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For new patients

What to expect on your first visit.

Your first appointment is 60 minutes with the clinician you’ll be working with going forward. Here’s exactly what happens.

Our welcoming East Lyme office

Before your appointment

  1. The 15-minute intake call. About 24-48 hours before your visit, our intake team spends 15 minutes with you confirming insurance, answering questions, and walking you through what to expect.
  2. Online forms. You’ll get a link to complete intake forms: medical history, current medications, mental health history, brief screening questions, insurance info, and emergency contacts. Takes most people about 20 minutes.
  3. Records (if any). If you have prior psychiatric records or treatment notes, you can email them to your clinician beforehand. Not required — we can request them later with your consent.

The 60-minute evaluation

Your first visit is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Here’s what we cover:

What brings you in (5-10 min)

The presenting concern in your own words. What’s been happening? When did it start? What have you tried?

The history (10-15 min)

Detailed timeline of your current symptoms, prior episodes, family history, what’s worked and what hasn’t.

Past medical and psychiatric history (10 min)

Prior treatments, medications, hospitalizations, current medical conditions.

Background (5-10 min)

Relevant context — relationships, work or school, sleep, exercise, substance use, support, stressors.

Treatment plan and shared decisions (10-15 min)

Diagnostic impression, treatment options, your preferences. Together we decide what to start with: medication, therapy, or both. If medications are starting, we discuss what to expect.

What to bring

  • Insurance card and a photo ID
  • List of all current medications, including dose and frequency
  • Names and contact information for any current providers (PCP, therapist) you’d like us to coordinate with
  • Recent relevant lab results, if you have them
  • A trusted person, if you’d like emotional support — we can include them in the visit if you wish

After the visit

  • Prescriptions are sent electronically to your pharmacy at the end of the visit (if applicable).
  • A written summary of your visit, diagnosis, and plan is shared with you through the patient portal within 1-2 business days.
  • Follow-up scheduling happens at the end of the visit. Typical first follow-up is in 2-4 weeks.
  • Questions between visits. Existing patients reach a clinician through the portal or by phone within 24-48 hours.
Ready? Schedule your 15-minute intake call →