Can One Therapist in Edina Coordinate With My Psychiatrist and PCP?
By Cabot Psychological Services · Published 2026-10-14 · Last updated 2026-10-14
Yes. One licensed therapist can act as the link between your psychiatrist and primary care doctor once you sign a written release of information. Whether that link exists depends mostly on your consent, because Minnesota law usually requires written permission before providers share records. Coordination covers short, focused updates: changes in your symptoms, the goals you’re working on in therapy, and medication effects you’ve noticed. It doesn’t mean every detail from your sessions gets passed along.
You stay in control the whole time. You choose which providers are included, what information can be shared, and when that permission ends, and you can limit a release to certain topics or cancel it later in writing.
What Does It Mean for a Therapist to Coordinate Your Care?
Care coordination means your therapist, psychiatrist, and primary care doctor share key updates, with your written permission, so each one knows what the others are doing. At Cabot Psychological Services, multi-provider treatment coordination is one of our listed services, so you can ask for it directly as part of your care.
Each provider has a different job:
- Your therapist usually meets with you most often and works on thoughts, feelings, and habits.
- Your psychiatrist diagnoses mental health conditions and manages psychiatric medication.
- Your PCP (primary care provider) tracks your overall physical health, lab work, and other prescriptions.
Coordination has limits. Your therapist doesn’t become your prescriber, and coordination doesn’t mean everything you say in session gets reported to your doctors.
Here is a hypothetical example. Say your sleep gets worse a few weeks after a medication change, and you mention it in therapy. With your consent, your therapist lets your psychiatrist know, so the psychiatrist can review the dose or timing. Without that update, the psychiatrist might not hear about the sleep problem until your next appointment, which could be weeks away.
How Does a Therapist Coordinate With a Psychiatrist and Primary Care Doctor?
A therapist coordinates care by getting your signed consent, contacting your other providers by phone, secure message, or letter, and sharing short updates on symptoms, goals, and progress. The process usually follows these steps:
- You name your providers at intake. Your therapist asks who else is involved in your care, such as a psychiatrist, primary care doctor, or specialist.
- You sign a release for each provider. Each release is separate, so you can include one provider and leave out another.
- Your therapist makes first contact. This is often a short introduction: who the therapist is, that you are now in therapy, and how to reach them.
- Updates happen when something changes. Common triggers include a new diagnosis, a medication change, or a sudden rise in symptoms.
- You hear what was shared. A good therapist tells you what went out and why.
Most contact is brief. It covers changes that matter for treatment, not the full story of your sessions.
Coordination can also run both ways. A psychiatrist may ask how therapy is going before adjusting a medication. A primary care doctor may share lab results that help explain fatigue or low mood, such as a thyroid issue or a sleep problem. Some symptoms that look emotional have a physical piece too, so that information can change what your therapist focuses on.
How often providers talk depends on your needs and on each provider’s schedule. No single timetable fits every client, so ask your therapist what to expect.
What Information Gets Shared Between Providers?
Providers usually share a working diagnosis, treatment goals, current symptoms, medication changes, and safety concerns, and only what you have agreed to. Here is a general picture:
| Commonly shared | Usually kept private |
|---|---|
| Working diagnosis | Detailed session content |
| Treatment goals | Personal stories you tell in therapy |
| Changes in symptoms | Psychotherapy notes |
| Medication side effects you report | Details unrelated to treatment |
| Test or evaluation results | Anything outside the scope of your release |
You can narrow a release. For example, you might allow your therapist to share medication-related updates with your psychiatrist but nothing about family conflict. You can set a time limit, such as one year, and you can ask to see a copy of anything sent on your behalf.
Do I Have to Sign a Release Before My Therapist Talks to My Doctor?
In Minnesota, yes, in most cases. Your therapist needs your written consent, usually called a release of information (ROI), before sharing your records with a psychiatrist or primary care doctor.
This is where Minnesota differs from the federal baseline. The federal privacy rule, HIPAA, allows some provider-to-provider sharing for treatment purposes without separate written consent. Minnesota’s law is stricter: the Minnesota Health Records Act (Minn. Stat. § 144.293) generally requires a patient’s consent before a provider releases health records, with narrow exceptions such as a medical emergency. So in Minnesota, the signed release is usually what makes coordination possible.
A release of information usually names:
- Who can share the information (your therapist or the practice)
- Who can receive it (a specific psychiatrist, doctor, or clinic)
- What information can be shared
- Why it is being shared, such as treatment planning
- When it expires, by a date or an event
You can say no. You can sign for your psychiatrist but not your primary care doctor. You can cancel a release later in writing, which stops future sharing, though anything sent before you canceled can’t be called back.
