Combining Therapy and Medication for Mental Health
Dr. Megan Galaske
Integrative Physician
When you’re struggling with your mental health, you deserve every tool that can help. For a lot of people, that means using both therapy and medication. These two approaches aren’t in competition. In fact, they often work best together.
You don’t need to choose between doing the inner work in therapy and getting support from medication. Sometimes it takes both to start feeling like yourself again.
They Do Different Things, and That’s the Point
Therapy gives you a space to process your experiences, explore your emotions, and make meaningful changes in your life. Medication helps regulate the brain and nervous system so you can actually do that work.
If you’re dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, OCD, ADHD, or mood instability, you may already know how hard it is to focus or engage when your symptoms are running the show. Medication can help settle things enough that therapy becomes more manageable, more effective, and sometimes more sustainable.
It’s not either-or. It’s both-and.
You Don’t Have to Be in Crisis
One of the biggest myths about psychiatric medication is that it’s only for people in crisis. That’s just not true. You don’t need to hit rock bottom to get support.
Many people try medication when they notice that therapy alone isn’t moving the needle. Maybe you’re having trouble sleeping, or you can’t focus, or your mood swings are making life unpredictable. Trying medication doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It just means you’re ready to feel better.
How Medication Can Support Therapy
Here’s what we see in our practice all the time:
Someone working through trauma starts an antidepressant to reduce panic symptoms so they can stay present in sessions.
A client with major depression begins medication that helps them get out of bed and engage with their therapist.
A person with OCD uses a low-dose medication to reduce the intensity of intrusive thoughts while learning new strategies in therapy.
A client with ADHD gets support for focus and follow-through, which helps them show up more consistently in their sessions.
In all of these examples, medication makes space for therapy to work more effectively. And therapy helps make sense of the changes medication supports.
How We Approach Medication at Nashville Therapy Group
At Nashville Therapy Group, we take a thoughtful and collaborative approach to medication. Our integrative physician works closely with your therapist to understand your needs, goals, and what has or hasn’t worked for you in the past.
We won’t push medication. We won’t suggest something that doesn’t make sense for your situation. What we will do is take your experience seriously and offer options that are grounded in care, not shortcuts.
You stay in charge of the decisions. We’re just here to help you make informed ones.
You’re Allowed to Have Questions
We know that considering medication can bring up a lot. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience before. Maybe you’re worried about side effects or stigma. Maybe you’re just not sure if it’s necessary.
That’s okay. We’re here to talk about all of it with you. No pressure, no assumptions, no rush. Just honest conversation and thoughtful support.
We Are Here For You
At Nashville Therapy Group, our team of clinicians is here to help you work through what’s hard and move toward meaningful change. Connect with us today to get started. We’d be honored to help you heal.
