Mental health care in Tampa
Ascend Mind and Body provides outpatient mental health care in Tampa at our Carrollwood office on Moran Road and by secure video: therapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, ADHD evaluations and psychological testing. Psychiatric care here comes from board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP-BC), not physicians. Below is how to pick a starting point.
- One practice, one recordTherapy, medication management and testing are coordinated inside the same practice.
- Moran Road or your living roomPsychiatry and therapy visits happen at the Carrollwood office or by video anywhere in Florida.
- Coverage checked before you bookPsychiatry bills major plans. Therapy is self-pay, with superbills.
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Request a callback and a patient coordinator will help you choose where to start, check openings and confirm insurance. No cost, no obligation.
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A patient coordinator will reach out within one business day. If you would rather not wait, call (813) 670-3005.
Most people searching for mental health care in Tampa already know something is off. The harder question is which kind of clinician to call first.
Start with therapy when you want to understand and change what is happening. Start with a psychiatric evaluation when symptoms are heavy enough that you want medication considered. Start with testing when the question itself is unclear, such as ADHD versus anxiety. Plenty of Tampa patients end up using two of these at once, and that is normal.
Tampa gives you more choices than almost anywhere else on this side of the state: hospital systems, university clinics, group practices from Westshore to New Tampa, and national video services. Choice is useful once you know what you are choosing. Before that, it mostly produces a week of phone calls to the wrong kind of office.
This page is meant to shorten that week. It lays out which service fits which situation, what outpatient care can and cannot handle, and how the pieces fit together at Ascend Mind and Body if you need more than one. Nothing here is a diagnosis. A coordinator and then a clinician confirm the right starting point with you, and changing course later is routine.
Our Tampa office is at 3971 Moran Rd, Suite 101, in Carrollwood, just off North Dale Mabry. Psychiatric visits, therapy and psychological testing all happen in that suite, which matters more than it sounds: when a therapist suspects ADHD, or a prescriber wants testing to settle a diagnosis, the next step is a referral down the hall rather than a search for a new practice.
Where to start, matched to what is going on
Read across the row that sounds most like you. The last column is a reasonable first step, not a verdict, and each link is simply a page with more detail.
| What is going on | Age | What you want | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worry, low mood or stress that is wearing you down, and you want to talk it through | Adults 18+ | Understand the pattern and learn ways to change it | Therapist in Tampa |
| Symptoms heavy enough that work, sleep or relationships are slipping | Adults 18+ | An evaluation, and medication if it is appropriate | Psychiatric evaluation and medication management |
| Lifelong trouble with focus, follow-through or keeping track of time | Adults | A clear answer about ADHD | Adult ADHD evaluation |
| A child or teenager whose mood, anxiety, attention or behavior worries you | Ages 5 to 17 | An evaluation that includes a parent or guardian | Child and teen psychiatry |
| Questions about learning, memory or development that need formal measurement | Children, teens and adults | A written report you can share with a school or doctor | Psychological testing |
| Distressing memories, nightmares or feeling constantly on guard after something that happened | Adults 18+ | Trauma-focused therapy | PTSD therapy in Tampa |
| Strain in a relationship that both partners want to work on | Couples | Sessions together | Couples therapy for Tampa couples |
| Mood changes tied to pregnancy, the months after birth, or perimenopause | Adults | Care that accounts for hormones and life stage | Women's mental health |
| Depression that has not improved after two or more antidepressant trials | Adults 18+ | A specialized evaluation | Ketamine evaluation for Tampa patients |
| Thoughts of suicide, or someone is not safe right now | Any age | Help immediately, not an appointment | Call or text 988, or call 911 |
Outpatient, intensive, inpatient or crisis care
Ascend Mind and Body is an outpatient practice: you live at home, keep working or studying, and come to scheduled visits. That covers most anxiety, depression, ADHD and stress-related problems. When symptoms need more hours of support than weekly visits can give, or safety is in question, a different level of care is the right call, and we will tell you so.
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Outpatient care, which is what we do
Scheduled therapy sessions, psychiatric visits, ADHD evaluations and testing, in person on Moran Road or by video. Therapy usually starts weekly or every other week. Medication visits sit closer together at the start and spread out once things are steady.
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Intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization
Structured programs that meet for several hours a day, several days a week, while you still sleep at home. Ascend does not run these programs. Hillsborough County has several, and the behavioral health number on your insurance card can tell you which ones are in your network. Stepping back down into regular outpatient care afterward is something we can help with.
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Inpatient care
Round-the-clock hospital care for when someone cannot stay safe at home or needs close medical monitoring. Admission happens through a hospital emergency department or a crisis evaluation, not through a clinic appointment.
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Anxiety and depression treatment in Tampa
Treatment for anxiety and depression at Ascend Mind and Body usually means therapy, medication, or both. Therapy works on the patterns that keep symptoms going; medication can lower the volume enough for that work to stick. Which comes first depends on how severe things are and what you have already tried, and your plan is reviewed as it goes.
When therapy alone is a reasonable start
Mild to moderate symptoms, a clear trigger such as a job change, a breakup or a move to Tampa, and no history of a medication that helped: therapy first is a sensible plan. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most studied approaches for both conditions, and our therapists use it alongside other methods matched to the person.
When to add a psychiatric evaluation
Panic attacks that have sent you to an emergency room, sleep that has fallen apart, depression that makes the commute down Dale Mabry feel impossible, or symptoms that came back after you stopped a medication. Those are good reasons to ask about medication alongside therapy rather than instead of it.
How the two fit together here
Your therapist and your psychiatric provider work inside the same practice, so with your written permission they can compare notes without records requests between offices. A typical combined plan might be therapy at the Carrollwood office plus a medication visit every few weeks by video.