Saying no has a tradeoff. If you decline, your therapist can still treat you, but your other providers will be working without that context. If you’re unsure, you can start with a narrow release and sign a broader one later as you become more comfortable.
What Stays Private Even With a Signed Release?
Psychotherapy notes, meaning a therapist’s private session notes kept apart from the main record, need their own specific permission and are rarely shared. A general release for coordination doesn’t usually cover them.
Substance use treatment records have extra federal protection under 42 CFR Part 2, a federal rule that sets tighter limits on how those records can be disclosed. That matters for clients who work with our licensed alcohol and drug counselor. J Gold, MSW, LICSW, LADC, holds Minnesota License #LADC306430 for alcohol and drug counseling and Minnesota License #LICSW31202 for clinical social work. If you’re in substance use counseling, expect any release that touches those records to be more specific about what can go where.
Before you sign, ask your therapist to walk you through the release form line by line. If a line is unclear, ask what it would allow in a real situation.
Why Coordinated Mental Health Care Matters for Medication and Therapy
Coordinated care matters because therapy and medication often work on the same symptoms. When providers don’t talk, side effects can get missed, treatment plans can pull in different directions, and you end up repeating your story to every office.
This applies across several services our practice offers. In depression and treatment-resistant depression care, your therapist often sees you more frequently than your psychiatrist does, so your therapist can report mood changes after a medication adjustment. In adult ADHD treatment, your therapist can share patterns in focus and sleep that help guide ADHD medication management. With insomnia therapy, your primary care doctor can check for physical causes of poor sleep while your therapist works on sleep habits and the thoughts that keep you awake. And in bipolar therapy and care for mood disorders, early warning signs such as shifts in sleep or energy can reach the psychiatrist sooner.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is another clear case. Our TBI psychological support addresses the emotional effects of a brain injury, and that therapy often runs alongside medical follow-up. Updates between the therapist and doctor help everyone see the full picture, including which symptoms may be emotional, which may be physical, and which may be both.
Minnesota adds a seasonal factor. Limited daylight from November through February is a documented driver of seasonal mood problems, and winter can deepen depression for many people here. When your providers share notes, a seasonal pattern can be easier to spot across appointments.
None of this promises a specific outcome. It does mean fewer things fall through the cracks between appointments, and you carry less of the work of being the go-between for your own care.
How a Multi-Disciplinary Practice Makes Coordination Simpler
When several kinds of licensed clinicians work under one practice, you may have fewer outside offices to connect.
Cabot Psychological Services has been in practice since 2010 and has a multi-disciplinary team with credentials spanning PhD, LP, LICSW, LMFT, LADC, and LGSW. Each set of letters means a different license and training path, including licensed psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, and licensed marriage and family therapist. Amanda Mulfinger, PhD, LP, is the President and Owner of the practice. Dr. Mulfinger holds Minnesota License #LP5029.
That mix of licenses matters when your needs change. Someone in individual therapy who later wants couples work can see a licensed marriage and family therapist; Craig Norvell, MA, LMFT, holds Minnesota License #LMFT2363. Someone who needs substance use counseling can work with a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. In both cases, you may be able to stay within one practice instead of starting over somewhere new.
Psychiatric Evaluation, ADHD Medication Management, and Psychological Testing and Evaluation are also listed services at the practice. If you already see an outside psychiatrist, ask at intake how these services would connect with the care you already have. That conversation helps avoid duplicate evaluations or mixed messages about medication.
Coordinating Care From the Edina Office, Minneapolis Office, or Telehealth
Care coordination happens through calls, secure messages, and records, so it doesn’t depend on which office you visit. You can coordinate from the Edina office, the Minneapolis office, or a telehealth session.
Cabot Psychological Services has two office locations, one in Minneapolis and one in Edina, plus telehealth therapy available statewide in Minnesota. Edina is a car-friendly suburb, so the Edina office may be most convenient if you drive. If you live in Loring Park, Whittier, or Stevens Square and rely on transit, the Minneapolis office or telehealth may be easier to reach.
Telehealth also helps when your care is spread across the state. Because it is available statewide, it can help clients whose psychiatrist or primary care doctor practices outside the Twin Cities metro, and people in parts of Minnesota where mental health providers are hard to find. Your therapist can still coordinate with your other providers wherever they are located, as long as you have signed a release for each one.
