Medication Management
Medication Management in Frederick, MD
Psychiatric medication management with a nurse practitioner who works alongside our therapy team, for clients ages 12 and over.
Start here.
Where are you with medication right now?
- You have been wondering for a while whether medication should be part of the picture.
- The symptoms are heavy enough that the therapy alone is not reaching them.
- You have tried medication before and are open to trying again with someone who will listen.
- You want a prescriber who will coordinate with your therapist, not work around them.
- You do not want medication to be the whole of your care. You also do not want to keep ruling it out.
Our medical provider is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who sees clients ages 12 and over and works alongside our therapy team and outside prescribers. The first appointment is an evaluation, not a prescription. Whether medication makes sense is a decision the two of you make together based on what you are working through and what you want.
What is medication management?
Medication management is the clinical process of evaluating whether psychiatric medication might help, prescribing it if appropriate, and adjusting it over time based on how you respond. It is provided by a clinician who is licensed to prescribe (in our practice, a psychiatric nurse practitioner). The goal is not just to put a medication in place but to find the right one, at the right dose, with the right adjustments as the picture changes.
Medication management is a separate clinical service from psychotherapy. Many people use both together. Some use medication management without therapy. Some use therapy without ever needing medication. The right answer for you depends on what you're working through, what you've tried, and what you want.
Our medical provider works alongside our therapy team when clients want both. With your consent, the prescriber and your therapist can coordinate so the picture is complete. If you're seeing a therapist outside of our practice, our medical provider can also coordinate with them.
Our medical provider
Our medical provider is a psychiatric nurse practitioner working part-time in our practice. A psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse with specialized graduate training in psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, and prescribing. In Maryland, PMHNPs can prescribe psychiatric medications, including most controlled substances, with appropriate licensing.
She brings the same kind of careful, trauma-informed orientation to her work that the rest of our team holds. The therapeutic relationship matters in medication management too: feeling heard, having your concerns taken seriously, and being a partner in decisions about your own care are part of what makes prescribing work well.
To request an intake appointment with our medical provider, complete our brief intake form or contact our Intake Specialist directly. We make every effort to take your personal preferences into account when scheduling, because the therapeutic relationship is a requirement for successful engagement.
What our medical provider treats
Common reasons clients see our medical provider include:
- Anxiety that is interfering with day-to-day functioning, where medication might support what therapy is doing
- Depression, particularly moderate-to-severe depression where medication often helps make therapy more accessible
- PTSD and trauma-related symptoms when medication can support nervous-system regulation alongside trauma processing
- ADHD evaluation and management for adolescents and adults
- Mood disorders requiring ongoing medication oversight
- Sleep difficulties connected to mental health concerns
The first appointment is an evaluation, not a prescription. The decision to start medication is made together based on your symptoms, history, and what you want. If medication is not the right next step, our nurse practitioner can recommend alternatives or refer you to other care.
What to expect at appointments
The intake / evaluation appointment
The first appointment is longer than follow-ups, typically 60 to 90 minutes. The nurse practitioner will gather a thorough history: current symptoms, past mental health care, medical history, family history, current medications, substance use, and what you're hoping medication might help with. This appointment ends with a discussion of options, which may or may not include starting medication.
Follow-up medication checks
Once you're on a medication, follow-up appointments tend to be shorter (typically 20 to 30 minutes) and focused on how the medication is working, any side effects you're noticing, and whether the dose or medication itself needs adjusting. Frequency varies based on how new the medication is, how you're responding, and what's happening in your life.
Coordination with your therapist
With your written consent, our medical provider can coordinate with your therapist (whether at our practice or elsewhere) so both clinicians have the full picture. This coordination often shows up as a brief check-in or shared notes rather than ongoing meetings. It is collaborative, not hierarchical.
Between appointments
For prescription refills, side-effect questions, or other concerns between appointments, you'll have a way to reach the prescriber's team. For active mental health crises, the right resource is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) or 911 if you are in immediate danger. Outpatient medication management is not the right tool for an acute crisis.
Location and format
Our medical provider sees clients on the second floor of our Ballenger Creek office. Both in-person and telehealth options are available. If you may need a ground-level appointment for accessibility reasons, please let our intake coordinator know or note it on your intake request form so we can plan for your appointment accordingly.
Telehealth medication management works well for many follow-up appointments. Initial evaluation appointments can also be conducted via telehealth in many cases. State licensure rules apply: to do telehealth medication management, you typically need to be physically located in Maryland (or another state where the provider is licensed) at the time of the session.
See our Ballenger Creek office page for directions, parking, and other office details.
