Comprehensive Evaluation

During a psychiatric evaluation, the provider conducts a thorough assessment to understand your mental health needs. This includes:

Clinical Interview: Exploring current symptoms, emotional concerns, past psychiatric history, family mental health history, trauma, and medical background.

Psychosocial Assessment: Discussing relationships, work or school life, stressors, lifestyle habits, and support systems.

Mental Status Examination: Observing mood, behavior, thought processes, cognition, and overall presentation.

Diagnosis: Using DSM-5 criteria, the provider formulates a diagnosis (or provisional diagnosis) based on all available information.

Treatment Planning: Collaboratively developing an individualized, evidence-based care plan, which may include therapy, medications, lifestyle changes, or referrals.

Medication Management

Medication management involves careful oversight of psychiatric medications to ensure they are effective and well-tolerated. The provider will:

Prescribe Medications: Select medications based on your diagnosis, symptoms, history, and preferences.

Monitor Effects: Regularly check for symptom improvement, side effects, and any physical or emotional changes.

Adjust Doses or Medications: Make changes as needed to optimize results and minimize side effects.

Educate: Provide clear information about how medications work, what to expect, potential interactions, and how to take them properly.

Coordinate Care: Communicate with therapists, primary care providers, or specialists as needed to support holistic care.

Psychotherapy (Talk Therapy)

In psychotherapy, the provider offers a structured, supportive space to work through emotional or behavioral challenges. This may include:

CBT: Identifying and reframing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors.

Supportive Therapy: Providing empathy, validation, and problem-solving support during difficult times.

Skills Training: Teaching coping skills, emotion regulation, mindfulness, stress management, and interpersonal strategies.

Psychoeducation: Helping patients understand their conditions, triggers, and ways to manage them.

Goal-Oriented Work: Setting realistic, measurable goals and tracking progress over time.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety, Specific Phobias

Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar I & II, Dysthymia

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder

Alcohol, Opioid, Stimulant & Cannabis Use

Insomnia, Hypersomnolence, Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Body Dysmorphic, Hoarding

Binge-Eating, Bulimia, Anorexia

Borderline, Avoidant, Antisocial

Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, Brief Psychotic

Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias, Delirium