At Hallmark Psychiatry, our mission is to provide a caring and compassionate environment where individuals and families can find hope, healing, transformative change and a renewed path forward. We offer improved access to mental health and addiction in Tennessee through in-person and virtual (telehealth) visits with excellent care. Expand access to telehealth services to the rural communities seeking mental health and addiction services. When medications fail, we provide access to alternative interventions including TMS and Esketamine (REM CERTIFIED SPRAVATO) treatment for resistant depression, OCD and anxiety. SERVICES:Medication management includes Buprenorphine and Naltrexone for opioid use disorder Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy, family therapy TMS for resistant depression and OCD Ketamine treatment for resistant depression and PTSDTelehealth services are available Monday to Saturdays Our therapists are board certified, very compassionate and have may years of experience. Our expert providers are led by Dr. Anthony Ekwo who is dual board certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine. Dr. Ekwo completed a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) fellowship at Duke University and ECT fellowship at Emory University. Dr. Ekwo completed psychiatry residency at Meharry Medical College, Nashville where he served as the chief resident for two years. Dr. Ekwo has been a physician since 1991 with lots of experience in the inpatient and outpatient programs. Dr. Ekwo served as the medical director of various healthcare facilities in TN for 8 years including HCA/Skyline Madison, Acadia CTC, Ruth Clinic etc. He specializes in the treatment of depression, bipolar, anxiety, psychosis, opioid and alcohol use disorders. Dr. Ekwo is a Christian who is married and has three children and enjoys spending time with his family.
Nashville runs on live shows, late load-outs, and a music industry that rarely keeps daytime hours — and depression that hasn’t responded to standard antidepressants doesn’t pause for any of that. Spravato® (esketamine) gives Music City residents an FDA-approved, in-office option once oral medications alone haven’t done the job. From the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway to the studios along Music Row and neighborhoods like Midtown and Green Hills, our clinics put this treatment within reach without requiring a hospital stay.
Most antidepressants work gradually, adjusting serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine levels over the course of weeks. Spravato instead acts on NMDA receptors within the brain’s glutamate system, a route that’s meant to work alongside a continuing oral antidepressant rather than replace it. That combination is associated with quicker symptom relief for some patients, though the actual dosing curve is different for everyone — our Nashville clinicians adjust it as your response comes into focus.
Spravato isn’t something patients pick up and take home. FDA REMS rules require it to be self-administered inside a certified facility, under the direct watch of a licensed provider from start to finish. Once the dose is given, you’ll stay under observation for a minimum of two hours while staff track blood pressure and watch for sedation or dissociation before clearing you to leave.
A lot of our patients keep touring, recording, or gig schedules that don’t look like a typical nine-to-five, and our Downtown Nashville, Midtown, and Green Hills locations are set up with that in mind. The heaviest scheduling demand comes early in treatment, when visits happen a couple of times a week, so our coordinators work session times around your calendar rather than the other way around. Every visit ends the same way, though: a ride home is required, since driving isn’t permitted the day of treatment.
Our Nashville clinics support residents throughout Middle Tennessee who have not achieved adequate relief from standard antidepressant therapy, offering Spravato as an FDA-regulated option alongside continued oral medication management. We provide treatment for:
During your consultation, our clinicians will conduct a thorough psychiatric and medical evaluation to confirm candidacy and determine whether Spravato is an appropriate addition to your treatment plan.
The cost of Spravato treatment depends on the frequency and length of your individualized dosing schedule. As an FDA-approved medication, Spravato has broader insurance coverage than some other interventional treatments, and many Tennessee-based plans provide at least partial coverage for patients who meet clinical criteria. Our staff will help verify your benefits and walk you through any out-of-pocket costs before treatment begins.
You will self-administer the nasal spray under the direct observation of a licensed healthcare provider in a comfortable, private treatment room. Afterward, you will remain on-site for a required monitoring period of at least two hours while clinical staff check your blood pressure and observe for side effects such as dizziness, sedation, or dissociative sensations. Most patients are cleared to leave once these effects have subsided, though a driver is required for the remainder of the day.
A referral is not always required, but treatment must begin with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation to confirm that oral antidepressants alone have not provided adequate relief. This evaluation reviews your treatment history, current medications, and overall health to determine candidacy and to help our clinical team design an individualized dosing schedule.
No. Because Spravato can cause temporary sedation, dizziness, or altered perception, patients are not permitted to drive on the day of treatment. You will need a responsible adult to take you home, and it’s recommended that you avoid operating machinery or making major decisions for the remainder of the day. Our staff will review these requirements with you before your first session.
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