More detail: finding a therapist in Tampa, psychiatric visits in Tampa, and the condition guides for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.
What each Ascend Mind and Body service is for
Short versions. Each one links to the page with the full detail.
Psychiatric evaluation and medication management
A first psychiatric evaluation covers your symptoms, history, other medical conditions and anything you have already tried, and ends with a plan that may or may not include medication. Follow-up visits adjust the dose, watch for side effects and decide when a change is worth making. Details on psychiatric care for Tampa adults.
Talk therapy
Weekly or every-other-week sessions with a licensed therapist or a registered intern working under licensed supervision. Common reasons Tampa adults start: anxiety, depression, burnout, grief and big life changes. You can meet at Moran Road or by video, and switch between the two. More on choosing a therapist in Tampa.
Adult ADHD evaluation
An evaluation that takes your history seriously, uses standardized rating scales, and checks for the things that imitate ADHD, such as anxiety, depression and poor sleep. If the answer is ADHD, treatment options are discussed then; if it is not, you leave with a clearer picture. More on ADHD testing in Tampa.
Child and teen psychiatry
Psychiatric evaluation and medication management for ages 5 to 17, with a parent or guardian involved at every step. ADHD, anxiety, low mood and school refusal are common reasons families call. Read about psychiatric care for Tampa children and teens.
Couples therapy
Sessions for communication breakdowns, recurring arguments, trust problems and big shared decisions. Therapy is self-pay, and your rate is quoted before you book. See couples counseling for Tampa couples.
Trauma and PTSD therapy
Trauma-focused therapy for people living with the after-effects of an accident, an assault, combat or a long stretch of hard years. Several evidence-based approaches are available, including EMDR therapy with EMDR-trained therapists, and the approach is chosen with your therapist. Details on trauma-focused therapy in Tampa.
Psychological testing
Psychological, psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations for children, teens and adults with Dr. Richard M. Marshall, Ed.D., Ph.D. Useful when the question is learning, attention, memory or development, and you want a written report and a feedback session rather than a guess. See psychological and psychoeducational testing.
Ketamine therapy
For adults whose depression or PTSD has not responded to standard treatment, ketamine is a specialized option given in person at our Wesley Chapel office after a full evaluation. The ketamine used at Ascend is a compounded preparation that is not FDA-approved, it is a Schedule III controlled substance, and individual responses vary. See ketamine therapy for Tampa patients.
The Tampa office, the team and coverage
- Office: 3971 Moran Rd, Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618, in Carrollwood. Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with free parking on site. Directions and the rest of the office details are on the Tampa office page.
- Providers: Dr. Richard M. Marshall, Ed.D., Ph.D. (psychological testing), Anna Stouffer, PMHNP-BC and Margot Krahn, PMHNP-BC (psychiatric care), and therapists Kaylee Mills Brenneman, LMHC, Diana Frances Smith, RMFTI, Skyler Anderson, RMHCI and Ashley Huston, RMHCI. Who you see, and whether in person or by video, is matched on your first call. Profiles and credentials: meet our clinicians.
- Insurance: Ascend is in network with Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, TRICARE, ChampVA and Oscar for psychiatry. Talk therapy is self-pay, with superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. See insurance and self-pay details.
- Areas served: Tampa, Carrollwood, Northdale, Westchase, Town 'N' Country, Lutz, New Tampa, Temple Terrace, Seminole Heights, South Tampa and the rest of Hillsborough County, plus video visits anywhere in Florida.
Questions about choosing and combining care in Tampa
What Tampa callers ask before deciding where to start.
Should I start with a therapist or a psychiatric provider?
If you mainly want to talk through what is happening and learn ways to handle it, start with therapy. If symptoms are severe, have lasted months, or you are wondering whether medication would help, start with a psychiatric evaluation. If you cannot tell, describe the problem to our coordinator and they will suggest a first step. Starting in one place does not lock you out of the other.
Who prescribes medication at Ascend Mind and Body in Tampa?
Board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners: Anna Stouffer, PMHNP-BC and Margot Krahn, PMHNP-BC. In Florida they evaluate, diagnose and prescribe psychiatric medication, including controlled substances when clinically appropriate. They are not physicians, and if you specifically need a physician psychiatrist we will say so and help you find one. What a first visit involves is on our page about psychiatry in Tampa.
Can I have therapy and medication management at the same time?
Yes, and for moderate or severe depression and anxiety the combination is often recommended. Both happen inside Ascend Mind and Body, so with your written permission your therapist and your prescriber can share what they are seeing. Therapy is self-pay with superbills, while psychiatric visits can be billed to in-network plans, so the two parts may be paid for differently.
How do I know if I need more than outpatient care?
Weekly therapy and periodic medication visits work for most people. Signs you may need more include being unable to get through a workday or school day for weeks, symptoms getting worse despite treatment, or substance use that is getting out of control. An intensive program or hospital care may fit better then, and we will help you think it through. If you are thinking about suicide or are not safe, call or text 988 or call 911 now.
What happens if I start in therapy and later want medication, or the other way around?
You ask, and the referral is made inside the practice. Your history comes with you, so you are not starting from scratch with someone who has never seen your file. It works in reverse too: many people who come in for medication add therapy once the worst symptoms ease.
When does psychological testing make sense before therapy or medication?
When the question itself is unclear: attention problems that could be ADHD, a learning disorder or anxiety, or memory changes that need measuring rather than guessing. Testing ends in a written report and a feedback session, so your therapist or psychiatric provider can plan around findings. It is a separate service, and coverage for testing depends on your plan and the kind of evaluation.
Tell us what is going on and we will suggest where to start
A patient coordinator listens, asks a few questions, checks your insurance and recommends a first appointment. You do not need to know the right service name before you call.
In crisis right now? Call or text 988 any time. Scheduled appointments are not an emergency service.