Psychiatric Care for Hickory and Catawba County
We provide psychiatric medication management, evaluations, GeneSight testing, and ESA letters for adults in the Hickory area. Catawba Valley is a community built on hard work -- from the furniture factories that shaped this town to the fiber optic plants driving its future. We are here to help the people who keep it running.
Who We Help in Hickory
Hickory has always been a manufacturing town. The furniture industry put this place on the map, and companies like Century Furniture and Sherrill Furniture still employ hundreds of local workers. But the real growth story is fiber optics. CommScope and Corning Optical Communications together employ thousands of people in Catawba County, making this area one of the largest fiber optic cable production hubs in the country. That growth means good jobs -- but shift work, production pressure, and long hours take a toll.
We also work with healthcare workers at Catawba Valley Medical Center and Frye Regional Medical Center. Teachers and staff in Catawba County Schools and Hickory Public Schools. Warehouse and distribution workers at Merchants Distributors. Families in Newton, Conover, and Claremont who drive into Hickory for care. If the demands of your job or your life are affecting your sleep, your focus, or your mood, we can help.
Our Approach to Medication Management
Your first appointment is a full psychiatric evaluation. We take time to understand what is going on -- not just your symptoms, but your work schedule, your sleep, your history with medications. From there, we build a medication plan that fits your life. If you have tried medications before and they did not work, GeneSight testing can help. It is a simple cheek swab that shows how your body processes different psychiatric medications so we can make smarter choices faster.
We also offer Emotional Support Animal evaluations for patients whose anxiety or depression significantly impacts their daily life.
For Students in the Hickory Area
Lenoir-Rhyne University students deal with the same academic pressures as students at bigger schools -- but often with less access to mental health resources. Catawba Valley Community College students are frequently balancing classes with full-time jobs or raising families. If anxiety, ADHD, or depression is making it hard to keep up, we can help you find the right medication so you can finish what you started.
For Working Professionals
Whether you are on the production floor at CommScope, managing patient care at Catawba Valley Medical Center, teaching at Hickory Public Schools, or running a small business on Union Square, your mental health matters. We work with professionals across the Hickory metro who need help with focus, anxiety, mood, or sleep -- and who need a provider that respects their time.
Insurance and Payment
We accept Blue Cross NC, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and MedCost. We also accept NC Medicaid plans including Healthy Blue, WellCare, and AmeriHealth Caritas. Cash pay is available if you do not have insurance.
Getting Started
Fill out our contact form and we will call you to set up your first appointment. Your initial evaluation runs about 45-60 minutes. You will leave with a clear diagnosis and a medication plan. Follow-ups are shorter and focused on making sure things are working. Most patients notice improvement within a few weeks of starting or adjusting their medication.