South Chesapeake Psychiatry

01/26/2026

A thoughtful surprise on this gloomy Monday. Flowers for Sarah, Lauren, and Amanda as a thank you for the care and support they provide every day. Grateful for a team that makes people feel seen and supported - and for the patients who take the time to share their appreciation.

01/12/2026

We really do want the best for all our patients! Call us today to schedule an appointment! 📲757-908-2124

01/09/2026

We’re honored to share that Global Healthcare Magazine featured our founder, Justin Ray, on the cover in a January 2026 article highlighting his work in community and interventional psychiatry.

The piece reflects the values that guide South Chesapeake Psychiatry every day: depth over volume, accountability over convenience, and care that prioritizes real-world outcomes. From comprehensive evaluations to thoughtful, evidence-based treatment planning, our focus remains on practicing psychiatry with integrity and intention.

We’re grateful to our clients, our team, and our community for the trust you place in us. This recognition is a reminder of why we do the work—and why quality, ethical psychiatric care still matters.

Read the full article here:

For more than a decade, Justin Ray’s professional life unfolded in spaces like these. Long before advanced degrees, leadership roles

12/10/2025

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!! You bring so much joy to all of us here at SCP everyday! Thank you for all the extremely hard work you do for the providers and our clients, your positivity and for making us laugh everyday!! We love you meatball!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎂🎂🎂🥳🥳🥳

12/05/2025

There are few moments more rewarding in this field than watching a former student grow into a colleague, a leader, and now a teacher in her own right.

When I first met Alysha Cunningham, MSN, PMHNP-BC, she was my student. Even then, it was obvious she had something rare. Not just intelligence or work ethic, plenty of people have that. She had instinct. She had depth. She had the kind of clinical presence you can’t teach, only refine.

I remember thinking, even back then: if I ever get the chance, I’m bringing her into the practice.

And I did.

Today, seeing her published in The Virginian-Pilot, writing about the stress and pressure facing today’s teens, and the real skills they need to cope, was one of those full circle moments that stops you for a second. The student becoming the teacher. The learner becoming the voice others now look to.

Alysha trained at Duke University’s number one ranked PMHNP program and is now pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Duke while caring for clients across the lifespan at South Chesapeake Psychiatry. Her article is thoughtful, timely, and rooted in exactly the kind of evidence-based compassion our community needs.

Watching someone you once taught step into their own influence is one of the greatest honors in this profession. It’s why we invest in people. It’s why mentorship matters. And it’s why I’m so proud to have her on our team.

Here is her article. It’s worth your time:
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/12/03/column-give-teenagers-the-tools-they-need-to-manage-stress/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOfpMdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeG33Ixvt-JtxMT7wxR_cVxoVEmeuV3sVCuXpMuKifBCGFRx0pqfYl1jm30ks_aem_m24qCe5uuYFJOZ-oxP4n7w

Why are we sending teens into daily life unprepared to cope with stress, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Alysha Cunningham asks in a guest column.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

This week is always one of reflection for me, a chance to slow down, take stock of what matters, and appreciate the people who make the work we do possible. Last night, I had the opportunity to take our staff and our two providers out to dinner, and it reminded me once again just how blessed I am to work with the team I have.

As we head into the holiday, I shared this message with my team, and I think it captures exactly how I feel:
“Sarah and Lauren are the heartbeat of our practice. Their skill, determination, and ability to problem-solve at a moment’s notice allow us to operate at the highest level. When something goes wrong, they don’t shrug, they fix it. Yesterday was a perfect example: multiple Spravato shipments were delayed, and in true fashion, they brainstormed, adapted, and made sure every client, but one, still received care. That level of commitment isn’t common. It’s a gift.”

And it extends beyond operations.
It’s in the compassion Lauren shows to an elderly client who needed help that isn’t even a client at out practice.
It’s in the passion Sarah pours into her work, even on tough days solving problems so that the rest of us don’t have to.
It’s in my wife simply saying yes to every time we have a need or my daughter/son staying up late nights to get some admin work done.
It’s in all the humor, the grit, the problem-solving, and yes, even the moments where we all drive each other a little crazy. That’s what a real team looks like.

We don’t have a 4.8 Google rating by chance.
We don’t win “Best of Coastal Virginia” by luck.
We earn those things because this team works hard, cares deeply, and treats our clients, and each other, like people who matter.

The truth is, we may not be related, but they are my people. My family. I’m grateful for every hurdle, every laugh, every late-night text, every “we’ll figure it out” moment, and every win we’ve had together this year.

As we close out 2025, I just want to say:
Thank you for making this year a meaningful, successful, and genuinely enjoyable one. I can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.

Wishing all of you - colleagues, friends, clients, partners, and everyone in between, a warm, restful, and Happy Thanksgiving!

(Sharing a few photos from some of our past gatherings — because gratitude is always better with good company.)

11/23/2025

At TRIP, we believe healing should happen in a space that feels comforting, human… and occasionally delicious. 😄🍭

Our Sunday Spravato treatment days have become known for cozy recliners, blankets, calm lighting. and yes, an impressively stocked lollipop situation. So when we found the holiday edition Triple Power Push Pop (“3 pops in 1”), we had no choice but to level up. 🎄✨

It’s a small gesture, but we hope it brings our clients a smile, a moment of joy, and a reminder that they’re cared for.

