Psychiatric Evaluations in Colorado Springs at Colorado Springs Psychiatry and Mental Health

A city of service and summits

Colorado Springs is home to Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, the Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center. That mix brings driven, disciplined people to our Tejon Street office, many of whom have been pushing through symptoms for a long time. An evaluation is the moment to stop pushing and get an accurate picture.

Getting the diagnosis right

Depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and sleep disorders overlap. Concussions and chronic pain add more layers. A careful evaluation untangles them before treatment begins, because the right diagnosis changes everything that follows.

What you will talk about

Your provider will ask what has changed and when, and how it shows up at work, at home, and in training. Expect questions about sleep, appetite, energy, focus, and mood, plus medical history, head injuries, prescriptions, supplements, alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and caffeine. Family history matters, so share what you know.

A civilian office

We are a civilian practice. Your records are not shared with your command or unit without your written permission. Some service members have their own reporting duties tied to their roles, and your provider can talk through them before you share anything you are unsure about.

Measuring where you start

Brief forms like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 set a baseline. If thyroid trouble, low iron, sleep apnea, or a medicine side effect could be involved, your provider may order labs or coordinate with your doctor at UCHealth Memorial, Penrose-St. Francis, or the base clinic.

Altitude and sleep

At just over 6,000 feet, the Springs can disrupt sleep for newcomers, and poor sleep magnifies anxiety, irritability, and poor focus. Your provider will ask about snoring, waking at night, and morning headaches.

Trauma and PTSD

Combat deployments from Fort Carson, training accidents, and military sexual trauma leave lasting marks. The city has also endured the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires and the 2022 shooting at Club Q, which shook the LGBTQ community and the whole city. Post-traumatic stress disorder can show up as nightmares, hypervigilance, anger, or avoiding reminders. Your provider asks gently, sometimes using the PCL-5, and you decide what to share.

Mood swings and bipolar disorder

Your provider will ask about times you needed little sleep, felt unusually powerful, talked fast, spent heavily, or took risks. In bipolar disorder, an antidepressant on its own can trigger mania, so recognizing it early steers treatment toward a mood stabilizer.

Cadets, students, and athletes

UCCS and Colorado College students, Pikes Peak State College students, and elite athletes training here face intense pressure. Colorado College's Block Plan, one class at a time for three and a half weeks, can expose attention problems fast. We see students and teens 15 and older.

Brain injury

Blast exposure, parachute landings, falls, and sports collisions can cause concussions with lasting effects on mood, memory, and sleep. Your provider will ask about head injuries and consider them in your diagnosis.

Military spouses

Spouses juggle moves every few years, deployments, solo parenting, and interrupted careers. Depression and anxiety are common and treatable, and your evaluation is about you, not your service member's career.

Veterans and retirees

Many soldiers retire in the Springs after a final tour at Fort Carson. Some have never had a full civilian evaluation, and some carry symptoms they never reported while serving. With your permission, we can coordinate with your VA providers.

Bring someone if it helps

A spouse or friend is welcome for part of the visit. They often notice changes you miss. You choose what they hear, and you always have time alone with your provider.

Your plan

You will hear the working diagnosis in plain language and leave with a plan that may include medicine through medication management, labs, or GeneSight testing after earlier medicines missed.

Downtown on Tejon

We are at 102 S Tejon St, near Acacia Park, convenient from Old Colorado City, Briargate, Fountain, Security-Widefield, and Monument. No referral is needed to become a patient.