Our Service
Online Psychiatric Medication Management in New York and Connecticut
Personalized care that looks beyond the prescription
Medication can be an important part of mental health treatment, but it should never feel like the only part of the conversation.
Mind and Body Balanced provides thoughtful online psychiatric medication management for eligible clients in New York and Connecticut. Your care begins with listening, a careful evaluation, and a clear discussion of your symptoms, health history, concerns, and goals.
When medication is appropriate, we work with you to understand the potential benefits, risks, alternatives, and next steps. When another option may be more suitable, we discuss that too.
Virtual appointments available throughout New York and Connecticut
- Collaborative, client-centered care
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication review
- Ongoing monitoring and follow-up
- Education about treatment options
- Therapy and whole-person support when appropriate
- Major insurance plans and self-pay options
- Free 15-minute consultation
What Is Psychiatric Medication Management?
Psychiatric medication management is an ongoing clinical process that may include an evaluation, review of current and previous medications, prescribing when appropriate, monitoring for benefits and side effects, and adjusting the treatment plan based on your response and goals.
It is more than receiving a prescription or requesting a refill.
A thoughtful medication-management plan considers factors such as:
- Your current symptoms
- Mental and physical health history
- Previous diagnoses
- Current medications, vitamins, and supplements
- Past medication trials
- Benefits or side effects you experienced
- Sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, and mood
- Substance use
- Family history
- Daily routines and stressors
- Therapy or other treatment you receive
- Your personal preferences and treatment goals
People can respond differently to the same psychiatric medication. Finding an appropriate treatment may require careful monitoring, communication, and more than one adjustment.
Medication Is One Option—Not an Automatic First Step
At Mind and Body Balanced, medication is not recommended simply because you scheduled a psychiatric appointment.
Cassandra Augustine takes time to understand the whole person before discussing a treatment recommendation. Depending on your needs, your plan may involve:
- Education about your symptoms or diagnosis
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Supportive psychotherapy
- Lifestyle or behavioral changes
- Sleep and stress-management strategies
- GeneSight pharmacogenomic testing when clinically relevant
- Medication
- A combination of approaches
- Referral to another specialist or level of care
You remain involved in every treatment decision. Questions are encouraged, and you should understand why an option is being recommended before deciding how to move forward.
Who May Benefit From Medication Management?
A psychiatric medication evaluation may be helpful when you:
- Are considering medication for the first time
- Take medication but still have significant symptoms
- Have concerns about side effects
- Are uncertain whether your current treatment is helping
- Need a review of several psychiatric medications
- Recently changed providers
- Want a second clinical opinion
- Have stopped medication and want to discuss next steps
- Need ongoing monitoring after starting or changing treatment
- Want to understand medication and non-medication options
- Have experienced medication-related changes in appetite or weight
- Need care that coordinates with therapy or another healthcare provider
An appointment does not guarantee that a medication will be prescribed, changed, or continued. Recommendations are based on your evaluation, clinical needs, safety, treatment history, and applicable care requirements.
Signs It May Be Time for a Medication Review
Consider scheduling a review when:
- Symptoms have returned or become more difficult to manage
- A medication helped at first but seems less effective now
- Side effects interfere with sleep, work, school, relationships, or daily life
- You have trouble remembering doses or following the treatment plan
- Another clinician prescribed a medication that may affect your psychiatric treatment
- You take supplements or over-the-counter products and are concerned about interactions
- You have questions that were not answered during previous visits
- You feel rushed or excluded from treatment decisions
- You are taking several medications and want a clearer understanding of why
- Your health, stress level, routine, pregnancy status, or other circumstances have changed
Drug interactions and side effects can become more important when a person uses multiple medications, which is one reason an accurate and current medication list matters.
Do not stop or change a prescribed medication on your own. Discuss concerns with a qualified healthcare professional.
Our Medication-Management Process
Free 15-Minute Consultation
The initial consultation gives you an opportunity to briefly discuss what you are looking for, ask general questions, and determine whether Mind and Body Balanced may be an appropriate fit.
We can also discuss appointment availability, virtual-care eligibility, insurance verification, and the next step in the intake process.
Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
Your first clinical appointment is designed to understand your symptoms and the broader context around them.
The evaluation may review:
- Current concerns
- Mental health history
- Medical history
- Previous treatment
- Current and past medications
- Allergies and adverse reactions
- Sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration
- Family history
- Substance use
- Stressors and support system
- Safety concerns
- Personal goals
Please provide complete and accurate information. Records from previous providers may be helpful, especially when you have a complex treatment history.
Personalized Care Plan
After the evaluation, you and your provider discuss the available options.
Your plan may include medication, therapy, behavioral changes, additional assessment, GeneSight testing, care coordination, or a referral. Recommendations are explained in plain language so that you can make an informed decision.
Treatment and Education
When medication is clinically appropriate, your provider explains:
- What the medication is intended to address
- How and when it should be taken
- Common side effects
- Important precautions
- What to monitor
- What to do if you miss a dose
- When to contact the practice
- When follow-up is needed
- Other options that were considered
No specific medication or outcome is guaranteed.
