Frequent questions
Questions people ask first.
Plain answers to what we get asked most. Use the jump nav to skip ahead.
The practice
The practice
What is Feel August?
Feel August is a telehealth psychiatric practice for adults in California. Sixty-minute first visits, same clinician every visit, in-network with most major payers, and care that takes the time it takes. We treat anxiety, depression, ADHD, postpartum, PTSD, OCD, insomnia, bipolar, and panic disorder at the outpatient level.
Who owns Feel August?
Feel August is a brand licensed by Artful Living Psychiatry & Wellness Nursing and Clinical Care Inc, the clinical entity that holds the California practice authority. The brand and the clinical practice operate as a single team; the legal structure exists because California requires psychiatric care to be delivered through a professional corporation.
Where are you located?
We are a telehealth practice. Visits happen by secure video from wherever you are in California. There is no physical office to visit. Our mailing address and contact details live on the Contact page.
Are you a tech company or a medical practice?
A medical practice. Three board-certified PMHNPs see patients directly. The technology exists to make scheduling and visits easier, not to substitute for the clinical relationship. No AI clinician, no chatbot triage, no algorithm-driven prescribing.
Eligibility & access
Eligibility & access
Who can be a patient?
Adults 18 and older who are located in California at the time of every visit. California is where our clinicians are licensed to prescribe and practice; you must be physically in the state when we meet, even by video.
Do you treat teenagers or children?
No. We see adults 18 and over. For psychiatric care for children or adolescents, ask your pediatrician for a referral or search for a child-and-adolescent psychiatrist (a different sub-specialty than ours).
What conditions do you treat?
Anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, postpartum mood disorders, bipolar disorder, insomnia, OCD, and panic disorder. We can also manage co-occurring substance use as part of psychiatric care where appropriate; we do not provide substance use disorder treatment or eating disorder programs as standalone services. Each condition page describes how we approach that specific concern.
What if I live outside California?
We cannot accept you as a patient if you are not located in California at the time of your visits. If you move out of state, we will help you find a clinician in your new state and provide records to the receiving provider. If you split time between states, we can see you only during stretches you are physically in California.
Cost & insurance
Cost & insurance
What insurance do you accept?
We are in-network with Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross California, BCBS Massachusetts, Carelon Behavioral Health, Cigna, Independence Blue Cross Pennsylvania, Oscar, Oxford, Providence Health, Quest Behavioral Health, and United Healthcare. The current full list is on the Insurance page.
What will my co-pay be?
Typically $20 to $50 per visit, depending on your specific plan. After you book, we verify your plan within 24 hours and email you with the exact co-pay, deductible status, and any additional cost-share details. No surprise billing.
What if my insurance isn't listed?
Self-pay is $400 for a 60-minute first visit, $125 for a 20-minute follow-up. Email your plan details to hello@feelaugust.com and we may add it to our in-network list. Many patients with out-of-network plans submit our superbill for partial reimbursement; we will provide one on request.
Do you accept HSA or FSA cards?
Yes. HSA, FSA, and HRA cards work for both insurance co-pays and self-pay visits. They process as standard credit-card transactions through our billing system.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Not as a published rate. If cost is the only thing keeping you from starting care, email us and we will see what we can do. We try to keep this option real and not a marketing line; that is why it is not on the public price list.
Are visits covered if I have Medicare or Medicaid?
We are not currently in-network with Medicare or California Medicaid (Medi-Cal). If that changes, this answer changes. If you have Medicare with a private Medicare Advantage plan, check whether your plan is on our payer list above; some are.
Your clinician
Your clinician
Who are your clinicians?
Three board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners: Arthur Roehr (founder), Jana Sackett (perinatal-trained), and David Cao. All three are licensed in California and accept new patients. Their training and clinical focus areas live on the Providers page.
What is a PMHNP-BC?
A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, board-certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). PMHNPs hold either a Master's or Doctorate in nursing, complete psychiatric clinical training, pass the ANCC board exam, and renew certification every five years.
What can a PMHNP do in California?
In California, a PMHNP can diagnose psychiatric conditions, prescribe and manage psychiatric medications including controlled substances, order labs, and coordinate with other clinicians on your care team. The scope of practice is functionally the same as a psychiatrist for outpatient psychiatric care.
Can I see a psychiatrist (MD or DO) instead?
We do not have psychiatrists (MDs or DOs) on staff. If a psychiatrist specifically is what you need (for inpatient care, residential addiction treatment, or another setting that requires physician-led care), we will help you find one. For outpatient psychiatric care, our PMHNPs provide equivalent clinical scope.
