Services We Offer

Our Services for Children, Teens, and Adults

At Mindful Essence, we provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health care for both adults and children. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or your child, we believe in personalized treatment, shared decision-making, and ongoing support for your mental health journey. Care is available both in-person and through telehealth (if permitted by your insurance).

Diagnostic Evaluations

For Adults:

A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation lasting 60–90 minutes.
We review your medical and mental health history, prior medication trials, current symptoms, and goals.
Screening tools such as the PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety), and PCL-5 (trauma) help guide diagnosis and treatment.
Lab work or vital signs (e.g., thyroid, blood sugar, cholesterol, heart health) may be recommended for a full picture.

For Children & Adolescents:

 Age-appropriate evaluations that include input from both the child and parents/guardians.
Focus on developmental history, school performance, behavior, and family dynamics.
Use of standardized rating scales such as the ASRS (ADHD), SCARED (anxiety), and depression/trauma measures.
Collaboration with schools and pediatricians when needed, with signed parent consent.

Medication Management

What Patients Can Expect:

Medication decisions are always collaborative. We carefully review benefits, risks, and alternatives.
Prescriptions are sent electronically to your preferred pharmacy (including controlled medication e-prescribing).
Visits are more frequent when starting or adjusting a medication (every 2–4 weeks) and then move to every 2–3 months once stable.
We monitor progress using rating scales, symptom check ins, and labs/vitals when appropriate.

Medications We Commonly Prescribe and Manage:

Antidepressants: SSRIs, SNRIs, bupropion, mirtazapine, etc.
Anxiety treatments: buspirone, beta-blockers for performance anxiety; benzodiazepines only when absolutely appropriate with safety planning.
Mood stabilizers & antipsychotics: for bipolar disorder, mood dysregulation, or augmentation of antidepressants.
Sleep medications: favoring non-habit-forming options whenever possible.
Adjuncts: such as hydroxyzine, magnesium glycinate, or other supportive agents.

Our Approach:

Start low, go slow: medications are titrated gradually to minimize side effects.
Safe discontinuation: when stopping a medication, we taper slowly to prevent withdrawal effects.
Benzodiazepine stewardship: we prioritize non-benzo options first. If tapering is needed, we use very gradual dose reductions with close monitoring and coping skills support.

Psychotherapy

We believe medication alone is rarely the full answer. Therapy is offered in two formats:

Psychotherapy combined with medication management – for patients who benefit from both.
Psychotherapy alone – available for patients who do not need or wish to use medications.

Therapeutic Approaches May Include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills
Trauma-focused therapies
Stress management, mindfulness, and coping strategies

Safety & Office Policies:

Controlled medications: PDMP is checked regularly; one designated pharmacy; no early refills for lost or stolen prescriptions.
Telehealth: secure audio/video platform with location and emergency contact verification.
Referrals: patients with higher-risk needs (active suicidality, severe substance use, unstable medical conditions) may be referred to higher levels of care.
Emergency planning: all patients are given clear instructions on when to seek emergency help.

The Treatment Journey

Intake Appointment (60–90 minutes): full history, diagnostic review, initial plan.
Stabilization (2–12 weeks): close follow-up while adjusting medications or therapy.
Maintenance: once stable, visits every 2–3 months (or sooner if needed), with periodic labs and therapy check-ins.

Our Philosophy

Our goal is effective symptom relief with the least medication burden possible. We want you (or your child) to feel better, function more fully, and build resilience.

We value:

Safety and careful monitoring
Shared decision-making
Integration of skills (therapy, coping tools, lifestyle support) with medication when needed
Respect for patient preferences and family involvement

I’ve seen countless psychiatrists and therapists over the years. Each time I would leave feeling more discouraged, like no one truly heard me or understood what I was going through. I had honestly lost hope that real help existed for someone like me......But then I found Ashley—and everything changed.

From our very first session, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years: seen. Ashley has a way of making you feel completely welcomed, deeply cared for, and never judged. She listens—not just to respond, but to truly understand. Her empathy is real. Her kindness is felt. And her belief in your ability to heal and grow is contagious.

She celebrates your progress, no matter how small, like it’s her own victory. She reminds you that your wins matter. That you matter. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m not alone in this journey. Ashley isn’t just a provider, she’s a partner in your healing. And because of her, I finally have hope again!!

- Current Paitent