Questions we hear most often

A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) with specialized training in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment — including the ability to prescribe medication. The key difference from a psychiatrist (who holds an MD) is educational pathway: PMHNPs complete a nursing degree followed by a graduate-level psychiatric specialty program. In practice, PMHNPs and psychiatrists provide very similar care. Nicholas holds his PMHNP certification and has extensive clinical experience in both therapy and medication management.

Northwest Psychiatry currently accepts clients in Maine. We are expanding to Washington State in 2027. All appointments are conducted via telehealth, so you can be seen from anywhere in a state where Nicholas is licensed.

No — telehealth law requires that you be physically located in a state where your provider is licensed at the time of the appointment. Because Nicholas is currently licensed in Maine, you must be in Maine during your visit. If you travel out of state, please contact us at (360) 342-6445 so we can reschedule for when you return. If you anticipate an extended stay in another state, reach out and we'll discuss your options.

Yes. Northwest Psychiatry sees clients from age 5 to 85 — children, adolescents, and adults. For a client under 18, a parent or legal guardian signs the consent forms on the client's behalf. To ask about care for a child or teen, call (360) 342-6445 or email Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org.

Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, takes a person-centered, evidence-based approach to psychiatric care. That means treatment is always tailored to you as an individual — your history, goals, values, and preferences — rather than fitting you into a standard protocol. Care often integrates medication management with therapeutic techniques drawn from CBT, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed practice. Nicholas believes strongly in shared decision-making: you are an active partner in your own treatment, not a passive recipient. The goal is not just symptom relief, but meaningful improvement in your quality of life.

Both. Northwest Psychiatry offers a combined approach to psychiatric care — Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, is trained in both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. Depending on your needs, your care may focus primarily on medication management, therapy, or an integrated blend of both. Many clients benefit most from a combination: medication to address neurobiological factors, and therapy to build skills, process experiences, and work toward meaningful goals. The balance is discussed openly and adjusted over time based on what's working.

Yes. As a licensed PMHNP in Maine, Nicholas can prescribe the full range of psychiatric medications, including controlled substances such as stimulants (for ADHD) and benzodiazepines (for anxiety and related conditions), when clinically appropriate. Controlled substances are evaluated carefully based on your diagnosis, history, safety profile, and relevant state prescription monitoring requirements, and are monitored closely throughout your care.

The easiest way to request a refill is through your client portal. Sign in, go to the Medications tab, and press 'Request refill' on the medication's card. Add any relevant notes (e.g., running low, questions about side effects) and submit. Your provider will review the request and you can track its status on the same Medications tab, where your open requests are listed. For urgent needs, call (360) 342-6445.

Refill requests submitted through the client portal are typically reviewed within 1–3 business days. If your medication is running low, submit your request at least a week before you run out to avoid a gap. For urgent situations, call the office at (360) 342-6445.

Contact us as soon as possible. If you're experiencing a severe or life-threatening reaction, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately. For non-emergency side effects, send a message through your client portal or call (360) 342-6445. Do not stop taking a prescribed medication abruptly without guidance — some medications require a gradual taper.

In many cases, yes — if the clinical picture is clear and medication is indicated, Nicholas may prescribe during or following the initial psychiatric evaluation. However, some situations require additional assessment or follow-up before prescribing, particularly for controlled substances or complex presentations. This will always be discussed openly with you.

Yes — prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice. You'll provide your preferred pharmacy during your intake process. If you need to update your pharmacy at any time, send a message through your client portal or call (360) 342-6445. Controlled substance prescriptions may be subject to additional requirements depending on your pharmacy and state regulations.

Prior authorization (PA) is a requirement from some insurance plans that a medication must be approved before they'll cover it. If your insurer requires a PA for a prescribed medication, our office will initiate the process on your behalf — you do not need to handle it yourself. PA reviews typically take a few business days, though timelines vary by insurer. If your medication is urgent and a PA is pending, call us at (360) 342-6445 and we'll work with you to bridge the gap if clinically appropriate.

Yes — in the Medications tab, press the 'Download signed order (PDF)' button on any current medication. Each press creates a fresh, signed copy on the practice's letterhead with its own serial number, so a pharmacy can check it with us. For most medications the page is a signed prescription your pharmacy can use as a backup to the electronic one (they may confirm it with the practice before filling). For a controlled medication — a stimulant or a benzodiazepine, for example — the page is marked as a record copy that a pharmacy cannot fill from: those prescriptions have to reach the pharmacy electronically or on a page the prescriber has signed by hand, so this copy is for your own records. Medications you no longer take don't have one. If the button says a copy isn't ready yet, send us a message and we'll sort it out.

Request an appointment through our online form at northwestpsychiatry.org/waitlist — submit your information, including your insurance plan if you have one. We reach out within a few business days; first appointments are typically scheduled within 1–2 weeks for non-urgent requests. The first appointment is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation (typically 60–75 minutes), which serves as the foundation for your care plan.

Yes. Once your first visit is arranged, new clients usually complete a short setup in the client portal — but if that isn't for you, download our new client intake form at northwestpsychiatry.org/forms/northwest-psychiatry-new-client-intake.pdf. It asks the same questions as the online setup — about you, your address and insurance, your contacts, allergies and consents — and you can type into it on a computer or print it and fill it in by hand. To send it back, upload it in your client portal under Documents & forms → Documents if you can sign in, or fax it to (360) 342-6446. Or call (360) 342-6445 and we'll work out the easiest way with you. Please don't email it: email isn't a secure way to send health information.

Follow-up appointments are typically 20–30 minutes. Frequency depends on your individual needs and treatment phase — early in treatment or when adjusting medications, appointments are often monthly. As your care stabilizes, visits may shift to every 6–8 weeks or quarterly. Your provider will recommend a schedule that makes clinical sense for you and adjust it as your needs change.

Established clients can request new appointments directly from the client portal — no need to go to an external site. Sign in at northwestpsychiatry.org/portal, go to the Appointments tab, and click 'Request appointment.' You'll choose the visit type, the format (telehealth or in person), a time from your provider's real openings, and — if you like — a line about what you'd like to focus on. Your care team reviews the request, and you get an email and a notification in the portal when it is confirmed (or if it can't be, so you can pick another time). Whenever the practice confirms, moves or cancels one of your visits, the same email and portal notification tell you, naming the date and time. New clients request their first appointment at northwestpsychiatry.org/waitlist.

Established clients can reschedule through the patient portal. Sign in at northwestpsychiatry.org/portal, go to the Appointments tab, find your upcoming appointment, and click 'Reschedule.' A form will appear where you can select a new date and time and optionally add a note explaining the reason. Your current visit stays on the calendar until your care team approves the change; you'll get an email and a portal notification when it is decided. You can also call our office at (360) 342-6445 to reschedule. Please give at least 24 hours' notice when possible to avoid a late-cancellation fee.

Northwest Psychiatry retains medical records in accordance with Maine state law, which requires that adult client records be kept for at least 7 years from the date of the last service. Records for clients who were minors at any point during treatment are kept until the client's 25th birthday or 7 years from the last service — whichever is later. During this period, you retain your HIPAA right to access your records. After the retention period expires, records are securely destroyed in compliance with HIPAA guidelines.

Northwest Psychiatry specializes in a broad range of psychiatric conditions across the lifespan (ages 5 to 85), including: Major Depressive Disorder and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, PTSD and trauma-related disorders, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Bipolar Disorder (I and II), OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), Insomnia and sleep disorders, and mood dysregulation. Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, also specializes in treatment-resistant presentations and complex cases involving multiple co-occurring conditions. If you're unsure whether your situation is a good fit, call (360) 342-6445 or send a message — we're happy to talk through it.

Yes — depression is one of the most common conditions treated at Northwest Psychiatry. Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, offers comprehensive evaluation and evidence-based treatment for Major Depressive Disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), and treatment-resistant depression. Treatment typically includes medication management, individual therapy focused on evidence-based approaches (CBT, behavioral activation), and personalized goal-setting. All care is delivered via secure telehealth, so you can start treatment from home anywhere in Maine. Learn more at northwestpsychiatry.org/depression-treatment-maine.

Yes. Northwest Psychiatry provides evaluation and treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and related anxiety conditions. Treatment is individualized and may include psychiatric medication management, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, mindfulness-based approaches, and goal-oriented coping strategies. All visits are via telehealth. Learn more at northwestpsychiatry.org/anxiety-medication-management-maine.

Yes. Northwest Psychiatry provides comprehensive ADHD evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management for adults — and, because the practice sees clients from age 5 to 85, for children and adolescents as well, with a parent or legal guardian signing consents for a minor. Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, takes a thorough approach to ADHD assessment — reviewing symptom history, functional impairment, and ruling out contributing or co-occurring conditions. Stimulant and non-stimulant medications are available when clinically appropriate, along with psychoeducation and individualized goal-setting. All care is via telehealth. Learn more at northwestpsychiatry.org/adhd-psychiatry-maine.

