First Visit
If you haven’t sought psychiatric help before, you might feel unsure about what to expect. We can assure you that visiting our office will in most ways feel like a trip to any doctor’s office.

You’ll check in with our receptionist. Let us know that you’re here. We’ll confirm your appointment—who you are scheduled to see and when. We understand that your time is as important to you as our time is important to us. We’ll be respectful of your time.

As with other first visits, you’ll have some paperwork to fill out. Yes, we’ll want a health history. Yes, we’ll want to make copies of your health insurance information for billing purposes. You know the drill.

Making a diagnosis
Like a medical doctor, we’ll want to discuss the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. Getting the correct diagnosis is important. Sometimes it isn’t as simple as we would like it to be. Some symptoms point to more than one diagnosis. We’ll work to pinpoint what’s wrong so we can provide the proper treatment option.

Depending on your symptoms, we may want to schedule some medical tests. A surprising number of symptoms that present as mental health issues actually have underlying medical causes. We’ll need to rule out those medical conditions in making a diagnosis.

Nothing scary here
Psychiatry isn’t voodoo. We’re not witch doctors. Our other clients aren’t contagious. How often have you caught an illness at a medical doctor’s office? You won’t catch any mental illnesses here!

On the contrary, you’ll discover that other clients here are as normal as you are. People are people. Mental issues affect people from all backgrounds and walks of life. And just like other illnesses, mental illnesses are treatable if not always curable.

So take a deep breath. You can face what’s on the other side of the door. Give us a call to schedule your first appointment. Your first visit doesn’t need to fill you with anxiety. Your first visit is your first step on the road to wellness.