Because mental health treatment should feel supportive, not sterile.

Hope everyone enjoys the sugar-powered holiday spirit as much as we do. 💗

11/18/2025

Every so often, I write something that feels less like a blog and more like a piece of my professional DNA. This one is exactly that.

In community mental health, psychiatry, ACT work, corrections, and interventional treatment, you don’t get to choose comfort. You choose the work. You choose the people. And you choose to walk straight into situations most clinicians only read about.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the only way to do this work well, and to build practices that truly serve people, is to become comfortable being uncomfortable. To embrace the hard moments, lean into the unknown, say yes to opportunities that stretch you, and trust that growth will follow.

In this new blog, I talk about:

• The realities of ACT work, corrections, and walking into the parts of the community most people never see
• Why “embrace the suck” isn’t negativity, it’s strategy
• How three psychiatrists shaped the philosophy that guides my practice
• Why fear almost always signals a training gap, not a clinical limit
• And how the five pillars of SCP and TRIP, Availability, Accountability, Expertise, Quality, and Excellence, came directly from this mindset

If you work in mental health, leadership, medicine, community care, or any field that demands resilience, I hope this resonates.

Here’s the blog:
https://www.southchesapeakepsychiatry.com/article/comfortable-being-uncomfortable-a-philosophy-forged-in-the-real-world

Let me know your thoughts—I always appreciate the conversation.

Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: A Philosophy Forged in the Real World

11/16/2025

Another Sunday at South Chesapeake Psychiatry and Transforming Minds Interventional Psychiatry (TRIP), getting everything ready for our Spravato clients.

If you know us, you already know we take the environment seriously—comfort items, calm spaces, and yes… the candy game. You’d be surprised how much thought goes into picking the right treats, but our clients notice the little things, and that matters to us.

At TRIP, clients get to “take a trip without ever leaving their chairs,” but behind that fun line is real, intentional work. Creating a space where people feel safe, supported, and cared for is at the heart of what we do.

Grateful for this team, this community, and the chance to make Sundays count.

11/04/2025

In 2021, I took a leap of faith and opened South Chesapeake Psychiatry. On April 19th, we saw our very first client. Then, in October of 2022, we expanded and launched Transforming Minds Interventional Psychiatry, our Spravato Treatment Center focused on helping those battling treatment-resistant depression.

It has not been easy. It has been 80-hour weeks, long nights, early mornings, and more than a few tough calls along the way. I have had to make hard decisions, including letting people go who did not align with our mission or our values. Those moments never get easier, but I have learned that is part of leadership, protecting the vision even when it is uncomfortable.

Along the way, we have been honored as a Neighborhood Favorite, Best of COVA, and more. But the real reward has always been seeing our clients heal, find hope again, and start living their best lives.

Now, as our lease comes to an end, it is time for the next big step. We are not leasing anymore. We are buying our own building.

It is a major investment and nearly double the space we have now, but it represents something much bigger than square footage. It is a commitment to our team, our mission, and this community that we are so proud to serve.

Am I nervous? Absolutely. But I am also incredibly excited. Growth does not happen in comfort zones. So, just like we always have, we will embrace the suck, lean in, and stay comfortable being uncomfortable, because that is where progress lives.

Here is to betting on our team, our future, and the people we are lucky enough to serve every single day.

10/17/2025

🌿✨ We’re honored to be a Platinum Sponsor once again! ✨🌿

South Chesapeake Psychiatry is proud to support NAMI Coastal Virginia’s 2025 Mental Health Hero Ball this Saturday, October 18th 💚

This marks our third year in a row as the top sponsor — and every year, we’re reminded how powerful it is when our community comes together to support mental health awareness, advocacy, and hope.

We believe in breaking stigma, building connection, and making quality mental health care accessible to all.

We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone this weekend! 💫

08/03/2025

South Chesapeake Psychiatry Ranked #1 in Chesapeake

We’re proud to share that South Chesapeake Psychiatry has been ranked #1 out of 32 mental health clinics in Chesapeake, VA by BusinessRate. This ranking is based on verified Google reviews over the past 90 days, and our practice earned a perfect 5.0 BusinessRate score.

This award adds to a growing list of recognitions, including being voted the #1 Psychiatry Practice in Coastal Virginia in both 2024 and 2025 (CoVa Biz Magazine), and being named Best Neighbor on Nextdoor for three consecutive years (2022–2024). We also maintain a 4.8-star average on Google, based on over 90 client reviews.

While we’re honored by this continued recognition, all credit goes to our exceptional staff. Their dedication, professionalism, and genuine compassion are what make this practice what it is. From the front desk to the clinical team, every person here plays a critical role in delivering the kind of care that earns the trust—and appreciation—of our community.

We remain committed to our founding pillars of Quality, Expertise, Excellence, Accountability, and Availability, and we thank our clients for continuing to place their confidence in us.

View the full BusinessRate listing here:

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