Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center Blog

If you’ve taken two or more oral antidepressants and still experience symptoms of depression, you might have treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

If you or a loved one has TRD, you could benefit from adding SPRAVATO® to your current oral antidepressant.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we are proud to offer SPRAVATO® – the only FDA-approved nasal spray for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). We are the largest certified SPRAVATO treatment center in the Westfield area.

How Does SPRAVATO Work?

SPRAVATO is a nasal spray that contains Esketamine. Unlike other antidepressants, this solution is typically used as an “add-on” form of treatment, usually in combination with other traditional medications used for patients with treatment-resistant depression. SPRAVATO was approved by the FDA, having been evaluated in various trials to prove its effectiveness.

Who is a Good Candidate for SPRAVATO?

Generally speaking, SPRAVATO is mostly reserved for people who are struggling with treatment-resistant depression—a condition where they are unable to respond well to standard approaches with therapy and/or medications. If a patient hasn’t improved after two or more medication trials, then they can typically have this treatment approved by their insurance provider. SPRAVATO is not a viable option for someone pregnant or breastfeeding. Our team will also need to ensure that you aren’t allergic to SPRAVATO or any ingredients in the medication. You’ll also need to visit a qualified psychiatric provider to undergo an evaluation before you can be recommended for the treatment.

How Do I Prepare for an Initial Evaluation for SPRAVATO?

Before coming into our office, be ready to review your complete medical history, including previous medications you have tried to address depression. You should also have a complete list of all your current prescriptions/medications, even if they aren’t used for psychiatric purposes. Our provider will need access to this information during your appointment to properly assess you. This will be crucial to help our providers determine if you’re a good candidate for SPRAVATO and how it can potentially affect you. 

How Long Do the Results Last for SPRAVATO?

You can expect to get treatment twice every week for the very first month. Afterward, our team will decrease the rate to only once per week. Gradually, we might move the frequency to once every other week for maintenance depending on effectiveness. The benefits of SPRAVATO will likely kick in within the first month of treatment, but some experience relief after the first few sessions. That said, the effects may wear off over time, so if you are seeing positive results from SPRAVATO we will likely recommend a maintenance plan that works for you. Depression is often a chronic and recurrent disorder, so we’ll have to maintain effective treatments to avoid relapse of symptoms.

Start the conversation with one of our caring and compassionate practitioners to see if adding SPRAVATO® may be right for you. Call or visit:

• www.embracepwc.com

• (908) 233-8065

Your mental and emotional health are precious. Unfortunately, though, these aspects of your wellness may also be somewhat delicate. Any life change could trigger a sudden bout of anxiety or depression. How can you cope when your feelings take a downward turn? This blog post contains some tips that you may find helpful. Remember, there is always hope for a better tomorrow!

Have you been struggling with crippling depression and/or anxiety that impacts your daily routine? These mental health issues can cause hiccups in your personal, social, and even professional life, which can make it difficult to feel motivated or concentrated enough to maintain a stable occupation. That said, certain positions can be more suitable for those suffering from depressive moods or anxiety. Read on to learn some of the best jobs out there that you might consider if you’re struggling with these mental health concerns.

Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center has opened a new office space located in Wall Township, New Jersey. The new space allows us to streamline our presence in southern New Jersey by combining our Freehold and Brick offices into one larger, newly renovated location, located at 2111 NJ-34.

This new development accommodates the practices’ ongoing growth as we continue to welcome new practitioners to the Embrace PWC team, allowing us to provide our patients with expanded treatment options, including:

• Medication management
• Therapy & counseling
• Advanced treatments, including Spravato and TMS Therapy

Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center is a powerful network of compassionate professionals and innovative mental health treatments that deliver life-changing care to our patients both in person throughout New Jersey and via telehealth.

Whether you are already working with a trusted counselor or just starting your journey towards achieving the happiness you deserve, Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center can be an important part of your goals. Our team of diversified, bilingual providers starts by taking the time to get to know you. Then, we utilize our vast resources to find solutions. Most importantly, compassion guides everything we do in a peaceful, comfortable, and inclusive environment.

We are currently accepting new patients and scheduling follow up appointments for therapy, and medication management at our new office, as well as at our two Westfield, NJ locations.

To learn more about Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center:

• Call 908-923-3483
• Visit us online at www.embracepwc.com/.

Whether you’re at work, the gym, or home, you might sometimes feel too exhausted to do any of your normal daily activities. While this might simply mean you’re tired at the moment, having chronic feelings of low motivation can also be an indication of an underlying mental health issue, such as depression. Keep reading to learn what can potentially cause this and ways that you can handle the situation so you can lead a more fulfilling life.

