My practice is dedicated exclusively to women, with a primary focus on reproductive psychiatry and mental health during preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and lactation.

I work with women experiencing psychiatric conditions that may be affected by reproductive transitions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and other mental health concerns.

I also provide consultations for women who are psychiatrically stable but would like guidance about their current medications before conception, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.

If you are seeking psychiatric treatment outside the scope of my practice, including care for male patients or general psychiatric care unrelated to reproductive mental health, our in-house psychiatric nurse practitioner may be an appropriate option. Our nurse practitioner provides general psychiatric care under my supervision.

My practice is primarily focused on psychiatric evaluation, psychodynamic psychopharmacologic management, and reproductive psychiatry consultations.

Although I am trained in psychotherapy and may occasionally offer psychotherapy services when clinically appropriate, my availability for traditional, ongoing psychotherapy is limited.

My medication management appointments are therapeutic in nature. I incorporate psychodynamic understanding, supportive interventions, and exploration of the psychological and interpersonal factors contributing to your symptoms into our visits. However, these appointments are not a substitute for consistent, ongoing psychotherapy when that level of care is needed.

I generally prefer that patients who would benefit from psychotherapy establish or maintain a separate therapeutic relationship with an outside therapist. I welcome collaboration with your existing therapist so that medication management and psychotherapy can complement one another.

For women who do not currently have a therapist, Patel Mind and Body also offers in-house perinatal psychotherapy.

Psychodynamic psychopharmacologic management is an approach to psychiatric care that combines medication treatment with an understanding of the psychological, emotional, relational, and developmental factors that influence mental health.

Rather than focusing exclusively on symptoms and medication adjustments, our appointments also consider how your experiences, relationships, stressors, and emotional patterns may contribute to your current difficulties.

Medication treatment is approached within the context of your life as a whole, with attention to both biological and psychological factors.

This allows our visits to be therapeutic while remaining primarily focused on psychiatric evaluation and medication management.

Yes. PMDD and menstrual-cycle related mood symptoms are an important part of reproductive psychiatry.

PMDD can cause significant depression, anxiety, irritability, emotional sensitivity, difficulty concentrating, changes in energy, and other symptoms that occur predictably during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and improve shortly after menstruation begins.

Because several psychiatric conditions can worsen premenstrually, I typically want to understand whether symptoms represent PMDD itself or premenstrual exacerbation of an underlying condition such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or bipolar disorder. Prospective symptom tracking across menstrual cycles can be particularly helpful in making this distinction.

Treatment is individualized and may include medication, hormonal or gynecologic collaboration when appropriate, psychotherapy, and evidence-informed integrative interventions. I am happy to coordinate care with your OB/GYN or other members of your treatment team.

No. I also see women who are planning pregnancy, undergoing fertility treatment, considering their psychiatric medication options before conception, or navigating other reproductive transitions.

You do not need to be pregnant to benefit from reproductive psychiatric care. In fact, preconception planning can be particularly valuable for women who are currently taking psychiatric medications or have a history of mood or anxiety disorders.

My practice is focused primarily on reproductive mental health. Women seeking general psychiatric care unrelated to reproductive concerns may be better served by our in-house psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Yes. I offer one-time reproductive psychiatry consultations for women who would like specialized guidance regarding psychiatric treatment during preconception, pregnancy, or lactation.

These appointments are particularly helpful for women who already have a psychiatrist or other prescribing provider but would like an additional perspective regarding medication safety, potential risks and benefits, or treatment planning during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

A one-time consultation does not require you to transfer your ongoing psychiatric care to my practice. With your permission, I can communicate my recommendations to your existing healthcare provider to support continuity of care.

Yes. One of the primary focuses of my practice is helping women make informed decisions regarding psychiatric medication use during preconception, pregnancy, and lactation.

Our discussion will include your psychiatric history, the severity of your symptoms, your previous response to treatment, the available research regarding medication exposure, and the potential risks associated with untreated psychiatric illness.

The goal is not to automatically recommend continuing or discontinuing medication, but to develop an individualized treatment plan that considers your mental health, reproductive goals, and personal preferences.

If you are already taking psychiatric medication, please do not discontinue or change your treatment without first discussing your plan with your prescribing clinician.

You are welcome to schedule a reproductive psychiatry consultation while maintaining your existing treatment relationships.

For one-time consultations, I can provide an individualized risk-benefit assessment and recommendations for you to discuss with your current prescribing provider.

For patients receiving ongoing medication management through my practice, I generally encourage continued collaboration with an established therapist when psychotherapy is clinically indicated.

With your permission, I am happy to coordinate care with your existing healthcare professionals.

Yes. I welcome collaboration with obstetricians, midwives, fertility specialists, primary care providers, therapists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of women during the reproductive period.

I am available to provide reproductive psychiatry consultations, individualized medication risk-benefit assessments, and recommendations regarding the management of psychiatric conditions before, during, and after pregnancy.

Healthcare professionals interested in referring a patient or discussing consultation options are welcome to contact our front desk.

Both. My treatment philosophy combines conventional, evidence-based Western psychiatric medicine with evidence-informed integrative approaches.

When clinically appropriate, treatment may include prescription psychiatric medications, laboratory evaluation, nutritional interventions, sleep optimization, physical activity, stress management, and other lifestyle-based strategies.

I recognize that mental health is influenced by biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, and I aim to address these factors as part of an individualized treatment plan.

Integrative treatment does not mean avoiding medication when it is medically indicated. My goal is to help you identify effective, appropriate treatment options based on your psychiatric history, current symptoms, reproductive circumstances, and the available scientific evidence.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, I take particular care to consider the safety and limitations of medications, supplements, and other treatment interventions.

Although my individual practice is dedicated exclusively to women and primarily focused on reproductive psychiatry, Patel Mind and Body offers broader psychiatric services through our in-house psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Our nurse practitioner provides general psychiatric evaluation and medication management for adults, including male patients and individuals whose psychiatric needs fall outside the focus of my reproductive psychiatry practice.

Our psychiatric nurse practitioner practices under my supervision, allowing patients to access psychiatric services within our practice without establishing an individual treatment relationship with me.

Please contact the front desk for additional information about scheduling with our nurse practitioner.

Yes. I see patients in person on Tuesdays at Patel Mind and Body in Covington, Louisiana, and offer virtual appointments Wednesday through Friday.

Virtual appointments are conducted through a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Eligibility for virtual care is subject to applicable licensing requirements and the clinical appropriateness of telehealth for your individual needs.

Please contact our front desk for additional information regarding scheduling and appointment availability.

My individual psychiatry practice is private pay, and I do not bill commercial insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid directly.

Payment is due at the time of your appointment. Upon request, our office can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurance carrier for consideration of out-of-network reimbursement, when applicable.

Reimbursement is determined by your individual insurance plan and is not guaranteed.

Other providers within Patel Mind and Body may have different insurance participation and payment arrangements. Please contact our front desk for additional information.

My appointment fees are as follows:

Initial psychiatric evaluation or one-time reproductive psychiatry consultation: $450 for 90 minutes.

Extended follow-up appointment: $300 for 50 minutes.

Medication management follow-up: $175 for 25 minutes.

The appropriate appointment length and frequency will depend on your individual clinical needs. All appointments are private pay.

All appointments are scheduled through the front desk at Patel Mind and Body.

To request an initial psychiatric evaluation, a one-time reproductive psychiatry consultation, or an ongoing medication management appointment, please call (985) 333-1313.

Our front desk can also assist with inquiries about perinatal psychotherapy, general psychiatric services with our nurse practitioner, and referrals from obstetricians or midwives.