Questions
Medication can be a helpful tool, but it's rarely where we start. My approach is to first explore lifestyle, environmental, and behavioral factors—sleep, nutrition, routines, family dynamics, school or work stressors—before considering medication. When medication is appropriate, it's added thoughtfully and collaboratively, not as a default.
No. Many patients benefit from evaluation, education, therapy-informed support, and lifestyle-based strategies without ever starting medication. My background in pediatric primary care shaped this approach—I was trained to look at the whole child and family before reaching for a prescription pad, and I bring that same lens to mental health care.
No. Shoreline Support & Wellness is a benzodiazepine-free practice. We do not prescribe benzodiazepines (for example, alprazolam/Xanax, lorazepam/Ativan, clonazepam/Klonopin, or diazepam/Valium) for any condition. This applies to new prescriptions as well as prescriptions started by another provider.
There are effective, evidence-based alternatives for anxiety, panic, and sleep, and we will work together to find the approach that fits you best. If you are currently taking a benzodiazepine, please let us know before scheduling so we can discuss whether this practice is the right fit for your care.
For any controlled substance we do prescribe, an in-person visit is required before the medication is started, and at least once every twelve months thereafter to continue it.
Visits between those in-person appointments may be completed by telehealth when clinically appropriate. Because these medications require ongoing monitoring, prescriptions cannot be provided without an established treatment relationship and an up-to-date in-person evaluation.
Yes. I provide psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults, and bring over a decade of experience caring for children, teens, and families—first as a pediatric primary care provider, now specializing in mental health.
We offer both in-person and secure telehealth appointments to provide accessible, personalized mental health care. Initial evaluations may be completed in person or via telehealth depending on clinical needs, patient preference, and appropriateness of care. Follow-up appointments may be provided through telehealth or in person based on your treatment plan.
We believe meaningful therapeutic relationships can be built through both in-person and virtual care, and we will work with you to determine the best approach for your individual needs.
Yes. Our appointments include supportive psychotherapy as part of comprehensive psychiatric care. This means we take time to understand your experiences, explore challenges, develop coping strategies, and work collaboratively toward your mental health goals.
While our focus is psychiatric evaluation and medication management when appropriate, therapy-based approaches are incorporated into visits to support healing and growth. If you are seeking ongoing, dedicated psychotherapy (such as weekly therapy sessions), we can help connect you with an appropriate therapist.
My training in primary care taught me to see the whole person, not just a diagnosis, so I stay open to a range of approaches—from lifestyle and behavioral strategies to complementary and holistic options, alongside conventional Western medicine when it's genuinely needed. The goal is always the most effective and least invasive path forward for you or your child.