While developing a plan for management of psychiatric medication involves weighing the potential benefits versus side effects, looking at the person’s treatment history, medical illness and comorbidity, as well as the individual patient’s preferences, many individuals and their families can achieve optimal treatment through currently established standard of care methods. However, in some cases treatment-induced frustration and a sense of hopelessness, and/or a feeling that a trial-and-error approach is the only way to find effective medication can develop. Pharmacogenetic testing can sometimes give meaningful information in helping the clinician to use the test in the treatment planning process by showing how the individual is likely to metabolize specific medications, and also identify potential classes of medications that might be indicated for the individual. It is not a magic 8 ball, but it can be a useful tool in the clinician’s decision making process.