Cost and insurance
Our medical provider is in network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, including Anthem, Highmark, Federal, Independence, Blue Choice, and others. The medical provider's BCBS panel is broader than the panel for our therapy services. If you have insurance other than BCBS, we cannot submit claims on your behalf, but we can provide superbills for you to submit to your insurance company to pursue out-of-network reimbursement.
Self-pay rates and cancellation / no-show rates for our medical provider range from $235 to $310 depending on the length of the session. Initial evaluation appointments are typically longer (and at the higher end of the range) than follow-up medication checks.
For more on the practice's overall insurance arrangements, including therapy services and out-of-network reimbursement guidance, see our insurance page.
How to schedule
To request an intake appointment with our medical provider:
- Complete our intake request form
- Email our Intake Specialist: info@traumaspecialistsofmd.com
- Call 301-304-7108
Because our medical provider is part-time, scheduling can take longer than for our therapy team. We will do our best to schedule you with an appointment as quickly as our availability allows. For specific questions about the waitlist, you may reach out to our Intake Specialist at the email address above. We make every effort to take your personal preferences into account in the matching process.
If you have an immediate need that cannot wait for our scheduling availability, our intake team can also help you find an appropriate provider in the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the prescribing provider?
Our medical provider is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who works part-time in our practice. She prescribes and manages medication for mental health conditions, working alongside our therapists when clients are also doing psychotherapy. She is not a substitute for a primary care provider; medication management with us is specifically for psychiatric concerns.
What ages do you treat?
Our medical provider sees clients ages 12 and over. For younger children needing psychiatric medication evaluation, we can help you find an appropriate provider in the area.
Do I need to be in therapy with you to do medication management?
No. You can see our medical provider for medication management without being in therapy with us. Many clients use medication management as a stand-alone service. That said, the most common pattern is that clients see one of our therapists for psychotherapy and our nurse practitioner for medication, with the two working together with appropriate consent.
Where are appointments held?
Our medical provider is based on the second floor of our Ballenger Creek office, with both in-person and telehealth options available. If you may need a ground-level appointment for accessibility reasons, let our intake coordinator know or note it on your intake request form so we can plan for your appointment accordingly.
What insurance does the medical provider accept?
Our medical provider is in network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, including Anthem, Highmark, Federal, Independence, Blue Choice, and others. If you have insurance other than BCBS, we cannot submit claims on your behalf, but we can provide superbills for you to submit to your insurance company to pursue out-of-network reimbursement. Note that the medical provider's BCBS panel is broader than the therapy services panel; see our insurance page for therapy-specific coverage.
What does medication management cost?
Self-pay rates and cancellation / no-show rates for our medical provider range from $235 to $310 depending on the length of the session. Initial evaluation appointments are typically longer (and at the higher end of the range) than follow-up medication checks. For BCBS clients, costs depend on your plan's copay, coinsurance, and deductible.
How long is the wait for an appointment?
Wait times vary depending on availability. Because our medical provider is part-time, scheduling can take longer than for our therapy team. We will do our best to schedule you with an appointment as quickly as our availability allows. For specific questions about the waitlist, contact our Intake Specialist at info@traumaspecialistsofmd.com.
What's the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychiatric nurse practitioner?
Both can prescribe psychiatric medication. A psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced-practice registered nurse with specialized graduate training in psychiatric care and prescribing. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who completed psychiatric residency. In Maryland, psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe most psychiatric medications, including controlled substances, with appropriate licensing. The clinical focus and quality of care are comparable; what differs is training pathway.
Do I have to take medication if I see the nurse practitioner?
No. The first appointment is an evaluation. The decision to start medication is made together based on your symptoms, history, and what you want. If medication is not the right next step, the nurse practitioner can offer recommendations for alternatives or refer you to other care. You are always the one who decides what goes into your body.
Clinically reviewed by
Sarah Martin, LCPC, NCC
Clinical Director, Trauma Specialists of Maryland
Sarah is the Clinical Director of Trauma Specialists of Maryland. She oversees the clinical work across the practice, including coordination between our therapy team and our medical provider for clients who use both services.
Read full bioRequest an intake appointment
Take a few minutes to complete our brief intake form, and we'll do our best to schedule you in a timely fashion. The therapeutic relationship is a requirement for successful engagement, so we make every effort to take your personal preferences into account.
For questions about the waitlist or scheduling, reach out at info@traumaspecialistsofmd.com.
Learn More
Anxiety Therapy
A guide to anxiety, when medication might help, and how therapy and medication often work together.
Depression Therapy
A guide to depression and how trauma-informed therapy supports healing, including when medication is part of the picture.
Insurance & Payment
Coverage for therapy services, out-of-network reimbursement guidance, and our broader payment policies.