Our Philosophy
Everyone deserves a fulfilling life.
Our Team’s Philosophy
We’re a team of clinicians and staff who have dedicated our lives to research, education, and treating those with mental health conditions. We’re especially passionate about helping those with Treatment-Resistant Depression and providing the most advanced therapies available, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and esketamine nasal spray, both FDA-approved for advanced depression.
Mental health conditions can be profoundly painful and isolating, making it difficult to seek help. Our team provides a unique, patient-centered experience to help you find the appropriate treatment and relief from your symptoms. We’re grateful to be practicing psychiatry during this era in which there are so many new treatment possibilities and new hope for those with mental health conditions. Learn more below about the many ways our team strives to provide our patients with the best possible care.
The Story of the Butterfly
Our Butterfly logo represents our company philosophy and our hopes for our patients.
A patient going through treatment for mental health conditions undergoes a metamorphosis, represented here with a butterfly. A butterfly is a symbol of growth and change, able to soar to new heights in its next chapter of life. We aspire to help each and every patient attain this goal.
Redefining Outpatient Psychiatry
Mindful Health Solutions was founded in 2007 by Dr. Richard Bermudes, who sought to develop a group practice that provided innovative, patient-centric care with the focus of an academic research institution, continually incorporated new and groundbreaking treatment methods while educating the community.
With Dr. Bermudes’ vision in mind, we’ve redesigned the group psychiatric practice model from the ground up.
His passion for integrating TMS therapy into psychiatric practices helped lead him to write and edit a book on TMS. Along with Dr. Karl Lanocha, Director of TMS Education, and another trailblazer in TMS practice, “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Clinical Applications for Psychiatric Practices” was published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2018.
Commitment To Innovation
Our clinicians enjoy the company of talented, motivated, and highly experienced colleagues with a passion for lifelong learning. Together, we cultivate a culture of creativity and collaboration that encourages thinking outside the box. Our practitioners actively research new therapies, new paths for patient education, and new ways to make our practice and services more effective. We are also currently exploring new applications for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). We are also developing telepsychiatry and patient engagement apps to extend and enhance our patients’ experience.
TMS Expertise
Our Psychiatric Team has the most experience providing TMS therapy of any outpatient psychiatric medical practice in Northern California. Dr. Bermudes, our founder, and Chief Medical Officer is a nationally recognized leader in TMS and was elected as president of the Clinical TMS Society in 2015, serving for two years. He currently serves on the Board of Directors. Dr. Lanocha, who directs our education efforts, is one of the most published clinicians in the field of TMS and one of the nation’s first physicians to use TMS to treat depression.
Insurance Coverage & Advocacy
It’s our mission to help make psychiatric treatments, including TMS and esketamine, a presciption nasal spray, accessible to all. TMS therapy and esketamine nasal spray are covered by most health insurance plans, and we continue to work on a patient-by-patient basis to advocate for coverage for all patients who need treatment. When insurance coverage is not approved or available for TMS or esketamine nasal spray, we help patients obtain financial assistance.
Patient Access Team
We want our patients to focus on their health instead of coverage, so we’ve created a specially trained Patient Access Team that handles all insurance and financing matters throughout their course of treatment.
When TMS therapy or esketamine nasal spray has been prescribed for treatment, the Patient Access Team assesses coverage and provides financing options for those without insurance. For the insured, we perform a thorough benefits investigation and work diligently to obtain insurance pre-authorization for services, including the sometimes complicated task of securing approval for TMS or esketamine. We also submit and process claims for all therapies and provide support as any coverage issues or questions about insurance arise.
Thoughtful Clinic Design
Our patient experience has been carefully considered from the moment they walk in the door through the conclusion of their treatment. Our architect-designed clinics feature pleasant, modern, and welcoming reception and waiting areas. Similarly, treatment and consult rooms are warm, calm and natural spaces, providing an inspiring and relaxing, non-clinical environment throughout the course of the multiple visits required for effective treatment.
Partnership With Referring Clinicians
We partner with a patient's psychiatrist, primary care provider, or therapist to help ensure the best possible treatment outcomes. We work with patients to create a treatment plan, confer with their referring clinicians to gather information and records, and make sure treatment expectations are aligned. As treatment progresses, we regularly update referring clinicians to provide feedback as to their patient’s progress. At the conclusion of the TMS treatment course or course of esketamine nasal spray, we provide a final report for the referring physician and check in with the patient as needed.
Metric-Based Outcomes
To continually improve our practice and best serve our patients, we believe in getting granular. Our team tracks our patients’ treatment and progress with tools such as the PHQ-9 screen, using confidential methods to ensure anonymity. We regularly review each patient’s responsiveness and use the data to adjust their treatment. We also aggregate the information to help us gain a deeper understanding of our practice’s overall effectiveness, and guide us as we improve our procedures and expand our range of therapy options. We present our progress and findings at conferences, trainings, and on our website.
We believe that transparent reporting methods strengthen our patient relationships and advances public discussion and understanding of depression and other mental health conditions.
Community Education
Community education is a cornerstone of our practice. Our psychiatrists and nurse practitioners regularly host public information sessions on depression management, TMS, and esketamine nasal spray, which help community members gain insight into their health and treatment options, and allow us to better understand their needs. For clinicians, we offer accredited TMS workshops and symposia that foster dialogue with other providers and a culture of lifelong learning. These exchanges of information and ideas makes us better practitioners and helps us provide you with superior healthcare.
Build your future with us
Join our growing practice and help us continue to redefine the psychiatric outpatient experience.
