Integrative psychiatry is traditional psychiatric care, including medication when it helps, plus the “extras” that also shape how you feel: sleep, nutrition, movement, stress, supplements when the evidence supports them, and practical therapy tools. It doesn’t replace standard treatment. It adds to it, so your plan fits your whole life, not just your diagnosis.
At Joy Integrative Psychiatry, Erika Joy Puruleski, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, provides integrative psychiatric care for children 6 and up, teens and adults by secure video anywhere in Arizona.
What does “integrative” mean in psychiatry?
The word “integrative” comes from integrative health. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (part of the NIH) describes integrative health as bringing “conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way,” with a focus on the whole person rather than one symptom or one organ.
In plain terms: traditional psychiatric treatment plus extras. In practice, that means:
- Your evaluation covers more than a checklist of symptoms. It includes sleep, energy, stress, relationships, school or work, physical health, current medications, caffeine and alcohol, and what you have already tried.
- Your plan can include several tools at once: medication when appropriate, plus extras such as sleep changes, nutrition and movement, stress tools, therapy strategies and supplements when they fit.
- Your care is coordinated. With your permission, your psychiatric provider talks with your therapist, pediatrician or primary care clinician so everyone is working from the same plan.
What integrative psychiatry is not
Because the word is used in different ways, it helps to be clear about what it does not mean here:
- It is not anti-medication. Medication can be an important, sometimes essential, part of treatment. Integrative care means choosing it thoughtfully, explaining the options, and reviewing it regularly.
- It is not “alternative medicine” in place of treatment. Supplements can be a helpful part of a plan, and Erika may recommend them when the evidence supports it, but they work alongside evidence-based care, not instead of it. Any supplement is reviewed for safety and possible interactions with your medications.
- It is not a promise of a cure. It is a careful, collaborative way of treating real conditions.
- It is not faith-based counseling. “Integrative” refers to looking at the whole person, not a religious approach. Your values and beliefs are always welcome in the conversation.
How does it work with medication?
For many people with ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD or PTSD, medication is part of a good plan. In integrative psychiatry, medication decisions also consider the rest of your health:
- Sleep. Poor sleep can look like, or worsen, anxiety, low mood and attention problems. Treating sleep often helps everything else. Learn more on our sleep and mental health page.
- Physical and metabolic health. Some psychiatric medications can affect weight, appetite, blood sugar or blood pressure, and some medical conditions affect mood. Our metabolic psychiatry page explains how we monitor this.
- Side effects and fit. The goal is the fewest medications at the lowest effective dose, with regular check-ins to adjust.
- Shared decisions. You hear the benefits, risks and alternatives, and you help decide.
Read more about how medication management works.
What happens in an integrative psychiatric evaluation?
Your first visit is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation by secure video. Expect to talk about:
- What brings you in, and what you hope will change.
- Your history: past diagnoses, treatments, and what helped or didn’t.
- Physical health, current medications and supplements, and recent lab work if you have it.
- Sleep, stress, activity, nutrition and substance use.
- Family, school or work, and support at home.
For children and teens, a parent or guardian takes part, and teens also have time to talk privately. By the end of the visit you will have a working diagnosis or a plan to clarify it, and clear next steps. Follow-up visits focus on what’s improving and what needs to change.
Who is integrative psychiatry a good fit for?
It can help almost anyone who wants care that considers the bigger picture, especially:
- Parents of children and teens with ADHD or anxiety who want a careful, family-involved approach.
- Adults seeking an ADHD evaluation, or treatment for anxiety or depression, who want to understand all their options.
- People whose sleep, stress or physical health seem tangled up with their mood.
- People taking psychiatric medication who are concerned about side effects such as weight or energy changes.
- Anyone who wants their psychiatric provider to coordinate with their therapist or primary care clinician.
Integrative psychiatry at our practice is outpatient care. It is not a substitute for emergency or inpatient treatment. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or the Arizona Crisis Line at 1-844-534-4673, or call 911. See our crisis resources.
How do I start integrative psychiatric care in Arizona?
- Make sure you’ll be physically in Arizona for each visit. All care is by secure video. There is no public office.
- Check your insurance on our Insurance and Payment page, or ask about self-pay. Coverage depends on your plan, so calling the number on your card and asking about “outpatient mental health” and “telehealth” benefits is the quickest way to know.
- Request a new-patient appointment through the secure patient portal, or call 480-685-4569.
Common questions
Is integrative psychiatry the same as functional medicine?
No. Integrative psychiatry is psychiatric care grounded in clinical guidelines that also looks at sleep, stress and physical health. It does not rely on unproven tests or treatments.
Will I be pressured to take medication, or to avoid it?
Neither. You’ll hear the evidence for each option and decide together. Some plans include medication and some don’t.
Do you recommend supplements?
Sometimes, yes. When the research supports it and it fits your plan, Erika may recommend a supplement alongside other treatment. Every supplement you take or are considering is reviewed for safety and possible interactions with your medications.
Do you offer therapy too?
Yes. Erika offers supportive therapy, including CBT-informed and mindfulness-based strategies and behavioral tools for ADHD and sleep, and is glad to work alongside your current therapist. See therapy.
Do you see children?
Yes, children 6 and up, teens and adults. For anyone under 18, a parent or guardian takes part in care.
Is integrative psychiatry covered by insurance?
Integrative psychiatric visits are billed as standard psychiatric evaluations and follow-ups. Whether your plan covers them depends on your plan; see Insurance and Payment for the current list.
Ready when you are
Joy Integrative Psychiatry offers integrative psychiatric evaluations by telehealth for children 6+, teens and adults throughout Arizona. Request an appointment when you're ready.
This article is for general education and isn't a substitute for individual medical advice. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.