Yes. Trauma-informed psychiatric care is a core specialty at Northwest Psychiatry. Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, provides evaluation and treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, and trauma-related mood and anxiety symptoms. Treatment may include medication management, trauma-focused therapeutic approaches, and — for eligible clients — adjunctive remote neurofeedback (Myndlift). All visits are via telehealth. Learn more at northwestpsychiatry.org/ptsd-telepsychiatry-maine.

Yes. Northwest Psychiatry provides psychiatric evaluation and ongoing medication management for Bipolar Disorder I and II. Accurate diagnosis is essential — Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, takes time during the initial evaluation to carefully assess mood history, episode patterns, family history, and treatment history. Mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, and adjunctive medications are available as clinically appropriate. Regular follow-up and close monitoring are an important part of bipolar care.

Yes. Sleep disorders — including chronic insomnia, insomnia comorbid with anxiety or depression, and sleep disruption related to PTSD — are commonly addressed at Northwest Psychiatry. Treatment approaches include behavioral interventions (CBT-I principles), sleep hygiene guidance, and medication management when appropriate. Neurofeedback (Myndlift) may also be considered as an adjunctive treatment for insomnia in eligible clients.

All video visits use Doxy.me — a HIPAA-compliant video platform with nothing to download and no account to create. You join from your client portal with the 'Join session' button on your Home tab (or next to the visit on your Appointments tab) — it appears about 30 minutes before your appointment and is the only way in. On every device — computer, phone or tablet, in a browser or in the Northwest Psychiatry app — the visit opens right here in the portal, never in a separate browser tab, and you can keep using the portal while it runs: open Messages or a form and the video moves to a small window in the corner of the screen and stays connected. Allow camera and microphone access when your browser asks, then wait in the virtual waiting room until your provider admits you. You'll need a device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or a strong signal) and a private space. Check your setup any time with the 'Check camera & microphone' button on the Telehealth sub-tab or on the Video visits card in Settings.

Your video visit runs on Doxy.me, which picks its own microphone and speakers — usually your device's default — and the portal cannot choose them for it, so choose them inside the video. While you wait to be admitted, hover over your own video and click the three dots (⋮); on a phone or tablet, tap the gear at the top left of your video. Once the visit has started, click or tap the video to show its buttons, then the gear or the three dots on the bar at the bottom, and pick your microphone and speakers. If you or your provider sound muffled — like talking underwater — the usual cause is a Bluetooth headset: when its own microphone is in use, Bluetooth switches it to a low-quality hands-free mode in both directions. Pick your computer's built-in microphone and keep the headset for listening, or use wired earphones; on a phone, wired earphones or the phone itself sound clearer. Close any other app that uses your microphone, such as another video call, and press 'Reconnect' if it is still not right. Before a visit, the 'Check camera & microphone' button on the Telehealth sub-tab lets you pick and test your microphone and speakers, and warns you about a Bluetooth or virtual microphone.

Yes. Nicholas can send an activity — a drawing game, a shared whiteboard, a board game — onto your Telehealth screen while your visit is open, which is often how a session with a younger client gets going. It appears on its own: you do not have to watch for a message, open a link, or leave the call. On a computer, or a tablet turned sideways, the activity and the video sit side by side. On a phone, or a tablet held upright, a Join game bar appears at the bottom of the screen, on any page of the portal: one tap and the activity fills the screen, with Nicholas in a small video in a corner that you can drag to any corner. Show video makes the video big again and Back to game returns to the activity; Back to portal closes the activity's screen. None of them hang up, and the call keeps running while you play. There is an "Open full screen" link that opens the activity in its own browser tab if you would rather it filled the screen — your video stays in the portal's tab, so switch back to it to see Nicholas. A few activities cannot run inside the portal — those say so and open in their own tab the same way. When Nicholas ends a game, it leaves your screen. If your visit is not open, one of the practice's own games waits at the top of your portal instead, with a Join game button. Activities are optional; tell Nicholas if you would rather not use them.

If you experience technical issues, first try refreshing your browser or switching to a different device. If problems persist, call our office at (360) 342-6445 and we'll switch to a phone consultation or reschedule without penalty. Technical difficulties are never held against you — they happen.

Yes. Research consistently shows that telehealth psychiatric care produces outcomes equivalent to in-person treatment for the vast majority of conditions. Many clients actually prefer the convenience and comfort of being seen from home, and some find it easier to open up in a familiar environment.

Yes, if you use the Northwest Psychiatry iPhone app and the practice has connected health data turned on. In the portal, open the Settings tab → Connected health data and turn on the categories you want to share: sleep (time asleep, bed and wake times, and sleep stages, time awake and time in bed where your device records them), heart (resting heart rate and heart-rate variability), activity (steps, exercise and stand minutes, mindfulness minutes, and time in daylight), and body measurements (weight and waist). Then, in the iPhone app, tap Connect Apple Health and allow those categories on Apple's screen — two separate permissions, both required. Only daily summaries are shared, never continuous readings, workouts, or your location, and the app never writes anything to Apple Health. What you share is stored on your chart as context for your care. Today the charts on your Progress tab and on your chart beside your medication changes draw time asleep, resting heart rate, HRV, and steps; the newer summaries (sleep stages, exercise, mindfulness and daylight minutes, and body measurements) are stored but not yet charted. Your care team reviews what you share as part of your care, and the practice's clinical analysis — an AI tool the practice uses under its business associate agreements — may summarize trends from it for your provider. It is never used for advertising and never sold. Turn a category off any time to stop sharing, and delete what was already shared from the same card.

Sign in on any device, open the Appointments tab, and look under the Appointment reminders row. If reminders are on for more than one device you will see a line saying so — open it and turn off the one you no longer use. Each is listed by the date reminders were turned on and the date it last received one, which is how you tell them apart. Turning one off stops us sending to it. If it is a device you do still use, nothing more will arrive there until you turn reminders on again from that device.

Yes. In the portal, open the Settings tab → Notifications & reminders and use Reminders for your day. Each current medication can remind you at your care team's suggested times, at times you choose, or not at all, with an optional second reminder 30 minutes later on a day you haven't checked in. You can also set journal reminders, meal reminders while your care team has the food tracker set up for you, and a reminder on any routine. Reminders arrive as notifications from the app or your browser on the devices where you turn notifications on — never as texts or emails — and they never name a medication or a routine. The Northwest Psychiatry app on a Mac or a Windows computer shows them too, as that computer's own notifications, once you choose Turn on reminders on this computer there; your appointment reminders come the day before, and signing out clears them from that computer. In the iPhone, iPad and Android apps you can also add a widget to your Home Screen that shows times and counts, and shows names only if you turn that on for that device.

There is no password — the portal uses one-time email codes instead. Go to northwestpsychiatry.org/portal, enter the email address the practice has on file, and we'll send you a 6-digit code; type it in and you're signed in. Codes expire after 15 minutes — just request a new one if it lapses. If a code doesn't arrive within a couple of minutes, check your spam folder and make sure you used the address we have for you. New clients receive a secure onboarding link (or an invite code — see the next question) that walks through profile setup first. Until your care relationship is established you'll see a limited view where you can complete your intake, which helps your provider prepare for your first visit; full portal features unlock once you're an established client. If you've lost access to your email account itself, or you believe your access should already be active, call (360) 342-6445 or email Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org and we'll help after verifying your identity.

Sign in at northwestpsychiatry.org/portal with the email address the practice sent the code to. If we don't yet have a record under that address you'll land on a screen saying we couldn't match it — choose "Have an invite code?" there, enter your full name and the code, and it sets up your account and starts your intake. A code works only for the address it was issued to, only once, and it expires after 30 days, so ask us for a new one if yours has lapsed. If you are already a client, you do not need a code at all — just sign in with the address we have on file. And if we already have a record for you but your portal access is closed, a code will not reopen it: call (360) 342-6445 and we'll do that for you.

