Expert, Personalized Psychiatric Care for Adults in Illinois
You don't have to keep pushing through while feeling anxious, exhausted, overwhelmed, or unlike yourself.
Personalized psychiatric care for adults who want to feel better, function better, and get back to—or discover for the first time—the parts of life that matter most.
Medication Management · Individual Psychotherapy · Culturally Competent Psychiatric Care
Accepting New Patients · Virtual Visits · Insurance and Self-Pay Accepted
You don't have to wait until you're in crisis to ask for help.
You may be getting through your days, meeting your responsibilities, caring for the people you love, and still feel like something isn't right.
Maybe you're anxious more often than you'd like.
Maybe you're exhausted even after sleeping.
Maybe your mood has changed.
Maybe you're having difficulty concentrating, coping, sleeping, or enjoying the things you once did.
Or maybe you simply don't feel like yourself anymore.
You don't have to have everything figured out before reaching out.
You deserve to feel seen, understood, and supported as you take the next step toward better mental health.
What would feeling better make possible?
Better mood.
Better sleep.
More energy.
More presence with the people you love.
Less worry.
Better coping skills.
Greater confidence.
More enjoyment.
A greater sense of yourself.
That's what we're working toward together.
Meet Dr. Amber Altidor
Psychiatric care that sees the whole person—not just the diagnosis.
I founded Optimal Mental Health PLLC® because I believe psychiatric care should be about more than managing symptoms.
It's about understanding you—your experiences, your health, your relationships, your responsibilities, your goals, and the life you want to live.
My approach is warm, empowering, inquisitive, and caring.
Together, we'll explore what's affecting your mental health and develop a treatment plan that fits your needs, your preferences, and your life.
I am a board-certified psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner with full practice authority.
I earned my Doctor of Nursing Practice from RUSH University in 2021, followed by an advanced community mental health nurse practitioner postdoctoral fellowship led by experts from RUSH and Howard Brown Health, a national leader in LGBTQ+ care.
I currently serve as a Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center in Chicago and as an Assistant Professor at RUSH University College of Nursing.
I founded Optimal Mental Health PLLC® in 2022 with a simple goal:
To help my patients feel better, function better, and thrive in the areas of life they value most.
WHO WE HELP
Life can look fine from the outside while anxiety, depression, poor sleep, mood changes, or the effects of a medical condition make everyday life feel harder than it should.
Optimal Mental Health PLLC provides individualized psychiatric care for adults experiencing:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder
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Bipolar disorder
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Sleep concerns
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Grief and loss
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Post-traumatic stress disorder
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Tobacco use and nicotine dependence
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Psychiatric symptoms related to complex medical conditions
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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
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Perinatal mental health concerns
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Other mental health concerns
You don't have to wait until your symptoms become overwhelming.
If something feels different, difficult, or harder than it used to, we're here to help you understand what's happening and determine what comes next.
What Makes Optimal Mental Health PLLC® Different
Your mental health doesn't exist in isolation.
Your mental health is connected to your physical health, relationships, stress, sleep, responsibilities, and life circumstances.
That's why our approach goes beyond simply managing symptoms.
We take the time to understand you as a whole person and create a treatment plan tailored to your goals, needs, preferences, and life.
When appropriate, we coordinate care with other professionals involved in your well-being, including registered dietitians, acupuncturists, massage therapists, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, and medical weight-loss providers.
You don't need to figure everything out on your own.
We're here to help you make sense of what you're experiencing and take the next step.
Treatment Designed Around You
There isn't one right treatment for everyone.
Depending on your needs, your care may include:
Medication Management
Thoughtful evaluation and ongoing medication management based on your symptoms, health history, previous treatment experiences, and goals.
Individual Psychotherapy
A supportive space to understand patterns, develop coping skills, work through challenges, and make meaningful changes.
Education
Clear, understandable information so you can make informed decisions about your mental health and treatment.
Laboratory Testing
When clinically appropriate, laboratory testing may help us better understand factors that can affect your mental health or treatment.
Care Coordination
When needed, we work with your other healthcare providers and treatment programs to support continuity of care.
GETTING STARTED IS SIMPLE
You don't need to know exactly what's wrong before you reach out.
01 — Schedule
Schedule your initial virtual psychiatric evaluation online.
We'll verify your insurance benefits and help you understand what to expect.
02 — Meet virtually
We'll talk about what you've been experiencing, your history, your goals, and what you're hoping will change.
You'll have time to ask questions and share what's important to you.
03 — Create your treatment plan
Together, we'll determine the approach that's right for you.
Depending on your needs, this may include medication management, psychotherapy, education, laboratory testing, or coordination with other providers.
Initial visit: 60 minutes.
04 — Continue your care - often visits every 1-3 months
We'll monitor your progress and adjust your treatment as needed.
Follow-up visits: 15-30 minutes, based on your needs.
Accessible, Personalized Care
Insurance and self-pay options are available.
We believe getting psychiatric care should feel straightforward and transparent.
Initial self-pay visit: $400
Follow-up self-pay visit: $275
Virtual visits throughout Illinois
You don't have to keep pushing through.
Maybe you're ready to feel less anxious.
Maybe you want to sleep better.
Maybe you want your energy back.
Maybe you want to be more present with the people you love.
Maybe you simply want to feel like yourself again.
Whatever brings you here, you don't have to figure it out alone.