June 2024 Mental Health Newsletter

 

 

Happy Pride Month!  What’s going on at Gladstone? Check out this month’s mental health news.

 

In this issue:

 

  • Advanced Mental Health Screening is now available at Gladstone.
  • Openings available for medication management with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
  • How to Stop Worrying
  • How to Make Friends
  • LGBTQ Mental Health Resources
  • When to See a Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

 

 

Advanced Mental Health Screening with Dr. Brian Richards

 

Are you looking for an easy and effective way to understand your mental health? Gladstone now offers an advanced mental health screening program with Dr. Brian Richards. “Advanced Screening” is a thorough evaluation that will help you figure out complex mental health issues.

Advanced screening goes beyond a basic evaluation. Dr. Richards will do a detailed assessment to really understand your diagnosis and behaviors. He’ll look closely at your symptoms, patterns in how you experience things, and how you make sense of your life.

What’s more, Advanced Screening also provides strategies based on brain science to help you cope better. Dr. Richards will teach you techniques to get your body’s stress response under control and improve your overall well-being.

Advanced screening is available for any adult 18 or older. It can be helpful if:

  • You feel stuck with your current treatment
  • You want to deeply understand your mental health symptoms and behaviors
  • You need a more thorough evaluation
  • You’d like personalized brain science tips to reduce stress
  • You’re new to mental health care and don’t know where to start

After the screening, Dr. Richards will give you a personalized report based on scientific evidence. The report will be tailored just for you and your specific needs. It can guide you and your doctors in creating a treatment plan focused on you as an individual.

So if you’re looking for answers about your mental health, advanced screening is a great way to get them! You’ll gain a much deeper understanding and useful strategies to feel better. 

Dr. Richards is in network with CareFirst and Cigna, and he also accepts private pay. If you’re interested in the Advanced Screening program, check out the attached flier for more information. You can also call 443-708-5856 to schedule an appointment. 

**Note: Advanced screening is not for the diagnosis of brain injuries, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or developmental disorders. These assessments are not currently performed at Gladstone.

 

 

Openings Available for Medication Management

 

Many of our psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners have space available for new patients. If you are seeking medication management, please give us a call at 443-708-5856 or email new.patient@gladstonepsych.com. Usually, new patient appointments can be scheduled within one to two months.

 

 

How to stop worrying blog banner

 

How to Stop Worrying: 5 Tools to Calm Those Ruminating Thoughts

Worrying is a natural part of the human experience, but when it becomes constant, it can interfere with our daily lives. Our clients frequently ask us how to stop worrying because it produces such painful anxiety. At Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness, we understand that managing worry is not about eliminating it entirely but learning to control it. 

Here are five tools that can help you stop worrying and start living more peacefully.

Read more

 

 

How to make friends

 

How to Make Friends

 

As mental health providers, we receive a lot of questions from our clients and patients about solving problems in day to day life. So we are launching a new series on our mental health blog called “Ask the Therapist.” This month’s topic is “How to Make Friends.”

It’s hard to make friends as an adult. When you were a kid, things might have seemed simpler. You walked up to another kid on the playground at recess and said “Wanna be friends?” Or maybe you just joined in on their game of kickball. As an adult, this can feel pretty awkward and intimidating, especially if you have high anxiety. Sadly, many adults today report feeling lonely and socially isolated. According to a 2023 poll, nearly 1 in 10 American adults report having no close friends, and another 13 percent have only one friend. 

This can lead to severe loneliness and poor health outcomes. Time and again, research has shown that loneliness and social isolation can lead to low well-being and high psychological distress, especially among people with disabilities and older adults.

Close friends are a balm for loneliness and a gateway to fulfilling relationships and a happier life. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the social landscape with confidence.

Read more

 

 

LGBTQ mental health

 

LGBTQ Mental Health Resources

 

Happy Pride! Each June, we celebrate this month as an opportunity for LGBTQ visibility and community. At Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness, we are committed to supporting the mental health needs of the LGBTQ community in Maryland. We understand that LGBTQ folks can face unique challenges and stressors, and this can have a huge impact on mental health and well-being. 

Fortunately, there are a number of excellent resources available to provide support and mental health services for LGBTQ individuals in our state. This post contains a list of some of the top resources. We hope you’ll check them out.

Read more

 

 

When to see a psychiatrist

 

When to See a Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

When you are looking for help with a mental health problem, it’s important to understand the roles that various mental health professionals play. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychiatry–the branch of medicine dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. A psychiatric nurse practitioner is a registered nurse who blends medical and psychiatric expertise to provide comprehensive psychiatric mental health care for patients suffering from various mental health disorders.

As trained medical professionals, both psychiatrists and psychiatric NP’s hold a unique position in mental healthcare, possessing both medical expertise and the specialized knowledge to address psychological issues. Their comprehensive approach encompasses various aspects of mental well-being.

Read more