The portal sidebar is organized into five groups. Home: your at-a-glance dashboard (upcoming appointment with a join button, anything waiting on you, latest activity), To-Do (everything waiting on you — forms to sign, assigned worksheets and screenings — plus the pre-session Check-in), and Messages (secure messaging with your care team). My care: Appointments (request, reschedule or cancel a visit, and a Telehealth sub-tab to join your video visit), My treatment (your diagnoses and treatment goals, and where you review and sign your treatment plan), Medications (current prescriptions with side-effect tracking, refill requests and a downloadable signed copy of each order), My record (clinical notes, visit summaries, lab results, and your intake), and Safety plan (your personal plan plus any provider-assigned structured plans). How I'm doing: Assessments (screenings like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, plus your Daily log and Cycle tracker), Journal (your private journal), Progress (trends and your wellness snapshot), Library (worksheets, educational videos, and resources), Games & tools (the practice's own games and activities), and Neurofeedback (where the Myndlift program's sessions appear if you are enrolled in it). Paperwork: Documents & forms (your documents, consents, form requests, and records-release requests) and Billing (insurance on file or self-pay status, superbill requests). Account: Settings (your profile and contact details, insurance, pharmacies and allergies, notifications, and sign-in & security) and Help, where every one of these answers is searchable.

Open Messages — it is under Home in your portal sidebar, and in the bottom bar on a phone. Write your message and send it; you can attach a file, use 'New topic' to start a separate conversation with its own subject, or choose 'Send later' to schedule it. A file you attach, and any file your care team sends you, is also kept in your record under Documents & forms → Documents, marked 'From a message' — for a message you schedule, once it sends. Messages are encrypted and go only to your care team, and a reply shows up as a count on Messages (a dot on a phone), with the name of the person who wrote it. Tick 'Mark urgent' if something needs attention soon — it puts your conversation at the top of your care team's list — but messages are not watched around the clock: for anything urgent, call (360) 342-6445, and in a crisis call or text 988 or call 911. Please don't send health information by regular email — the Messages tab is the secure way.

The Appointments tab is located under 'My care' in your portal sidebar. Its Schedule sub-tab shows all of your upcoming appointments and a full history of past sessions with Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC — each entry displays the date, time, and visit type (Initial Evaluation, Follow-Up, Medication Management, etc.) along with a status label. You can request a booking, reschedule, or cancellation directly from the portal against your provider's real availability — each is confirmed by your care team, and you'll get an email and a portal notification when it's decided. If the practice confirms, moves or cancels a visit from its side, you are told the same way, with the date and time. The Telehealth sub-tab is where you join your video visit.

The My treatment tab is located under 'My care' in your portal sidebar. It shows your current diagnoses (and any past ones), the treatment goals you and your provider have agreed to work toward, and your treatment plan when there is one ready for you to review and sign. Consent agreements and other documents your provider needs you to sign live under Documents & forms — Consents. Your intake questionnaire is separate again: it is the Intake sub-tab of My record. The Forms sub-tab is the opposite direction — that is where you ask your provider to complete a form FOR you (FMLA, disability, school or anything else): attach the form, or photos of its pages, say when it's due, and — if it should go straight to your employer or insurer — who, with your authorization to send it there. You can see where it stands, and view or download it there once your provider has signed it. Anything you sign is saved automatically and visible to your provider.

A Release of Information authorizes Northwest Psychiatry to share your medical records with a third party — such as another provider, an insurance company, or a family member you designate. You can submit a new ROI request from the Records release sub-tab of Documents & forms in your client portal. Your provider will review the request and update its status (pending, approved, or declined). Once approved, records will be shared only as specified in your request.

Yes. The portal is HIPAA-compliant. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest. There are no passwords to steal or reuse — sign-in uses one-time 6-digit email codes that expire after 15 minutes. Your account automatically signs out after about 30 minutes of inactivity to protect your privacy — especially on shared devices — with a warning 5 minutes before the session ends. Portal sessions also expire on the server after a week without use, you can turn on an email alert when your account is signed in to (at most one every 12 hours, so a busy day does not fill your inbox), and Settings → Sign-in & security shows your recent sign-ins with a one-click 'Sign out everywhere'. That same page lists any device you have allowed to stay signed in without a code, and removes it; tapping Sign out on that device ends it too. Your records are visible only to you and your care team.

The Safety plan tab holds your own plan, and sometimes a structured one your provider has assigned. Your personal safety plan is the main one: seven steps you write in your own words — your warning signs, what helps when you are alone, the people and places that help, who you can ask for help, professionals and crisis lines, making your surroundings safer, and your reasons for living. You can update it any time, and you can print or save a copy — the crisis numbers are printed on it, so it works without signing in. Your provider may also assign a structured plan for something specific, such as a Violence/Aggression Safety Plan or a Psychosis Safety Plan; those appear on the same tab under "Plans your provider assigned you", with sections to fill in and save. If you would like to review or update either, bring it up at your next appointment or send a message through the portal.

Press the 'Join session' button on your Home tab, or the same button next to the visit on your Appointments tab. It is the only way in, and it appears about 30 minutes before the start (the exact lead is set by the practice and shown on the Telehealth sub-tab). On every device — computer, phone or tablet, in a browser or in the Northwest Psychiatry app — it opens the Doxy.me visit right here in the portal: no downloads and no separate tab, and anything your provider shares with you appears beside the video. You can keep using the portal during the visit — the video moves to a small window and stays connected, and the window's 'Back to your visit' button returns it to full size. Signing out, or leaving the portal for the main website, ends the call, so the portal asks first. You are only ever in the call once: if the portal is open in two tabs, only one holds the visit, and 'Bring the visit onto this screen' moves it to the one you are looking at. If the video freezes, 'Reconnect' restarts it. Allow camera and microphone access when prompted, then wait in the virtual waiting room — your provider will admit you at your appointment time. For any technical issues, call (360) 342-6445.

The Check-in lets you answer a few short questions about your mood, sleep and concerns before each appointment, so your provider can tailor the session to what matters most right now. You don't have to go looking for it: starting about two days before each session — or as soon as it is booked, if that's closer — a 'Check in before your session' card appears at the top of Home and To-Do with a 'Start check-in' button, and the first time you sign in during that window a pop-up offers 'Check in now' (or 'Not now'; the card stays until you've checked in or the session starts). Your answers are saved as you go, so you can stop and come back on any device. You'll also find it any time as the Check-in sub-tab of To-Do in your portal sidebar.

The Wellness Journal is a private space to write — only you can see your entries unless you share one. Write freely, answer a guided prompt (the journal suggests a few from your treatment goals and recent check-ins), do a quick mood check-in with a few feeling words, or list three good things; add tags if you like. Each entry is dated by the day it's about: today, unless you choose yesterday or another day up to 90 days back — handy when you're catching up — and you can change an entry's day later. You can share specific entries with your provider, and unshare them with one tap; a shared entry can be read in your chart by your provider and the clinical staff on your care team. The Dot journal page keeps quick bullets for tasks, events and notes, with monthly and future logs and your own collections and trackers, and the Insights page shows patterns that only you can see. You can search your entries, see them on a calendar, hide them on a shared screen, and download a copy as a PDF or text file. You'll find it as the Journal tab, just below Assessments in the How I'm doing section of your portal sidebar.

Your treatment goals appear on the My treatment tab, under the My care section of your portal sidebar — the goals you and your provider have agreed to work toward, such as improving sleep, managing anxiety in social situations, or building a consistent daily routine. For each goal you can see its current status, any milestones your provider has set, and add personal notes as you make progress. Your provider updates goals and milestones from their side, and both of you see the same picture.

Under Library in the How I'm doing section of your portal sidebar. The Resources sub-tab holds materials your provider has selected specifically for you — psychoeducation handouts, relaxation guides or reading recommendations — each with a Mark complete button. The Videos sub-tab is a library you watch right in the portal: a tour of the portal itself, short narrated videos on medications, diagnoses and coping skills with captions, and any video your provider has shared with you. You can search it, and the practice's videos pick up where you left off on that device. Worksheets your provider has assigned appear on the Worksheets sub-tab beside them, and those also show up on your To-Do tab. Reviewing them between sessions helps reinforce what you discuss during appointments.

The Worksheets sub-tab of Library holds interactive therapeutic worksheets — the ones your provider assigns to you, and any you start yourself under “Start something new”. They sit in three sections: To do (sent to you and not started yet), In progress (started, with how many questions you have answered), and Completed (finished, newest first, with the day you finished — and a search once there are more than a few). Opening one fills the screen: “All worksheets” at the top takes you back, a bar at the top of it (pinned under the top of the page on a larger screen) shows how far along you are and whether your answers are saved, and “Mark complete” is at the end. Open a finished worksheet to read your answers back, then use “Download PDF” for a copy to keep or “Print” for paper; an unfinished one has the same buttons, and “View my answers” shows it read back. Every page of the copy carries the practice's name, the page number and the crisis lines, and the file is named only by its date. Your answers save as you go and are shared with your provider by default so they can review them before or during your next appointment — you can switch sharing off on any individual worksheet. Worksheet formats include: Checklist (daily tasks or behaviors to practice), Reflection Prompts (open-ended journaling questions), Pros & Cons (explore both sides of a decision), CBT Thought Record (challenge and reframe automatic negative thoughts), Behavioral Activation (schedule mood-boosting activities), Values Exploration (clarify your personal values and priorities), Safety Plan (your personalized crisis coping plan), SMART Goals (structured goal-setting with specific milestones), Coping Skills Menu (your personalized library of evidence-based coping strategies), Worry Log (track and restructure anxious thoughts), Gratitude Practice (structured daily gratitude reflection), Sleep Log (sleep diary and hygiene improvement guide), Emotion Regulation (DBT-based skills for managing difficult emotions), and Exposure Hierarchy (graduated exposure steps for anxiety or PTSD). Your provider selects the format that best fits your current treatment focus.

