My Approach to Helping
To help me determine the best way I can help you, I want to get to know you from all angles, using a biopsychosocial approach, to avoid a cookie-cutter treatment plan. You are a unique individual with unique needs . Your physical health, relationships, family background, finances, academic andor occupational functioning, and significant life events, play a part in how you're feeling right now. I want to understand all these factors first before I come up with my treatment recommendations. I am not a paternalistic therapist by any means ( though some people may like that). We shall work together on our common goals of reducing your distress and promoting your good health and emotional well-being.
More Info About My Practice
I see clients online for psychotherapy andor medication management through telepsychiatry sessions with live audio and video. For those of you who have never tried it, I assure you the expected standard of care for telepsychiatry is the same as the standard of care for traditional in-person appointments.
I help clients in the following states where I am licensed: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Ohio , Pennsylvania, Indiana, Rhode Island, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. I do not prescribe controlled substances like stimulants for ADHD and benzodiazepines for anxiety and sleep.
Your privacy is of utmost importance to me. I only use HIPAA compliant video conferencing platforms with electronic prescribing and instant messaging capabilities. The computer I use for my online sessions is protected by a secure firewall and 2 anti-virus software suites. I regularly scan my computer to check for viruses, spyware, and malware. The fax service I use is also HIPAA compliant.
Sorry , I am not a network provider for any health insurance plans. If your insurance covers out-of-network providers, I can provide you with documentation to submit to your insurance company for partial reimbursement.
To schedule an appointment online , please go to my Luminello website by clicking the blue Visit Website button at the upper left side of this webpage , complete the pre-screening form ,and request an appointment. Evening and weekend appointments are available. You can also send me an email or call with your preferred appointment dates and time. Same-day appointments may be available. If you want to check for same-day appointment availability, please go to my HIPAA compliant, virtual clinic website https:uspsychiatrist.vsee.meujstaromanamd , enter the waiting room and pre-register . If I'm currently online and available for consultations, I can see you that same day . If I'm offline, just send me a secure message through the Vsee clinic website with your appointment request.
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
I believe psychotherapy should help you be more resilient and independent and not be too dependent on your therapist. It should focus on your current issues and not just rehash the past .
What I Usually Need to Know to Help
I need to know your medical history, list of medications, recent lab test results if any. If you haven't had any blood tests this past year, I usually order routine blood tests for you . As a physician , I want to find out if your physical well-being is affecting your emotional well-being and vice versa. I also need information about your past behavioral health treatment and family history . If possible, please try to obtain copies of your past medical behavioral health records, prior to your first appointment with me.
My Guiding Ethical Principles
I am guided by the Latin phrase I learned in medical school "primum non nocere" that means "first, do no harm." I won't recommend a medication andor a type of psychotherapy that could potentially do more harm than good . I don't want to treat you like a guinea pig.
I am guided by the ethical standards of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Telemedicine Association. My professional boundaries are clear . My clinical decisions are not influenced by financial incentives from pharmaceutical companies and healthcare facilities.
Importance of the Client-Therapist Alliance
The therapeutic relationship should be based on mutual trust and respect. It should be a collaborative experience for both the client and the therapist and not just the therapist giving advice and telling the client what to do. I absolutely need your input to help me help you.
