INITIAL 75-MINUTE COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION: This is the first integrative psychiatry visit you will have with Dr. Ambardar in which she will review your full medical, psychiatric, psychosocial, and family history. An accurate medical history is important to obtain at this first visit because certain conditions such as hyper/hypothyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, and anemia (among many others), can present with psychiatric symptoms. Before this visit, please remember to complete the online Intake Forms so that we will be able to make the best use of our time. During this session, your reason(s) for seeking treatment will be discussed in depth and a full treatment plan (including medications, possible functional lab testing, and/or psychotherapy) will be prescribed. Fee: $750
25-MINUTE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT FOLLOW-UP SESSION: This is a follow-up session tailored specifically to any medication management or therapy issues you may have. Your mood symptoms and psychopharmacologic treatment plan will be discussed thoroughly, any appropriate changes to your medication regimen will be made, and supportive psychotherapy will be performed. Fee: $300
50-MINUTE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT + PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSION: During this dual-purpose, customized follow-up session, we will adjust and alter your medication regimen as needed, as well as engage in intensive psychotherapy. Dr. Ambardar’s general treatment principle regarding psychotropic medications is to use the lowest effective dose of medication that successfully alleviates your mood symptoms. Regarding psychotherapy, specific treatment modalities used during sessions include psychodynamic or insight-oriented therapy, solution-focused therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, inner child work, and journal therapy. One of the goals of our therapy journey together is to help you develop a stronger sense of self and a loving, self-compassionate relationship with yourself. Fee: $450
50-MINUTE WALKING PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSION: Walking psychotherapy (Walk and Talk therapy) combines regular talk therapy with the tremendous added benefit of physical exercise. During these sessions, you will be walking side by side with Dr. Ambardar at a comfortable and unhurried pace, literally moving forward as we work out issues and problems in a casual and peaceful setting. We are proud to be one of the only medical practices in the nation to offer walking psychotherapy to our patients and we currently offer this service in the Los Angeles area. Our friendly maltipoo Kiki de Montparnasse is always ready and excited to join us on our walks.Fee: $450
50-MINUTE MEDITATION + PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSION: Meditation is a path to calmness, mental clarity, and peace of mind. Regular meditation helps us gain inspiration, leads us to a greater understanding of our true selves, and provides us with valuable insights into our lives. We will spend a portion of this session in actual meditation, incorporating elements of Kundalini Yoga, also known as the Yoga of Awareness. Kundalini Yoga strengthens the nervous system through the use of breathing techniques and body postures. The remainder of the session will consist of regular holistic psychotherapy. Fee: $450
50-MINUTE PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSION: During this session, we will address any issues or problems you may be having in your life using an eclectic blend of psychotherapy modalities including psychodynamic or insight-oriented therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, interpersonal therapy, inner child work, and journal therapy. Our goal is for you to leave each session feeling lighter, brighter, and more supported in your journey, having gained valuable insights into your behavior or a new way of looking at the world. Fee: $450
OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Professional services such as letter writing, completing prior authorizations, filling out certified medical forms, telephone calls, extensive email conversations, preparation of treatment summaries, or time spent performing any other functions are charged $150 for each 15-minute increment.
MEDICATIONS:
Medications are often used as adjuncts to or in lieu of psychotherapy. Sometimes you will be seeing someone else for psychotherapy, and Dr. Ambardar will only be responsible for your medication management. If this is the case, Dr. Ambardar will coordinate your medical care and medication goals with your therapist. If Dr. Ambardar is responsible for both your medication management and psychotherapy, she will work with you to find the optimal combination of medication (if warranted) and psychotherapy that helps to meet your personal goals. If medication is indicated, Dr. Ambardar will discuss with you the nature of your illness, the reasons for starting medication, and the likelihood of improvement with and without medication. Dr. Ambardar will also explain any reasonable alternative treatments which have not been tried and explain why they should not be tried first. Furthermore, you will understand the type(s) of medication being recommended, the dosage and frequency of administration, including a discussion of the initial dose and the maintenance dose, as well as the dosage range. Dr. Ambardar will also discuss with you probable side effects known commonly to occur and any side effects likely to occur in particular cases, as determined by your medical and psychiatric history or known medical conditions. We will discuss the effect of sudden withdrawal of the medication against medical advice. As many psychiatric conditions have an underlying biological and genetic basis, medications can be a very important component of treating certain conditions.