If your care team adds it, the ERP workbook appears in Library as an ERP workbook sub-tab. It is the practice's Exposure and Response Prevention workbook for OCD — the starter guide's seven sections with worksheets, clearly marked fictional examples, and clinical review notes — and you work through it with your clinician. Each page is labeled SOURCE GUIDE [S], WORKBOOK EXERCISE or CLINICAL REVIEW so you can tell what came from the starter guide and what was added, and each page names its sources. Your answers save as you go and your clinician can read them; blanks are fine, the forms are not a test, and every page offers Skip for now and Talk about it with my clinician. The exposure practice and daily log pages open after your clinician completes Safety, fit, and a shared plan with you, and you record a practice only on a ladder step your clinician approved — the ladder in the workbook is your exposure ladder, on a 0–10 scale, and it shows in the Exposure Ladder tool too. The workbook never decides when to move up a step; you and your clinician decide that together. It also quotes the CEDAR booklet Exposure and Response Prevention (Marie Chellingsworth, University of Exeter) in a section of its own, labeled CEDAR BOOKLET [C] and numbered with the booklet's own pages: What is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), with its vicious circle and distress graphs drawn out; Doing Exposure and Response Prevention: The Five Conditions, whose numbers are the booklet's guidance — never a rule the portal applies; ERP Symptom Monitoring Worksheet A, to fill in; ERP Hierarchy Worksheet B, which is your exposure ladder shown most difficult first; ERP Exercise Recording Worksheet C, which is your practice log in the booklet's columns, with a While preparing rating you can add to a record; Check a plan against the five conditions, which opens after your safety plan; and the booklet's own examples, Laura and the Recovery Story of Eliana, marked BOOKLET EXAMPLE [C] — to read, never assigned to you. Beside the pages is the ERP companion, ERP, One Practice at a Time: seven steps that each open the workbook's own pages; Check fit before a new practice, seven prompts that each show what to do the moment you tick one; and Lessons, examples and support — lessons, patterns to discuss, fictional examples marked Discuss first (never assigned to you), troubleshooting, supporter scripts and the evidence behind them. Your clinician may set an age pathway. While a prompt that pauses new practice is ticked, or the pathway is under 5, the pages for planning a new practice are read-only — what you wrote is kept, and recording what already happened stays open. If something you write sounds like you may not be safe, the page shows the crisis lines at once, and when it saves it is marked in your chart for your clinician. It is not a crisis plan: if you are in danger, call 911, or call or text 988.

If your care team adds it, the ADHD workbook appears in Library as an ADHD workbook sub-tab. It is the practice's ADHD, Everyday workbook for ages 4 and up, including adults — a strengths-first, nonmedication skills companion. For children and teens aged 4 to 17, a caregiver and child work through it together, or a teen leads it. For adults, the adult edition is self-directed: you choose the goal and the support, and another person takes part only if you choose and agree on their role. The essential route is short: start with strengths and what matters, notice patterns across settings, check the wider picture, choose one observable goal, observe a starting pattern, choose a fitting support, write a one-page plan, make brief entries for two weeks, and review together. Your care team may add the full workbook, with support cards — thirty for children and teens, eighteen for adults — and optional worksheets. Choose a fitting support shows suggestions from your answers, each with the reason it appeared; they are planning suggestions, not a diagnosis or a treatment algorithm, and you can choose any card. Your answers save as you go and your care team can read them; blanks are fine, and every page offers Skip for now and Talk about it with my clinician. Print my summary saves a PDF of your entries. The workbook does not change medication or direct treatment; questions about medication go to your prescriber. In the adult edition, Check the wider picture has an Immediate safety box you can mark yourself, and if something you write sounds like you may not be safe, the page shows the crisis lines; if it mentions alcohol, drugs or driving, the page suggests talking it through with your clinician. It is not watched minute by minute and is not a crisis line: if there is immediate danger, call 911, or call or text 988.

Library → Offline workbook, for every client — and the public site offers the same files on our Insights page, under Guides & downloads. They are the practice's workbooks as files that work with no internet connection, one file per workbook: ADHD, Everyday, Sensory, Everyday, Food for Mood, and Thought Distortions & Thought Loops — the last two also as a fillable PDF. The portal's Library also has one that is for the practice's clients, for use in their care: it downloads only while you are signed in. Each file is blank when you download it. Download one, open it in your browser, and write. What you write stays in that browser tab until you choose to keep it: each file can save it in the browser on the device where you opened the file — in ADHD, Everyday and Sensory, Everyday, open Save & files and choose Save on this device; in Food for Mood and Thought Distortions & Thought Loops, open Save / load and choose Save future changes in this browser — and anyone else who uses that browser may be able to see it. You can also export your entries to a file, or print them. Nothing you write in them is sent to the practice or reaches your chart, and your care team does not see it unless you choose to share an exported file or a printout. They are not monitored and are not a crisis service — if you are in danger, call 911, or call or text 988. The workbooks in the portal are different: they save as you go, and your care team can read them.

Games & tools, in the How I'm doing section of your portal sidebar, holds three kinds of thing. The practice's own games and activities play right in the portal or full screen, with no sign-in and no advertising, and stay silent unless you press a game's Sound button; two-player games have a Play together button that gives you a six-character code to share, and a shared board is kept for a day, then gone. Life Chess, Life Checkers, Connect Four: Actions & Consequences and Feelings Battleship can also be played against the computer, at easy, medium or hard. Key Cruiser is typing practice as a drive (it used to be called Typing Road Trip): steady, careful typing speeds the car up, and a wrong key splats a bug on the windshield. Type letters, words or sentences from a word pack for early readers, kids, teens or adults, or calm phrases, on a road trip, a one-minute sprint or an untimed zen drive — and pick your own vehicle, then reach the stops on the map. It keeps your recent drives and best scores on the device you play on, so you can watch your progress — words a minute, accuracy, clean streaks, days in a row and a map of the keys you miss most — and practice the keys you miss most — they are never sent to the practice, and 'Clear my scores' removes them. When your provider starts a game for you, it is pinned at the top of this page — and offered at the top of every other page of the portal — with a Join game button: one tap opens it, on a phone or a computer. When your provider ends it, the portal says so, and says when your world was saved for next time. The tools that save to your record — the DBT Diary Card, Urge Surfing, Sleep Garden, Exposure Ladder, Activity Planner, Values Card Sort, Routines and the Sensory Toolkit — keep what you enter in your record, where your care team can read it; nobody watches them around the clock, so if you need help right now, call or text 988. Routines now lives in the Routines tab, just below Journal, and its card here opens it. The Sensory Toolkit has the practice's Sensory, Everyday workbook ('Start the workbook'): choose an age pathway — your age suggests one, and you can pick another — then work through twelve short pages: start with the person, notice preferences in eight areas (descriptions, not scores), look at two moments, check fit and safety, choose one useful goal, find a fitting support among 28 cards, make one small trial plan, notice two weeks, review the result, and share a useful summary ('Print my summary'). Cards marked [Review] are topics to discuss with your care team first, and they are never suggested on their own; under 4, the workbook is a caregiver's observation route with no tool suggestions. If you tick an urgent change on the safety page — choking or trouble breathing, a swallowed battery, magnet or water bead, sudden confusion, or sudden hearing or vision loss — the emergency number appears at once, and your chart is marked for your care team, who may not see it right away. A workbook you started before keeps its pages and answers; 'Start the new workbook' begins a fresh copy when you choose. The toolkit also has a short sensory check-in — the practice's own questions, not a test or a diagnosis ('Do the check-in') — and, once your care team has looked it over and approved it, your plan as a daily checklist ('Open today's plan'): tick what you did, say how much it helped, and note anything that felt uncomfortable. Each item shows its safety notes, and any example is a link to another site that opens only if you press it — the practice doesn't sell or endorse any product. 'Add to my routines' turns a time of day's activities into a routine. If your care team shares a school support plan, 'Open the school plan' shows your child's school day and supports, the communication cards, the shared response and a log for what you see; 'School copy (PDF)' prints only the parts your care team chose to share, with your child's name left blank unless you add it. And if your provider recommends apps from other companies, those appear in their own section and open on the company's own site, with its own account and privacy rules — nothing from your record goes with them.

