Who Evolution Medicine Is Best For

Not every practice is right for every patient. We'd rather be direct about that than let the wrong fit waste your time — or ours.

Evolution Medicine is a self-pay integrative psychiatry practice built for complex cases — people who haven't gotten lasting results from conventional care and want a more thorough investigation into why. If this is where you've been, the fit tends to be clear.

This approach tends to be a strong fit if:

You've tried standard treatment without lasting improvement — You've worked with psychiatrists, therapists, or primary care providers. Some things helped. The underlying problem wasn't resolved.

Your presentation is complex or multi-layered — treatment-resistant depression coexisting with anxiety, trauma, or substance use. Symptoms that don't fit neatly into one diagnosis. A history that requires careful, connected evaluation.

You want to understand why — not just manage what — Symptom control alone isn't what you're after. You want to know what is driving your symptoms biologically, psychologically, and systemically.

You're open to a functional and integrative approach — This may include comprehensive functional testing alongside conventional psychiatric evaluation. You're willing to look at the full picture.

You value time and depth — Assessments begin with a 60-minute initial evaluation and may take two to three appointments to complete. This is not a 15-minute prescription refill model.

You're prepared for a self-pay investment — We do not accept insurance. We provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. Patients who do best here understand that the self-pay model is part of what makes the depth of care possible.

This approach may not be the right fit if:

You need in-network or insurance-covered care — If cost is a significant barrier, we can help point you toward other resources.

You're looking for medication management alone — We prescribe medication when appropriate, but it is one part of a broader evaluation — not the starting point or the endpoint.

You're in acute psychiatric crisis — If you're in immediate danger or need inpatient-level care, please contact emergency services or a crisis line. We treat complex outpatient cases, not acute emergencies.

You're not yet ready to engage with the process — Root-cause treatment takes time and active participation. If now isn't the right moment, that's a legitimate answer. We'll be here when it is.

Substance Use, Addiction, and Clinical Context

You do not need a substance use history — or any relationship with addiction — to be seen here. This is a practice where that conversation is always welcome and never a barrier to care.

Substance use of any kind — including alcohol, cannabis, or other substances used casually or recreationally — can meaningfully affect mood, sleep, cognition, and how the body responds to treatment. Dr. Lazarevic considers this information as a routine part of any thorough psychiatric evaluation, not as a separate concern or a qualifier for care.

For patients where addiction is the primary issue — or where it runs alongside depression, anxiety, or trauma — Dr. Lazarevic's dual board certification in General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry makes this one of the few practices equipped to treat both with equal clinical depth.

What Makes Evolution Medicine Different

Double board certification — Dr. Lazarevic is board-certified in both General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. Fewer than 5% of psychiatrists hold both certifications.

Time and depth — Assessments begin with a 60-minute initial evaluation and may extend across two to three appointments for complex cases.

Coordinated team — Psychiatry, psychology, and functional nutrition work together — not in parallel silos.

Still evaluating? These pages may help.

See how the approaches compare → Integrative vs. Conventional Psychiatry
Our clinical approach in depth → Integrative Psychiatry NYC
Have questions? Frequently Asked Questions