For many people, meeting with a psychiatrist for the first time can be a anxiety-provoking
situation. In the hopes of easing some of that anxiety, I will describe what new patients can expect.
Telephone Screening
When you first contact me for an appointment, I will call you back, usually the same day. I will ask how you were referred to me, and try to get a sense of the difficulties that you are having. If there seems to be a good fit with the problems you are having and the clinical services I offer, and there is room on my schedule, we will schedule an initial consultation.
Initial Consultation
We will meet for a 90-minute initial consultation. During this time, I will get a better sense of the difficulty you are facing through a combination of listening and asking specific questions. I will want to know about the current problems you are having, when they began, how they have changed over time, and what has been helpful or not helpful as you have dealt with these problems. In order to better understand the context in which the problem is occurring, I will want to know about your work, family relationships, friendships, romantic relationships, hobbies, and other aspects of your life. You will never have to answer a question you do not want to answer, but the more I know about who you are and how you have developed, the better I will be able to propose an effective treatment plan.
Consultation Phase
It usually takes one or two additional 50-minute follow-up sessions to perform a thorough consultation, depending on the complexity of the problems and your treatment history. This consultation phase allows me to gather enough information to give you an opinion on what I think will be the best way to proceed with treatment. Based on these initial appointments, we will decide together how to proceed with treatment. Whether the treatment plan involves medications, psychotherapy, or combined treatment, we will work together to craft a plan that you are comfortable with. These first meetings will also give you a chance to get to know me, how I work, and hopefully get a feel for whether you would be comfortable working with me as your psychiatrist.
Treatment
Depending on your specific situation, we will continue to meet regularly until the issues that you want help for are satisfactorily addressed. This may mean meeting weekly or more often for those having more severe difficulties or in more intensive psychotherapy, to monthly or less often for those who are doing well or are receiving medication management services only. The duration of treatment will depend on your specific circumstance, the social supports available to you, your personal preferences, and a number of other factors. I will attempt to give you my best estimation of the frequency and duration of your treatment at the end of the consultation phase.
Next Steps
Please review my services and fees and explore my website to learn more about my practice. I am currently accepting new patients. Please contact me if I can be of assistance.
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