Integrative Psychiatric Care in Anacortes, Washington
Care that knows your name.
North Sound Psychiatry is a small, intentional psychiatric practice. Long appointments. A real partnership. Child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry for ages 6 to 75, with in-person visits in Anacortes, WA and telehealth across Washington.
We serve Anacortes, the San Juan Islands, Mount Vernon, Burlington, Bellingham, Oak Harbor, and the rest of Washington State via telehealth.
About Dorothy Hale, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
A practice I carried in my pocket for years before I built it.
Hi, I'm Dorothy. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified. Practicing in Anacortes, Washington and via telehealth across Washington State.
You don't need to have everything figured out before you walk through my door. You simply have to begin. I'll meet you where you are.
Care with room for the whole person.
Adults, retirees, adolescents, and children ages six and up, navigating:
Anxiety
Depression
ADHD / Autism
Trauma (PTSD, C-PTSD)
Life Transitions & Burnout
Parent Coaching
Trauma-informed care · LGBTQI+ ally
I began my career as a medic in the United States Air Force at age 19. From there, I became a nurse, and my path led through emergency medicine, critical care, pediatric oncology, and ultimately psychiatry. Along the way, I spent years walking beside people through some of the most defining moments of their lives. Those experiences taught me that people rarely need someone to rush in and fix their pain. More often, they need someone willing to stay with them in it.
To do this work well, I've made lifelong learning a priority. I genuinely love the science behind psychiatry and the way our understanding of the brain, behavior, and mental health continues to evolve. It's a field that demands curiosity, humility, and a commitment to keep growing—and thankfully, that's one of my favorite parts of the job.
I still get excited by complex medication regimens that deserve a closer look or clinical puzzles that don't fit neatly into a diagnosis. Sometimes the best next step is to slow down, revisit the story from the beginning, question our assumptions, and apply the scientific method with fresh eyes. Thoughtful, evidence-based care often comes from asking better questions rather than reaching for quick answers, and I find that process endlessly fascinating.
Psychiatry is where everything I've learned comes together. It allows me to blend science with the deeply human work of relationships. It calls on critical thinking, years of clinical experience, and an ever-growing understanding of neuroscience, development, and psychopharmacology. But just as importantly, it asks me to understand the whole person—their history, relationships, strengths, struggles, values, and the experiences that shaped them.
My role isn't simply to diagnose or prescribe. It's to help make sense of what feels confusing or overwhelming, organize the pieces into something understandable, and work alongside you to create a path toward healing, growth, and a deeper connection with your authentic self.
Who I serve
I provide psychiatric evaluation and treatment for children, adolescents, adults, and retirees, ages six and up, in person and via telehealth throughout Washington State.
What my patients tell me most often is that they finally feel like they're in the driver's seat. That means everything to me. I'm here to partner with you, not prescribe at you.
Credentials & Training
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified (PMHNP-BC)
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), licensed in Washington State, full practice authority
- Master of Science in Nursing, Frontier Nursing University
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Idaho State University
- Bachelor of Science in Sports and Health Sciences, American Military University
- Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychopharmacology Course
The work isn't a transaction. It's a relationship.
I think about care like training for a long race. Some people come in at a 5K. Just trying to get stable. Find footing. Figure out what's going on. Some are mid-marathon and need a better strategy, not a new starting line. Wherever you are, we work from there. And I don't think the goal is just to finish. It's to figure out what race you actually want to run.
Relationships work like serve and return. To keep moving, someone has to hit the paddle back to you, and you to them. That's how I work. I'll show up curious. I'll ask questions that might catch you off guard. I'll offer my knowledge and perspective, but I also believe you're the expert on your own life. Together, we'll make sense of your experiences and build a path that feels authentic, sustainable, and uniquely your own.
Because relationships matter, I intentionally keep a smaller practice. It allows me to know my patients as people not just their charts. Who they are. The names of their dogs. The things they’re working on outside the appointment. The version of themselves they’re trying to get back to. If you’ve ever felt like a number in a system, that won’t be your experience here.
What I believe
You are not a diagnosis.
The symptoms tell us something. The person underneath them is who we're here for.
