specialized services
Privacy
At Dr. Spellman's office, you will be able to speak freely about any issue that is bothering you. Each session is a leisurely 50 minutes long. There are no employees to deal with and all records are securely kept on paper and not the almost always cloud based electronic EMR that is becoming all too commonplace these days. So here, there is no worry about data breaches or entities gaining access to your private information. No one will know you were here unless you tell them.
Meds Personalized to DNA (kit sent from lab directly to your home)
Pharmaco-Genetics, also known as Personalized Medicine, can help to find the medications most likely to be effective with the least probability of side effects. Dr. Spellman can take a cheek swab in the office and you can drop it into a FedEx mailbox to send it off to the lab. By your next visit, you should have a detailed report along with the 6-page illustrated handout Dr. Spellman created which makes the report easy to understand. On her own time, she will work on your results and put them into the explanatory booklet that will be uniquely tailored to you. She will also give you handouts that will help you apply your results to most medications (psychiatric or medical) that you take now, have taken in the past, or will take in the future. And in case you were wondering, the genes tested are limited to genes that are involved in how medication works and then finds its way out of your body after it does its job. (You would not want a buildup that could cause side effects). It does not test for diseases, psychiatric or otherwise.
Holistic Approach Integrated
Dr. Spellman takes a truly holistic integrated approach to you and your issues. She sees you as a whole person and not a label and tries to get to the root of your issues, mind, body, and spirit. She will order routine labs if you wish, or she will go over labs you have had done recently from other providers if you do not want anyone to know you saw Dr. Spellman. She has also had some training in Integrative Medicine so that she can blend the best of conventional and holistic treatments. Many people do not want or need pharmaceuticals but instead prefer natural supplements. Dr. Spellman avoids any conflict of interest by not selling anything. But she can recommend supplements if you need them and she can check to avoid any interactions that the supplements might have with any medication or other supplements you may be taking.
Psychotherapy
Many people try to "push through" feelings and emotions in hopes that they will go away. While this is a very appropriate way to deal with troublesome emotions that occur at inappropriate times, it is not an effective long-term strategy. Our emotions were designed to serve as signals to alert us to when there is something in our lives that needs our attention. And emotions will get our attention eventually - one way or another. We have all had the unpleasant experience of ignoring our emotional signals only to find ourselves plagued by anxiety, depression, insomnia, and a host of physical symptoms. The type of therapy Dr. Spellman offers helps people to unlock the healthy purpose of their emotions so that these same emotions can be used to navigate the situations that evoked them, getting needs met and restoring equilibrium.
Concierge Level Care
Most of us have heard about "Concierge Medicine" in which an internist or primary care physician limits their practice so that they can spend much more time and focus with each patient. They are accessible 24/7 and work on helping their patients even when the patient is not in the office. While Dr. Spellman does not charge an annual retainer or membership cost to become her patient, she does provide the same level of care as it applies to psychiatry. She spends time outside of session studying your situation and she freely texts back and forth with her patients when they have issues or concerns. Because her practice is limited she can devote more time and attention to each patient. And yes, current patients can easily reach Dr. Spellman by phone or text when they need to.