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FAQs

Wondering about costs, insurance billing, or telepsychiatry? The differences between PMHNPs and psychiatrists? See below…

Getting Started

Our team is made up of caring and skilled Master’s prepared Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, all fully certified and licensed to practice in Virginia.

In addition to their qualifications, Mary Crutchfield, PMHNP, and Sonja McFadden, PMHNP, are also certified as Family Nurse Practitioners, adding an extra layer of expertise. These providers have extensive experience in treating mental health conditions across all stages of life.

Notably, Sonja McFadden, PMHNP, FNP, and Mary Crutchfield, PMHNP, FNP, have special training in hypnotherapy, bringing a unique and compassionate approach to our mental health care services.

We streamline our scheduling process to be as easy as possible. You can book an appointment on our book appointment page. For new patients, you will need to fill out the new patient request form and we will contact you after receiving the request to schedule you. If you are a follow-up patient, you will navigate to the appointment options and select the time and day that works for you. This request will be submitted to our staff who will approve your request or contact you if that time is not available. If you have any questions at all, you can text or call our office at 757-453-5508.

Yes, we would love to work with you, and we work with all age groups.

Leva Psychiatry is not contracted with any insurance companies. However, we provide Superbills after visits so that you can receive reimbursement via out-of-network benefits from your insurance company. This comes in the form of a PDF attachment via e-mail and contains all the information you will need to submit to your insurance company.

Our rates are as follows:

New Patient Visits: $309 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $300)

30 Minute Follow-Up Visits: $154.50 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $150)

60 Minute Follow-Up Visits: $309 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $300)

ADHD Testing: $592.25 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $575)

ASD Testing: $1519.25 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $1475)

Cancelation Fees:

30 Minute No-Show Fee
(for missed/canceled appointments without 48-hour prior notice):
$51.50 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $50)

60 Minute No-Show Fee
(for missed/canceled appointments without 48-hour prior notice):
$103 (Cash/Debit Discounted Price: $100)

Call your insurance company and tell them you are seeing an out-of-network provider and you would like to file a behavioral health claim. They will provide further instructions from there.

No, we do not accept walk-in appointments.

Absolutely. We view open and consistent dialogue as one of the most important aspects of a working patient-provider relationship. We will listen to your feedback throughout every step of treatment so we can decide the best course of action together.

We have evening appointments available. Weekend appointments are done on a case by case basis.

Telepsychiatry

Virtual new patient visits are scheduled the same way as in-person appointments. You can request an appointment by submitting the form on the Appointments page. From there, we will call you to schedule and you can let us know that you’d like a virtual appointment.

For follow up visits, you can request them from the Follow Up section of the Appointment Page. Once you select a date/time, it will prompt you for a “Reason for the visit” where you can indicate that you’d prefer a virtual appointment.

To access your provider’s virtual waiting room, please select the appropriate link from our Telepsychiatry page. If you have any questions, please call or text the office at 757-453-5508.

Yes, as long as you have a working web camera from either your computer or mobile device. If you are having trouble navigating the Telepsychiatry page, contact me and I will send you a link which you can access directly from your mobile device.

Provider Details

We see patients aged 6 and older.

In the state of Virginia, we function exactly the same. We provide therapy and can prescribe medication of both controlled and non-controlled substances.

Psychiatric Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP):

  • Role: PMHNPs are advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health. They can assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions.
  • Approach: They often take a holistic and patient-centered approach, considering both physical and mental well-being.
  • Prescription Authority: PMHNPs can prescribe medications and provide therapy. They emphasize a collaborative approach, working closely with patients to manage their mental health.

Psychiatrist:

  • Role: Psychiatrists are medical doctors with a focus on mental health. They diagnose and treat mental illnesses using a medical model.
  • Approach: Their approach often involves a combination of medical and psychological interventions. They may use medications, therapy, or a combination of both.
  • Prescription Authority: Psychiatrists have full prescription authority for medications and can offer a range of treatments, including psychotherapy.

Collaborative Care: PMHNPs and psychiatrists can work collaboratively. In some cases, a PMHNP may work with a psychiatrist to ensure comprehensive care, especially in complex cases.
Availability: PMHNPs may be more accessible in some areas where there is a shortage of psychiatrists, helping bridge the gap in mental health care.

Our providers come from diverse backgrounds and their education required cultural competency for graduating. Mostly, our providers genuinely care about individuals – from all walks of life.
With CPTSD, there is constant nervous system dysregulation, making people fluctuate from “fight or flight” to “Freeze and shutdown”. The main goal of treatment is to safely process information while also regulating the nervous system. Medications are needed in some cases to help manage symptoms, but often with CPTSD, the treatment is not medication based.
Laura LaMonica, PMHNP is our pediatric provider at Leva Psychiatry who focuses on children, adolescents, and young adults. She offers pharmacogenomic testing, behavioral assessments, sensory profile workups, and parental education. She can prescribe medication if necessary as well.

Medication Management

Our providers are conservative with medication and prescribe to those who need medication for stability. We prescribe all categories of psychiatric medications and weight loss medications. Categories of medications we prescribe are: anti anxiety medications, antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleep medications, and supplements.
Our providers will have a very open discussion with you regarding what form of treatment you want to proceed with. Medication is not necessary in all cases and we never want to push medication on anyone if it’s not desired. This will be a very crucial discussion with your provider.
Medications all have different side effects depending on the category or medications they fall in. Side effects will be discussed with you at the time the medications are prescribed so you know what to look for and report.

Some medications work very quickly and even the same day. Other medications work over time and can take 4-8 weeks to work.