Michael’s personal and professional experiences have allowed him to see the transformative effects that therapy can have for many individuals, especially when their struggles are commonly stigmatized.

He has always had a natural strength in understanding people as well as being comfortable with emotionally difficult conversations. In addition, his background has allowed him to develop strong analytical skills which he incorporates into his work. Combining these skills and strengths seemed like a great fit for becoming a psychotherapist.

Michael has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. He graduated with a Specialized Practice Certificate in Health and worked as a research assistant for 5+ years in both clinical and non-clinical groups. The research he was involved in included psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, the psychotherapy process, and the juvenile justice system.

Outside of work, Michael is a big gamer. He loves all kinds from video games and board games to outdoor games. He also enjoys logic puzzles and escape rooms when he gets a chance to do them with his partner and/or friends. In addition, he is naturally very curious and interested in learning about different topics not related to his work, including subjects ranging from history, mathematics, physics, and philosophy to random how-to guides for cooking, DIY gadgets, and so on. His curiosity has led him to collecting more books than his bookshelves can hold!

Mike is currently accepting new patients at our convenient Westfield and Wall, New Jersey locations and via telehealth.

Call 908-923-3483 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Mike or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.

Although mental illnesses are prevalent in many populations throughout the United States, many people tend to avoid seeking psychiatric services. One of the main reasons: fear of the overall price of treatment. Fortunately, you might be able to benefit from insurance to receive the proper care you deserve to improve your mental and emotional well-being. Read on to learn more about health coverage for therapy so you can minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.

Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Winter Haven, FL, Kristen has been working in Internal Medicine and primary care for over two decades. Having grown up on a dairy farm, she grew a passion for animals and wanted to be a veterinarian at first. She even studied pre-veterinary medicine as an undergraduate at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

However, she realized that she also had an interest in human medicine and began pursuing a career as a physician assistant after having the concept introduced to her by her childhood friend’s sister. Since then, she’s never looked back and can’t see herself doing anything else! After all, she gets to meet incredibly interesting and wonderful people while helping them to improve their overall quality of life.

Kristen began her career by attending the University of South Florida before studying at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, FL. She later graduated from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Physician Assistant program and has been practicing for over 20 years. For 13 years, she performed all medical clearances for the inpatient psychiatric units at Lakeland Regional Health in Lakeland, FL.

She later furthered her training in psychiatry at Yantra Psychiatric Services and moved on to becoming a board-certified Physician Assistant while also holding an additional board certification in Psychiatry. She became invested in her work and joined with Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center to provide telehealth services as a licensed Physician Assistant in New Jersey. Today, she treats patients both outpatient and in residential rehabilitation settings for general psychiatry and addiction medicine.

She is also a Suboxone, Sublocade, and Vivitrol prescriber trained via the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and is also a member of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Outside of psychiatry, Kristen loves being with her tight-knit family who has supported her in every endeavor and is her source of strength. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her Labrador Retriever, Bratwurst, and her parakeet named Jose Luis Gaspar. She also likes baking, admiring abstract art, watching movies, looking at the nighttime space shuttle launches from her backyard, and is a major Saturday Night Live fan.

One fun fact about her: she grew up in a very musical family, as her mother has a master’s in music education. In turn, Kristen can play various instruments, like the ukulele and harp, and has even been a soloist in several past church performances and weddings!

Kristen is currently accepting new patients at one of our convenient New Jersey locations and via telehealth.

Call 908-923-3483 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Kristen or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, warmth, and celebration. However, for some people, it can be a challenging period marked by heightened stress, loneliness, and emotional turmoil. Holiday depression and anxiety are more common than we may realize, and it’s crucial to recognize the signs. In this blog post, you’ll learn which signs might indicate holiday-related mental health challenges.

We are happy to welcome LSW (Licensed Social Worker) Larry Zimmerman to the Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center team!

After growing up being trained and working as an actor, Larry decided that he wanted to use his life experiences to help others. This eventually saw him graduate from Montclair State University and Rutgers University as well as training at the Identity House Counseling Center in NYC. He also has experience serving in psychiatric units at Trinitas Hospital.

Larry deeply enjoys meeting and working with new people and helping them get the care they need to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives. Not forgetting his past, his main passions beyond his work are music and theater.

Larry is currently accepting new patients at our Westfield offices and via telehealth appointments.

At Embrace Psychiatric Wellness Center, we are committed to providing our patients with a peaceful, comfortable, and inclusive environment. We are:

• Currently accepting new clients for therapy
• Offering both in person and telehealth sessions
• In network with many prominent insurance plans

Call 908-233-8065 or visit: embracepwc.com to request an appointment with Larry or one of our other caring and compassionate practitioners.