It doesn't have to be perfect to be moving.
We start where you are, and we go from there. Together.
Healing happens in relationship.
The connection between a patient and their provider isn't a soft add-on. It's where the real work lives.
Understanding a person takes time.
I build it in on purpose, because I think it's the whole point.
I've got you. I'm with you.
Psychiatric Services in Anacortes, WA & Telehealth Across Washington
What it looks like to work together.
Every person who walks through the door is starting somewhere different. Some arrive in the middle of an unraveling, just trying to get steady. Some have been steady for a while and are ready to ask harder questions. My goal is to meet you where you are; listen long enough to understand, and help find the right path forward.
First
You reach out
Book your intake appointment directly, or send an email to info@northsoundpsych.com if you'd like to ask a question first. You'll receive intake paperwork by email, and the office follows up within one to two business days.
Next
Your first appointment
We'll explore not only your symptoms, but your relationships, your experiences, your strengths, and what you hope life can look like moving forward. By the end of that first visit, my goal is that we both have a clearer understanding of where you are, where you'd like to go, and a plan we'll create together.
From there
Ongoing care, built around you
Follow-up care shaped to fit your life: medication management, integrative and lifestyle support, therapy, careful deprescribing, or any combination that makes sense.
the first appointment
Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
Adults 90 min · Children & Adolescents 90–120 min
We will talk about what's going on, where it might be coming from, what you've already tried, and what you actually want to be different.
By the end of the evaluation, we should have a clearer understanding of what may be contributing, what additional information may be helpful, and, through collaboration, be well on the road to a treatment plan grounded in evidence-based care and individualized to your needs.
The first appointment is long on purpose. Most people seeking psychiatric care have already spent a great deal of time trying to understand what is happening, sometimes on their own, sometimes with previous providers, and often with more questions than answers. Rather than rushing toward a diagnosis or treatment ecommendation, I believe it is important to spend enough time understanding the full picture.
The path forward
Ongoing Care
Follow-up care is individualized and may include several services under one roof. Early in treatment, we may meet more frequently to build a strong understanding of your symptoms, goals, and response to treatment. As things stabilize, visits often become less frequent.
I want patients and families to feel informed, supported, and confident in their choices. Whether treatment ultimately includes medication, psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, school supports, or a combination of approaches, the goal remains the same: thoughtful care that honors the whole person and supports meaningful, lasting growth.
what ongoing care can include
Fees
Appointments are longer than what most insurance-driven practices can offer — by design.
Adult Psychiatric Intake · 90 min
$450
Child & Adolescent Intake · 120 min
$550
Follow-Up Visit · 25 min
$185
Extended Follow-Up Visit · 50 min
$210
The extended follow-up is the most common ongoing visit — it allows time for deeper discussion, medication review, psychotherapy, and treatment planning. We will collaborate on what is best fit for follow-up type based on our stage of our plan.
Insurance
- We accept Premera, Regence UHC/Optum and TRICARE plans.
- For insurance questions, contact our billing specialist, Shelly Derousseau, at shelly@derousseau.com or 360-752-9569.
- For out-of-network plans, I provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for potential reimbursement; you will need to verify whether they accept it and how much they reimburse.
- Good-faith cost estimates are available on request.
Getting started
New patient visits are only confirmed once all intake paperwork is fully completed and signed. Please complete the full intake and questionnaire forms you receive by email upon booking. Our office will reach out within two business days to confirm your appointment. A credit card on file is required for our cancellation policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The things people usually want to know.
Book Your Intake Appointment
Let's find out if we are the right fit.
The first step is booking your intake appointment. If you'd like to ask a few questions before you commit, you're welcome to email us first. There's no wrong way to start.
If you have questions before you book, just send us an email. I'll get back to you within one to two business days.
Office
1019 21st Street
Anacortes, WA 98221
Online
northsoundpsych.com
Telehealth across WA
You're welcome to reach out with any questions before you book. The best way to reach us is by email:
info@northsoundpsych.com
Please don't include medical details in email. We'll get you set up with secure messaging once you're a patient.
When you book your intake, all forms and questionnaires are HIPAA safe.