Frequently Asked Questions

Our psychiatry appointments focus on evaluation and medication management for mental health. 

Our medical providers have gone through extensive training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of both mental and physical illnesses.  All providers are certified by the NCCPA and licensed to practice medicine in the state of Iowa.

Because our providers have training and experience in general medicine, we always take your other medical conditions and prescriptions into consideration. We value a holistic approach to medicine and understand how mental health and physical health can influence one another.

We help patients with many different 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.

New patient appointments are in our West Des Moines office and scheduled for 50 minutes.

We will review your history, including your medical history, medications (current and past), family history, and social history. There may be additional screening or assessments depending on your history and symptoms.

After this initial assessment, we will work together to develop a treatment plan. Treatment plans can include medication, therapy, or additional medical evaluation. We work closely with local therapists, psychologists, pain management specialists, and primary care providers to help you get the treatment that you need. 

We are currently accepting new patients age 14 and older.

Our clinic does not require a referral, however you may want to check with your insurance to see if they require one.

We recommend calling your insurance company to verify that the provider you are scheduled to see is in-network. Please also verify that you have active benefits that cover mental health. You can refer to our Insurance Information page for a list of health insurance plans that typically consider Focused Life Clinic in-network. We also offer self-pay for those without insurance or those who do not wish to use their insurance.

You can complete our New Patient Appointment Request Form or call us at 515-227-6065. Please have your insurance information ready 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. 

After your initial in-person visit, follow-up appointments can be either in-person or virtual. 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.

Your mental health records are confidential and we cannot disclose your private health information without your written consent. 

Please use our secure Patient Portal for messages about your health or medications.

Take notice of 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 are needing to speak with a provider urgently, please call 515-227-6065. Otherwise you can message your provider though our secure Patient Portal.

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.

Please contact your pharmacy to request refills. 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.

Integrative medicine is a combination of traditional medicine with well-researched and evidence-based complementary therapies. Integrative medicine can be added to your treatment plan to help you achieve your health goals. 

Generally speaking, integrative medicine is supplemental to traditional medicine. Due to the supplemental nature, the evaluation and treatments are typically not covered by insurance. We are credentialed with most major health plans, we are happy to provide you with the information necessary to submit to your insurance company if you would like to see if they provide you with any reimbursement. We are able to accept both FSA and HSA payments for any of the integrative medicine treatments. 

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 derivative of ketamine 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 majority of insurance plans. If this is recommended by your mental health provider, 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.