Genetic Testing (GeneSight®)
Genetic testing at Shrinkty is a quick, painless GeneSight® cheek swab that shows how your genes may affect your response to common psychiatric medications. It's for Tennessee patients whose medications haven't worked or caused side effects. The swab is done in office in Murfreesboro, McMinnville, or Dickson; results can be reviewed at any visit, including telehealth.
What pharmacogenomic testing is
Your genes influence how your body processes many medications. Pharmacogenomic testing looks at those genes to estimate how you may respond to specific psychiatric medications — which ones your body may handle typically, and which may be more likely to require dose adjustments or cause side effects.
Shrinkty uses the GeneSight® test, one of the most widely used pharmacogenomic tests in psychiatry.
How it works
The test is a quick, painless cheek swab done during a regular visit — no needles, no lab trip. Results typically come back in about a week. The report groups common psychiatric medications by how your genes may affect your response to them.
Your provider reviews the results with you, explains what they mean in plain language, and factors them into your treatment plan alongside everything else they know about you.
Who it may help
GeneSight testing can be especially useful if:
- You've tried medications for depression or anxiety that didn't seem to work
- Past medications caused side effects that made you stop taking them
- You and your provider are weighing several options and want more information before choosing
Ask your provider whether GeneSight testing is right for you. It can be done at any point in your care — including at your first visit.
What testing can and can't do
Genetic testing informs medication decisions — it doesn't make them. Results are one input among many, and they do not replace your provider's clinical judgment, your history, or your own experience of what helps. Learn more about how we approach psychiatric care and medication management.
Frequently asked questions
What does the GeneSight test show?
GeneSight is a pharmacogenomic test — a cheek swab that analyzes genes involved in how your body processes many psychiatric medications. The report groups common medications for depression, anxiety, and other conditions by how your genes may affect your response, flagging ones that may be more likely to require dose adjustments or cause side effects.
Does insurance cover GeneSight testing?
Coverage varies by plan. Ask your Shrinkty provider about testing at your visit, and contact GeneSight's billing support — through genesight.com — for questions about your specific insurance coverage and any out-of-pocket cost. GeneSight bills for the test separately from your Shrinkty visit.
Does genetic testing replace trial-and-error with medications?
No. Genetic testing informs medication decisions — it doesn't make them. Results are one input among many, alongside your history, your symptoms, and your own experience of what helps. They do not replace your provider's clinical judgment, but they can add useful information when past medications haven't worked or caused side effects.