Follow-Up and Monitoring
Follow-up appointments are used to review how you are doing and whether the plan remains appropriate.
Your provider may ask about:
- Changes in symptoms
- Side effects
- Sleep
- Mood
- Anxiety
- Focus
- Appetite or weight
- Energy
- Daily functioning
- Medication consistency
- New medications or health changes
When appropriate, the treatment plan may stay the same, the dose may be adjusted, a medication may be changed, or another option may be discussed.
Ongoing Collaborative Care
Mental health needs can change over time. Ongoing care provides an opportunity to revisit your goals, ask questions, discuss concerns, and make thoughtful decisions rather than allowing treatment to continue without review.
With your permission and when clinically appropriate, care may also be coordinated with your therapist, primary-care clinician, pharmacy, or another treating professional.
Conditions We May Help Manage
Medication management may be considered as one part of care for conditions and concerns such as:
Depression
Support for persistent sadness, low motivation, reduced interest, sleep changes, low energy, or difficulty functioning.
Anxiety Disorders
Care for excessive worry, panic symptoms, social anxiety, physical tension, restlessness, and related concerns.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Evaluation and treatment planning for difficulties involving attention, organization, impulsivity, restlessness, or executive functioning.
Bipolar Disorder and Mood Symptoms
Ongoing psychiatric care focused on understanding mood changes, supporting stability, and monitoring treatment carefully.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Treatment planning for intrusive thoughts, repetitive behaviors, compulsions, and related distress.
Trauma-Related Symptoms
Care for symptoms involving hypervigilance, sleep disruption, anxiety, avoidance, or emotional distress following trauma.
Schizophrenia and Other Thought Disorders
Medication monitoring and supportive psychiatric care when the practice and virtual setting are clinically appropriate.
Substance-Use Concerns
Confidential assessment, counseling, treatment planning, and coordination of appropriate support.
Medication-Related Weight Concerns
A review of possible contributors to appetite or weight changes, along with discussion of treatment options and whole-person health goals.
This list is not exhaustive. Clinical fit, age eligibility, and the appropriate level of care are determined individually.
The Role of GeneSight Testing
GeneSight is a pharmacogenomic test that provides information about how certain genetic variations may affect the way a person processes or responds to some psychiatric medications.
It does not diagnose a mental health condition, guarantee that a medication will work, or replace a psychiatric evaluation.
When clinically appropriate, GeneSight results may be considered alongside:
- Your symptoms
- Medical history
- Previous treatment response
- Side effects
- Current medications
- Personal preferences
- Other clinical information
Medication Management and Therapy
Medication and therapy serve different purposes, and many people benefit from one, the other, or a combination of both.
Medication may help reduce certain symptoms. Therapy can help you understand patterns, develop coping skills, change unhelpful behaviors, improve relationships, and respond differently to stress.
Mind and Body Balanced offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and supportive psychiatric care, allowing treatment recommendations to consider more than medication alone.
Benefits of Collaborative Medication Management
Thoughtful medication management may help you:
- Understand your diagnosis and treatment choices
- Identify whether medication is helping
- Recognize and report side effects earlier
- Reduce confusion about several medications
- Prepare better questions for appointments
- Feel more involved in treatment decisions
- Coordinate psychiatric and therapeutic care
- Build a clearer plan for follow-up
- Address changes in symptoms over time
- Know when a different treatment or referral should be considered
The goal is not to prescribe the greatest number of medications. The goal is to develop the most appropriate plan for your needs and revisit it as your circumstances change.
Collaborative Care vs. a Refill-Only Visit
Collaborative medication management | A refill-only approach |
Reviews symptoms, history, response, and goals | Focuses mainly on renewing a prescription |
Discusses benefits, risks, and alternatives | May provide limited treatment education |
Monitors side effects and functioning | May not explore broader changes |
Encourages questions | Can feel rushed or one-directional |
Considers therapy and non-medication options | Centers treatment on medication alone |
Updates the plan as needs change | May continue the same plan without enough review |
Mind and Body Balanced is designed around conversation, education, and shared decision-making.
Why Choose Mind and Body Balanced?
You are heard before decisions are made
Care begins with your experience, concerns, questions, and goals—not assumptions.
We do not take a medication-first approach
Medication is considered when appropriate, but therapy, education, lifestyle factors, testing, referrals, and other options may also be discussed.
You are involved in your care
Treatment decisions are made collaboratively. You should know what is being recommended, why it is being considered, and what to expect.
Virtual care fits more easily into daily life
Appointments are available online for eligible clients in New York and Connecticut, reducing travel and waiting-room time.
Mental and physical well-being are considered together
Sleep, stress, appetite, medication-related weight concerns, routines, physical health, and daily functioning can all affect treatment.
Several related services are available
Mind and Body Balanced offers psychiatric evaluation, medication management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, ADHD assessment and treatment, GeneSight testing, supportive care, and substance-use treatment.
Meet Cassandra Augustine
Cassandra Augustine is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner serving clients in New York and Connecticut through virtual care.
Her approach centers on understanding the whole person, providing clear education, discussing available options, and involving clients in each stage of treatment.
