FAQ

A fit call is a free 15-minute video consultation where we get to know each other and determine if we're a good match for your care needs. It's informal, low-pressure, and helps us both make an informed decision.

Yes, the fit call is a free consultation to discuss your goals to ensure that we are a good fit to work with each other. We want to ensure that we can assist you at achieving your goals.

Once you have scheduled your fit call and we have determined that we are a good match, you will be sent a link allowing you to schedule your first initial appointment.

You can book an appointment through our online scheduler for your convenience. After your initial consultation appointment is approved (within 24 business hours), you will be sent a confirmation and intake packet. The intake packet, if applicable, must be completed prior to your appointment.

After your fit call, if we determine we're a good match, you'll be approved to book a comprehensive evaluation. After booking and payment, you'll complete a brief intake form. Then we'll meet for your evaluation session.

Please complete the intake forms and sign medical releases for any prior medical appointments that will add benefit to your appointment.

Your first visit involves a Comprehensive Integrative Psychiatric Evaluation, then we begin with dialogue focused on developing a comprehensive, tailored treatment plan. Your treatment plan is tailored to your goals — including action items that will support you in achieving them and the reasons why you came to us. We look forward to working collaboratively with you on your journey of transformation and healing.

Our clients love that they have direct communication with their provider in between appointments to address any concerns that may come up. Phone calls and messages via the portal will be answered within 2 business days. During the first visit, we will discuss the best ways of communication.

Upon registering, you will do a quick intake which will then allow you to view pricing prior to scheduling your fit call.

Full payment is expected upon scheduling your appointment, please follow the prompts during scheduling. We accept a variety of electronic payments.

As an integrative provider, I provide a holistic approach to care that merges traditional psychiatric methods with complementary therapies. By opting not to take insurance, BrainSpark Wellness can deliver a more thorough and personalized experience, free from the constraints of time limits or insurance guidelines. If the following benefits resonate with you, you know that you have come to the right place:
• Confidentiality. Private pay clients enjoy the privacy, because this information will not automatically be a part of your permanent health record. If you do use insurance to pay for mental health care, then this information can then be accessed by various third parties, including employers, insurance companies, and government agencies.
• More autonomy about your treatment. Freedom to choose your provider, and the duration and frequency of your appointments. Your care is not focused on a diagnosis as it is not necessary to have a mental health diagnosis to work on your mental health. Insurances require specific diagnoses for reimbursement.
• Treatment continuity. Changes in your insurance benefits will not disrupt your treatment. Additionally, some insurance plans limit the number of visits per year.
• Direct Communication. Simple, hassle-free scheduling and direct communication with your provider.
• Simplified payment process. Upfront pricing without the hassle of complex billing procedures, which can reduce financial anxiety.
• Other financial considerations. Perhaps you have a plan with high-deductible or out-of-network (OON) benefits that allow you to choose a provider that meets your needs. You have an HSA/FSA you wish to use. *Please note using OON benefits or HSA/FSA requires reporting at least one psychiatric diagnosis.

We are currently an out-of-network provider. We can provide superbills for you to submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Many PPO plans offer partial reimbursement for out-of-network mental health services.

BrainSpark is dedicated to work with you to prevent disruption to your care, please reach out to us at info@brainsparkwellness.com to discuss other alternatives.

BrainSpark's goal is to have mental health wellness be accessible to as many people as possible. Please reach out to info@brainsparkwellness.com to inquire about our Income-Based Fee Assistance. Please note that there may be a delay as there is currently a waiting list; more information will be given about this process.

Lab testing will be discussed in session and may be recommended depending on your treatment goals. Routine labs may be covered by insurance; when not covered, prices vary greatly. Specialized functional lab testing ranges $200–$600, and insurance may cover partially (always verify with your insurance or lab facility about pricing prior).

Functional psychiatry focuses on how and why an illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual. It focuses on identifying and treating the underlying biological, nutritional, hormonal, and environmental factors contributing to mental health conditions, rather than solely managing symptoms with medication. Integrative psychiatry shares this holistic perspective. It combines conventional psychiatric treatment, including medication when appropriate (targeted supplements alongside conventional care), with evidence-based complementary approaches such as mindfulness practices, psychotherapy, yoga therapy, nutritional strategies, and lifestyle interventions. The goal is whole-person mental health care rather than symptom suppression alone.

Traditional psychiatry often centers on diagnosis and medication management. Integrative psychiatry includes that foundation but expands treatment to include mind-body practices, lifestyle work, and skill-building designed to support long-term well-being.

Many components of integrative psychiatry are supported by growing scientific literature, including mindfulness-based interventions, lifestyle optimization, and certain nutritional strategies. Treatment decisions are individualized and grounded in clinical evidence, safety, and patient preference.

No. Integrative psychiatry does not reject or replace medication. For many moderate to severe conditions, medication plays an important role. Integrative approaches are often used alongside medication to improve outcomes, reduce side effects, or support long-term resilience.

Everyone. It's a patient-centered approach, where we address the whole person, not just your isolated set of symptoms. The result? A program that's personalized for you, one that will remedy or reduce the severity of your symptoms, help prevent chronic disease and get your body and mind as healthy as possible. Integrative approaches can help address areas medication alone does not reach, including stress regulation, sleep, nervous system balance, and long-term behavioral change.