Routines is step-by-step help for the parts of a day that slip — mornings, bedtime, homework or study, leaving the house, starting work. You'll find it as the Routines tab, just below Journal in the How I'm doing section of your portal sidebar (on a phone, tap More). Routines lets you build routines for mornings, bedtime, homework or work and run them one step at a time, with pictures and a clock that runs down — or as a checklist with no clock, or just their essential steps on a hard day; it is silent unless you press its Sound button. The routines set for today also wait on your Home page, each with Start, Mark done (for one you did without the portal) and Not today — there is no streak and nothing to lose, and a missed day is just information. If your care team suggests a routine, it waits at the top of Routines until you add it, change it first, or tell them it's not for you. Routines don't send texts or emails, and what you record is saved to your record, where your care team can read it to help you shape your routines; nobody watches it around the clock, so if you need help right now, call or text 988.

The Daily log — a sub-tab of Assessments in the How I'm doing section — combines your overall mood score with symptom tracking in one daily entry. Rate the severity of specific symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, irritability, concentration difficulty, or fatigue using sliders, alongside your 1–10 mood score and an optional note. Each symptom trends over time in the Progress tab, building a data-rich picture for you and your provider to review at appointments.

The Clinical notes sub-tab of My record gives you direct access to your provider's formal clinical documentation — the detailed notes written after each appointment. These notes include the clinical reasoning behind medication decisions, diagnoses, and treatment adjustments. Under the 21st Century Cures Act (the federal information blocking rule), you have the legal right to access these notes promptly and at no charge. Notes appear once your provider has shared them with you — your provider controls which notes are made visible, ensuring you always receive the most complete and reviewed version. Find them in the Clinical notes sub-tab of My record, under My care in your portal sidebar. Select a note to read it in full, then use Download PDF to keep a copy — it arrives on the practice's letterhead, exactly as we would send it, and saves to your phone or computer like any other file. Print is beside it if you would rather have it on paper. You can also call us at (360) 342-6445 or send a portal message and we will send it to you; either way there is no charge, as the law requires. If you have questions about something in a note, bring it up at your next appointment or send a message through the portal. If you believe a note should be available but doesn't appear, contact us at (360) 342-6445.

Both live under My record in the My care section of your portal sidebar — Visit summaries and Clinical notes are separate sub-tabs — but they serve different purposes. Visit Summaries are brief, structured overviews written by your provider after each session — they highlight the main topics discussed, any medication changes, and your next steps. They're designed to be easy to read and act on between appointments. Progress Notes are the formal clinical documentation written by your provider — significantly more detailed and written in clinical language. They include the full clinical reasoning behind diagnoses, medication decisions, and treatment adjustments. Progress Notes are part of your official medical record and are the documents you would typically share when coordinating care with another provider. Under the 21st Century Cures Act, you have the right to access both.

Visit Summaries are brief, plain-language overviews of a session — a useful reference between appointments. When your provider finalizes a progress note or initial psychiatric evaluation, a summary is drafted for them; your provider reviews it and chooses whether to share it with you, so you will only ever see one your provider has read and released. A shared summary usually includes a short narrative of the session and the key takeaways, and — where they apply — any medication changes explained in everyday language, your next steps before the following appointment, when to return or how to reach us, and some background on your diagnoses or medications. Shared summaries appear in the Visit summaries sub-tab of My record, under My care in your portal sidebar; tap one to read it in full.

Forensic evaluations are legal documents that contain sensitive clinical and psychological findings. By default, they are kept in your provider's clinical record and are not visible in your client portal. However, if you and your provider have discussed it and you have given your consent, your provider may choose to share a completed forensic evaluation directly to your portal. If this has been done, you will find it with your clinical documents in the My record tab, under My care in the sidebar. It will display with a purple '⚖️ Shared' badge. You can view or download it directly from the portal. If you believe a forensic evaluation should be available but is not visible, contact us at (360) 342-6445.

The Neurofeedback tab, in the How I'm doing section of your portal sidebar, is where the Myndlift remote neurofeedback program lives. If your provider has enrolled you, it shows your protocol (such as a PTSD or depression-focused protocol), your enrollment status, your progress toward your target number of sessions, and each session as it is logged — and, once your provider has added it, an 'Open my Myndlift training' link to your Myndlift account. It appears in your sidebar only once your provider has enrolled you, and it stays through a completed course, so if you do not see it, you are not currently enrolled. Neurofeedback is offered individually rather than automatically, so ask your provider at your next appointment if it may be an appropriate addition to your care plan.

The Cycle Tracker is a private wellness tool — the Cycle sub-tab of Assessments, in the How I'm doing section of your client portal. It lets you log menstrual period start and end dates, flow intensity (spotting, light, moderate, or heavy), and any physical or emotional symptoms experienced — including cramps, mood swings, anxiety, low mood, irritability, bloating, fatigue, headache, insomnia, breast tenderness, food cravings, and back pain. Over time, the tracker calculates your average cycle length, period duration, and most frequently reported symptoms. This data can help you and your provider identify patterns — including potential PMDD-related mood changes — and incorporate them into your treatment plan. All cycle data is protected under the same HIPAA standards as the rest of your medical record.

Food for Mood is the Food for Mood sub-tab of the Library tab: a weekly meal guide built around how food can support mood. Tell it what you'd like help with — steady energy, low mood, calm, sleep, focus or your gut — under My preferences, along with the meals to plan, how long you like to cook, your budget, your kitchen, your diet and the cooking you love. Plan my week then fills the week with the practice's own recipes, each with pictures, steps and links to cooking videos on trusted sites, plus a shopping list grouped by store section that names each food once, and a plan you can download. Build a meal lets you pick a goal and mix a plate from parts, showing what it carries as you go. Not for me on any food, recipe or meal, with a reason, keeps it out of your plans until you bring it back. Allergies and medications on your chart are always applied, any caution about a food is shown up front, and the guide never shows calorie counts. Your care team can see your plan and what you've told the guide, can plan a week with you, and can set what your plans focus on — their settings are listed under My preferences, beside your own, and never change what you chose. They may also send a short weekly check-in to your Worksheets. If you keep the food tracker, I ate this can add a meal's foods to it, and a meal you log there shows on your plan as In your food journal. Food supports mood — it doesn't replace treatment.

Both live in Settings → Care & coverage in your client portal, not in the Medications tab. Open Settings, choose 'Care & coverage', and you'll find 'My pharmacies' and 'Allergies' there. To add a pharmacy, enter its name — phone, address and ZIP are optional — and use 'Set preferred' to choose the one we should send prescriptions to; the Medications tab displays your preferred pharmacy, but you change it here. Under 'Allergies' you can add a drug, food or environmental allergy and describe what happens when you're exposed to it. If your chart already records that you have no known allergies, that line shows here too — your provider sets that after reviewing it with you, so send a message or tell us at your next visit if it needs to change. Keeping this information current helps your provider prescribe safely and ensures prescriptions are sent to the right location.

You have two ways to access your records. (1) Directly from the portal: Sign in and open 'Documents & forms' under 'Paperwork' in the sidebar — it shows all documents your provider has made available; open any file to save or print it. Your clinical notes, visit summaries, and lab results live under 'My record' in the My care section. (2) Formal records request: If you need records not visible in the portal — such as records from before your portal account was active, or a complete chart export — contact us at Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org or (360) 342-6445. Under HIPAA and the 21st Century Cures Act, we are required to fulfill records requests promptly, generally within 30 days, and at no cost for electronic records provided through a certified portal. Paper copies may incur a reasonable cost-based fee.

Absolutely. Northwest Psychiatry is fully HIPAA-compliant. All communications, records, and telehealth sessions are encrypted and protected. Your information is never shared with third parties without your explicit written consent, except as required by law (e.g., mandatory reporting situations). All portal records and messages are encrypted in transit and at rest, and clinical information is only ever exchanged through the secure portal — never by regular email.

Your video visit is not recorded. Video visits take place through Doxy.me, a HIPAA-compliant platform that does not record or store session content, and only you and your provider are present in the virtual room. Separately, your provider may use a transcription tool to help draft their clinical note — the audio is deleted once the text is produced, and nothing is retained as a recording. If you would prefer your provider not use a transcription tool for your sessions, tell them at or before your next appointment.

