Your first appointment with a Mental Health Provider will usually be about an hour. After checking in with our Front Desk Staff, you will be given New Patient Forms to fill out. Patients should arrive early to complete new patient forms if not already done via the patient portal. Once completed, you will meet with your Mental Health Provider.
Your provider will:
There will usually be a lot of questions. The long appointment gives the psychiatrist time to listen to you and hear your whole story.
They might also want to speak with other health professionals or members of your family. Your psychiatrist may order some more tests to help them understand what is going on.
It might take a few appointments for your psychiatrist to make a full diagnosis, but the next step is to work out a treatment plan.
A treatment plan is a personalized combination of therapies tailored to your health needs, lifestyle, and individual preferences.
You and your Mental Health Provider will work together to develop a treatment plan that’s right for you. The provider might provide the treatment themselves, or they might recommend you see another health professional – for example a Psychiatrist, Therapist, Etc…
After your first visit, the appointments might be shorter. Your Mental Health Provider will focus on checking your progress and adjusting treatments.
Bring in any documents you already have, such as:
It is also helpful to write down what you would like to speak with the provider about, such as:
Sometimes patients forget important information once they meet with their provider. This list can help you remember all the things you would like to address with your provider.
Yes, patients are welcome to bring a support person to their appointment. However, for patients under the age of 18, a legal parent or guardian is required to be present at the facility for the entire duration of the appointment, regardless of the appointment type.
Absolutely! Once your appointment has been set, you will receive a email with the ability to fill out the forms before your appointment.