Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Lee.
Chris, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Hi! I grew up in Southern California, graduated from USC, and got my start working in film entertainment and PR. I moved to Miami Beach in 2007 “just for a year” and ended up staying! I spent many years in the hotel and restaurant industries before going back to school to pursue a career in nursing. I was a Baptist Health scholar and worked on an oncology unit at South Miami Hospital. This drew me toward a career in mental health, and I went to NYU to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners operate very similar to NPs in primary care, however, only 4% of NPs in the US are certified to practice psychiatry. When I learned that there are only 18,000 psychiatrists in the country and that 3/5 are over the age of 55, I saw a huge opportunity to create something to fill the gap in mental healthcare.
I wanted to create an experience that was not like the previous model, something that younger generations could enjoy and gravitate toward. I wanted to destigmatize things. In 2016, I opened Elevate Psychiatry in Brickell as founder and co-owner, and later in 2017, left to start DreamCloud Psychiatry.
DreamCloud Psychiatry is an online, subscription-based practice which gives patients “unlimited” visits and follow-up care virtually, via cloud, text, email, phone, and through a customized app. We sent all prescriptions electronically, anywhere in Florida (and New York).
My practice is geared toward younger patients, new grads, burgeoning professionals, entrepreneurs, and patients who value their mental health but may not have the time in their schedule to be stuck in traffic or sitting in a waiting room.
My passion is meeting people, finding out what fuels them, and helping them to feed that fire! We are a medical practice, so our focus is medication management, but psychotherapy is also available.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like a lot of people, it was hard trying to find what I wanted to do. Times have changed, and people are doing more things in less time. I’ve been through very dark times when I wasn’t sure of my direction, or when I listened to what others said. It took a long time to learn that I knew exactly what I wanted and that I was only doubting myself.
My experience as a patient was an important factor for me in choosing my career. I’ve been to many mental health providers that did not seem relateable, and I think patients prefer providers they can connect with. I try to be honest with patients and share openly about my personal experiences and challenge them to find new and different ways of seeing things.
I’ve lived in LA, NYC, Paris, Miami, and Medellin. Languages and people are never a barrier, but sometimes stereotypes and stigma can be a barrier. Because of its diversity and innovative energy, Miami is my favorite place and always will be.
DreamCloud Psychiatry – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, and I practice psychiatry. I treat patients of all ages for common disorders including panic, ADHD, OCD, and depression. I conduct psychiatric evaluations, prescribe medications, and provide follow-up care online (and sometimes in person in Miami Beach).
I am passionate about healthcare branding. It’s a way to express my creativity and to bring life and colors to something that is actually very antiquated and stagnant. People spend a lot of time looking for the right provider, and I try to stay ahead of the curve.
One thing that is very unique about DreamCloud is that we are a direct care practice, which means we do not take insurance, but instead offer a low monthly subscription fee. Currently, at the time of this writing, the fee is $125, with a $35 fee to activate. It’s month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime. Your first visit and your last visit is all included in the same price.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Right now, being interviewed by you. 🙂 It’s really quite an honor.
Pricing:
- $125/monthly + $35/fee
Contact Info:
- Address: 429 Lenox Ave, Suite 452 Miami Beach, Florida 33139
- Website: http://dreamcloudpsychiatry.com
- Phone: 877-990-0001
- Email: contact@dreamcloudpsychiatry.com
- Instagram: dreamcloudpsychiatry
- Facebook: facebook.com/dreamcloudpsychiatry
- Twitter: dreamcloudpsych
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
