Soma Psychiatry

Soma Psychiatry offers compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric and psychotherapy care for individuals seeking clarity, support, and meaningful change. Here, treatment integrates mind and body to help you move toward greater stability, resilience, and wellbeing.

Overview

Soma Psychiatry offers evidence-based psychiatric care grounded in a relational, trauma-informed approach. Elizabeth offers adult and teen integrative psychiatry, medication management, somatic psychotherapy, and mind body principles designed to balance the nervous system, support mental wellness and reconnect you to whole-hearted living. Elizabeth specializes in helping adults with complex trauma and chronic illness regain resilience through client-centered care.

Elizabeth’s Approach to Medication

I have learned…

that mental health conditions are driven or worsened by inflammation and that good food, good sleep, movement and mindfulness are effective in reducing inflammation.

that medications can help brains regulate enough to more fully engage in the self-care needed to reduce inflammation.

that patient education is empowering.

that polypharmacy is risky.

that the med management model of psychiatry is limited and a pill can’t fix everything.

that all medications and supplements come with risks, and I believe in communicating that risk to my clients. Sometimes the risk is totally worth it. And evidence-based prescribing is essential.

that clients deserve to hear about withdrawal symptoms as well as side effects.

that skilled deprescribing is a rare gem. (Thank you, Maudsley.)

that psychotropic medications have extremely varied effects on patients compared to other pharmaceuticals, and patience is necessary to find the right medication. Attuned interviewing is part of this process.

that clients with a strong mind body connection are more accurate reporters of medication effectiveness.

that teaching a client to track their moods, symptoms and cycles along with medication changes is key to effective prescribing.

that using non-pharmaceutical interventions helps medications be more effective.

that the power dynamic present in psychotropic prescribing easily leads to transference and countertransference. For this reason, psychotherapeutic training and skill is essential to building a trusting relationship between client and prescriber.

that sometimes the placebo effect is just as impactful as the pharmacodynamics.

it’s all about the communication, connection and coherence.

Services

Medication Management and Integrative Psychiatry

75-90 min initial evaluation
30-40min follow up visits

Navigating the landscape of psychiatric medications requires a nuanced approach, one that prioritizes nutritional options, lifestyle changes and harmonizes clinical guidance with the body’s intrinsic signals. Understanding the pharmacodynamics of psychiatric medications is essential to balancing the risks and benefits; however, the process is far from one-size-fits-all. By guiding you to attentively listen to your body and recognize its responses—be it mood rhythms, physical sensations, or emotional cues— we will work together to tailor an optimal medication and treatment approach. I specialize whenever possible in safe, gentle deprescribing if appropriate.

Somatic Psychotherapy

55 min session

Body-based psychotherapy offers a transformative approach that weaves together interoception, radical self-acceptance, and self-compassion to foster profound behavioral change and repattern trauma responses. By tuning into the signals of the body and regulating the nervous system, you will become intimate with your emotional landscape and internal parts. I’ll help you repattern your physiological responses, allowing for more conscious awareness of your needs and behaviors.

FAQs

Do you accept insurance?

No. At this time I am not in network for any insurance providers, but I am able to give you a superbill to submit for reimbursement. Keep in mind that your confidentiality is limited with insurance coverage as insurance companies have the right to request access to my notes. HSA or FSA funds are eligible for use with psychiatry and psychotherapy.

What are my fees?

You can find my out-of-network fees at this link. In-network fees are determined by your insurance company.

What is an initial visit like?

After completing your intake forms online, your initial visit is scheduled for 90 minutes, though often we complete them within 75 minutes. This will include discussion of your current concerns as well as a thorough assessment of your previous health history, both physical and mental, as well as brief psychotherapy.

I do offer a 10 minute telephone consult prior to this visit to determine if we are a good fit before committing to treatment. The initial evaluation is an additional opportunity for us to explore our therapeutic fit, so you can feel free to ask me questions as well. It’s important to me that you feel aligned with my approach. You are the captain of the ship and I am your first mate.

Do you offer alternatives to prescription medications?

Yes I do. I am knowledgeable in the use of nutrition and evidence-based supplements that are helpful for mental health conditions, and I am increasing my knowledge all the time. Sometimes the use of supplements like SAMe or Omega-3 Fatty Acids enables us to use lower doses of medications when medications are required.

Do you prescribe controlled substances?

I avoid prescribing controlled substances as much as possible due to the risk they pose to clients. However in certain clear circumstances, they are the best standard of care. I work with clients as much as possible to find effective alternatives before resorting to stimulants or benzodiazepines, and whenever possible, I encourage thorough evaluation with an ADHD expert for accurate diagnosis of ADHD. I will not diagnose ADHD in the first visit. I require several visits to evaluate for ADHD and stimulant usage.

Do you offer telehealth visits?

I do offer Telehealth visits for Colorado residents. I request your first visit be in-person to establish rapport. Thereafter, I require an in-person visit at least every 6-9 months depending on your response to medications. My groups are most often held via Zoom.

What age clients do you treat?

I see clients ages 15 and up.

What are your credentials?

I am a Masters-prepared (MSN) board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) in the state of Colorado. I am also certified in Mind Body Medicine through the Center for Mind Body Medicine. I previously worked as an acute care medical surgical nurse, a hospital discharge planner on oncology and a care coordinator in an inpatient psychiatric unit. I was the nurse educator in a hospital-based Mind Body Medicine clinic where I ran groups and did health coaching and pain reprocessing therapy. I have also worked as a counselor in a residential treatment program for eating disorders and done trainings for working with refugees and torture survivors, eating disorders and domestic violence survivors. My bachelors of fine arts in dance and certification in the Trager® Approach have given me extensive knowledge of movement-based anatomy, injury prevention and creative expression.

Contact

If you’d like to learn more, request an initial consultation, schedule an appointment, please reach out using the form below.

Soma Psychiatry is located at:

The Tree House
737 29th St. Suite 100C
Boulder, CO 80303

Tel: 720-295-4909