1. What is Green Psychiatry?
Green Psychiatry is an evidence-based holistic approach to health and wellness that incorporates complementary and alternative treatments with standard-of-care solutions for mental health concerns.
This means that at CGP we will help manage your medications, but we'll also talk to you about what you are eating, how you are exercising, and teach you a bit about how to breathe mindfully. We are about practicing evidence-based integrative medicine in a manner that is friendly, hopeful, and sustainable.
2. Why is this approach called Green Psychiatry?
We believe in the therapeutic potential of yoga and other mind-body practices. Historically, yoga relates closely with Ayurvedic medicine. The color green represents the heart chakra (energy center), which also is associated with integration and connectedness.
When developing the term, Dr. Brown believed Green Psychiatry was an appropriate way to characterize this treatment philosophy as a natural and accessible approach to health and wellness.
3. Do you accept health insurance? How much does an appointment cost?
Please visit your provider's profile to see about insurance plans accepted. Also, our fees page has information about private-pay costs.
4. Am I able to speak with someone at CGP by phone before my appointment?
Since, we set aside substantial time during the first appointment to address your questions, we generally do not offer telephone sessions prior to the first appointment.
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5. Do you treat children and adolescents?
Dr. Brown and Hannah Goldberg both have experience treating adolescent patients from age13 years old. Patients must be 13 years old at the time of their first visit.
6. Do you offer telemedicine?
Yes, telemedicine visits are available; however, not all private health insurance companies cover telemedicine visits. If you plan to pay for your visits using your private health insurance, please check with your insurance company beforehand about your telemedicine benefits.
7. How do I schedule an appointment?
The best way to request an appointment is online. Please click Appointments to request an initial evaluation. After selecting a date and time, prospective patients will receive an intake form sent to their email address which must be completed within 24 business hours or the request may be declined so that other prospective patients can schedule if needed.
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8. I am having trouble registering on the patient portal, can you help me?
Yes! Give us a call at (512) 710-1200 and leave us a message. We will return your call to assist you.
9. I am having trouble accessing my telepsychiatry portal.
You will receive a link to join your telehealth appointment on all of your automatic reminders. If you have changed your email address or telephone number, please call our office at (512) 710-1200 so that we can update your contact information.
10. Do you evaluate and treat ADHD?
We do evaluate and treat ADHD, however, nurse practitioners in the state of Texas cannot prescribe stimulant medications. Therefore, although as a medical doctor and psychiatrist, Dr. Brown is authorized to prescribe stimulant medications (like Ritalin or Adderall), Shannon Skolaut and Hannah Goldberg cannot prescribe stimulants. Since stimulants are not the only treatment for ADHD, we can also discuss evidence-based treatments (including other prescription medications, or non-medication alternatives). If you believe you have ADHD, we recommend that you schedule an appointment so that we can perform a comprehensive evaluation and offer a professional opinion that includes appropriate treatment.
11. How often will I need to be seen?
That depends on what you and your provider decide after the first appointment. It's common for patients to be seen monthly for the first couple of months and then every few months after that. There are some cases where we may recommend for you to be seen weekly for a period of time.
12. Can psychiatric nurse practitioners prescribe medication?
Yes, psychiatric nurse practitioners are authorized to prescribe psychiatric medications in the state of Texas. However, psychiatric nurse practitioners are not authorized to prescribe stimulant medications, like Ritalin or Adderall.
13. I'm looking for talk-therapy only, do you offer this type of treatment?
We are not primary therapists, meaning that many of our patients are also working with a psychotherapist -- in addition to visits with us -- whom they meet with on a regular basis, sometimes weekly for extended periods of time. That being said, our typical visits do include a substantial amount of psychotherapy including: cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. In some cases, visits at CGP include talk-therapy that is offered with or without prescription medications. We have found that this hybrid model works well, and is economical for many patients from a cost standpoint. For some of our patients, meeting with us is enough, others may find that working with an outside therapist in addition to our visits, offers a bit of extra support. During your first visit, we can formulate a plan that works well for you.
14. Do you manage patients on long-acting injectable medications?
Unfortunately, we do not.
15. Do you prescribe ketamine infusions?
The Center for Green Psychiatry is not a ketamine clinic. If you have questions about ketamine, however, we are happy to provide you with the most up to date evidence about ketamine, and help you make an informed decision about your health.
16. I saw a different psychiatrist, and I didn't agree with the diagnosis, can I get
a second opinion from you?
Yes, but we would request that you transfer records from the other psychiatrist and also sign a release of information form giving us permission to speak with the other psychiatrist. Ultimately, we would require you to see one psychiatrist or nurse practitioner at a time, and terminate care with the other.
17. Do you offer disability evaluations?
We do not offer disability evaluations at this time.
18. Can I have my appointment over the telephone?
Face-to-face visits are required either in the form of an in-person appointment or telemedicine (audio/video) appointment per Texas Medical Board standards for establishing a doctor-patient relationship.
19. I just need my meds refilled, can you do that?
Our treatment philosophy includes not only medication management but also incorporates psychotherapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and discussions related to self-care. Although some psychiatric practices may focus on short "med check appointments," as an integrative practice, that's not our primary focus.
20. If I am a private pay patient, are there coverage options?
Sometimes private health insurance companies will partially or fully reimburse visits with out-of-network providers if you provide a "superbill" that includes your visit date, diagnosis, and CPT "billing" code. If you plan to submit a superbill, after your visit, please call our office at (512) 710-1200 and leave a message for the administrative staff. They will put together a superbill for you to submit.
21. I still have unanswered questions.
We encourage you to read our clinic policies prior to your first visit with us. During your first visit, there will be plenty of time to have your questions answered.