Most people come to us not knowing exactly what’s wrong – only that something is. That uncertainty is exactly what this assessment is designed to address.
Before we recommend anything, we listen. Carefully, completely, and without rushing you toward a conclusion.
Your clinician will spend time exploring several areas during your visit:
●Your history – personal and family psychiatric history, your prior diagnoses, and what has or has not worked for you in the past
●What is happening currently – including symptoms and their temporal aspects, how these are impacting your work, social relationships, and day-to-day functioning
●Your physical health – any comorbid conditions and the medications you’re taking, which might have relevance to your mental health care
●Mental status – how you’re thinking, feeling, and presenting at the time of your visit
●Your environment – stress, relationships, home life, and what your support system actually looks like
●Your goals – what you want from treatment Sessions run
sixty to ninety minutes. That’s intentional.
People reach out for an assessment for all kinds of reasons. You might recognize yourself in one of these:
●You’ve been dealing with anxiety, low mood, or emotional swings long enough that you’re ready to take it seriously
●Your doctor or therapist suggested a psychiatric evaluation, and you’re not sure what to expect
●You’re a parent noticing changes in your child’s behavior, focus, or emotional responses
●You’ve had a diagnosis before but something about your current treatment doesn’t feel right
●You would like clarification, honest transparency, and a starting point before going further with any medications or other ongoing treatment
You don’t need a referral, a prior diagnosis, or a crisis to walk through our door.
Once your evaluation is complete, your clinician will sit down with you and talk through what they found – in plain terms, not clinical shorthand. From there, you’ll work together on what comes next.
That might look like:
●A medication plan that’s personalized to your specific profile and history
●A course of therapy, which may be provided in conjunction with the medication plan or on a separate, standalone basis
●Scheduled follow-up visits to evaluate your progress and modify your treatment plan, as necessary
Nothing is decided without you. Your input shapes the plan.
Our Minot office is located at 104 20th Ave., SW – but you don’t have to be local to receive the same standard of care.
Our telepsychiatry option uses a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform and is available to patients across North Dakota.
For many people in smaller communities, this kind of specialized psychiatric access simply wasn’t available before. Now it is.
Call us at 701-963-6917 to schedule your assessment, or reach out at contact-us@medcanvaspsychiatry.com.
New patients are always welcome. If you’d like to talk before committing to an appointment, you can schedule a free 15-minute call with us.
For reliable advice and assistance on psychiatric medication management, don’t hesitate to contact us.