Medication Management
Psychiatric Medication Management in Sorrento Valley
Prescribing that is reviewed, adjusted and talked through, for adults 18 and older. Call (858) 567-4246.
Prescribing is a conversation, not a handoff
Medication management is ongoing psychiatric care: an evaluation, a plan, and regular appointments to see how that plan is actually working for you.
- You are seen by a psychiatric prescriber — a psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
- Follow-up is part of the care, not something you chase: how a medication is working, what it is doing to your sleep and your days, and what to change.
- Your prescriber and your therapist are on the same team, in the same practice, so neither is working from a summary of the other.
What to expect
How our prescribing works
What sets our medication management apart from others in San Diego.
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Medication is an option, not the plan
Nobody here is required to take medication. The evaluation establishes whether it is likely to help, and that answer is sometimes no — in which case we say so.
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Inside the program or on its own
If you are in our Intensive Outpatient Program, psychiatric care runs within it. You are not sent out to find your own prescriber and then left waiting on an outside appointment. If you are not in the IOP, you can see a prescriber here anyway.
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One practice, one record
Your prescriber and your therapist work for the same practice and talk to each other. Changes in therapy inform what gets prescribed, and the other way round.
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You are told what and why
What a medication is for, what it is expected to do, how long that usually takes, what side effects to watch for, and what the alternatives are. Decisions are made with you.
Who you would see
Psychiatric care here is provided by:
- Dr. Vahig Manugian, DO — Medical Director and Psychiatrist.
- Sharon DiNicholas, MSN, PMHNP-BC — Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.
Both work with adults 18 and older on anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, and the periods of life that bring people in. Meet the team.
Available by telehealth anywhere in California. Our clinicians are licensed in California, so where you are in the state does not decide whether you can be seen. Whether telehealth suits what you are dealing with is part of what the assessment establishes.
We do not provide substance use treatment, detox, eating disorder treatment, or residential and inpatient care. If that is what you need, we will provide appropriate referrals.
Getting started
Four steps. Nothing is scheduled and no records are requested until you decide to go ahead.
Consultation
A short, private call. If we are not the right fit, we will say so.
Evaluation
A psychiatric evaluation with a prescriber, covering your history and what you are dealing with now.
Insurance
We verify your benefits and go through costs before a date is set.
Follow-up
Regular appointments to review how the plan is working and adjust it.
Paying for care yourself? You are entitled to a written estimate before you begin — see what your care costs. Insured? Start with our insurance verification form.
If you are in crisis, do not wait for an appointment.
Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. If there is immediate danger to life, call 911. Strata Outpatient is a scheduled outpatient clinic — not an emergency service, a crisis line, or a 24/7 provider.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
If what you want to know is not here, call (858) 567-4246 and ask. You will speak to someone who can answer it.
Do I have to be in the IOP to see a prescriber here?
No. Medication management stands on its own. It also runs inside our Intensive Outpatient Program, so people in the program do not have to go out and find a prescriber separately.
Will I be put on medication?
Not automatically. The evaluation exists to work out what would actually help, and medication is one option among several. If a prescriber does not think it is the right move, they will tell you that.
Where medication is recommended, you are told what it is for, what to expect, and what the alternatives are, and the decision is made with you.
Can I keep seeing my own therapist?
Yes. If you already have a therapist you want to stay with, say so at the consultation. With your written authorization we can coordinate with them, in the way our Notice of Privacy Practices describes.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can call us directly. Referrals from a therapist, physician or psychiatrist are welcome, and we work with referring providers, but you do not need one to start the conversation.
Some insurance plans require a referral or prior authorization for coverage. That is one of the things we check when we verify your benefits.
Do you take my insurance?
We verify your benefits during admissions, before your start date is set, and then walk you through what your plan covers, what it does not, and what your out-of-pocket costs look like. You will know before you begin.
You can start that now through our insurance verification form, or by calling us.
What if I am paying for care myself?
You are entitled to a written Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost before it begins. We will give you one without your having to ask. See what your care costs for how that works and what to do if a bill ever exceeds it.
Do you prescribe for substance use or eating disorders?
No. We are an adult mental health practice — anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder and life transitions. We do not provide substance use treatment, detox, or eating disorder treatment, and we are not a residential or inpatient program. If that is what you need, we will provide appropriate referrals.
Find us
Where we are
We are on Sorrento Valley Road, a few minutes from the 805 and the 5, with parking on site.
Office hours
Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Phone
Serving
Adults across San Diego County, including University City and UTC, La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Mira Mesa and the rest of North County.