Your pharmacy often will automatically request refills from your provider through the electronic health record. If your pharmacy does not submit the request, you can contact the office directly to put in a request either by talking to someone or leaving a message.

Therapy

On your first therapy appointment for cognitive behavioral therapy or solution focused therapy, we obtain a thorough history and review your goals for treatment as well as your historical treatment. For your first hypnotherapy appointment, we will spend the first 10-15 minutes discussing the intention for the visit and then will proceed with the hypnotherapy session for the remainder of the 60-90 min appointment.
Providers will recommend the frequency of your appointments depending on your needs. Often, people are seen every other week or once monthly. For hypnotherapy, often people complete a maximum of 3-5 sessions.
Therapy appointments typically last 60-90 mins depending on how the appointment is scheduled. In the beginning of starting therapy, you will be seen more frequently, such as every other week. As you progress in making your goals, the frequency will lessen. Often, individuals “graduate” from therapy and can eventually be seen on an “as needed basis”.

The different types of therapy offered at Leva Psychiatry are cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and solution focused therapy.

Therapy teached you how to ground yourself, regulate your nervous system, and process important events in your life. As a result of exploring yourself and “going within”, you will find emotional freedom and can heal from the inside out. Some of the areas that improve as a result of therapy are: relationships, self care behaviors, relationship with self, and perspective about life events.

If you are ready to self explore and make changes in your life, you are ready for therapy. Individuals that want to change and explore have the most success with therapy. Being open minded is crucial for full healing to occur.

Mental Health & CPTSD

Hypnotherapy is effective with CPTSD and we offer this form of therapy. We refer patients to specialists for EMDR.
Our providers are experienced with CPTSD and recognize the unique needs associated with this condition/experience. In the first appointment, we do not ask you to divulge information that is private and sensitive, relating to trauma. We spend the time to develop a relationship where you feel safe and ready to discuss your history. When we refer individuals with CPTSD to therapy, we are specific about our referrals so you will be seen by a provider who knows how to create a safe space, provide grounding techniques, and meet you where you are.
With CPTSD, there is constant nervous system dysregulation, making people fluctuate from “fight or flight” to “Freeze and shutdown”. The main goal of treatment is to safely process information while also regulating the nervous system. Medications are needed in some cases to help manage symptoms, but often with CPTSD, the treatment is not medication based.
We do not currently have any group programs.
Providing “resource states” are necessary for when triggers send you into a spiral or when flashbacks start to randomly pop up. Resource states are internal safe spaces created that give you control over where you take your mind in a time of panic. We have flexible schedules to fit you in for a session for grounding work which is when we help you regulate your nervous system.

Educational Information

Most people struggling with mental health feel like a burden and feel guilty about needing support. You can support your loved one by letting them know you are there for them. You do not need to give advice or rescue- but you can listen, talk through emotions, and not judge their perspective and experience. Sometimes, people are too tired to find help when they are feeling mentally unwell. Always let your loved one know all they have to do is ask, and you will help them find what they need.

We are very closely involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness: Coastal VA. This organization has free support groups for families supporting those with mental illness and for individuals who have mental health disorders. We also network intensively in our community so we can provide resources for specific needs- whether therapy, support groups, or places to go in a crisis.

In the state of Virginia, we function exactly the same. We provide therapy and can prescribe medication of both controlled and non-controlled substances.

Psychiatric Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP):
  • Role: PMHNPs are advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health. They can assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions.
  • Approach: They often take a holistic and patient-centered approach, considering both physical and mental well-being.
  • Prescription Authority: PMHNPs can prescribe medications and provide therapy. They emphasize a collaborative approach, working closely with patients to manage their mental health.

Psychiatrist:
  • Role: Psychiatrists are medical doctors with a focus on mental health. They diagnose and treat mental illnesses using a medical model.
  • Approach: Their approach often involves a combination of medical and psychological interventions. They may use medications, therapy, or a combination of both.
  • Prescription Authority: Psychiatrists have full prescription authority for medications and can offer a range of treatments, including psychotherapy.

Collaborative Care: PMHNPs and psychiatrists can work collaboratively. In some cases, a PMHNP may work with a psychiatrist to ensure comprehensive care, especially in complex cases.

Availability: PMHNPs may be more accessible in some areas where there is a shortage of psychiatrists, helping bridge the gap in mental health care.

Policies and Procedures

Payments are made at the time of service. Because we provide as much information as possible prior to the visit to make sure the appointment is appropriate for your needs, we do not offer refunds for visits. We provide refunds for overpayments made accidentally.
We have a secure HIPAA compliant electronic health record. We also have a secure encrypted payment system. We use secure messaging systems and we follow standard guidelines to ensure your information is secure.
You can schedule an appointment on the phone with us, or request appointments through our website. If you need to cancel an appointment, we ask for a 24 hour cancellation notice for most appointments- to avoid a late cancellation fee. We have a 48 hour cancellation fee policy for our hypnotherapy appointments due to the preparation and time set aside for these appointments.
Missed appointments are considered “no-shows”, similar to late cancellations, and are subject to fees that vary depending on the type of appointment scheduled.
We do not have a sliding fee schedule. We encourage you to find a practice that can accommodate your needs financially – as we want to be able to see you if there is a crisis or emergency without putting any financial strain on you or your family.

The Booking Process

  • View our About page to get to know us a little bit and find out which provider specializes in your unique circumstance.
  • When you decide you want to start treatment as a new patient or transfer care, schedule your visit here. Call the office at 757-453-5508 if you want to speak with someone to schedule.
  • Prior to your appointment, we will be sending you an email that will include the forms you will need to fill out electronically prior to your first appointment.