FAQs

You can see our full list of providers via the providers page. From there decide if you want to the in-network path (with possible eventual use of a supervised mid level provider) vs out-of-network path (working solely with your provider throughout time). If going the in-network path, follow your provider’s Headway link on their page. From that link you will create a Headway profile where you will follow steps including entering your insurance information (the system will verify if you’re in-network), your basic information, and signing of Headway policies. Once you have done all steps and are verified as in-network, you’ll be able to schedule your initial one hour eval directly there on the provider’s calendar. Once this is completed our office staff will reach out to you to coordinate further and guide you regarding the steps for your 1st visit.

If you are going the out-of-network pathway, or your insurance unfortunately is not in-network with us. Contact us via the “Get More info” tab below or on your preferred provider’s page. Indicate some details and which provider you would like to meet with and our office staff will reach out ASAP via phone and email to coordinate with you.

If you are going the in-network path, your projected copays and costs will be shown by Headway. Follow the Headway link on your chosen provider’s page. These are typically quite accurate however you can always contact Headway directly to inquire more.

If you are going the out-of-network pathway, please message us below to find out rates for the provider you want to work with. We will provide you a “Superbill receipt” for your out-of-network visits that you can submit directly to your insurance to make use of your out-of-network benefits.

You should check your deductible and maximum out of pocket thresholds for the year. Typically you will pay out of pocket until you reach your deductible. Thereafter your insurance will reimburse you (via check in the mail) a portion of their “usual and customary fee” (the amount your insurance declares the service is worth). Typically this is around 50% of that "usual and customary fee.”

Once you hit your maximum out of pocket threshold, your insurance will then directly reimburse you 100% of the “usual and customary fee.”

Yes. We use a common and intuitive patient portal via SimplePractice. Once you have scheduled your initial visit via Headway (in-network) or coordinated with our office staff via the out-of-network path, we’ll send you an invite to register on the patient portal. This will come via a GreatOakPsychiatry / SimplePractice email titled message. Make sure to check your filtered/spam folders to see if it arrived. Contact our office staff if you have any trouble and they’ll guide you. It is pretty user friendly and intuitive however.

Within the patient portal you can send us messages (including refill requests), upload documents, and request appointments. You’ll be able to see our full calendars and availability there. Just request a timeslot directly there and we’ll confirm your visit.

This will be variable based on need and request. You can visit with your provider multiple times per week, weekly basis, or less frequent depending the nature of your work together. Your provider will advise you on the suggested window of time for followup based on where you are in your treatment plan together.

We do strongly recommend following up the latest 3-4 months from your last visit in order to safely monitor and craft/simplify your treatment plan and/or med regimen. We need to see you, at the absolute latest, 6 months from your last visit to adequately vouch for safe/appropriate care planning. If you go further than this, we will declare that you are no longer under our direct care and formally declare that our patient provider relationship has been discontinued.

Typically your provider will start with a psychiatric evaluation that includes the biopsychosocial formulation. Our MD psychiatrists and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners will then recommend synergistic interventions including med management, biological/health interventions, lifestyle/behavioral interventions, and particular orientations of talk therapy to consider. Different providers may or may not focus in the particular type of talk therapy that fits your case. If your provider is not of that talk therapy orientation, they will refer you to either one of our group’s talk therapists or a talk therapist in your area.

The best and quickest way to contact your provider regarding any needs, is to message them via the SimplePractice / GreatOakPsychiatry patient portal. They will typically respond to you within 1-3 business days. Of note, for medication refill requests, please give us a one week’s headsup before you run out of medications so that you do not lapse.

Many things happen in the mental health field, most of it totally unconscious. We providers are guests in the minds of many individuals over the course of our work week and day. As such it is important that we have a solid “treatment frame” (psychodynamic concept that I welcome you to research) to maintain our mental equanimity in treatment. Many things get induced in the “psychodynamic transference” and we need to make sure that our own unconscious does not get stirred in an unplanned way that might lead to unintended and unpredictable enactments. As such, the treatment frame provides us a solid base and foundation in which to engage in safe and consistent treatment resistant to disruptive enactment.

Part of maintaining the frame is keeping the classic No-Show and 48 hours Late Cancellation fees. This will range per provider but typically will be in the range of $150-$250. If you haven’t shown in the first 15-20 minutes of your appointment, your provider will give you a call as reminder, however will have to end things typically 5-10 minutes before the end of your appointment time block. We encourage you to check in at least briefly for your visit and to make due with the time you have left (may always come in virtually).

We will accept no excuses (beyond officially signed doctor’s letter or legal correspondence of jury duty) as the psychodynamics of need and pressure tend to unconsciously distort.

We use the doxy.me platform. Your provider will have an individual link that goes straight to their doxy.me waiting room. You will receive this link via email reminder prior to your appointment. You can also find it on the SimplePractice / GreatOakPsychiatry patient portal as well as your Headway profile. We recommend you save this link as it will be the same one for each visit with your provider going forward. You can also message your provider on the patient portal for this link as well or contact our office staff for support. Please have the link figured out prior to your appointment however.

Most of our providers prefer to practice virtually via telehealth, however for those available in person, the address for each office is listed here on the site. For the Beverly Hills office, there is parking on La Cienega. A dependable source of 3h free parking is the La Cienega Park parking structure beneath their tennis courts. It is one block away and around a 5 minute walk from our office. There is also paid parking directly under our building however unfortunately the building does not offer a voucher system.

We use Headway as a proxy for accepting insurance, allowing an in-network pathway with our providers. To go the in-network path you will have to make a Headway profile via your provider’s Headway link (you can find these on the individual providers page). Enter all the information that Headway asks including your insurance. They will then verify if your insurance is in-network. Once you are greenlit on Headway’s side, you will be able to schedule your initial eval directly there on Headway; you’ll be able to see all of your provider’s available openings.

Of note our practice accepts most insurance plans including:

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Blue Shield
• Optum
• United

Unfortunately we do not accept Cigna, Magellan, Medicare, or Medicaid

If you are going the out-of-network pathway, message us below and our staff will let you know what your provider charges. We will provide you a “Superbill receipt” for your out-of-network visits that you can submit directly to your insurance to make use of your out-of-network benefits.