Integrative psychiatry may be used to support individuals with anxiety, depression, trauma-related conditions, ADHD, and other mood or stress-related challenges. The approach is tailored to each individual's goals and medical history.

BrainSpark Wellness provides integrative treatment in Massachusetts for individuals who struggle with anxiety, depression, mood disorder, ADHD, burnout and stress, trauma, OCD, insomnia, problem gambling, substance use, and interpersonal relationship concerns.

Yes, as a psychiatric practice, medication management is part of our comprehensive care approach. However, we don't provide medication-only services—our approach integrates medication with therapy and lifestyle strategies.

No, one does not have to be prescribed medication to be a client at BrainSpark. Your treatment plan can include medication and/or supplements in combination with psychotherapy, or therapy only.

Psychotherapy is embedded within each visit because healthy coping skills support resilience and wellness longevity.

Our licensed clinician specializes in various therapeutic modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, person-centered therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and emotionally focused individual therapy (EFIT). Therapy modality is tailored to meet your unique goals and needs.

Yes. Addiction impacts families in a variety of ways. BrainSpark Wellness provides support with learning how to cope with the instability that addiction can cause.

Yes, absolutely, as there are different modalities and each provider has their own expertise.

Initial evaluations are typically 60 minutes. Follow-up appointments are available in 30-minute or 60-minute slots depending on your needs.

Medication refills should be taken care of during an appointment. To ensure that you do not run out of medication, your provider will refill your medication to last until the following appointment. Prescribers will respond to refill requests that occur outside of an appointment within 72 hours of the request. Appropriate requests include current medications that are not controlled substances. They do not include medications that have been discontinued. Please contact your prescriber directly for refills as our practice often does not receive refill requests that occur at the pharmacy. If for some reason your pharmacist is unable to fill a prescription, please speak with the pharmacy to clarify the issue before contacting your prescriber. If you need a prescription outside an appointment time, please use our "Prescription refill" tab under "About" on your client portal.

Functional testing looks deeper than standard blood work. It's designed to find underlying imbalances in nutrition, metabolism, hormones, gut health, and immune function that may be contributing to anxiety, depression, mood swings, ADHD, OCD, or other mental health concerns. For additional information, please refer to the patient guide for functional psychiatry on your client portal.

Standard labs often focus on ruling out major diseases. Functional testing looks at optimal ranges — the levels where your brain and body work best — not just "is it bad enough to diagnose a disease?" For example: a standard lab might say your vitamin D is "normal" at 32. Functional ranges suggest you may feel better with vitamin D closer to 50–80.

It is about practicing mental health with precision. The genetic test kit includes an easy-to-use cheek swab. Your sample can be collected in-office during an appointment, or the test kit can be shipped to your home with a prepaid return shipping label for you to collect your own sample. You may call your commercial insurance representative to find out if Genomind testing is in-network with your plan, or to determine if your HSA/FSA account can provide coverage.

We offer pharmacogenomic and root cause genomics. We use clinical-grade genomic testing to analyze your DNA and provide personalized, evidence-based health insights for prevention, targeted treatment, and wellness optimization. It focuses on precision medicine — using your genetic profile to identify potential health risks, benefits, and actionable interventions tailored to your genes and metabolism. It allows for personalized treatment decisions.

Yes. During the initial evaluation we will discuss your goal for seeking mental health services. Additional sessions will be dedicated for further evaluation for ADHD, which will include thorough clinical history and a digital cognitive assessment designed to complement traditional ADHD evaluations.

Please check the Resources tab above for additional resources. If you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), call 911, or proceed to the nearest emergency room. Please note that we do NOT provide 24/7 care and that messages and calls after hours will be returned during normal business hours.

You will be provided with the controlled substance policy during your intake/orientation.

BrainSpark Wellness is committed to protecting your privacy. Our staff is trained to maintain the highest levels of security and confidentiality when handling and storing patient information. We comply with HIPAA and other relevant laws regarding patient privacy. Our detailed policies and procedures ensure your personal information is protected, and all staff are trained on proper security protocols. We regularly review our security measures and audit our systems to ensure top data protection. We will provide you with our privacy policy during intake.

Please refer to the cancellation policy which will be provided to you during intake. If you must cancel or reschedule an appointment, we require 24 business hour notice (weekends not included). If your appointment is on a Monday or Tuesday, the cancellation must be made by the same hour on the preceding Friday. PLEASE DON'T CANCEL VIA EMAIL. Appointments that are missed (this includes late cancellations and no-shows) will be billed at a rate of $150 for an Initial Psychiatric Evaluation and $100 for a psychiatric follow-up appointment. If it is more than 24 business hours before an appointment, you can reschedule your appointment by contacting our office.

Both. Please reach out to our office to learn about our in-person visit schedule.

No. Due to licensing requirements, all clients must be physically located in Massachusetts during all appointments. This includes both the fit call and all subsequent sessions.

Clients above the age of 18 years of age.

BrainSpark can accommodate multiple family members as long as there is no conflict of interest for either patient and privacy can be maintained. BrainSpark enjoys working with families.

BrainSpark supports a number of local non-profits through volunteering and donations.