Telehealth Psychiatry in Florida: Medication Management and Therapy From One Provider

Florida has one of the most severe psychiatric provider shortages in the country, and the telehealth options that have grown to fill the gap mostly follow the same model: brief medication management, often delivered by whichever provider in a group is available, on a schedule built around volume. For Florida residents who want more than a prescription managed in a fifteen or thirty minute check, finding a single board-certified psychiatrist who also provides formal psychotherapy is harder than the crowded market would suggest.

At Empathy Therapy, Dr. Mark Chofla provides both. The same provider who manages medication also does the therapeutic work, for the full course of care.

Empathy Therapy is a telehealth psychiatry and psychotherapy practice built around empathic therapy, where genuine connection, careful listening, and integrated care are the foundation of every patient relationship. Dr. Mark Chofla, DO, is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his undergraduate education at the University of California, Davis, his medical training at Midwestern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, and his psychiatry residency and internship at the University of Southern California (USC). He has also served as a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, Davis Medical Center and School of Medicine. Dr. Chofla provides psychiatric medication management and formal psychotherapy for adults, adolescents, and children, and executive life coaching for adults, across Florida, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, and New York via telehealth. New patient intakes are 75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes. New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks. Evening appointments are available for patients in Florida.

What Sets Empathy Therapy Apart in the Florida Market

Florida patients searching for telehealth psychiatry encounter a lot of options. Most of them share a structure: a group of providers, brief appointments focused on medication, and therapy either referred out or handled by a separate clinician within the practice.

Empathy Therapy is built differently. There is one provider, Dr. Chofla. Patients see the same board-certified psychiatrist at every appointment. The person who evaluates the medication is the person who does the therapeutic work, which means nothing about a patient's care is divided across providers who may not communicate. For Florida patients who have cycled through group practices where they saw a different face each visit, that continuity is often the difference they were looking for.

This matters whether a patient's situation is straightforward or complex. Someone dealing with a first episode of anxiety or depression benefits from a provider who has time to understand them and is the same person at every visit. Someone managing several conditions at once benefits from one provider holding the entire picture. The model is built around time and continuity, and those serve every patient, not only the complicated cases.

New patient intakes are 75 minutes, used to build a complete clinical picture before any recommendations are made. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes, which allows for real clinical conversation rather than a brief symptom check. For patients prescribed stimulant or other controlled medications, follow-ups are monthly, consistent with recommended standards of care for controlled substance management.

One patient described what that depth of attention produced on WebMD:

"I've been seeing Dr. Mark Chofla for a few months now, and I've been impressed with his ability to listen and provide thoughtful feedback. He has a calm, professional demeanor that immediately puts you at ease. He takes the time to thoroughly understand your concerns before offering solutions. He doesn't rush through appointments, which I really appreciate. While no psychiatrist can work miracles, I've noticed meaningful improvements in my mental health under his care." — Patient on WebMD

Evening Appointments for Florida Patients

For working professionals, parents, and anyone whose day does not have room for a midday appointment, scheduling is often the barrier that keeps care from happening. Empathy Therapy offers evening appointments for patients in Florida. The fully telehealth model means there is no commute and no waiting room, and an evening appointment can happen from home after the workday ends.

This matters in a state where many adults are balancing demanding work, family responsibilities, and long distances. Care that only happens during business hours asks people to choose between their job and their mental health. Evening availability removes that choice.

One patient described the value of care that fits into a real life on Vitals:

"Originally saw Dr. Chofla when he was in Sacramento. I then saw him by video. Within minutes you forget there is technology and miles in between you. Dr. Chofla can do this, and for this, I am grateful." — Patient on Vitals

Who Dr. Chofla Works With in Florida

Empathy Therapy serves adults, adolescents, and children across Florida via telehealth. Patients come from Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Tallahassee, and communities throughout the state, including rural areas where in-person psychiatric care is limited or unavailable.

Common presentations include anxiety that has become persistent rather than situational, depression that has not responded adequately to prior treatment, ADHD in adults who were never properly diagnosed or who lost continuity of care, bipolar disorder requiring careful ongoing medication management, trauma and grief, burnout from demanding professional environments, and life transitions that have destabilized mood, sleep, or daily functioning. Many patients also come simply wanting to be heard by a provider who has the time to listen, whatever brought them in.

Florida's pattern of rapid population growth and high relocation means many patients arrive in the state without an established care relationship and need to rebuild psychiatric continuity. The telehealth model makes that straightforward, and the single-provider structure means the relationship stays consistent once it begins.

One patient described what that kind of care produced on Vitals:

"Dr. Chofla is one of the best medical professionals I have been to. I have progressed under his care and expect to continue to do so. He sincerely cares about his patients' well-being." — Patient on Vitals

Therapy and Medication From the Same Provider

The core of what Empathy Therapy offers Florida patients is integration. For patients who need both medication and therapy, Dr. Chofla provides both. Medication decisions are informed by what is happening in the therapeutic work. The therapeutic work is informed by what the medication is doing. There is no gap between two providers who may not be in contact, because there is one provider holding the complete clinical picture.

For patients who need only medication management, that is what they receive. For patients who need only psychotherapy, that is available too. The model adapts to what the patient actually needs rather than forcing a particular structure.

One patient described what that integrated understanding felt like on Healthgrades:

"I have had a hard time finding a psychiatrist. Dr. Chofla challenges me when it is needed, but it always feels respectful and grounded in a real understanding of what I am going through." — Patient on Healthgrades

Private Pay, Superbills, and How Costs Work

Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Insurance is not accepted. For Florida patients who have experienced insurance-based psychiatric care with its brief appointments, rotating providers, and authorization requirements that constrain clinical decisions, the private-pay model removes those constraints. Appointments are as long as the clinical situation requires. The provider relationship stays consistent from the first appointment forward. Scheduling is structured to keep wait times short.

Patients receive a detailed superbill after each appointment, which can be submitted to insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Many patients with PPO plans recover a portion of their costs this way. Dr. Chofla's office can provide guidance on that process.

One patient described the value of that model on Vitals:

"This is a place you go to get better. Dr. Chofla was so very helpful. He got me stable. He seems expensive and you get what you pay for here." — Patient on Vitals

Dr. Chofla provides telehealth psychiatry and psychotherapy for patients across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida.

The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Anyone with questions about their mental health is welcome to contact Empathy Therapy at 888-832-9635 or book a new patient appointment online at www.empathytherapy.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dr. Chofla provide therapy, or only medication management? Both. Dr. Chofla provides formal psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management through the same provider relationship. Patients receive whichever combination fits their situation, including therapy only or medication only when that is appropriate.

Does Empathy Therapy serve patients across all of Florida? Yes. Because the practice is fully telehealth, patients anywhere in Florida can be seen, including communities outside Miami, Orlando, and Tampa where in-person psychiatric options are limited.

Are evening appointments available in Florida? Yes. Evening appointments are available for patients in Florida, which allows working professionals and parents to schedule outside of business hours.

How long are appointments? New patient intakes are 75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes.

How quickly can I be seen? New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks.

Does Empathy Therapy accept insurance? No. Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Patients receive a superbill after each appointment for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

Which states does Empathy Therapy serve? Empathy Therapy serves adults, adolescents, and children across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida via telehealth.

How do I get started? New patient appointments can be booked directly at www.empathytherapy.com. You can also review frequently asked questions at www.empathytherapy.com/faqs or call 888-832-9635 with any questions before booking.