Password-less sign-in is a deliberate security decision, not a shortcut. Passwords are the weakest link in most breaches — they get reused across sites, phished, and leaked in bulk. The portal replaces them with a one-time 6-digit code sent to your email: each code works once, expires after 15 minutes, and there is no reusable password stored that an attacker could steal in bulk. It also means access to your portal is anchored to access to your email account — so protecting your email (with its own strong, unique password and two-factor authentication if your email provider offers it) protects your health records too. A phone can be allowed to skip the code and stay signed in, but that is not a password either: it is a key held only in that phone's secure hardware, kept behind the app's Face ID, Touch ID or passcode lock, replaced with a new one every time it is used, ended when you tap Sign out on that phone, and removable from Settings → Sign-in & security. The provider's own account carries an additional authenticator-app requirement on top of this because of its broader access.

If you believe your account has been accessed by someone else, contact us immediately at (360) 342-6445 or Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org. You can view your recent sign-in history under Settings → Sign-in & security — it shows the date, time, and device for each sign-in. If one of them wasn't you, press 'This wasn't me' on it: that session ends right away, any device you allowed to stay signed in will ask for a new code, and the practice is told so we can look into it. To secure your account completely, click 'Sign out everywhere' on that same page: it ends every active session and also removes every device you had allowed to stay signed in, so nothing can let itself back in. Then secure the email account that receives your sign-in codes (change its password and enable two-factor authentication with your email provider) — portal access is anchored to that email account. If you suspect a HIPAA breach involving your health information, you have the right to file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Insurance details, yes; card numbers, no. Your portal Settings include a Care & coverage section where you can record your insurer, member ID, group number and your insurer's phone number, so your provider has them on file — those are stored with the rest of your record. Northwest Psychiatry bills insurance through Headway, and insurance verification and claims are handled there. Card numbers are never stored in this portal. If you are set up for private pay, the Billing tab shows your session fee and every payment we have on record. A card you save is kept by Stripe, our payment processor — the portal holds only its brand, last four digits and expiry, which is how the Billing tab can name the card when you pay with it — and a new card is always typed into Stripe's own secure form, so the card details go straight to Stripe and never touch this portal. For questions about an insurance claim, log in to your Headway account or contact Headway support; for anything about your own account, message us from the portal.

We collect the health information you provide during the course of your care — including clinical records, medication history, assessments, messages, and portal activity (such as mood logs and symptom tracking). This information is only accessible to you and your provider (and, to a limited extent, practice administrative staff involved in your care). We do not sell your data, share it with advertising platforms, or share it with third parties without your explicit written authorization — except as permitted by HIPAA (e.g., billing, mandatory reporting). Our complete Privacy Policy and HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is available at northwestpsychiatry.org/privacy.

There is no lockout that shuts you out of your own account. What is limited is how many sign-in codes can be requested for one email address in a short period — up to 3 in five minutes and 8 in an hour — so nobody can flood your inbox with codes or work through them by guessing. If you hit that limit, wait a few minutes and request a new code. A code that is wrong or expired is rejected — request a fresh one and try again, and remember codes expire after 15 minutes. If you enter the wrong code many times in a row, verification pauses briefly as a precaution, and during that pause even a correct code is refused, so wait a few minutes before trying again. You can also turn on an email alert when your account is signed in to, under Settings → Sign-in & security. If you believe someone else has attempted to access your account, contact us at (360) 342-6445 immediately.

Settings → AI & privacy has two switches, and it is worth being precise about what each one does. AI assistance covers the AI features that work with your record on your behalf: the plain-language visit summaries drafted for your provider, the medication and treatment-plan explainers, the portal help assistant, help drafting your safety plan, and the 'Create my snapshot' button on your Progress tab. Turn it off and those stop. Two things you start yourself keep working either way: building your own worksheet, and taking a photo of your insurance card so you don't have to type it in. Both only happen when you ask for them, and the card photo is deleted as soon as it has been read. AI journal reflections is separate and covers the reflection written onto a journal entry — turn it off and no reflection is added. Journal entries are private to you unless you choose to share one with your provider. What these switches do not cover is the clinical review your care team carries out on your record as part of providing your care; that is part of your treatment rather than an optional portal feature. That review includes the practice's clinical analysis, which may summarize trends from Apple Health data you choose to share — the categories you turn on under Settings → Connected health data are the control for that. If you would like to understand exactly what is looked at and why, ask your provider or read the Practice Policies page. You can change either switch at any time, and neither affects your care or your provider's access to your record. The same card also shows 'Who has viewed my record' — a log of who opened your chart and when. Caregiver access is a separate card in the same group of settings, and your other consents — including “Sharing information outside your care” (the Non-TPO consent) — live under Documents & forms → Consents.

Northwest Psychiatry keeps several categories of health information for each patient: Psychiatric Evaluations (initial and follow-up assessments), Progress Notes (session notes and clinical observations), Treatment Plans (your diagnoses, goals, and care strategies), Medication Records (prescriptions, dosages, and changes over time), Lab Results (blood work and diagnostic tests), and Billing & Insurance records (claims, explanations of benefits, and payment history). Most of this is visible to you in the client portal: My record holds your clinical notes, visit summaries, lab results and intake; Medications lists your current prescriptions; Billing holds your statements and payments; and anything we have uploaded or you have sent us is under Documents & forms → Documents. For a complete copy of your chart, ask through Documents & forms → Records release.

Under HIPAA, you have six core rights regarding your protected health information: (1) Right of Access — request and receive copies of your records at no charge; you can submit a request in the portal under Documents & forms → Records release, or ask through a portal message or by calling (360) 342-6445; (2) Right to Amend — request a correction if you believe information is inaccurate or incomplete (we respond within 60 days); (3) Right to Accounting of Disclosures — request a list of non-routine disclosures made in the past six years; (4) Right to Request Restrictions — ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures; (5) Right to Confidential Communications — request we contact you only through a specific channel; (6) Right to File a Complaint — file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) if you believe your rights have been violated. A full summary of these rights is in our Privacy Policy at northwestpsychiatry.org/privacy.

Yes — psychotherapy notes (also called process notes) receive heightened protection under HIPAA (45 CFR §164.508(a)(2)). These are notes a mental health provider records in private to aid their own memory of a session — capturing personal impressions, the flow of conversation, and their clinical thinking. They are kept separately from your main medical record. Unlike regular progress notes or treatment records, psychotherapy notes cannot be released to most parties — including insurance companies, employers, or even other healthcare providers — without your explicit written authorization. You do not have an automatic right to copy your own psychotherapy notes (that right is limited by HIPAA), though your provider may choose to share them with you. Regular progress notes, treatment summaries, medication records, and evaluation documents are part of your main medical record and are accessible through the standard records request process.

Maine has its own privacy statutes that often provide stronger protections than HIPAA alone. Under Maine Title 22 §1711-C, mental health records, substance use treatment records, HIV/AIDS-related information, and certain other sensitive health information have additional confidentiality protections — meaning they may not be disclosed even in situations where HIPAA would permit disclosure. Notably, adolescents in Maine can independently consent to mental health outpatient services and substance use treatment, and those records are confidential from parents or guardians without the minor's consent. Maine also requires a higher standard of authorization for releasing substance use and psychiatric records. When state law is stricter than HIPAA, we follow the stricter standard. A full description of our privacy practices, including Maine-specific protections, is available in our Privacy Policy at northwestpsychiatry.org/privacy.

Non-TPO (Non-Treatment, Payment, and Operations) consent is your authorization for Northwest Psychiatry to share your health information with partner organizations — such as Uwill and Higher Ground Services LLC — for care coordination purposes that go beyond routine treatment, billing, and practice operations. This is separate from routine sharing that HIPAA permits without consent. You can give or withdraw it yourself in the portal: Documents & forms → Consents → “Sharing information outside your care”. The switch shows On or Off and the date you agreed, and you can change it as often as you need. You can also call us at (360) 342-6445 or send a portal message and we will record the change and confirm it back to you. Withdrawing applies to future disclosures only; information already shared is not affected, and it does not cancel a records release you have already signed. If you have questions, call (360) 342-6445.

Yes. Under HIPAA (45 CFR §164.528), you have the right to request a written list of certain disclosures of your Protected Health Information made by this practice over the past six years. Routine disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations are excluded from this accounting, but non-routine disclosures (such as those required by law or made to third parties outside of normal care) are included. To submit a request, contact us in writing at Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org. We will respond within 60 days.

Portal access is maintained for a reasonable period after your last appointment to give you time to download your records. Your login credentials remain valid and your records remain viewable in accordance with your HIPAA right of access. If your account has been deactivated and you need access to your records, contact us at (360) 342-6445 or Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org — we can provide records directly in the format of your choosing as required under HIPAA.

