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

Finding a psychiatrist in Washington who provides both therapy and medication management through the same provider relationship is not straightforward. Across Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Bellevue, and communities throughout the state, the standard model is a prescriber for medication and a separate therapist for talk therapy. The two providers may or may not communicate closely. The patient manages the gap between them.

For Washington residents dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, trauma, or the compounding effects of a difficult period, that split model often produces results that fall short of what integrated care can offer.

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 Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida via telehealth. New patient intakes are 75 minutes. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes. New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks.

What the Standard Psychiatric Model in Washington Looks Like

Washington has a shortage of outpatient psychiatrists relative to demand. In the Puget Sound region, high-pressure professional environments and the particular stressors of urban life create significant demand for mental health care. East of the Cascades and in rural communities across the state, access to a psychiatrist at all is often limited.

The practices that do operate in Washington tend to follow the same model: medication management in brief appointments, with therapy handled by a separate provider. Follow-up medication management appointments across most telehealth psychiatric practices run 15 to 30 minutes. Many practices separate therapy and psychiatry into distinct services with different providers. Some require patients to use in-house therapists to access anything resembling integrated care.

For patients who need both medication and therapy, that structure means managing two relationships, two schedules, and the coordination gap between providers who may not be in close contact. What one provider knows, the other may not.

One patient described what it meant to finally find a provider who holds the full picture 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

What Empathy Therapy Offers Washington Patients

Dr. Chofla provides both psychiatric medication management and formal psychotherapy through the same provider relationship. For Washington patients who need both, that means one provider manages the complete clinical picture from the first appointment forward. Medication decisions are informed by what is happening therapeutically. Therapeutic work is informed by what the medication is and is not doing. The two dimensions of care stay coherent rather than operating in separate tracks.

Patients who need only medication management receive that. Patients who need only psychotherapy receive that. For those who need both, the integrated model removes the coordination burden from the patient entirely.

New patient intakes at Empathy Therapy are 75 minutes, used to build a thorough clinical picture before any recommendations are made. Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes, significantly longer than the medication checks that characterize most outpatient psychiatric practices in Washington. That time allows for real monitoring and meaningful conversation at every visit, not a quick symptom review and a refill.

One patient described the quality of that unhurried attention 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

Who Dr. Chofla Works With in Washington

Empathy Therapy serves adults, adolescents, and children across Washington via telehealth. Patients come from Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Spokane, Olympia, Bellingham, Vancouver, the Tri-Cities, and communities throughout the state, including areas east of the Cascades where access to outpatient psychiatric care is limited.

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 somewhere along the way, bipolar disorder requiring careful ongoing medication management, trauma and grief that have both biological and psychological dimensions, burnout from high-pressure professional environments, and life transitions that have destabilized mood, sleep, or daily functioning.

For Washington patients in communities where the nearest psychiatrist is a long drive away, or where outpatient psychiatric care has waitlists measured in months, telehealth removes the access barrier entirely. The same provider and the same quality of care available in Seattle is available anywhere in the state.

One patient described the telehealth experience with Dr. Chofla 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

Private Pay, Superbills, and How Costs Work

Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Insurance is not accepted. For Washington patients who have experienced insurance-based psychiatric care with its brief appointments, limited session frequency, and provider changes driven by network decisions rather than clinical ones, 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 so that established patients are not left without access when something changes.

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:

"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

Accessing Care Across Washington and Beyond

Because Empathy Therapy is fully telehealth, Washington patients do not need to be in Seattle or any specific city. Patients anywhere in the state can schedule with the same provider and receive the same level of care. There is no commute, no waiting room, and no need to take significant time away from work or family.

Empathy Therapy also serves adults, adolescents, and children across California, Oregon, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida via telehealth.

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 visit www.empathytherapy.com to schedule a new patient appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dr. Chofla provide therapy, or only medication management? Both. Dr. Chofla provides formal psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management. 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 Washington? Yes. Because the practice is fully telehealth, patients anywhere in Washington can be seen, including rural areas and communities east of the Cascades, where outpatient psychiatric options are limited.

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.