PSYCHOTHERAPY:
Psychotherapy can have benefits such as significant reduction in distress, improved social relationships, resolution of specific problems, and a clearer understanding of yourself, your values, and your goals. For therapy to be most successful, you will have to be able to talk openly and honestly, address any difficulties that arise, and put forth active effort outside of our sessions. An important part of your therapy will be practicing new skills that you will learn in our sessions. Dr. Ambardar will sometimes ask you to practice outside of our meetings, and may ask you to do exercises, keep records, and read books to deepen your learning. You will probably have to work on relationships in your life and make long-term efforts to get the best results. These are important parts of personal change.
The Benefits and Risks of Therapy
As with any powerful treatment, there are some risks as well as many benefits with therapy. You should think about both the benefits and risks when making any treatment decisions. For example, in therapy, there is a risk that clients will, for a time, have uncomfortable levels of sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness, helplessness, or other negative feelings. Clients may recall unpleasant memories. These feelings or memories may bother a client at work or in school. In addition, some people in the community may mistakenly view anyone in therapy as weak, or perhaps as seriously disturbed or even dangerous. Also, clients in therapy may have problems with people important to them. Family secrets may be told. Therapy may disrupt a marital relationship and sometimes may even lead to a divorce. Most of these risks are to be expected when people are making important changes in their lives. Finally, even with our best efforts, there is a risk that therapy may not work out well for you. While you consider these risks, you should know also that the benefits of therapy have been shown by scientists in hundreds of well-designed research studies. People who are depressed often find their mood lifting. Others may no longer feel afraid, angry, or anxious. In therapy, people have a chance to talk things out fully until their feelings are relieved or the problems are solved. Clients’ relationships and coping skills may improve greatly. They may get more satisfaction out of social and family relationships. Their personal goals and values may become clearer. They may grow in many directions—as persons, in their close relationships, in their work or schooling, and in the ability to enjoy their lives.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
I, Dr. Sheenie Ambardar, will treat with great care all of the information you share with me. It is your legal right that our sessions and my records about you be kept private. That is why I ask you to sign a “release-of-information” form before I can talk about you or send my records about you to anyone else. In general, I will tell no one what you tell me. In all but a few rare situations, your confidentiality (that is, our privacy) is protected by federal and state laws and by the rules of my profession. Here are the most common cases in which confidentiality is not protected:
1. If you were sent to me by a court or an employer for evaluation or treatment, the court or employer expects a report from me. If this is your situation, please talk with me before you tell me anything you do not want the court or your employer to know. You have a right to tell me only what you are comfortable with telling.
2. Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you being charged with a crime? If so, and you tell the court that you are seeing me, I may then be ordered to show the court my records. Please consult your lawyer about these issues.
3. If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or another person, the law requires me to try to protect you or that other person. This usually means telling others about the threat. I cannot promise never to tell others about threats you make.
4. If I believe a child has been or will be abused or neglected, I am legally required to report this to the authorities.
In addition, when I am away from the office for a few days, I sometimes have a trusted fellow psychiatrist or therapist “cover” for me. This psychiatrist or therapist will be available to you in emergencies. Of course, this psychiatrist or therapist is bound by the same laws and rules as I am to protect your confidentiality.
It may be beneficial for me to confer with your primary care physician with regard to your psychological treatment or to discuss any medical problems for which you are receiving treatment.
Except for situations like those I have described above, I will always maintain your privacy.
If I must discontinue our relationship because of illness, disability, or other presently unforeseen circumstances, I ask you to agree to my transferring your records to another psychiatrist who will assure their confidentiality, preservation, and appropriate access.