What to Expect at Your First Psychiatry Appointment
What to Expect at Your First Psychiatry Appointment
Booking the first appointment with a new psychiatric provider can elicit a mix of responses, from excitement and relief to dread and apprehension. Justin always aims to focus on the positive, and most first appointments are successful and lean towards relief, clarity, and renewed confidence.
The first appointments are more straightforward than most people expect, especially if the new client is prepared and understands what to expect.
Here’s a quick rundown on the process of getting scheduled and meeting with Justin for the first time. Below will cover what will be discussed, what historical information to bring, and what is reasonable to expect by the end of the first appointment.
The Right Fit?
If you are interested in getting to the root of your issues, then Justin’s psychiatry and therapy practice is likely a good fit for you.
Common traits of clients who have found success in Justin’s practice include an interest and willingness to participate in longer appointments focused on root causes of symptoms. In addition, those who possess a natural love of learning, especially about health and wellness, tend to enjoy sessions.
Further, those who want space to reflect on their life and their emotional patterns enjoy the longer appointments and Justin’s approach. Finally, openness, acceptance, and authenticity are core experiences in the process with Justin.
The First Step
Complete the New Client Screening Form
The first step in getting started with Justin is clicking the link to head to the new client screening form - choose either the link for residents of Florida or Oregon & Washington.
First, a few screening questions appear. With the solo outpatient provider structure of Justin’s practice, some individuals may need a higher level of care that can provide more involved monitoring, intervention, and structure. Conditions that commonly require more involved care include active substance use, urgent self-harm or thoughts of harm to others, and current psychiatric medication regimens that require more frequent in-person monitoring for safety. Beginning treatment at the right intensity and level of care is essential for success, so answering these questions will help clarify whether Justin’s practice is the right first step before the first appointment.
Next, the screening form will inquire which offerings the potential new client is seeking. These options include psychiatric medication management, psychotherapy, and functional medicine assessment and treatment planning. New clients should select any combination that matches their intent.
Finally, the form will ask for basic insurance information - member ID, group number, and the demographics for the primary subscriber. Uploading a picture of your insurance card is also helpful to ensure Justin doesn't make any mistakes when verifying insurance coverage.
Once the form is submitted, Justin will verify insurance coverage. At the same time, new clients are encouraged to double-check coverage with their insurance payer. A phone call to your insurer's member services line is the most direct way - look for the phone number listed on the back of the insurance card.
The Second Step
Connect with Assistant by Phone,Schedule, & Fill out the Intake Questionnaire
After the new client screening form is submitted, Justin’s assistant will call the number identified in the screening form to review important details and schedule the first appointment. Typical response times are between 24-48 hours. Be on the lookout for a call from Justin’s voicemail line: (458) 206-6251
Once you connect with Justin’s assistant by phone and schedule the first appointment, the next step is to complete the second online form: the Intake Questionnaire.
This intake questionnaire establishes a baseline of information about symptoms, physical health, and goals for treatment. With this information up front, Justin can provide more efficient and comprehensive initial evaluations during this first appointment.
*Note: You will be prompted again to input your insurance card in the intake questionnaire. But this is a redundancy meant to capture those who were referred by another means. Feel free to disregard the insurance questions on the intake questionnaire if you already submitted the new client screening form.
What Information to Gather Before the Initial Appointment
The intake process for psychiatry is more thorough than most people anticipate. Coming prepared improves the likelihood of early success in treatment and a smooth and comprehensive initial evaluation.
There are three categories worth organizing before the initial appointment.
Health History
Begin with collecting your medical and psychiatric history. That means a list of current and past medical conditions, prior psychiatric diagnoses, past psychiatric providers or therapists, any hospitalizations or surgeries, and known allergies. If you have been in treatment before with a psychiatric provider or therapist, recall if a specific diagnosis was determined and communicated to you by the prior provider.
Symptom Timeline
Next, consider a timeline of symptoms that are concerning to you, including when they first began, what makes them worse, what lessens their intensity or frequency, and any patterns you have noticed regarding the ebb and flow of these symptoms over time.
Past Medications & Therapy
Last, pull together a list of past and current medications. This can include each prescription medication (brand name or generic), over-the-counter medications, and supplements you take. If possible, note the doses of medications attempted and the benefits and adverse effects related to these medications and specific doses. Similarly, for past courses of therapy, consider summarizing in your mind how it went for you, including what successes were had, what limitations were encountered, and what was learned.
What is the First Appointment Typically Like?
The first appointment is an evaluation and consultation. The vast majority of new clients continue with Justin for ongoing treatment. But, as noted above, in some instances, Justin’s practice is not the right fit. If this becomes apparent during the first appointment, this is openly discussed, and appropriate referrals are offered.
The first appointment begins with Justin going first to introduce himself and his approach. As most clients seeking care with Justin are highly effective and functional, the next step is asking new clients to express what has been bothering them, causing them difficulty, and what they would like to accomplish.
The flow of the first appointment is mostly conversational, with the new client sharing their story. Justin takes notes during the appointment to capture important details for later use in treatment planning. Each individual client has a story that brought them to their present symptoms and this first appointment. Justin finds that this story tends to unlock the right path to recovering health and wellness.
The appointment typically runs 90 minutes to 2 hours. Afterward, follow-up appointments are typically one hour, with some very stable clients meeting for just 30-minute follow-ups.
What to Expect by the End of the First Appointment
The last several minutes typically include a summary and recommendations for initial medication changes, self-care steps clients can take at home, general goals for therapy, general treatment ideas for moving past current symptoms as quickly as possible, and scheduling the next follow-up appointment.
Commonly, new clients leave the first appointment with an idea of how treatment will proceed. Symptoms will be prioritized based on severity, functional impairment, urgency, and client preferences. One or two options for medication strategies will be presented. Hopefully, clients will take with them an understanding of the connection between current stress, physical health issues, diet and self-care patterns, and their current symptoms.
Change doesn’t happen immediately, but at the end of the first appointment, Justin takes care to make sure that new clients feel confident in their capacity to heal and overcome what has brought them to this first appointment.
Ready to Book with Justin Bethoney NP?
Start Here
Again, the first step in getting started with Justin is clicking the new client screening form link - either the link for residents of Florida or Oregon & Washington.
*Note: Justin can assess, diagnose, prescribe, and offer treatment to residents of Florida, Oregon, and Washington at this time.
If you or someone you know is looking for a like-minded psychiatry provider in another state, check out this directory.