diagnoses or medical-focused treatments.

 

What is pharmacogenetic testing?

Within psychiatry, providers are utilizing personalized genetic testing services more and more.  Given my focus on holistic practices, I attempt to gather as much information about every patient that I see, so that every treatment plan is individualized, evidence-based, and comprehensive.  Genetic testing is an additional piece of the puzzle that tells us more about your makeup and heritage than I can see from the exterior.  It can tell us what medications might cause more side effects, what medications could potentially be helpful, and if there are any genetic anomalies that would influence your care; it cannot, unfortunately, point us to the absolutely ideal medication for you (yet).  It is generally quite affordable and I currently utilize Genomind's services.

 

What will our first meeting look like?

Before your first visit, you will be completing a brief intake questionnaire. We will utilize this alongside what we discuss within a 60 minute session to help formulate a treatment plan that fits you and your wishes. The aim of this session is to see if we're a good fit for one another and to start gathering information necessary for treatment planning.

 

While we will discuss probable diagnoses, please understand that these can change and will never entirely capture your thoughts, emotions, etc. We do not always recommend medications at the first appointment (or at all); you may not wish to trial any medication and/or Dr. Moore may not feel that you are a good candidate for medication management at this time. We will also focus on education and non-medical options. We may discuss ordering labs to rule-out physical health concerns, finding a talk therapist, and more.

Does evaluation for ADHD look any different?

Evaluating for ADHD is a different process from evaluating for depression, anxiety, and the like, but it has many commonalities. ADHD is a developmental concern and diagnosis, meaning there is even more of an emphasis on gathering data from the past. We'll ask for additional information, both from you and what we call collateral sources (ex. parent, sibling, teachers if in school, etc.). If you are an adult, we will also often refer out for neuropsychological testing, which can provide more information within this realm.

Please note that if the patient is 25 years of age or older, Dr. Moore will not be able to fully evaluate for initial diagnosis of ADHD and related diagnoses (ex. learning disorders, etc.); outside evaluation will likely be indicated.

 

Are you able to coordinate care with my PCP, talk therapist, etc.?

Yes!  In fact, we prefer to do this as much as possible, as coordinated care has been shown to produce the best outcomes for patients. If requested, you will be able to sign a release of information (ROI); this will allow for the release of information, allow us to contact other providers, etc.  

 

Please note: if you have been referred by your PCP, a psychiatric provider typically will need to manage all psychiatric medications (assuming you would like to continue services beyond the initial evaluation).

Do you offer MAT (medication-assisted treatment) services?

We currently do not, but we are looking to expand into this area soon.

Anything else I should know?

We do not order benzodiazepine medications (Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, etc.). We cannot complete a full diagnostic assessment for ASD (autism spectrum disorder) or ADHD, as these often require more intensive testing. We can often assist in assessment and direct you toward the right professional. We do not perform any forensic or other legal-type assessments.

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