One option is to make an intake appointment and then continue seeing me for follow-ups for however long is felt necessary. Some people only need to see a psychiatrist for ~3-6+ months and then it is no longer necessary; other people would benefit from long-term care due to the need for maintenance medications or intensive psychotherapy (etc) with appointment frequency typically ranging from 1-3 months, depending on the circumstances. This is the “Standard” track.

A second option is to make an intake appointment and continue seeing me for ~3-6+ months before either returning to a previous provider who is aware of this plan or simply requesting that a new provider or your PCP take over control of any medications that you may be prescribed from this clinic. In this case, the idea would be to make sure that we’re giving ourselves enough time to feel confident in our diagnosis and be well underway on our integrative treatment plan, but then to transition to a different provider who accepts your insurance for longer-term care. While I cannot guarantee that the other provider will continue our agreed-upon treatment plan, I will thoroughly communicate my thoughts and recommendations in writing to both you and them to facilitate a smooth transition of care, and I would also be willing to collaborate with them over time while seeing you for periodic check-ins if/as needed. Providers who are interested in this option for their patients can request a consultation here. This is the “Bridging” track.

A third option is to commit to only seeing me for as long as it takes for us to confidently obtain diagnostic clarity and formulate the plan for longer-term treatment, but not long enough for us to formally implement the plan ourselves. Sometimes we are able to do this in a single 90-minute intake session, but other times it takes a few visits to really see things clearly. I will always do my best to find answers, develop a treatment plan, and write an appropriate report as quickly and efficiently as I can, but I cannot always guarantee that we will be confident in our assessment after only a single visit. After all, the most important single factor in achieving diagnostic clarity is what we call “course of illness,” or: how things play out over time. We rely on taking a comprehensive history to track things backwards in time, but the only way to track things forward is to monitor them in real time as life unfolds and treatment plans are implemented (or not). This is the pure “Second Opinion” track for which I will provide medication recommendations if indicated, but will not personally prescribe said medications. Providers who are interested in this option for their patients can request a consultation here.