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A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD/DO) who after completing medical school has completed a psychiatry residency. This residency is four (4) years and includes a medical internship year. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology boards this physician. Essentially, a psychiatrist has a major in psychiatry and a minor in neurology. Psychiatrists are physician experts at understanding, knowing, and identifying how organic diseases cause psychological symptoms (mood and behavior). Like any physician, Psychiatrists, order and interpret labs, imaging, and make both medical and psychiatric diagnosis. Some Psychiatrists have specialty training in interventional treatments such as Electroconvulsive therapy, or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. These are additional interventional certifications that only psychiatrists can do (like only orthopedic surgeons can do hip replacement surgery). Psychiatrists admit and discharge patients to psychiatric units. They are also responsible for patient commitments and have legal obligations according to each state’s guidelines. They can interpret Neuropsychological testing and psychology reports. They, too, are experts in MH therapies. Some psychiatrists have additional and advanced psychotherapy training (CBT, DBT, Psychoanalytic, etc.)

Yes. Consider a psychiatrist as the mental health equivalent of an orthopedic surgeon for knee pain. When someone has knee pain, they might see an orthopedic surgeon for evaluation and treatment. The surgeon takes a medical history; orders test like an X-ray, and, if there's no need for surgery, prescribes physical therapy. Alternatively, the person might go directly to a physical therapist, who can treat them and refer them to an orthopedic surgeon if there's no improvement. Similarly, a primary care physician can assess the knee pain, refer the patient to a physical therapist, and later to an orthopedic surgeon if needed.

A comparable process applies to mental health. Someone experiencing depression might self-refer to a therapist for cognitive behavioral therapy. If therapy alone isn't enough, the therapist might refer the patient to a psychiatrist. Alternatively, the patient could see a psychiatrist first, who would evaluate them medically and psychiatrically, possibly including imaging and lab tests, and then refer them to a therapist. A primary care physician can also assess depression, recommend therapy, and later refer the patient to a psychiatrist if the symptoms persist.

In both cases, the approach is collaborative and tiered, ensuring the patient receives the appropriate level of care at each step.

Our practice primarily sees patients in the Nashville and Franklin areas. When providing care at a memory care facility, we are also able to see patients in the same building’s assisted living and independent living settings. This allows us to support a broader range of residents within the same community.

Following your appointments, we share our notes with the providers and facilities involved in your care. We send this information via fax within our electronic health records system.