Therapy & Medication… What’s right for me?
The world of mental health can feel confusing and fragmented. What’s the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? What do all those letters after someone’s name mean? Who should I see for treatment?
It’s easy to get caught in the idea that mental health treatment is either about the mind or the body—as if these are separate parts of us that can be treated in isolation. Typically, therapy is seen as the domain of psychologists (PhD, PsyD) and therapists (LCSW, MFT, MSW), while medication is handled by psychiatrists (MD, DO) and nurse practitioners (NP, APRN, PMHNP). This split can be useful in some cases—but more often than not, it oversimplifies things.
The truth is: the mind and the body are two sides of the same coin.
Both therapy and medication can play important roles in treatment. The right approach depends on you. Maybe you’ve tried a variety of medications in the past, but the results were limited. Maybe you’ve never tried any medications, and you’re wondering if now might be the time. Maybe you’ve been in therapy before and want to try again—or maybe it’s all brand new.
The key is finding what works for you.
Let’s start with therapy. The word “therapy” is a lot like the word “sport”—there are many different kinds, and each one requires a different skillset, approach, and coach. Not every type of therapy works for everyone, and that’s okay. We’ll work together to find what’s most helpful for you.
Therapy can help you:
Understand how your brain works and why you feel the way you do.
Develop new coping strategies for anxiety, stress, or low mood.
Make sense of past experiences that are still affecting you today.
Navigate big life decisions around work, relationships, or identity.
Communicate more clearly and effectively.
Improve sleep, routines, and overall health habits.
Cope with grief, loss, illness, or major changes.
Manage overwhelming feelings like shame, guilt, or hopelessness.
Some people arrive knowing exactly what they want: they’re looking for therapy, or they’re looking for medication. But often, people aren’t sure. They don’t know what they want—and more importantly, they don’t yet know what they need. That’s where I come in. My job is to help you figure that out, based on your goals, your values, and your life story.
There are certain situations where medication is indispensable—when symptoms are severe, persistent, or interfering with daily life in a way that therapy alone just can't resolve. In those cases, medication can be life-changing.
But, medication is not always the answer. It can help, but it can also cause side effects, or simply fall short of expectations. If a problem can be addressed without medication, that’s often preferable. Medication is most helpful when it’s used thoughtfully, intentionally, and in combination with the deeper work that talk therapy provides.
Questions like “What’s wrong with me?” … “Why am I depressed?” … or “How do I fix it?” rarely have simple answers. A pill can help—but mental health is not just about “fixing a chemical imbalance.” Self-care, exercise, and mindfulness can help—but there’s more to healing than routines alone.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution—and there doesn’t need to be. Together, we’ll create a plan that fits you.