If you’ve tried to find a psychiatrist in Memphis, you already know the problem. The options tend to be: check into Lakeside if you’re in crisis, get your psychiatric medications from a primary care doctor who isn’t a mental health specialist, or get on a waitlist for Methodist or Regional One and wait months for an appointment.
For someone who needs outpatient psychiatric care, real medication management from a specialist, but isn’t in an acute crisis, Memphis is genuinely underserved.
Athena Care is built to fill that gap: outpatient psychiatry that’s in-network with major insurance and accessible on a reasonable timeline, not months out. This page covers where we are, who we see, how we approach medication, what we accept, and how to start.
Where to find us
Athena Care Memphis 8000 Centerview Parkway, Suite 201 Cordova, TN 38018 Phone: (615) 320-1155
Our office is in Cordova, in the east Memphis corridor, convenient from Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, and east Memphis, with easy access from I-40 and the 385 (Bill Morris Parkway). Plenty of on-site parking is available.
For directions and details, see our Memphis location page.
Who we see
Athena Care provides outpatient psychiatry for adults and adolescents. Our Memphis team includes psychiatric providers, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners, who specialize in psychiatric diagnosis and medication management, alongside therapists for those who want therapy as part of their care. At the time of publishing this article, our Memphis location offers the following availability: psychiatrist Dr. Bilbruck, MD, and Nurse Practitioner, Crystal Harris, PMHNP-BC, both for ages 16 and up; along with therapist Taylor Kemp, LPC-MHSP (Associate) for ages 11 and up. All practitioners offer both in-person and virtual sessions.
One advantage of an integrated practice: medication management and therapy can happen under one roof, and your psychiatric care is connected to the rest of your mental health treatment rather than fragmented across separate providers.
Conditions we treat
Our psychiatric providers diagnose and treat the full range of common conditions, including:
- Depression, including treatment-resistant depression
- Anxiety disorders
- ADHD in adults and adolescents
- PTSD and trauma-related conditions
- Mood and sleep concerns, and other psychiatric conditions
For treatment-resistant cases, our Memphis location is also a Spravato (esketamine) provider, part of a broader interventional psychiatry program available within the practice.
Our approach to medication management
We practice conservative, evidence-based psychiatry. That means a few concrete things:
- We don’t over-prescribe. Medication decisions are based on careful diagnosis and the evidence, not a reflexive prescription pad. We aim for the right medication at the right dose, and no more than you need.
- We monitor and adjust. Once you start a medication, we track how it’s working and how you’re tolerating it, adjusting thoughtfully rather than setting and forgetting.
- We coordinate with your primary care doctor. If you have a PCP managing other aspects of your health, we’re glad to coordinate care, many people come to us precisely because psychiatric medication is outside their PCP’s specialty, and we work alongside primary care rather than around it.
This measured approach is the difference between getting a prescription and getting psychiatric care. For more on our psychiatric services, see our psychiatry page.
Insurance we accept
The Memphis location is in-network with most major insurance plans, including:
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
- Cigna
- Aetna
- UnitedHealthcare
- Medicare
- TRICARE
Being in-network matters: it’s the difference between a manageable copay and a large out-of-pocket bill. Our care coordinator verifies your specific benefits before your first visit, so you’ll know what’s covered upfront.
Telehealth across Tennessee
While your first visit is typically in person, many follow-up appointments, especially medication management check-ins, can be done by secure telehealth. This is particularly convenient for ongoing care: once you’re established, you don’t necessarily have to drive to Cordova for every medication follow-up. Our telehealth is available across Tennessee, so your care can continue even if your schedule is tight or you’re traveling within the state.
Next-week intake when capacity allows
We know the Memphis wait-time problem is real, and we work to get new patients in quickly. When our schedule has capacity, next-week intake appointments are often available. The initial phone call takes about 10-15mins, then we will send you some intake paperwork to complete. If we get the intake paperwork back within the same day, then it takes about a day for us to review and we will call to schedule your initial consultation. Depending on availability, we can often schedule this initial consultation for the next week, sometimes sooner. Even when next-week appointments aren’t possible, our goal is to see you in a fraction of the time a hospital-system referral typically takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Athena Care’s Memphis office? At 8000 Centerview Parkway, Suite 201, Cordova, TN 38018, in the east Memphis corridor, convenient from Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, and east Memphis, with on-site parking.
How quickly can I be seen? When our schedule has capacity, next-week intake is often available. Even when it isn’t, we aim to see new patients far faster than the months-long waits common with hospital-system referrals.
Do you see adolescents, or only adults? Athena Care provides psychiatric care for both adults and adolescents. Our care coordinator can confirm availability for your specific situation.
What insurance do you accept? We’re in-network with most major plans, including BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Cigna, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and TRICARE. Our care coordinator verifies your specific benefits before your visit.
Can I do appointments by telehealth? Yes, many appointments, especially medication check-ins, can be done by secure telehealth, available across Tennessee.
Will you coordinate with my primary care doctor? Yes. We’re glad to coordinate with your PCP. Many patients come to us because psychiatric medication is outside their primary care doctor’s specialty, and we work alongside primary care.
What’s your approach to medication? Conservative and evidence-based. We diagnose carefully, prescribe thoughtfully (not reflexively), monitor how medications are working, and adjust as needed, the difference between getting a prescription and getting psychiatric care.
Do I need a referral to see a psychiatrist at Athena Care? Generally no, you can schedule directly. Some insurance plans may have their own referral requirements, which our care coordinator can help you check.
How to schedule
To start online fill out an intake form on our appointments page, or call our care coordinator at 877-641-1155 (or the Memphis office at (615) 320-1155), Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. The care coordinator will verify your insurance, talk through what you’re looking for, and match you with the right psychiatric provider.
You don’t have to be in crisis to deserve good psychiatric care, and you don’t have to wait months to get it.
Contact us today
Dr. Tim Bilbruck, M.D.
Psychiatrist
Dr. Timothy J. Bilbruck, MD, is a psychiatrist who brings compassion, curiosity, and deep clinical experience to his work with people facing both mental health concerns and substance use challenges.
Meg Stein, CFP
Editor
Meg is a certified mindfulness instructor and works at Alive and Aware Practice in Durham, NC. She has over ten years of experience as a content creator and marketing consultant, working in mental healthcare and social justice.