THERAPEUTIC COUNSELING & CONSULTING
Psychiatry &
Medication Management
Psychiatry & Medication Management
At Therapeutic Counseling & Consulting, it is our goal to make receiving support for mental, emotional, and behavioral health easier and more accessible for our clients. As part of this ongoing mission to offer a greater range of services, we provide psychiatry and medication management for our clients. These services go hand in hand with our traditional talk therapy and offer necessary support for our clients who are working to create a greater sense of stability as they work to achieve their therapy goals. You can learn more about these services on this page or by reaching out to our team.
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Do I Have to Take Medication?
It’s very important to our team that clients know they will never be pressured to receive any treatment they are not comfortable with, but medications can provide an important benefit in combination with traditional therapy to ensure an individual is able to achieve therapy goals. We know there are many misconceptions related to psychiatry medications. People hear that these medications make them feel numb, change their personalities, or even make symptoms worse.
Unfortunately, some people do have an adverse response to medications. However, it is the role of a good psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner to provide appropriate intervention and adjust medications and/or dosages to achieve the desired goals without causing additional or worsening symptoms. Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are highly trained to understand the variety of potential side effects of psychiatric medications, so if clients notice adverse effects, they should report them to our team right away. As soon as we hear about these concerns, we partner with clients to develop a plan of action to adjust and move forward.
When Is Medication Recommended?
Medication may be recommended in combination with traditional therapy for a variety of reasons, including:
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A need for greater stability to work on therapy goals.
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Traditional therapy alone has not achieved the desired results.
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Symptoms are severe or prolonged, making daily life challenging.
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The client cannot safely work on therapy goals without medical intervention.
What Medications Will I Take?
The type of medications you’re prescribed will depend on your individual goals, current symptoms, health history, and a wide array of other factors that should be discussed with our psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner before beginning treatment. Some of the common types of medications we prescribe include:
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Antidepressants – these medications stimulate certain parts of the brain to alleviate negative effects of depression by increasing the production of serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine, and other reward centers in the brain.
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Mood stabilizers – these medications are recommended for people who struggle with severe forms of depression, mania, and some schizoaffective disorders. They help to diminish the effects of these diagnoses and create a more stable mood. This makes moving forward with traditional forms of talk therapy safer and more effective for clients.
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Antipsychotics – these medications are often prescribed for those diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorders, and personality disorders. They reduce and control symptoms of these disorders.
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Symptom support – in some cases, we may need to address symptoms that contribute to mental health struggles. For example, medications to manage sleep disorders may be prescribed as part of medication management.
Meet Nikita Bonner
Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Nikita Bonner, PMHNP-BC
Ms. Bonner is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and psychiatric nurse practitioner, with over 11 years of nursing experience in a variety of settings. She completed her Bachelor of Science with a concentration in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from The Catholic University of America. She later completed her Post-Master's Certificate as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Virginia Commonwealth University. Ms. Bonner focuses on patient centered care and her treatment philosophy is based on a combination of conservative use of psychotropic medications and supportive therapy. Ms. Bonner offers comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and medication management to her clients. Her primary clinical focus is caring for clients with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders. When working with clients, she makes great effort to develop a strong therapeutic alliance and work collaboratively to assess unique individual needs.
How Do I Get Started?
Scheduling a therapy session can be difficult, and considering a need for psychiatry and medication management support can feel overwhelming. We will do our utmost to make working with our team simple and straightforward. If you are already working with one of our counselors, you can discuss your medication management options with them during your next session or contact them directly to learn more and be put in contact with our psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who manages medication prescriptions. If you do not currently work with the Therapeutic Counseling & Consulting team for therapy services, you can get in touch to learn more about any of our services, including medication management, by filling out our online scheduling inquiry form, calling 804-658-0801, or emailing psychiatry@therapeuticcounseling.org.
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