Portal accounts are individual and tied to your identity — there is no separate caregiver or proxy login. However, with your written consent your provider can set up caregiver access for a family member, guardian, or authorized representative at a level you choose — from appointment details only, up to broader involvement in your care coordination. Your consent is recorded, and you can change or revoke it at any time. Separately, you may submit a Release of Information (ROI) request from Documents & forms → Records release in the portal, authorizing disclosure of records to a specific person. For legal representatives (such as a healthcare proxy or power of attorney), contact us at (360) 342-6445 or Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org so we can set up appropriate access in compliance with HIPAA.

Each client needs their own email address for the portal. Sign-in works by sending a one-time code to your email, and the portal opens the chart that matches that address — so a shared address can only ever reach one person's chart. If your household currently shares one email, call us at (360) 342-6445: we'll set up a separate address for each person's chart (free email accounts work fine), and if one of you helps manage the other's care, your provider can also configure caregiver access with the appropriate consent. This keeps each person's appointments, medications, messages, and records completely separate and private.

A medication consent form is a document that explains the risks, potential side effects, and available alternatives for a specific medication your provider is prescribing. Signing it confirms that you've been informed of these details and agree to proceed with the medication. This is a standard clinical and legal requirement — especially for medications with significant side effects or monitoring requirements. When your provider creates a medication consent for you, it will appear as an alert on your portal Home tab and in the Medications tab under 'Medication consents'. To sign it: open the Medications tab, press 'Review & sign' on the pending consent, and read the information carefully. Under 'Who is signing?', choose 'I am the client' — or, if you are signing for someone else, 'I am the client's parent or legal guardian' or 'I am another authorized representative', and give your relationship to the client. Check the acknowledgment box, type your full name to sign (your own name, not the client's, if you are signing on their behalf), and press 'Sign consent'. The signed consent is saved automatically and visible to your provider.

In addition to your medication name, dose, and instructions, the Medications tab may include clinical details your provider has added: Start Date (when the medication was first prescribed to you), Target Symptoms (the specific symptoms the medication is intended to address — such as persistent low mood, intrusive thoughts, or difficulty concentrating), Labs Required (any blood work or laboratory monitoring your provider needs before or during treatment), and Monitoring Notes (any special precautions, timeframe for follow-up, or things to watch for). These fields are added by your provider and are meant to give you a clearer picture of your treatment rationale. If you have questions about any of these details, send a message via the secure Messages tab.

The Home tab in your client portal is your at-a-glance dashboard. Whenever something needs your attention, it appears as a color-coded alert on the Home tab — so you always know what to act on without having to check every section manually. Alerts can include: pending medication consent forms, a treatment plan waiting for your signature on the My treatment tab, unsigned consents under Documents & forms, unread messages from your provider, overdue or assigned screenings, and upcoming appointments. In the two days before a session a 'Check in before your session' card leads the page, and when the practice confirms, moves or cancels a visit a notification arrives under the bell at the top of the portal as well as by email. On a computer, the portal sidebar shows a count beside each tab with something waiting; on a phone, a small dot appears on the bottom-bar icon instead — To-Do carries everything waiting on you, and Messages your unread replies. Alerts disappear automatically once you complete the action.

The Lab results sub-tab of My record, under My care in your portal sidebar, displays laboratory results that your provider has ordered or entered on your behalf. Lab panels include CBC (complete blood count), metabolic panel, thyroid function, lipid panel, liver function, kidney function tests, and more. Each result shows the test name, your value, the reference range, the collection date, and a color-coded status indicator — Normal (green), Abnormal (yellow), Critical (red), or Pending (gray). Results are grouped by the date the sample was collected, newest first, and anything outside the normal range is called out at the top of the tab. If you see an abnormal or critical result and have questions, please send a message through the portal or discuss it with Nicholas at your next appointment — do not attempt to interpret lab values on your own without clinical context.

Yes. When your provider shares a document — educational handouts, referral letters, lab summaries, or other treatment-related materials — it will appear under Documents & forms → Documents in your portal sidebar. They appear under Your documents there, alongside anything you have uploaded yourself. Press Download on the row to save it straight to your phone or computer, or View to read it in the portal first (View is offered for PDFs and photos). If you have not received an expected document, send a message through the portal or call (360) 342-6445.

Wellness Snapshot gives you a personal summary of how things are trending, created with AI assistance from your care record. Open How I'm doing → Progress in the portal sidebar and choose Wellness snapshot, then click 'Create my snapshot.' It looks at your screenings, mood check-ins, medications, and shared visit information and produces an easy-to-read overview: a summary of how you're doing, trends over time, talking points for your next visit, personal strengths, and an overall wellness score (a general snapshot, not a clinical measure). Snapshots are saved so you and your care team can look back at them together. This feature is for self-education only — it is not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical advice. Use it to come to appointments more prepared, and always bring questions or concerns to Nicholas directly.

Possibly. In January 2025 the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services proposed the most significant update to the HIPAA Security Rule in years. As proposed, it would make encryption of electronic health information in transit and at rest a firm requirement, require multi-factor authentication, require written technology inventories and network maps, and require security risk analyses to be written and repeated regularly. It is a proposal, not yet a final rule: until HHS publishes a final version, the current Security Rule remains the law, and what is finally required may differ. For you as a client, the portal already works the way the proposal points: your records are encrypted in storage and in transmission, every new device that signs in needs a one-time code (there are no passwords to steal), and the provider's own console requires an authenticator-app second factor.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act strengthens HIPAA protections in the digital age. Key patient protections include: (1) Breach notification — if your health information is ever compromised, we are required by law to notify you within 60 days; (2) Stronger enforcement — higher penalties apply to covered entities that fail to protect PHI; (3) Business associate accountability — all third-party vendors we work with (such as Headway and Doxy.me) are contractually required to meet the same privacy standards we do. Our full HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices is available at northwestpsychiatry.org/privacy.

Yes. Under HIPAA, you have the right to request that we amend your health record if you believe it contains inaccurate or incomplete information. To submit an amendment request, contact us in writing at Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org, specifying which information you believe is incorrect and what the correct information should be. We will review the request and respond within 60 days (with a possible 30-day extension). We may deny a request if we determine the information is accurate and complete, was not created by Northwest Psychiatry, is not part of the designated record set, or would not be available for your inspection under HIPAA. If your request is denied, we will provide a written explanation and you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement to be included in your file.

Yes. Under HIPAA and HITECH, any third-party vendor that handles your Protected Health Information on our behalf must sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) — a legally binding contract requiring them to protect PHI to the same standards we do. Northwest Psychiatry has executed BAAs with all relevant technology partners, including Headway (our billing platform), Doxy.me (our telehealth video platform), and our electronic health records and portal infrastructure. If you have questions about a specific vendor's compliance status, contact us at Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org.

Under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule and the HITECH Act, Northwest Psychiatry is legally required to notify you if your Unsecured Protected Health Information is involved in a breach. For breaches affecting 500 or fewer individuals, you will be notified by first-class mail (or email if you have agreed to electronic notices) within 60 days of our discovering the breach. The notification will include a description of what happened, what information was involved, what steps you should take to protect yourself, what we are doing to investigate and mitigate the breach, and contact information for questions. For breaches affecting more than 500 individuals in a state, we are also required to notify prominent media outlets. You also have the right to file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/hipaa if you believe a breach has occurred.

The minimum necessary standard is a core HIPAA principle that requires healthcare providers to use, disclose, or request only the minimum amount of Protected Health Information needed to accomplish a given purpose. For example, if an insurance company requests records to process a claim, we are only permitted to send the information directly relevant to that claim — not your entire chart. When staff access your records internally, they are authorized to view only what is necessary to provide or support your care. This standard applies to all uses and disclosures of your PHI except those for your direct treatment, which requires full access to provide safe and effective care.

A Security Risk Assessment (SRA) is a formal, comprehensive evaluation required by the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR §164.308(a)(1)) that identifies risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). It must be conducted before implementing an electronic health record system, and reviewed and updated regularly thereafter. Northwest Psychiatry conducts annual SRAs as required. The assessment evaluates the systems that store and transmit your health information, identifies potential weaknesses, and documents the security measures in place to address them.

If you believe your HIPAA rights have been violated — whether by Northwest Psychiatry or any other covered entity — you have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at no cost to you. You can file online at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, by mail, or by fax. Complaints must generally be filed within 180 days of when you knew (or reasonably should have known) about the alleged violation, though extensions may be granted for good cause. Filing a complaint with OCR does not require you to first complain to the practice. You cannot be penalized or retaliated against for exercising this right. If you have a concern about your privacy or believe something may have gone wrong, we also encourage you to contact us directly at (360) 342-6445 — we want to address any issues as quickly as possible.

