Everything begins with a complimentary 15-minute phone call. It's an informal conversation, a chance for you to share what's bringing you in, ask any questions you have, and get a sense of whether this practice feels like the right fit. There is no paperwork, no obligation, and no pressure. If it's not the right match, that will be said honestly.

The first appointment is a comprehensive evaluation, typically 60 to 90 minutes. It's a thorough conversation about your history, current concerns, and goals for care. Sleep, nutrition, stress, relationships, and other lifestyle factors are part of that conversation from the start. Lab work may be ordered to rule out underlying medical contributors to your symptoms (thyroid function, for example), and for certain medications, baseline or ongoing monitoring labs may be part of your care plan. By the end, you'll have a working picture of where things stand and a shared sense of where care is headed.

Yes. After scheduling your first appointment, intake paperwork is sent electronically through the practice portal. Completing it at least 24 hours before your appointment allows time for a thorough review before you arrive.

This practice takes an integrative approach to psychiatric care, one that looks beyond symptoms to understand the full picture of what you're experiencing. Medication can be a helpful and sometimes essential tool, but so can improvements in sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and how you manage stress. The goal is care that addresses the biological, psychological, and contextual factors shaping how you feel, not just the presenting diagnosis.

This practice focuses on outpatient psychiatric care for adults. Conditions commonly seen include depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD and trauma-related conditions, ADHD in adults, sleep disorders and insomnia, adjustment disorders, and life transitions. If a higher level of care or a different specialty would serve you better, that conversation happens openly during the consultation.

Synapse and Soma is an outpatient psychiatric practice for adults. It is best suited for patients whose conditions can be safely managed in the outpatient setting, without intensive case management or recent psychiatric hospitalization. It is not set up for emergency or crisis care, inpatient or partial-hospital level support, court-ordered or forensic evaluations, emotional support animal (ESA) letters, or disability paperwork for new patients. It is also not a substance use treatment program and does not provide buprenorphine or methadone for opioid use disorder. If your needs fall outside that scope, the consultation call is still a good place to start: you'll get an honest answer about fit, and direction toward what might serve you better.

Both. In-person appointments are available at the office in Northfield, conveniently located off the Edens Expressway. Telehealth is available via secure, HIPAA-compliant video for patients located anywhere in Illinois at the time of their appointment. Some patients come in for certain visits and use telehealth for others. Either approach works.

This practice sees adults between the ages of 18 and 60. For care outside that range, referral guidance can be provided upon request.

Synapse and Soma is a self-pay practice. Insurance is not billed directly. This allows for more time with each patient and a higher level of personalized care, without the constraints of insurance-driven visit lengths or treatment decisions. For patients with out-of-network benefits, a superbill is available upon request.

Fees are discussed during your complimentary consultation call, with separate rates for the initial evaluation and follow-ups. Under the federal No Surprises Act, you also have the right to a Good Faith Estimate — a written projection of expected costs — before your first appointment. To request one, call (847) 220-8886. Learn more about your rights here.

A superbill is a detailed receipt that includes your diagnosis, the services provided, and the billing codes your insurance company needs to process an out-of-network reimbursement claim. It is available upon request and does not guarantee reimbursement. That decision rests with your insurer.

If your plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement after submitting a superbill. To find out what your plan covers, call the member services number on the back of your insurance card and ask:

1. Does my plan cover out-of-network outpatient psychiatric care?
2. What is my out-of-network deductible, and how much of it have I already met this year?
3. Once my deductible is met, what is the allowed amount for a psychiatric evaluation and for follow-up medication visits, and what percentage of that allowed amount is reimbursed?
4. Are there session limits or annual maximums on out-of-network mental health coverage?
5. What is the process for submitting a superbill, and how long does claim processing usually take?

The CPT codes most likely to appear on a superbill from this practice are 99204 (initial psychiatric evaluation), 99214 or 99215 (follow-up medication management visits), and 90833 (psychotherapy provided alongside a medication visit). Quoting these codes when you call gets you a more specific reimbursement estimate.

Both. While medication can be an effective tool for the biological dimensions of mental health, therapy is essential for addressing the psychological, relational, and behavioral aspects. Depending on your needs, sessions may integrate supportive, cognitive behavioral, or insight-oriented approaches alongside medication management.

Rather than separating medication management and therapy into different visits or different providers, both are addressed together in the same appointment. The conversations that matter most, about thought patterns, coping, relationships, and how you're making sense of your experience, happen in the same session where medication is being assessed. Nothing gets handed off or deferred to another day.

Yes. Many patients already have a therapist they trust and want to continue seeing. In those cases, the focus here stays on psychiatric evaluation and medication management, coordinating with your existing therapist where that's helpful rather than duplicating their work.

This depends on the situation. In general, having two prescribing psychiatrists involved in your care simultaneously isn't recommended. It creates risk around medication decisions. If you're looking to transition your care or add a therapeutic component to existing psychiatric treatment, the consultation call is the right place to discuss whether this practice is a good fit.

Consistency is important to clinical progress. If you need to reschedule or cancel, please provide at least 48 hours' notice to avoid a late cancellation fee.

Yes. While the practice primarily operates Monday through Friday, select evening and weekend appointments are available upon request. These are offered on a limited basis. Mention your scheduling preferences during the consultation call and we'll do our best to accommodate.

For non-urgent matters like prescription refills, questions about a plan we've already discussed, or scheduling, please leave a voicemail and expect a return call within one business day. For new or changing clinical concerns, the right step is a follow-up appointment, which are typically available within a few business days.

Synapse and Soma is an outpatient practice and is not set up to provide emergency or crisis care. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency or are in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For mental health crisis support, you can also call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.