Cassandra believes you deserve to understand:
- What your diagnosis means
- Why a treatment is being recommended
- What alternatives are available
- What to monitor
- What to expect next
- When another resource or referral may be more appropriate
What to Prepare for Your First Appointment
When available, bring or upload:
- A list of current prescriptions
- Over-the-counter medications
- Vitamins and supplements
- Medication allergies
- Previous psychiatric medications
- The dose and approximate dates of previous treatments
- Notes about benefits or side effects
- Relevant medical records
- Recent laboratory results, if requested
- Pharmacy information
- Insurance information
- Questions you want to discuss
You do not need to remember every detail perfectly. Bring what you can, and let the practice know when records may need to be requested from another provider.
What Progress May Look Like
There is no single timeline or guaranteed result.
Depending on your needs, progress may include:
- A clearer understanding of your symptoms
- Better knowledge of your medication
- Fewer or more manageable side effects
- Improved consistency with the care plan
- Better sleep, mood, attention, or daily functioning
- More confidence asking questions
- A simpler medication regimen
- A decision to continue, adjust, or reconsider treatment
- Improved coordination between providers
Treatment may require adjustments, and some people need a different service or level of care. Honest communication helps your provider make safer and more useful recommendations.
Insurance and Payment
Mind and Body Balanced currently lists several major insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Carelon Behavioral Health, Medicare, and Providence Health Plan. Self-pay options are also available.
Coverage can vary by plan, state, provider, diagnosis, and service. Insurance participation does not guarantee that every visit or treatment will be covered.
Contact the practice to verify current participation and your individual benefits before the appointment.
Virtual Medication Management in New York and Connecticut
Online appointments are available to eligible clients in New York and Connecticut.
Representative areas served include:
New York
New York City, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, Orange County, the Hudson Valley, Long Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and surrounding communities.
Connecticut
Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Danbury, New Haven, Waterbury, Hartford, Middletown, New London, and communities throughout Fairfield, New Haven, Hartford, Middlesex, New London, and Litchfield counties.
Your eligibility for a virtual appointment will be confirmed during scheduling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medication Management
What happens during a medication-management appointment?
Your provider reviews your symptoms, mental and medical history, current and previous medications, treatment response, side effects, concerns, and goals. You then discuss whether the current plan should continue or whether another option may be appropriate.
Can psychiatric medication management be done online?
Many medication-management services can be provided by secure virtual appointment when telehealth is appropriate and the client meets state and clinical eligibility requirements.
Will I receive a prescription at my first appointment?
Not necessarily. A prescription is never guaranteed. Your provider first completes an evaluation and considers your symptoms, history, safety, previous treatment, and available options.
Can you help if my medication is causing side effects?
Possibly, but continuation is not automatic. Bring your medication list and relevant records. Your provider will complete an independent evaluation before recommending whether to continue, adjust, or reconsider treatment.
Can you continue medication prescribed by another provider?
Yes, side-effect concerns are an important part of medication management. Do not stop medication suddenly unless an appropriate healthcare professional instructs you to do so. Contact the practice to discuss your symptoms and next steps.
How often are follow-up appointments?
The schedule depends on the medication, symptoms, recent changes, clinical needs, and treatment response. Visits may be closer together when beginning or adjusting treatment and less frequent after the plan is stable.
Does medication management include therapy?
Medication-management appointments focus primarily on psychiatric assessment and treatment monitoring. Mind and Body Balanced also offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and supportive care when appropriate.
Do you offer GeneSight testing?
Yes. GeneSight testing may be discussed when it is clinically relevant. The test is one source of information and does not replace a psychiatric evaluation or guarantee a specific result.
Can you treat ADHD through telehealth?
Mind and Body Balanced offers ADHD assessment, testing, and treatment. Eligibility, records, testing requirements, and treatment options are reviewed individually.
Do you accept insurance?
The practice lists several major insurance plans and also offers self-pay. Coverage varies, so benefits should be verified before treatment.
What if I am not sure whether I need medication?
That is an appropriate reason to schedule a consultation. You can discuss your symptoms and learn about medication, therapy, lifestyle approaches, testing, referrals, and other options without committing to a prescription.
Can I receive care if I live anywhere in New York or Connecticut?
Virtual appointments are available to eligible clients in New York and Connecticut. The practice will confirm geographic and clinical eligibility during scheduling.
What should I do in a psychiatric emergency?
Mind and Body Balanced is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if you may harm yourself or someone else, cannot stay safe, or have an immediate medical or psychiatric emergency.
All Services
- Supportive Care
- Medication Management
- GeneSight Testing
- Psychotherapy — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- ADHD Assessment, Testing & Treatment
- Substance Use Disorder — Counseling & Treatment
Conditions We Treat
- Depression
- Anxiety Disorders
- ADHD
- OCD
- Personality Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Use Disorder
- Weight Gain Related to Mental Health
Get in Touch
- (914) 252-3976
- (914) 416-5658
- mindandbodybalancedllc@gmail.com
- Virtual Appointments Accepted
- New York and Connecticut