Therapy can be provided by: social workers, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who completed 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 4 years of residency, and optional additional fellowships before practicing independently. Psychiatrists can provide medications, clinical therapy, and procedures, as well as perform research. Psychologists have completed 4 years of college, and have master’s degrees or PhD’s; they can provide clinical therapy, as well as perform research.

We offer telemedicine (video and telephone) appointments for ease of access and flexibility. With virtual appointments, you can receive the highest quality care from the comfort of your home or where-ever you may be. Virtual care makes it easier to prioritize your mental health.

However, we understand that there is an intangible quality to in-person appointments, which can be arranged on occasion for patients in CA and NV to supplement virtual appointments.

All telemedicine appointments are conducted using a secure platform compliant with HIPAA standards to ensure the same level of privacy as in-person appointments. For patients who request controlled substance prescriptions, an in-person evaluation may be necessary to determine suitability of the request and we may recommend occasional follow-up appointments to be conducted in-person as well. Please note that this policy is due to the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 which governs online prescribing of controlled substances in the US.

You and your provider will discuss your specific needs and treatment plan during your appointments. Supportive therapy is provided at every appointment as we believe that a trusting, compassionate, and safe relationship between patient and provider is necessary for healing. Specific therapy modalities (ex- cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, etc) or more extensive supportive therapy may be recommended by your doctor, and provided by your doctor or referred to an outside therapist. A therapy-focused approach may require bi-weekly or weekly appointments. Our approach to medication management is that when used thoughtfully, medications can be very valuable in a comprehensive treatment plan. If we think medications can help you, we will prescribe appropriate medications at the lowest-possible, efficacious dose with clear explanations to help you make an informed decision.

At this time, Joie Mental Health does not provide interventional psychiatry services as we are a virtual clinic. Several of our doctors practice interventional psychiatry in other settings. If appropriate as part of your treatment plan, we will refer you to select practices.

Joie Mental Health follows strict ethical and legal guidelines to protect patient privacy. We obtain consents from patients before sharing your personal information with others for the sole purpose of facilitating your care. We maintain secure electronic medical records and ensure that all staff are trained in handling sensitive medical information. We use secure communication methods such as an encrypted patient portal and HIPPA- safe calls/emails.

Please note, our staff is legally obligated to break confidentiality if there is an imminent risk of danger to yourself or others, if you disclose abuse/neglect towards an elder or minor, or if a court order requires Joie Mental Health to share your information. If such break in confidentiality is necessary, it will be done with the utmost sensitivity and consideration of your well-being. We will discuss any potential breach of confidentiality with you to ensure you are informed. 

You can easily schedule and reschedule appointments using the patient portal. Joie Mental Health requires two full business days’ notice (48 hours) to cancel or reschedule your appointment OR your payment on file will be charged the full session fee. Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays are not counted as business days (e.g., if you have an appointment on Monday at 11:00 am, and you wish to change it without penalty, you would need to contact our office before the preceding Thursday morning at 11:00 am to avoid being charged the full cost of the session.

Missed appointments, “no-shows,” will also be charged at the full session rate. In the event of an emergency, this can be waived at the discretion of your doctor. If you are not present at the start time of your scheduled appointment, it may be marked as missed by your doctor.

All patients are provided access to our secure, online patient portal. The patient portal allows you to communicate with your doctor, schedule appointments, access your medical records, and receive test results in a confidential and secure manner. Our patient portal uses encryption technology to protect your sensitive information, making it harder for hackers to access it.

To make it easier to communicate, we partner with Spruce Health, a HIPAA-compliant app that you can download to your phone for easier and more secure communication. For clinic-initiated phone calls and text messages, we will use Spruce.

Emails and phonecalls outside of the patient portal and Spruce are not completely secure and can be intercepted or accessed by unauthorized individuals. Patients who initiate communication using phone/email with sensitive information will bear sole responsibility for any privacy-related outcomes of this communication.

Most hospitals offer emergency psychiatric services. If you experience a psychiatric emergency, please call 911 or visit your closest emergency room. Patient-generated email, call, and text communications are not appropriate for urgent or emergent matters.

If you want to proceed after reviewing this website, please navigate to the New Patient page and fill out the brief form. Our doctors will review this information to get an initial idea of your needs and if we can help you. If our doctors believe that we can potentially help you, we will then schedule a complimentary 10 minute phone conversation to assess initial fit. If we believe that we can help you after the phone call, we will proceed to scheduling a 75-minute intake appointment.