Medication Management

Our Treatment Approach

Decades of evidence show that medication management plays an important role alongside therapy in providing effective treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. Pathlight’s best-in-class mood and anxiety treatment recognizes that psychiatric and medical stability are essential to lasting recovery.
 
An important first step of treatment at Pathlight (for those in our Residential and Partial Hospitalization Levels of Care) is to consider and/or review medication management. This ensures that patients’ brains and bodies are functioning properly so they can meaningfully engage in the intensive therapeutic work of getting well. We recognize that many of our patients will not be taking medications. However, medication management is available to those who need it to ensure that all patients are stable, safe and comfortable while working toward lasting recovery.  
 
The medication management process is led by Pathlight’s medical team, which consists of highly trained psychiatrists, primary care physicians and Registered Nurses specializing in the treatment of serious mental illness.
 
Medication management includes several aspects:

  • Psychiatric medications can be helpful in managing the life-interrupting symptoms of mood disorders (depression and bipolar, for example) and anxiety disorders. When patients are not properly medicated, or using an ineffective medication, they may feel unmotivated, resistant, willful or out-of-control.
  • Some patients struggling with mood and anxiety disorders also experience uncomfortable physical symptoms (called psychosomatic symptoms). Medication management offers support for this discomfort.
  • Patients may have other medical conditions requiring medication, including migraines, diabetes or IBS (called co-occurring conditions). In many cases, mood or anxiety symptoms may be related to the pain and suffering of living with chronic or acute medical issues. Medication management aims to provide relief.

How does medication management work at Pathlight?

Pathlight’s physicians work closely with referring treatment providers to confirm each patient’s medical history and all current medications. This collaboration helps Pathlight’s medical team individualize patient treatment plans to maintain and optimize medical management.
 
The full treatment team (Pathlight’s medical and clinical teams) meets daily to monitor each patient’s progress. Communication between these teams is important so that doctors, therapists and psychologists understand each patient’s psychiatric and medical status, as it may impact their ability to engage in treatment. In addition to daily support from Registered Nurses, patients also meet regularly with their psychiatrists and primary care physicians. These appointments examine patient symptoms and overall well-being, and medication adjustments can be made to help the patient’s journey toward recovery. The frequency of psychiatric and medical support depends on each patient’s level of care and their unique needs.
 
Our compassionate, highly trained medication management team work collaboratively to help our patients feel better day-to-day so they can live in ways more congruent with their values.