Frequently Asked Questions About Our Psychiatric Services

​A psychiatrist is a physician specializing in diagnosing and treating mental illness, psychological problems and interpersonal skills. A psychiatrist is the one who has attended medical school and has four (4) more years of academic training. In order for the treatment of adolescents and children, psychiatrists need two (2) more years of training.

Dr. Ashai and Dr. Zakriya completed their training from the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore. This residency program is currently rated among the six best in the U.S., ahead of Stanford and Yale. But we recommend that you choose a psychiatrist with whom you feel comfortable.

Generally, you will need to call your insurance company to inquire if you need a pre-authorization and a pre-authorization number. Your insurance card should list your co-pay/co-insurance for specialist (s).

Most of the time, co-pays are not significant amounts. We will bill the insurance company, and they will pay us the contractual amounts less any co-pay. In case you have High Deductible Plans, the insurance company will give you credit for the payments, and they will start paying once the deductible has been met. If you have a High Deductible Plan, or we are unable to determine your coverage, your initial charges for the first visit will be $110. If we receive reimbursement from the insurance company, we shall credit it to your account. All credit balances in excess of $20 are refundable at your request.

For fee-for-service (cash paying) patients, please call us and we will let you know our rates.

For co-pays, we prefer checks or cash. All payments are due at the time of Check-in.

We require 24-hour notice to reschedule appointments. There is a non-negotiable charge of $50 for all missed appointments, regardless of the reason. We consider missed appointments as a compliance issue and grounds for termination of treatment.

There is a charge of $35 for every bounced check.

The recurrence of mental illness depends on many variables.

• Diagnosis: Many psychiatric illnesses are known to recur. To list a few: bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, schizophrenia, bulimia, and anorexia.
• Age of onset: Generally, the earlier the age of onset, the more likely the condition will be recurrent. Examples of mental illness appearing in adolescence and either recurring or persistent are: ADHD, phobic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, addictions, eating disorders, and psychosis.
• Concurrent life stresses: Many times a mental illness will subside into remission, only to appear with concurrent stresses. For example: starting a new school or college, starting a new job, getting married, having a child, losing a loved one.
• Complexity of lifestyle: Illness may be in remission, but in some individuals their life becomes more complex. They may assume additional responsibilities in the form of a new spouse, child, business partner, financial responsibilities, or a loved one with special needs. These additional stresses may lead to a breaking point.

Take your medications as prescribed. See your psychiatrist regularly. Avoid stresses in life as much as possible. Have a good balance between work and recreational activities. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Make sure to have significant others when you need help. Avoid excesses in lifestyle; drinking, smoking, etc. Make sure to get help when mental illness is coming back. The longer you wait, the longer it takes to recover.

We will NOT disclose about any patient without a written authorization and consent from you. Exceptions to this rule are (as required by law) when you are in danger of ending your life or someone else's life.

• School problems, academic, social or recreational
• Coping problems
• Changes in appetite, sleep or activity
• Frequent physical complaints
• Mood becomes pessimistic, thoughts of death, complaining that life is empty or worthless
• Sexual acting out or promiscuity
• Frequent or recurring nightmares
• Thoughts of self-harm or harm to others
• Self-destructive habits
• Outbursts of anger and aggression
• Runaway behavior or threats to runaway
• Setting fires, torturing animals, etc
• Aggression, violation of rights of others
• Defiance of authority, school truancy
• Strange thoughts, responding to internal stimuli