My Medication Philosophy

I believe that the combination of psychiatric medication and psychotherapy is a powerful treatment process that can improve your mental health and help you feel better as quickly as possible.

In many instances, your “symptoms” are due to a chemical imbalance which could have been inherited, caused by a traumatic experience, or a combination of both.

For the first 10 years of my career as a psychotherapist, I worked with many people who were too depressed, anxious, or angry to do the work of psychotherapy. It often took several months of intensive weekly therapy for these symptoms to begin to subside, and even then, people frequently did not respond fully. For others who suffered from an inherited chemical imbalance, (which is evident if there is a family history of mental illness), complete relief never came. Once I began practicing psychopharmacology, I was elated to discover that with medication, people could feel better within one to six weeks.

For those who are anxious or are having difficulty focusing, relief can often come within minutes. Many people have referred to this dramatic improvement as an “awakening.” After years of feeling depressed and anxious, they are suddenly able to think clearly again and make healthier choices in their lives.

I take great care in prescribing psychiatric medications. My philosophy is “start low, go slow.” I will always err on the side of caution and prescribe conservatively

Taking great care also means providing extensive medication education about the treatment of mental illness. This helps you better understand the treatment recommendations that I make. For instance, many people have concerns about side effects of medication. Although medications can have side effects, this does not mean that you will experience any. In fact, most people do not.

Together we will create a plan that you are comfortable with and that makes sense.

Kyra Sposato, NP

(516) 806-2297

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Expect During Your First Visit

It is normal to feel nervous during your initial visit.

First, please know that talking to a mental health professional is not as uncomfortable as you think.

Once you come into my office you can relax because I am going to do all of the work. I will be asking you a lot of questions to get a better understanding of who you are. We ease into the session with the basics: name, DOB, medical history, marital status, occupation, current medications and history of prior psychiatric treatment. At this point, I ask you a key question: “If possible, in one sentence please describe how you are feeling- basically what brought you here. Then you can elaborate.” This exercise not only helps guide the rest of your session but it is also a valuable tool for measuring your progress in treatment.

Next, I ask you about your family history and childhood. This helps me determine if your symptoms are due to genetics, trauma or both. Sometimes these questions bring up strong emotions, especially if you have had a history of trauma or abuse.

At the end of the evaluation, we review the information you provided and your goals. We then explore treatment options, including medication. I never pressure you to make any decisions about medication until you feel completely at ease and all your questions are answered.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a Registered Nurse (RN) who has completed advanced education (a minimum of a master’s degree) in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions in her/his specialty area, such as psychiatry.

The core philosophy of the field is individualized care. Involving the client in their health care and encouraging them to participate in decisions are central to the care provided by NPs.

Nurse Practitioners are licensed by the state to prescribe medication, provide psychotherapy, make a diagnosis, perform psychiatric evaluations, order diagnostic tests, as well as multiple other responsibilities.

Do you accept insurance?

We are not participants on any managed care insurance panels. However, if you have “out-of-network” benefits, you may be able to get a portion of my fee back from your insurance company. We will provide you with a receipt to submit for reimbursement.

My rates are comparable to those of other practitioners in the area who provide both psychopharmacology and psychotherapy services. Cash, checks, credit cards, Venmo and Zelle are accepted.

Will information and treatment be kept confidential?

Your right to confidentiality is of the utmost importance to us. Without your explicit permission, we will never disclose any information about you, or even the fact that you are a patient in our practice. Of course, in instances where there is an imminent danger to either yourself or someone else, necessary steps will be taken to diminish these risks within appropriate legal and ethical guidelines.

If I am currently in psychotherapy, will you work with my therapist?

Yes, if you are currently in psychotherapy, I will work collaboratively with your psychotherapist, at your request.

What if I need to cancel or re-schedule my appointment?

When you schedule an appointment, please understand that this is time that we reserve exclusively for you. We do not overbook or double book appointments to account for no shows. This allows us to avoid delays and provide you with better care. That is our commitment to you.

Although we have a 24 hour (one full business day) cancellation policy we do request 48 hours notice for cancellations. Please call the office as soon as you need to cancel.

If you are canceling last minute or running late, to avoid paying for a missed appointment, you can request a phone or video session. Leave a message on line 3 to let us know.

If you cancel/re-schedule/miss an appointment in less then 24 hours we assess the full fee.

For New Clients who cancel or miss their initial appointment we asses a $100 fee.