Articles & patient education
Clinician-written articles on the questions patients actually ask.
Honest, evidence-based answers to the questions we hear most often — written and medically reviewed by Lavena McCullum, PMHNP-BC.
Honest, evidence-based answers to the questions we hear most often — written and medically reviewed by Lavena McCullum, PMHNP-BC.
A clinical answer to the most common question patients ask before booking — including what's actually in the 60 minutes, when it takes more than one visit, and when neuropsych testing genuinely changes the picture.
Read article → ADHD · controlled substancesHow stimulant prescribing by telehealth works in Oregon right now — current DEA rules, Oregon PMP requirements, and when an in-person visit is still needed.
Read article → Depression · medicationAn honest week-by-week timeline of what to expect from an SSRI — early side effects, when mood actually shifts, and what to do if it isn't working at week 6.
Read article → ADHD · differentialThe symptoms that overlap, the ones that point one way or the other, and why so many adults turn out to have both — with treatment implications for each.
Read article → Patient guideA clinician's walkthrough of what an adult psychiatric intake actually looks like — the structure of the conversation, the rating scales, what's in the treatment plan, and common worries patients bring in.
Read article → ADHD · medicationAtomoxetine, viloxazine, bupropion, guanfacine — when non-stimulants are the right first choice for adult ADHD, and how they compare to stimulants.
Read article → Depression · screeningWhat each score range actually means clinically, how it's used in measurement-based care, and the important things a number can’t tell you.
Read article → Patient guideA clear framework for deciding when your PCP is the right person to manage your psychiatric care — and when adding a psychiatric clinician makes a meaningful clinical difference.
Read article → TelehealthA practical, honest guide to telehealth psychiatry in Oregon and Washington — what makes it work well, what makes it fail, and when in-person is still the right call.
Read article → Perinatal · depressionWhat postpartum depression actually looks like, how it differs from baby blues, when to seek psychiatric care, and what treatment looks like during and after pregnancy.
Read article →New-patient appointments typically available within about a week by telehealth.