Frequently Asked Questions

Our psychiatry appointments focus on evaluation and medication management for mental health. We are currently accepting patients age 6 and up.

Our ketamine service providers offer esketamine for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder or suicidal depression. They also offer IV ketamine for depression, PTSD, and chronic pain. Ketamine services are limited to patients age 18 and older.

You can complete our New Patient Appointment Request Form or call us at 515-227-6065. Please have your insurance information and a credit card to hold the appointment.

If you have been seen at Focused Life Clinic before, you can also self-schedule or reschedule an appointment through our secure Patient Portal.

Please bring your current insurance card, ID card, and a form of payment (debit card, credit card, FSA, HSA, cash, or check) to every visit.

Please bring a list of your medications and their dosages, or even the medication bottles themselves. If you have been on other medications for mental health in the past, it is helpful to write a list of when you took them and why they were stopped. 

Please bring any records from previous providers that you would like your clinician to review. You can securely send these records by faxing to 833-907-2405 or uploading in a Patient Portal message.

To speed up the check in process on the day of your appointment, you can check in early on the Patient Portal. You can add or update information about allergies, medications, medical history, family history, and social history prior to your appointment.

Feel free to write down any questions you have and bring them to your visit. Also consider what you are hoping to accomplish at your visit and your goals for treatment. We are here to help!  

2900 Westown Pkwy, Ste 130, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266

We are located just north of I-235 off of Westown Pkwy near Valley West Mall. Turn onto 29th St and take the next right. Our parking lot and suite are in the building with the bright blue roof on the lower level. 

Appointments can be rescheduled or cancelled from the Patient Portal, or you can call us at 515-227-6065. We require at least 24-hour notice if you need to move or cancel your appointment.  

Patients that do not provide 24-hour notice may be charged a missed appointment fee. Patients with repeated "no shows" or missed appointments may be dismissed from the clinic.

Your mental health records are confidential. We require a signed Authorization to Release Medical Information to disclose protected health information. 

Please use our secure Patient Portal for messages about your health or medications. Please be aware that email is not a secured method of communication and is not HIPAA-compliant. If you communicate via email at your own discretion, please be aware of the potential risk to privacy. For this reason, Focused Life Clinic recommends electronic communication only through the Patient Portal.

We help patients with a wide range of mental health concerns, but some of the most common symptoms and diagnoses include: 

• Anxiety
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD)
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Insomnia
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Postpartum depression  
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Psychiatry appointments are with a medical provider (PA-C, ARNP, DO, MD) and focus on medication management. Longer visits may also include brief talk therapy.

Therapy appointments provide a more structured and in-depth counseling experience. Therapists (LMHC, LISW, PhD in psychology) can include other forms of psychotherapy, and appointments are typically more frequent.

We’ll begin by reviewing your medical history, medication (past and current), family history, and social history.  Depending on your history and symptoms, we may recommend additional screenings or assessments.

Following the initial evaluation, we’ll work together to create a personalized treatment plan. This may include medication, therapy, or further medical evaluation. We collaborate closely with local therapists, psychologists, pain specialists, and primary care providers to ensure you receive comprehensive, coordinated care.

We are currently accepting new patients ages 6 and older for medication management.

You don’t need a referral to schedule with us, but some insurance plans might require one. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider.

We also recommend calling your insurance company to verify that your provider is in-network, and that you have active mental health benefits.  For a list of plans that typically consider Focused Life Clinic in-network, please visit our Insurance Information page. 

If you don’t have insurance or prefer not to use it, we offer self-pay options.

Appointments can be either in-person or virtual. Please note that some of our providers require that the first appointment be in-person.

A virtual visit is a face-to-face video appointment with your mental health provider. We use doxy.me, a web-based, HIPAA-compliant program. You do not need to download any software or create an account for your visit.

Please note your mood, symptoms, and overall functioning so that we can discuss and make treatment decisions at your follow-up appointment. 

If you were prescribed medication, please take it as directed by your provider. If your medication is supposed to be taken daily, try to take it around the same time every day. Set an alarm or use a pill organizer if necessary. Please notify us if your medication costs more than expected or if you have unexpected or bothersome side effects.

If you need to speak with a provider urgently, please call 515-227-6065. Otherwise, you can message your provider through our secure Patient Portal.

Please contact your pharmacy to request refills. If necessary, the pharmacy will reach out to us for renewals or questions. This is the most efficient and streamlined way to refill your medication. If the pharmacy instructs you to contact your provider, please send us a message through the Patient Portal or call us at 515-227-6065.

We require at least three business days advance notice to call in prescriptions. We will make every effort to accommodate emergencies.

Please note that if you have missed appointments or not been seen as recommended by your provider, we may require a follow up appointment for additional refills. Regular follow up appointments are important to ensure that your medications are continuing to be safe and effective, and also to be in compliance with prescribing guidelines.

Ketamine is an anesthetic medication that has been studied for its potential therapeutic effects in certain psychiatric and pain disorders. The purpose of ketamine infusion therapy is to alleviate symptoms associated with conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic pain. 

Esketamine is a ketamine derivative and is otherwise known and marketed as Spravato. Spravato is an FDA-approved nasal spray for the treatment of major depressive disorder and suicidal depression.

At this time, IV Ketamine is not covered by the majority of insurance plans. If your mental health provider recommends this, FSA and HSA cards can be used to pay for treatment. 

Esketamine is typically covered by most major insurance plans for severe or treatment-resistant major depressive disorder if specific requirements are met. This option requires that your mental health provider prescribe the drug for the treatment of your condition. 

We are currently accepting patients age 18 and older for ketamine/esketamine treatment. Patients who are new to Focused Life Clinic must complete a consult with one of our ketamine providers to determine if they are a candidate for treatment.

You don’t need a referral to schedule with us, but some insurance plans might require one. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider.

We also recommend calling your insurance company to verify that your provider is in-network, and that you have active mental health benefits.  For a list of plans that typically consider Focused Life Clinic in-network, please visit our Insurance Information page. 

If you don’t have insurance or prefer not to use it, we offer self-pay options.

Both esketamine (Spravato) and IV ketamine require a driver. Patients who receive ketamine therapy cannot drive after treatment until they have had a restful night's sleep.

Please note your mood, symptoms, and overall functioning so that we can discuss and make any necessary changes at your next treatment.

Please notify us if you have unexpected or bothersome side effects. If you need to speak with a provider urgently, please call 515-227-6065. Otherwise, you can message your provider through our secure Patient Portal.