Winter is another reason to consider telehealth. Icy roads and early darkness make it tempting to skip an appointment. Telehealth removes the commute, so sessions, and the updates that come out of them, are less likely to stall in the coldest months. Ask whether a mix of in-person and online sessions could work for you.
Can a Therapist Coordinate My Child’s Care With a Psychiatrist and Pediatrician?
Yes. A child or teen therapist can coordinate with a psychiatrist and pediatrician once the right person signs a release. For most children, that person is a parent or guardian. These updates often matter in ADHD, anxiety, and depression care.
Our practice offers Child and Adolescent Therapy, ADHD Assessment and Therapy, Psychological Testing and Evaluation, Autism Spectrum Evaluation, and Learning Disability Assessment. Testing results are often shared with a pediatrician or psychiatrist, with consent, to guide next steps. For example, an ADHD assessment might help a psychiatrist decide whether to discuss medication, while the therapist focuses on routines and emotional regulation at home and school.
Teen privacy deserves a direct conversation. Teens often open up more when they trust that not every word will reach their parents, yet parents and doctors still need enough information to keep a teen safe and supported.
Minnesota law also lets some minors consent to their own care. Examples include a minor who lives apart from their parents and manages their own finances, and any minor seeking treatment for alcohol or other drug use (Minn. Stat. § 144.341; Minn. Stat. § 144.343). In those situations, the teen may be the one who signs the release.
Ask at the start how the therapist balances a teen’s trust with what gets shared with parents and other providers. Knowing the ground rules early can prevent hurt feelings later.
If your child is in crisis, coordination is not the first step. Call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or go to the nearest emergency room. Coordination between providers can follow once your child is safe.
What to Ask a Therapist Before They Coordinate With Your Other Providers
Before you start, ask whether the therapist offers care coordination, what release forms you will sign, who they will contact, and how you will know what was shared. This checklist covers the main points:
- Do you coordinate with psychiatrists and primary care doctors? Some therapists do this routinely, and others rarely do.
- Which release forms will I sign, and can I limit them? Ask whether you can restrict a release by topic or time period.
- How and when will you reach out to my providers? Phone, secure message, and letter are common options.
- Will you share summaries or full notes? Most coordination uses short summaries.
- Can I see what was sent? You should be able to ask for a copy.
- Is my insurance accepted? Cost shouldn’t be a surprise.
On question 6, here is what we can tell you directly. Cabot Psychological Services verifies insurance coverage before the first appointment, so you don’t have to sort through your benefits alone. Accepted coverage includes Medicaid and Medicare, which is rare among private psychology practices.
For your first visit, bring a list of your providers’ names, clinic names, phone numbers, and current medications with doses. With that list in hand, the release forms go faster and your therapist can reach the right person the first time.
Care coordination is not an emergency service, and messages between providers can take time. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Key Points to Remember About Coordinated Care in Edina
One therapist can be the link between your psychiatrist and primary care doctor, and in Minnesota that link starts with your signed release. You control what is shared, who receives it, and when the permission ends. You can narrow a release, decline one, or cancel it in writing.
A practice with several types of licensed clinicians, two offices in Minneapolis and Edina, and statewide telehealth can make coordination easier to keep going as your needs change.
If you’re ready to talk with someone, you can book online through our SimplePractice self-scheduling system without calling. At intake, ask us about multi-provider treatment coordination and bring your list of providers. You can ask questions about the release forms before you sign anything, and you decide what you’re comfortable sharing.
Our Insurance Partners
We accept most major insurance plans to make care accessible
Cabot Clients Say
"Sessions with Amanda are empowering."
Sessions with Amanda are empowering. She is a deeply kind therapist who has helped me to process, heal, and develop as a person.
"I have been a client of Cabot since the inception in 2010"
I have been a client of Cabot since the inception in 2010; my experience with the therapists and administrative staff have always been positive. I trust them and have referred both family and friends to Cabot and all have come back thanking me for the referral and have benefited from the caring and compassionate work of the Cabot staff.
"Cabot provides a welcoming and safe environment"
Cabot provides a welcoming and safe environment for those who may be struggling or need additional support. Each time I come for an appointment I am welcomed with a smile and hello not only from my therapist but others who pass through the waiting room.
REACH OUT TO START YOUR HEALING JOURNEY TODAY
Fill out our form or call us directly to learn if Cabot Psychological Services is right for you or a loved one.
WE PROUDLY PARTNER WITH MANY MAJOR INSURANCE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL AND MEDICAID