Finding the Right Path

Seeking mental healthcare can feel overwhelming, especially when the difference between psychiatric care and counseling isn't always clear. Understanding your options is crucial in finding the right path toward mental well-being. At Boundless Health, we recognize that navigating the mental healthcare system can be intimidating, and it's not always easy to know what to expect.  

Michelle Marko is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Boundless Health.  Marko emphasizes the importance of clarity and collaboration in ensuring individuals receive the care that best suits their needs. She highlights that one of the first steps toward mental wellness is ensuring that clients are prepared to engage with the right form of treatment. 

“Clients have to be willing and ready to take the route to care,” said Marko. When beginning your path with mental healthcare, it’s important to understand that there are multiple avenues, each designed to address different needs. “My pitch to clients is that I feel almost anyone could benefit from counseling, but the participant has to be ready and engage with it.” 

Counseling and psychiatric care share the common goal of improving mental health, but they achieve it through different approaches and techniques. One of the most recognizable differences between the counseling and psychiatric services at Boundless includes the use of medications. “Our psychiatry department primarily deals with medication management to improve quality of life. From a counseling standpoint, we work with patients to try and develop skills and strategies to target symptoms as well,” described Marko, “Many of our clients come to us with a treatment goal. We want to help clients manage symptoms.”  

Boundless Health offers comprehensive care that addresses the varying needs of patients. Comprehensive care involves the diverse mental healthcare professionals working together with the common goal to provide the most suitable care for the patient. “We can reach out to case management to connect the client to more services in the community that are outside of our psychiatry services. The same goes for counseling or referring behavioral therapy,” said Marko. Comprehensive care for Boundless patients goes beyond just treatment, ensuring they receive continuous support and access to a network of resources that promote overall well-being.  

Marko and the rest of the Boundless team ensure that patients understand their care plan and their role as a self-advocate. “We have follow-ups and to assess needs and during these follow-ups we see if there is any want to change directions from the client. We always communicate with the patient,” said Marko. It is also during these follow-ups that the Boundless team ensures that the patient knows of all the available Boundless mental healthcare resources, discusses all avenues for treatment and makes any necessary adjustments to the care plan, empowering the patient to take an active role in their mental health journey. 

Currently, fewer than half of Boundless patients engage in both psychiatry and counseling services. During their first psychiatry visit, patients undergo a series of health assessments, including measurements of weight, height and vital signs. In counseling, a diagnostic assessment is conducted at the initial appointment. These evaluations are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the patient's health and mental well-being, ensuring an individual approach to their care. 

More information on Boundless mental healthcare services can be found at Primary Care.