When depression doesn’t respond to ordinary care, it deserves extraordinary attention.

You’ve tried everything for depression. Nothing seems to work. It’s time for a deeper look. 

Why Choose McKinney Behavioral Health?

Treatment-resistant depression can feel confusing, discouraging, and deeply personal. Many people arrive here after trying multiple medications, changing doses, and "doing all the right things" - and still not feeling well.

At McKinney Behavioral Health, we understand that treatment-resistant depression is rarely caused by one simple factor. When depression does not improve with standard treatment, it often means we need to go deeper, examining the whole clinical picture from new angles and with greater care. We take a new look at a complex problem. We are psychiatric strategists- making sense of things and helping you choose between creative treatment re-design and novel treatment approaches.

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Treatment-resistant depression may be influenced by factors often neglected by standard psychiatric practice.

We look for problems with

  • medication metabolism

  • inflammation

  • metabolic health 

  • nutrient status

  • sleep patterns

  • nervous system patterns

  • life transitions

In many cases, people have not failed treatment- the treatment plan failed them. As psychiatric strategists, we more clearly define the problem using your personal timeline, life experiences, biometrics, curated labs and pharmacogenomic studies.

The goal is clarity.

After clarifying the depression-sustaining factors, we create a science-informed, strategic Roadmap for depression recovery. We directly address each of your unique contributing factors using a systematic, priority-ranked approach.

It’s not magic; it's actionable information.

  • Treatment-resistant depression is not a character flaw. 

  • It is not laziness. 

  • It is not a lack of willpower. 

  • It is a signal that the body, brain, nervous system, and life story deserve a more sophisticated level of care.

At McKinney Behavioral Health, resistant depression is not the end of the road. It is an invitation for a deeper beginning. 

About Dr. McKinney

Dr. Tena McKinney is an expert psychiatric strategist for treatment-resistant depression. She specializes in uncovering the hidden patterns that can keep depression entrenched. With twenty-three years as a psychiatric provider and seven years focused solely on treatment-resistant depression, she brings a rare blend of scientific knowledge, advanced medication management, genomic interpretation, and precision life-pattern recognition to her work with clients. 

Her approach explores beyond symptoms to examine the layered factors that may sustain depression–  factors that other providers miss, or just don’t have time to look for— including medication-related genetics, inflammatory markers, metabolic function, nutrient status, effects of trauma and stress, sleep dysregulation, and nervous system patterns. McKinney Behavioral Health was created for people who need a deeper, more personalized, and premium level of care than standard psychiatric visits allow.

Dr. McKinney holds a PhD with a research fellowship from Duke University and has served as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, faculty member, and program director at the University of South Carolina. She is the recipient of national, state, and university awards for clinical education and research. Her care integrates science-informed psychiatry, whole-person assessment, interpersonal healing, and innovative treatment options for people ready for a more comprehensive path forward. It’s time to feel better.

Contact Us

Apply for a free 15 minute consultation call so we can determine whether this approach is aligned with your needs and goals.

Please Note: This form is not monitored for emergencies. Call 911  for immediate help or 988 for the National Crisis Hotline. 

Advanced Depression Care for People Who Need More Than Standard Treatment

Who is this for?

Our care pathways are designed specifically for adults with treatment-resistant depression, meaning the attempt of 3 antidepressant medications from several different drug classes resulting in little to no lasting improvement. Dr. McKinney is an expert in the treatment of these resistant mood problems. As a psychiatric strategist, she is able to access knowledge about the latest novel treatments and science-informed services and practices that enhance or accelerate treatment response.

Who benefits the most?

Our services work best for people who are ready for more than rushed medication management — those who want top-shelf analysis delivered in understandable language with concrete steps to affect mood, energy, cognition, inflammation, sleep, and treatment response.

Others choose to use this high-level, science-informed synthesis as a consultative Roadmap to share with their therapists or existing mental health providers. 

McKinney Behavioral Health is a premium practice for those seeking greater clarity about their unique depression factors, more time with their provider, validated provider expertise, and holistic psychiatric care. We will provide you with a personalized, actionable, science-grounded path forward.

Safety and Fit

The practice is not equipped to provide acute crisis care, emergency services, disability evaluations, or medications for non-clinical use. Our clients must be stable enough to actively participate in the healing process. If you are in danger, experiencing suicidal thoughts, or need urgent support please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For urgent support 24/7 call 988, the National Crisis Hotline.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide premium, whole-person psychiatric care for individuals who need a deeper, more personalized approach to treatment-resistant depression and emotional wellness. We look beyond symptoms to understand the biological, psychological, lifestyle, and meaning-based contributors to distress, then create thoughtful, individualized strategies that support clarity, healing, and lasting change.

What are the clients saying?

  • “I have suffered mental illness all my life and have had many care providers. However, none of them could find the right medical formula. I finally found Dr. McKinney and she was able to find the right mix for me with great care and professionalism.”

    - David H.

  • “Dr. McKinney has been a tremendous source of support for me. I have struggled with mood, anxiety and attention symptoms for most of my life. I trust Dr. McKinney to help me make the best choices for my body and my mind.”

    - Elizabeth H. 

  • “I have suffered several losses in the past 4 years that got me down so low there was no looking up. Dr. McKinney helped to pull me out with compassion and a medication plan that we adjust if I slip. I highly recommend her.” 

    - Donna M.

  • “When Dr. McKinney told me about the service packages I said, ‘I need those!’”

    - Roberta H.