Therapy
Therapy at Bay Psychiatric Associates is a place to slow down, feel heard, and work through what has been weighing on you. We offer a limited number of therapy appointments with our psychiatrists, depending on your needs and the availability of the right clinician. Therapy may be provided on its own or alongside medication management, and we support people through anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, major life transitions, and other difficult periods in life. If we are not the right fit for what you need, we will help you think through other options and, with your written consent, coordinate care with an outside therapist.
Who is therapy here for, and who is it not for?
Sometimes people come to therapy because they are struggling with a specific mental health concern. Other times, they are going through something difficult and need a place to process what has happened and figure out what comes next.
Our approach is collaborative and individualized. We listen carefully to what is happening in your life, what has brought you to this point, and what you hope will be different. Therapy can be a place to develop new ways of coping, understand longstanding patterns, work through painful experiences, or simply have someone alongside you during a stressful period of life.
Because we are a physician practice, therapy at BPA can also be integrated with psychiatric evaluation and medication management when that is helpful. For some people, having these pieces of care in one place makes things simpler.
Therapy at BPA is for adults working through depression, anxiety, stress, life transitions, grief, trauma and PTSD, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and difficulty with emotional regulation, among other concerns. Some people receive therapy from a BPA psychiatrist; others use BPA for psychiatry and see an outside therapist.
It is not a substitute for crisis care. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or go to the nearest emergency room. It is also not a promise of an immediate weekly opening; standalone availability is limited. And some situations, such as acute safety concerns, active severe substance use, or symptoms that need a higher level of care, are better served by a more intensive setting first.
What happens when you start
Care usually begins with an intake visit with a psychiatrist who reviews what brings you in, your history, what has helped before, your current supports, and your goals. If therapy with a BPA psychiatrist may fit, you talk through whether an available psychiatrist's style and schedule match what you need. If an outside therapist would be a better fit or has sooner availability, we talk through how to find one and how coordination would work with your written consent.
What a therapy visit is like
There is no single way therapy has to look. Depending on the clinician and your goals, therapy may draw from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), DBT-informed skills, psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy, EMDR, internal family systems (IFS), or an integrative approach.
Some sessions may be more focused on a particular problem or skill. Others may involve stepping back and looking at patterns, relationships, experiences, or emotions that have been difficult to understand. Early in treatment, you and your psychiatrist will establish goals together and revisit them as your work progresses.
What therapy asks of you
Therapy is a collaborative process. It may sometimes be uncomfortable to talk about painful experiences or patterns that you would rather avoid. Meaningful change also usually takes time.
You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what to say or what kind of therapy you need. Your therapist can help you identify goals, understand what may be getting in the way, and decide together what to work on. If something does not feel helpful or the therapeutic relationship does not feel like the right fit, we encourage you to talk about it. That conversation is part of good care.
How therapy and medication work together
Therapy is frequently combined with medication management, and the two can address different aspects of the same problem. The same psychiatrist may provide both when availability and fit allow, or your BPA psychiatrist may manage medication while coordinating with an outside therapist. Whether to use therapy alone, medication alone, or both is an individualized decision made with your clinician, not a fixed pathway.
Common questions
What kinds of psychotherapy do you offer?
Depending on the clinician and the clinical problem, approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), DBT-informed skills, psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy, EMDR, internal family systems (IFS), and integrative approaches. Availability varies by psychiatrist, and if a particular modality or a weekly schedule is better served outside BPA, we will help you find an outside therapist.
Does something have to be “wrong” for me to engage in weekly therapy?
Therapy is not only for when something is “wrong” in your life. It can also be a place to have support when life has become difficult or unfamiliar. We work with people navigating grief and loss, major life changes, relationship difficulties, work stressors, chronic health conditions, fertility challenges, pregnancy and postpartum transitions, and other experiences that can leave you feeling overwhelmed or unlike yourself. You do not have to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Part of the work can simply be understanding what you are carrying, finding ways to cope, and gradually identifying what you want your life to look like moving forward.
How often would visits happen?
When a BPA psychiatrist provides therapy, visits are commonly weekly or biweekly, especially early on. Standalone weekly openings are limited, and some psychiatrists mainly combine therapy with medication visits. The cadence depends on your goals, safety, availability, and fit.
How long does therapy take to work?
It varies. Some people notice useful change within several visits, structured work may take a few months, and other work is longer term. Your clinician should revisit goals and progress with you rather than treat the timeline as fixed.
Can my BPA psychiatrist coordinate with an outside therapist?
Yes. With your written consent, your psychiatrist coordinates with an outside therapist or primary care clinician so medication decisions and therapy goals stay aligned.
Does insurance cover therapy?
Most major insurers cover outpatient psychotherapy, though copays, visit limits, and authorization rules vary by plan. You can check your plan with our insurance tool, and our team can help clarify what to expect before you start.
How to get started with therapy
Request an appointment. We’ll check your insurance and help you get started.