Business Details
6 Years
experience
Virtual Mental Health Services in Connecticut & New York
Founded three years ago, Spirit Clinic delivers collaborative, patient-centered virtual mental healthcare services across Connecticut and New York. Our practice emphasizes deep listening and understanding individual challenges, specializing in treating bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, traumatic stress, and neurocognitive disorders. We prioritize patient autonomy, offering comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, mindful medication management, and therapeutic processing tailored to each person's goals.Our team includes board-certified professionals with extensive experience in diverse clinical settings, including urban hospitals and community mental health centers. We are committed to supporting marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+, queer, and sex-positive individuals, while fostering healing through personalized care. As we transition to a physical office in New Haven, we aim to expand our local support staff and psychiatric providers to enhance patient access.
Services
Psychiatric Evaluation
Mindful Med Management
Therapeutic Processing
Medication Monitoring
Treatment Planning
Trauma-Informed Care
Psychotherapy Integration
Discontinuation Planning
Patient Education
Telehealth Consultations
Details
- Year established: 2020
Highlights and features
- We offer patient-centered care led by a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.
- Our team specializes in treating trauma, intergenerational trauma, and neurocognitive disorders.
- We prioritize patient autonomy in medication decisions and treatment planning.
- Our providers have experience in urban hospitals, community mental health centers, and rural settings.
- We provide tailored support for LGBTQ+, queer, and sex-positive communities.
Services
Psychiatric Evaluation
Our comprehensive psychiatric evaluations assess medical, psychological, and psychosocial history to diagnose conditions and create collaborative treatment plans. We focus on patient education, symptomatology, and evidence-based guidelines while addressing cultural and family psychiatric factors. This service includes follow-up discussions for complex diagnoses like personality disorders over multiple sessions.
Mindful Med Management
We provide cautious medication initiation at low doses with frequent monitoring, prioritizing patient safety and minimal side effects. Our approach includes biweekly phone consultations, quarterly follow-ups, and personalized tapering plans for discontinuation. We review medication interactions, contraindications, and adjustments for pre-existing conditions to ensure optimal treatment outcomes.
Therapeutic Processing
Therapeutic processing is offered alongside medication management to address emotional patterns, self-perception, and relationship dynamics. This service includes psychoeducation on treatment effects and referrals for specialized therapies like EMDR or DBT. We emphasize patient control over treatment decisions while providing structured support for mental health challenges.
People
Cristal Sampson
Owner and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with expertise in trauma, neurocognitive disorders, and LGBTQ+ care. Holds a Master's from Yale University and a BA in Neuroscience. Previously worked in urban hospitals and community clinics. Founded Spirit Clinic to provide collaborative, patient-centered mental healthcare.
Dominic Warshaw
Care Coordinator
Trauma worker and educator specializing in institutional care systems for housing-unstable youth. Developed trauma-informed creative writing curricula and co-created youth advisory boards. Holds an MFA in Poetry from Boston University. Focuses on structural care reforms and queer/trans youth advocacy.
Questions
What mental health services does Spirit Clinic offer?
We provide psychiatric evaluations, mindful medication management, and therapeutic processing for conditions like anxiety, depression, trauma, and neurocognitive disorders. Psychotherapy is integrated with medication management.
Do you accept insurance?
Spirit Clinic accepts most major insurance plans including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and Meritain. We do not accept Anthem or out-of-state BlueCross BlueShield plans. Verify your specific plan with our office.
How does medication management work?
We start medications at low doses with frequent monitoring, including biweekly phone consultations. Follow-ups occur every 4 weeks until effective dosing is achieved. Quarterly visits are typical for stable patients, with personalized tapering plans available.
Can I receive therapy without medication?
Therapeutic processing is only offered in conjunction with our medication management services. We do not provide standalone psychotherapy at Spirit Clinic.
What is your cancellation policy?
Our cancellation policy requires 24 hours' notice for appointment rescheduling or cancellation to avoid potential fees. Please contact our office directly to make any changes to your scheduled appointments.
Reviews (2)
Yazmin Ochoa
Jan 03, 2022
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I had the opportunity to see Cristal virtually here in Az and it was the best decision I have ever made to have her as my provider for my mental health and well being. Cristal showed genuine interest in what I had to say which made it easy to create a connection with her right away. I also always felt listened to with no judgement which made me comfortable to completely express myself and felt understood even when it was hard to explain my situations. Cristal always showed a level of empathy and with time she made me feel like she was not only my provider but a friend I could trust to listen to
Aminata Mds
Dec 22, 2021
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The office space made me feel safe and comfortable. She's very kind and allows you to fully determine how you want your sessions to go. I felt like I could open up to her without being scared of judgement.
