What is a Psychiatric Evaluation?
A psychiatric evaluation is a conversation with a licensed psychiatric provider to understand what is going on with your mental health. It is not a test you can fail. It is a chance to talk openly about your symptoms, your history, and what has or has not helped -- so we can build an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan that actually fits your life.
Many people come in thinking they have one condition and discover it is something else. Anxiety and ADHD can look alike. Depression and bipolar disorder overlap in the early stages. PTSD gets mislabeled as anxiety all the time. Getting the right diagnosis changes the treatment -- and the outcome.
What Happens During the Evaluation
Your first visit is about 60 minutes. We talk about your current symptoms, when they started, and what makes them better or worse. We ask about your medical history, family history, and any medications or substances you use. We may use standardized screening tools to help clarify the picture.
For children and teens, we include parents in the process. We want to understand the full picture from multiple perspectives.
After the Evaluation
By the end of your first visit, you will have a diagnosis -- or a working diagnosis if we need more information -- and a treatment plan. If medication is the right step, we can often prescribe the same day. If genetic testing like GeneSight would help guide medication selection, we set that up.
Insurance and Payment
Psychiatric evaluations are covered by most insurance plans. We accept Blue Cross NC, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and NC Medicaid plans (Healthy Blue, WellCare, AmeriHealth Caritas). Cash pay is available.
When to Schedule an Evaluation
If your symptoms are getting in the way of your work, your relationships, or your ability to enjoy the things you used to enjoy -- an evaluation is the right starting point. You do not need a referral. You do not need to have it all figured out before you call. That is what the evaluation is for.