Dr. Ragnar

Dr. Ragnar

Founder, DNP, PMHNP

Dr. Ragnar, DNP, PMHNP. Founder of LiveWell Psychiatry & Men's Health. Sees patients in Oregon and Washington for ADHD, depression, anxiety, addiction, and the long tail after sobriety. Anti-soft-validation, pro-actually-fixing-the-thing. Believes the goal of treatment isn't lifetime management, it's making himself unnecessary. Writes here for the guys who know there's something going on, but haven't figured out how to say it yet.

277 posts by this author · Practice site & full bio

Clinical profile

Credentials

  • DNP
  • PMHNP-BC
  • NPI 1780403915

Active licenses

  • Oregon 10034127
  • Washington AP61615356

Clinical focus

  • Psychiatry
  • Men's mental health
  • Men's health
  • ADHD
  • Adult ADHD
  • Depression
  • Mood disorders
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Anxiety
  • Panic disorder
  • OCD
  • PTSD
Sobriety Isn’t the Hard Part (It’s Everything After)
Treatment · 10 min read

Sobriety Isn’t the Hard Part (It’s Everything After)

People think getting sober is the hard part. Yeah, detox sucks, early sobriety is uncomfortable, breaking the actual habit is genuinely difficult...

Aug 25, 2025
ACA Marketplace Plans: Picking One for Mental Health Coverage
Off Script · 14 min read

ACA Marketplace Plans: Picking One for Mental Health Coverage

If you’re self-employed, between jobs, contracting, running a small business, or stuck with an employer plan that costs more than your rent, the ACA marketplace is where you…

Aug 24, 2025
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Medications · 8 min read

Lorazepam (Ativan)

Ativan has a reputation, and half my new patients walk in with strong feelings about lorazepam before I've said anything.

Aug 24, 2025
ICD-10 Coding for Psych: The Crash Course Nobody Gave You
Off Script · 13 min read

ICD-10 Coding for Psych: The Crash Course Nobody Gave You

Most billing denials come down to one thing nobody drilled into you: the diagnostic code on the claim is the whole thing.

Aug 21, 2025
Men’s Health
Conditions · 10 min read

Men’s Health

Men don't usually walk into a psychiatrist's office and say they're depressed.

Aug 20, 2025
Documenting Medical Necessity in Psych Notes
Off Script · 13 min read

Documenting Medical Necessity in Psych Notes

What "medical necessity" actually means, legally Medical necessity isn't a vibe, it's a legal standard, and the people who decide whether you met it are…

Aug 19, 2025
Why “Self-Care” Misses the Point (And What Actually Works)
Treatment · 9 min read

Why “Self-Care” Misses the Point (And What Actually Works)

I'm not against bubble baths. If a hot bath and some candles make you feel better, great, do that, nobody's coming for your candles.

Aug 18, 2025
Ambien
Medications · 11 min read

Ambien

Ambien gets handed out like Tic Tacs. Primary care hands it out, urgent care hands it out, the dentist hands it out before a crown.

Aug 16, 2025
ERISA vs State-Regulated Plans (Why It Matters When You Appeal)
Off Script · 13 min read

ERISA vs State-Regulated Plans (Why It Matters When You Appeal)

If you have ever fought a health insurance denial for a psychiatric medication, an inpatient stay, or a residential program, you've probably noticed…

Aug 16, 2025
Ritalin and Methylphenidate
Medications · 9 min read

Ritalin and Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate has been around since 1944 and is still, in 2026, one of the most reliable molecules in psychiatry. Ritalin is the original brand.

Aug 14, 2025
Beating Prior Authorization Denials in Psych (The Clinician’s Survival Guide)
Off Script · 13 min read

Beating Prior Authorization Denials in Psych (The Clinician’s Survival Guide)

Why prior auth exists, and why your psych patients get hit twice as hard Prior authorization (PA) is the process where, before an insurance company will…

Aug 13, 2025
Medicare for Patients Under 65 (SSDI Disability + Mental Health Coverage)
Off Script · 17 min read

Medicare for Patients Under 65 (SSDI Disability + Mental Health Coverage)

Medicare isn’t just a senior thing, and that surprises a lot of guys Most people grow up thinking Medicare is the program your grandfather is on. You hit…

Aug 11, 2025