First visit & ongoing care
First visit & ongoing care
How long is the first visit?
Sixty minutes by secure video. The full hour. Your clinician will not type the entire time you are talking.
What happens at the first visit?
Your clinician reviews the intake form you completed before the visit, then spends the hour understanding what brought you in, your history, current medications if any, and what you hope to change. After the conversation, you receive a clear plan: a working diagnosis, a treatment recommendation (medication or otherwise), a follow-up appointment, and any next steps for labs or coordination with other clinicians.
How often will I see my clinician?
Typically every 2 to 4 weeks for the first few months while we calibrate, then every 1 to 3 months for ongoing care. Follow-ups are 20 minutes by default; we extend them when the clinical picture requires more time, without charging extra.
Will I see the same clinician every visit?
Yes. 98 out of 100 of our patients see their first clinician at every subsequent visit. Continuity is the practice. If the relationship is not the right fit, switching is a message, not a process. Email us and we will move you to a different Feel August clinician with no friction.
Medications & controlled substances
Medications & controlled substances
Can you prescribe stimulants like Adderall for ADHD?
Yes, when clinically indicated. Stimulants (Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, Concerta, and others) are Schedule II controlled substances; we prescribe them after a thorough evaluation when ADHD is the diagnostic conclusion. We do not prescribe stimulants on a first visit as a default rule for new patients. See the next question.
Do you prescribe controlled substances on the first visit?
Generally no. Our standard practice is to complete a thorough evaluation, review prior records when available, and start controlled substances at a follow-up visit rather than on day one. Exceptions exist when the clinical picture clearly warrants it and the safety considerations support it. Your clinician will explain the reasoning behind every prescribing decision.
Referring clinicians can see the provider information page for the clinical-decision framing of this same question.
What about benzodiazepines for anxiety?
We do not prescribe benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) as a long-term treatment for chronic anxiety. The evidence for sustained efficacy is weak and the dependency risk is significant. Short-term use in specific clinical situations may be appropriate; chronic prescribing is not what we do. SSRIs, SNRIs, buspirone, and several non-medication approaches have stronger evidence for chronic anxiety.
How are my prescriptions sent to the pharmacy?
By secure electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), directly to the pharmacy you choose at intake. You receive a notification when the prescription is sent. We do not call prescriptions in by phone or hand-write paper scripts under normal circumstances.
What about refills between visits?
We send a 30-day supply with refills sufficient to bridge to your next scheduled follow-up. If you need a refill before your next visit, message us through the patient portal. Most refill requests are handled within one business day. We do not auto-refill controlled substances; those require a visit on the regular cadence.
Logistics & scheduling
Logistics & scheduling
What video platform do you use?
A HIPAA-compliant video platform that runs in any modern browser. No app to install. You receive a join link in your appointment confirmation email; clicking the link 5 minutes before your visit starts the connection. If you have technical trouble, our patient portal has a backup join method and a support contact.
Where do I need to be during my appointment?
Anywhere in California that is private and has a stable internet connection. A home office, a parked car, a private room at work, a hotel room. The clinical requirements are privacy (no one within earshot who is not part of the visit), reasonable lighting, and a connection that can sustain video for an hour. You must be physically located in California for every visit.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancel or reschedule through the patient portal or by email at any time. Late-cancellation and no-show fees may apply per the policy in your appointment confirmation email. If a visit isn't working for scheduling reasons, message us, and we will move it rather than charge you when there is a real reason.
How quickly can I be seen?
Most patients book within two days. Pick a time on the schedule and your slot is held instantly. There is no insurance-verification call to delay you. Insurance verification happens in parallel after you book; we email you within 24 hours with your confirmed cost-share.
What we don't do
What we don't do
Naming what we do not do is part of the practice. Explicit non-services help patients route to the right level of care when we are not the right place.
Are you a crisis service?
No. We are not a 24/7 crisis service and we cannot provide same-day emergency psychiatric intervention.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of self-harm, please call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), or go to your nearest emergency department. The Crisis page has more resources.
Once you are stable, we can begin care.
Do you see patients under 18?
No. We see adults 18 and over. For children and adolescents, ask a pediatrician for a referral or search for a child-and-adolescent psychiatrist (a different sub-specialty than what our clinicians practice).
Do you see patients outside California?
No. Our clinicians are licensed in California; you must be physically located in California at the time of every visit. If you move out of state during ongoing care, we will help you find a clinician where you are moving and transfer your records to them.