Visits to your primary care doctor can help you address health issues impacting your life, both physically and mentally. Your body and mind can have an impact on each other, so providers have started to ask key questions. “We have started trying to be more direct in asking for really important information about your emotional well-being, signs of depression, anxiety, loneliness, which has been particularly impactful since the pandemic,” said Dr. Asher Strauss, director of behavioral health, Kinwell Health. Dr. Strauss says a lot of the issues providers see in primary care can have an underpinning of emotional distress. This can include headaches, GI distress and trouble sleeping. “Although there could be physiological reasons that those things are happening, there’s also a lot of emotional reasons that can trigger those same symptoms,” he said. Many primary care practices across the state, including Kinwell Health, are offering integrated primary care, which brings behavioral health clinicians and primary care doctors together to care for the whole patient. Your doctor will use information from your intake forms to start conversations, so it’s important to fill them out as honestly as possible. “Even if there isn’t a form, try to be brave and just bring forward what you need to talk about,” Dr. Strauss said. If you’re feeling more stressed or anxious, experiencing signs of depression or having sleep issues, it’s important to talk with your PCP. Providers at Kinwell Health value quality-based care and relationships with patients, as well as an integrated care experience. “Everybody at Kinwell has a behavioral health clinician as part of their care team, but not everybody’s met us yet,” Dr. Strauss said. To learn more about integrated care and to find a location near you, visit the Kinwell Health website. Sponsored by Premera Blue Cross Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.