Frequently Asked Questions

Prairie Roots provides care for children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing psychiatric symptoms and mental health challenges.

The primary reason for care must be psychiatric or mental health in nature.

In addition, due to licensure regulations, patients must be located in the state of Iowa at the time of receiving services.

If you are located in Nebraska or South Dakota and are interested in receiving services from Prairie Roots, please contact us as Margaret is considering applying for licenses in those states.

Currently services at Prairie Roots are only offered virtually (using HIPAA-compliant video conferencing).

Due to licensure regulations, patients must be located in the state of Iowa at the time of receiving services.

An in-person option for services in the Iowa City/Coralville area is coming soon.

Prairie Roots participates with Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Prairie Roots does not participate with any other commercial insurance, Medicaid or Medicare.

Individuals who do not have Wellmark BCBS insurance are welcome to pay cash for services. Please contact Prairie Roots for cash pay rates.

First appointments (new patient evaluations) are allotted up to 120 minutes. Follow-up appointments are allotted 50 minutes.

Please fill out the form on the Contact Us page. Prior to scheduling we will ask you to register on the Patient Portal and complete a number of electronic forms and questionnaires. Once we have all of this information, we can get you scheduled!

No! I do not earn any profits from patient supplement purchases. You can have full confidence that my recommendations are based on my clinical judgment that you would benefit from that supplement. Because I decline to take a profit from supplement sales, my patients receive the highest possible 35% discount off retail price when they buy from my Fullscript online dispensary. In addition you are never obligated to buy from Fullscript. I do advise patients to make sure they are buying supplements from a trusted brand and seller.

If I offer supplements for purchase in a future office setting (which would be solely for patient convenience), I would charge enough to cover administrative costs for managing the inventory but would remain firmly committed to avoiding any financial conflict of interest.

Conventional lab tests (e.g. complete blood cell count, liver enzymes, thyroid function) are often covered by insurance. However, Prairie Roots of course cannot make any guarantee regarding what your insurance will cover. It is the patient's responsibility to know the details of their insurance plan.

Unfortunately, specialty lab testing is usually not covered by insurance and can be a significant out-of-pocket expense. If the cost if feasible for you, it will often be greatly outweighed by the clinical value of the test results. There is simply nothing like hard data for identifying the right treatment strategies for a particular individual. While I do not require patients to undergo specialty testing, progress may be slowed or stalled in cases where we are unable to get these tests done. However, we always start with conventional lab testing. The aim is to avoid any unnecessary testing.

The most helpful specialty lab tests for psychiatric symptoms include the organic acids test, essential fatty acids panel, amino acids panel, genetic testing, kryptopyrrole testing and hair trace mineral testing. Depending on history, food sensitivity testing and comprehensive stool analysis may also be worth considering.

I am not taking new clients for intensive psychotherapy, so if you are looking primarily for a therapist, Prairie Roots will not be a good fit.

In some circumstances, I may provide time-limited intensive psychotherapy. In addition, I do often provide brief psychotherapeutic interventions during appointments. I consider this to be an essential part of high-quality, holistic mental health care. I also often recommend that my patients engage in more intensive psychotherapy with an outside therapist.

I evaluate, diagnose and treat ADHD.

However, I do not offer neuropsychological testing for ADHD. If we find that this type of formal psychometric testing is needed, I will refer you to an outside provider to get the testing done.

Integrative Psychiatry is a holistic approach to mental health care that blends conventional psychiatric treatments with complementary and alternative ones. Treatments may include conventional psychiatric medications, supplements, psychotherapy, lifestyle modifications, nutrition, and mind-body techniques., among others. This approach aims to provide personalized care that considers each patient's unique needs and preferences and addresses mind, body and spirit.

Functional Medicine is a patient-centered approach to healthcare that focuses on addressing the root causes of illness and dysfunction rather than just treating symptoms. It views the body as an integrated system and recognizes that various factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, environment and nutrition, can influence a person's health. Functional Medicine providers use a holistic and individualized approach, often conducting extensive assessments to understand the unique factors contributing to a patient's health issues. Treatment in Functional Medicine typically involves lifestyle modifications, personalized nutrition plans, and targeted interventions to restore the body's balance and optimal function. The goal is to support the body's natural ability to heal and promote long-term well-being rather than simply managing or alleviating symptoms.