Psychiatry/
Medication

Circle and line drawing

Every visit is built on three things:

  • Understanding. The whole picture comes first, before anyone reaches for a prescription pad.
  • Options. You hear what we'd recommend, why it fits, and what else is worth considering.
  • Access. Message Dr. Sammy directly between appointments, and actually hear back.

How Psychiatry Works

Most psychiatry runs on fifteen-minute appointments and a long wait just to see a psychiatrist. We built ours around the two things that were missing, time and access. Your first visit is a full hour, follow-ups aren't rushed, and your psychiatrist is a message away in between.

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    The Whole Story

    Your First Visit

    The first appointment runs a full hour, because a good plan starts with the whole story and not a symptom checklist. What you're dealing with, when it started, what's helped, what hasn't, and what you actually want to feel different.

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    Understanding Options

    A Shared Decision

    Medication can help, and there's usually more than one reasonable path. Dr. Sammy walks through what he'd recommend, why it fits you, what to expect, and what else is worth weighing. You leave understanding the plan, not just holding a prescription.

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    Start Thoughtfully

    Medication & A Plan

    If medication makes sense, you start with intention. What you're taking, what it's meant to improve, and what to watch for in the first few weeks. Nobody hands you a bottle and waves goodbye. The plan is built to make your days work better, and it's clear from the start.

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    Stay Connected

    Follow Up & Direct Access

    Follow-up visits run 30 to 45 minutes, longer than the medication check most places offer, because the first few weeks tell us things a first appointment can't. Between visits you can message Dr. Sammy directly through a secure portal, with no phone tree and no waiting days for a callback. Your care keeps moving instead of resetting every time you sit down.

Talk to a psychiatrist

Contact us now to book your first visit and get started.

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Is medication right for you?

It's the question almost everyone brings, and the honest answer is that it depends on you. Medication changes lives for the right person at the right time, and it does the most good when a psychiatrist has taken the time to understand what's really happening before writing anything down. Dr. Sammy specializes in ADHD, anxiety, and depression, the concerns people most often wonder about medication for.
 
Sometimes the answer is yes, and the right prescription becomes a turning point. It's virtually always medication alongside counseling, so the two do their work together. And sometimes it's not medication at all, and you deserve a psychiatrist willing to tell you that. Figuring out which one is true for you is exactly what the first visit is for.

Meet Dr. Sammy Khader, MD

Affiliate Psychiatrist

Dr. Khader 1.pngDr. Sammy is a psychiatrist who believes mental healthcare should feel a lot more human. He specializes in ADHD, anxiety, and depression, with an approach centered on something that can be surprisingly hard to find in mental healthcare today: taking the time to truly listen.
 
After seeing too many people frustrated by long wait times, rushed appointments, and one-size-fits-all treatment, Dr. Sammy knew there had to be a better way. His sessions are thoughtful, unhurried, and collaborative, with a focus on understanding the whole person, not simply checking symptoms off a list or reaching for a quick prescription.
 
Accessibility is also an important part of Dr. Sammy's approach to care. Patients have direct access to Dr. Sammy through a secure patient portal, without having to call an office, leave a message with a nurse, or send emails that get passed from person to person. When you have a question or concern between appointments, you can message Dr. Sammy directly. It's a simpler, more personal way to stay connected to your psychiatrist and your care.
 
He takes the time to understand each patient's experiences, challenges, goals, and what they hope to get out of treatment. From there, he works together with patients to develop an individualized treatment plan that feels practical, evidence-based, and tailored to their lives.
 
Dr. Sammy brings together modern psychiatric care, genuine curiosity, accessibility, and a warm, down-to-earth approach. His goal is simple: to create a space where people feel heard, understood, and supported, and where getting in touch with your psychiatrist doesn't have to feel complicated.

Experience

  • Medical Director of Inpatient & Outpatient Psychiatry, CGH Medical Center, Sterling, IL
  • Founder, Medical Director & Psychiatrist, Cater Psychiatry, Saint Charles, IL
  • Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Training, Tower Health / Drexel University College of Medicine — Completed one year of fellowship training
  • Psychiatry Residency, Cooper University Health Care, Camden, NJ

Credentials

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • Licensed Psychiatrist
  • Additional Training in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Licensed Physician in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania & New Jersey
  • Clinical and Executive Leadership Experience in Inpatient & Outpatient Psychiatry
  • Founder & Medical Director, Cater Psychiatry

Why the First Hour Matters

A rushed first visit produces a rushed plan. When a psychiatrist only has fifteen minutes, the quickest path is a prescription and a follow-up in three months. The full hour exists so the plan rests on who you actually are, what you've already tried, and what you're really hoping changes. Better information up front is what makes a medication decision a good one.

What Does It Feel Like?

Mostly, it feels like being listened to. The first visit feels like a real conversation with someone who wants the whole story before suggesting anything. Follow-ups feel like checking in with someone who remembers you and isn't watching the clock. And messaging in between feels like having a psychiatrist you can actually reach, which surprises people more than it should.

Care That Doesn't Disappear Between Visits

The hardest stretch with medication is often the one between appointments, when a side effect shows up or a dose feels off and there's no one to ask. That's the gap the portal closes. A question that used to mean waiting weeks for the next visit gets answered by the person who actually prescribed it. Care that stays connected can be adjusted before a small problem becomes a reason to quit.

More Than a Prescription

Medication rarely does its best work alone. The people who do well pair it with counseling, and because NPS is a full practice, the therapist and the psychiatrist can actually talk to each other. If what you need lives outside psychiatry, Dr. Sammy will say so. The goal is never just to prescribe. It was to help your life work better.

What Psychiatry Can Help With

Dr. Sammy specializes in the concerns people most often ask about medication for. Read deeper on any of them:

ADHD, home of the Center for ADHD (https://www.nealps.com/center-adhd) and ADHD testing (https://www.nealps.com/center-adhd/adhd-testing-how-we-diagnose)

Not sure medication is right for you? That's a reason to book a visit, not a reason to wait. Sorting it out with you is part of the work.

 

FAQ

  • Fast access is one of the main things we fixed, since long waitlists are what send people back to doing nothing. Call (815) 477-4727 and we'll find you the soonest opening.