Your phone number is yours to change: sign in to your client portal and go to Settings → Profile & contact. Your sign-in email is shown there too, but it is read-only — that address IS your account, because it is where your sign-in codes go, so we change it for you rather than letting it be edited from a signed-in session. Call (360) 342-6445 or email Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org and we will update it; your old address keeps working until we do, and you can sign in with the new one straight away afterwards. The "Secondary email" field on that same screen is a different thing: it receives COPIES of notifications when you switch that option on under Settings → Notifications & reminders, and never receives sign-in codes — so adding one does not change how you sign in. There is no password on your account to manage; keeping the email account that receives your sign-in codes secure is the single most important thing you can do for portal security. Under HIPAA, you have the right to request that we contact you at a specific email address or phone number — please let us know if you have a preferred contact method.

Yes. Our complete practice policies are available at northwestpsychiatry.org/practice-policies. They cover everything from appointment scheduling and cancellation policies to confidentiality, your rights as a client, controlled substance prescribing policies, and telehealth consent. Current clients can also access practice policies directly from their client portal. We encourage all new clients to review these policies before their first appointment.

Unfortunately, neurofeedback is not currently covered by most insurance plans, including those billed through Headway. It is offered as a self-pay service. Contact us at (360) 342-6445 or Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org for current pricing information.

Yes. Neurofeedback is non-invasive and does not involve any electrical stimulation — the headset only reads your brain activity, it does not send signals into the brain. It has no known serious side effects. Some people experience mild fatigue or headaches in the first few sessions as the brain adjusts, which typically resolves quickly.

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive brain-training technique that uses real-time monitoring of brainwave activity to help the brain learn to self-regulate. During a session, sensors placed on the scalp read your brainwave patterns (via EEG). When your brain produces patterns associated with calm focus, the software rewards that activity — for example, by keeping a video playing smoothly. Over repeated sessions, the brain learns to sustain those patterns more reliably without conscious effort. It is used alongside therapy and medication (not as a replacement) to support conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and sleep disorders.

Myndlift is a remote neurofeedback platform that allows you to complete neurofeedback sessions at home using a consumer-grade EEG headset (such as the Muse 2). Sessions are guided through the Myndlift app on your phone or tablet. Your provider monitors your brain data remotely and adjusts your protocol as needed. Remote neurofeedback through Myndlift has been studied and produces comparable outcomes to clinic-based neurofeedback for many protocols — with the added convenience of doing sessions in your own environment on your own schedule.

Neurofeedback has the strongest research support for PTSD, ADHD, anxiety disorders, and insomnia. It is also used as an adjunctive (add-on) treatment for depression, OCD, and chronic stress. At Northwest Psychiatry, neurofeedback is offered through the Myndlift platform and is used to complement — not replace — medication management and therapy. Your provider will discuss whether neurofeedback is clinically appropriate for your specific situation.

Enrollment is not automatic — it is offered on an individualized basis when your provider determines it may benefit your care. If you are interested, bring it up at your next appointment or send a message through your client portal. If enrolled, you'll receive instructions for downloading the Myndlift app and setting up your EEG headset. Your protocol (the specific brainwave training target), target session count, and progress will be visible in the Neurofeedback tab of your client portal.

You'll need a compatible EEG headset — most Myndlift programs use the Muse 2 or Muse S headset, which is a lightweight consumer-grade device available for purchase online (typically $200–$350). You'll also need a smartphone or tablet with the Myndlift app installed and a stable internet connection. Northwest Psychiatry will provide guidance on the specific headset and setup instructions when you are enrolled. Your provider can also discuss whether equipment assistance may be available.

A full course typically involves 40–60 sessions, though this varies by condition and goals. Sessions are typically 20–30 minutes, 3–5 times per week. Because sessions are done at home through Myndlift, you can complete them at your own pace on your own schedule — there's no commute or clinic appointment required. Progress is monitored by your provider remotely, and your protocol may be adjusted as your brain data evolves. Most clients begin to notice changes around the 20–30 session mark, though individual response varies. Your provider will set a target session count tailored to your protocol and goals.

The easiest way to refer a patient is through our For Providers page at northwestpsychiatry.org/for-providers — it includes a brief referral overview and our direct contact information. You can also call (360) 342-6445 or email Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org directly. We accept referrals from primary care providers, therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals. For urgent or time-sensitive referrals, calling is the fastest route.

Northwest Psychiatry accepts patients from age 5 to 85 — children, adolescents, and adults — located in Maine; for a minor, a parent or legal guardian signs consents. We specialize in medication management, psychiatric evaluation, PTSD and trauma treatment, anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD, and remote neurofeedback (Myndlift). We do not currently accept Medicare or Medicaid — we are credentialed with commercial insurers through Headway including Anthem BCBS Maine, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare (Optum), Oxford, Oscar, Carelon, Quest Behavioral Health, and Point32 Healthcare. All care is delivered via HIPAA-compliant telehealth.

A brief referral with the following information is most helpful: patient name and date of birth, contact information (phone and email), presenting concern or reason for referral, current medications (especially psychiatric), insurance plan, and any urgency considerations. You can send referral information by secure fax to (360) 342-6446 or by calling (360) 342-6445. We'll follow up with the patient directly to schedule their intake evaluation.

Yes — with appropriate patient authorization. Once a Release of Information (ROI) is on file, Nicholas Eddy, PMHNP-BC, is happy to coordinate care with other treating providers. The best way to initiate contact is by calling (360) 342-6445 or emailing Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org. For ongoing co-treatment relationships, we can establish a communication routine that works for both practices.

If you are in immediate danger or are having thoughts of harming yourself or others, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room right away. For mental health crisis support that doesn't require emergency services: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) — free, confidential, available 24/7. Text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Maine-specific: call the Maine CRISIS line at 1-888-568-1112 (available 24/7). If you are a current client, your portal has a Safety plan tab under My care — it lists every crisis line with direct call and text links alongside your own safety plan. Northwest Psychiatry is an outpatient practice and is not equipped to respond to psychiatric emergencies directly, but your safety is our priority.

Yes. Your Safety plan tab (in the My care section of the sidebar) lists immediate resources including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), Maine CRISIS line (1-888-568-1112), and local emergency services, alongside your personal safety plan. The website's Crisis Support page is also available any time without signing in, and the crisis strip at the top of every public page links straight to it. If you feel unsafe, please use these resources immediately — do not wait for a portal message response.

Signs that someone may need emergency psychiatric care include: expressing clear thoughts of suicide or self-harm (especially with a plan or intent), talking about wanting to die or be dead, giving away possessions, saying goodbye as if not planning to return, severe psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized behavior) that is escalating, active self-harm, or expressed intent to harm others. If you observe these signs — in yourself or someone else — call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not leave the person alone if it is safe to remain with them.

Northwest Psychiatry is credentialed with the following Maine insurance plans through Headway: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Maine, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare (Optum), Oxford (Optum), Oscar (Optum), Carelon Behavioral Health, Quest Behavioral Health, and Point32 Healthcare. To confirm your specific plan is accepted, call us at (360) 342-6445, or list your plan on the appointment request form at northwestpsychiatry.org/waitlist and we'll go over coverage when we reach out.

Headway handles all insurance verification and billing on your behalf. After each appointment, they submit the claim to your insurance and charge any applicable copay or coinsurance to the card on file in your Headway account. You'll receive an explanation of benefits from your insurer as usual.

Yes, self-pay is available. Self-pay session fees are billed by the practice through the client portal: the Billing tab shows your session fee, 'Pay for session' charges the card you keep on file once you confirm the amount (or opens Stripe's secure payment form if you have no card saved), and you can turn on automatic billing, which charges the card you keep on file after each visit and sends a receipt every time. Anything outstanding — a late-cancellation or missed-appointment fee, a session charge that didn't go through, or a session fee the practice billed after your visit — is listed on the same tab with 'Pay now'. If you want to claim out-of-network benefits, the same tab has a button to request a superbill. To ask about self-pay rates, call (360) 342-6445 or email Nicholas.Eddy@northwestpsychiatry.org — we'll do our best to make care accessible.

It depends on how you pay. If you see Nicholas through insurance, Headway handles your billing, so superbills and itemized receipts come from your Headway account — log in at headway.co or contact Headway support. If you are self-pay, open the Billing tab of your client portal and press 'Request a superbill' — it prefills a message to the practice, and we'll send one for your recent visits. No portal access? Use the superbill request form at northwestpsychiatry.org/billing. Payments you made online are listed in the Billing tab's payment history, and invoices from Stripe's checkout also under Settings → Payment & billing. For questions about diagnosis codes or pre-authorization that require input from your provider, call us at (360) 342-6445.

Northwest Psychiatry does not currently accept Medicare or Medicaid. We are credentialed with a number of commercial insurance plans through Headway — see 'What insurance plans do you accept?' above for the full list. If you have questions about coverage or need help identifying options, please call (360) 342-6445.