How to Find a Psychiatrist

The decision to seek the services of a psychiatrist is an important one. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MD) who specializes in treating mental illness. Although psychiatrists may be trained in psychotherapy, their treatments by and large focus on biomedical approaches through the administration and management of medication. Finding a psychiatrist who is aligned with your needs and desires requires some preparation and diligence.

Instructions

Contact your Health Insurance Company

• 1

  Find the paperwork for your health insurance plan. Read through it until you can find any sections that include information about psychiatric care coverage. Such information might be included under mental health. Once you locate your coverage information, call your health insurance company to verify it.

• 2

  Ask your health insurance company if there is a list of psychiatrists that you should utilize. Some plans may fully cover your visits and medication if you see a psychiatrist from an approved list. Other companies and plans may offer "in network" and "out of network" benefits. In that case, you could choose whichever psychiatrist you want; you would just receive less coverage for someone outside of your network.

• 3

  Ask your health insurance company if you need a pre-authorization or referral to see a psychiatrist. A pre-authorization is typically accomplished through your health insurance company. If you need a referral, you may need to visit your general care practitioner for one. Make sure you find out what is required up front, so that you do not experience any unexpected surprises later.

Ask People you Know for Recommendations

• 4

  Talk to health care professionals you know, such as your general care practitioner or any specialists you might see. Ask if they can recommend a psychiatrist who has a good reputation and is well known throughout the community. The health care professional you talk to may ask you to briefly describe your symptoms, in order to determine which type of psychiatrist would be a good fit for you. Some psychiatrists specialize in the treatment of certain disorders; others focus on a certain age group or segment of the population.

• 5

  Ask your family members for a recommendation. Do not be shy about this. Many people feel ashamed, or as if there is a certain stigma attached to seeking the services of a psychiatrist. The truth, though, is that more people are likely under the care of a psychiatrist than you realize, including your family members. You may have an aunt or uncle who has been seeing a psychiatrist for twelve years.

• 6

  Ask your trusted friends for recommendations. Again, do not be bashful. You do not need to give several details about your situation. In fact, you do not even have to say that you are the one looking for a psychiatrist. You can just say that you are helping someone find a recommendation.

Research Your Choices

• 7

  Identify a few psychiatrists that most interest you, based on recommendations from other health care professionals, family members, and friends. One psychiatrist may interest you because his office is located very close to your home. You may have heard that another psychiatrist has a particularly warm and compassionate demeanor. A friend may have told you about a psychiatrist who has been highly successful about treating people with your symptoms.

• 8

  Call the offices of your top few choices. Ask if each psychiatrist has a particular specialty. Since many people do see doctors who practice general psychiatry, you do not necessarily need to find a psychiatrist who specializes in certain disorders. You should ask, though, if this if of interest to you. You should also ask if they provide therapy, or if they can refer you to a psychotherapist, if necessary.

• 9

  Ask each psychiatrist if he accepts your insurance, if you have insurance. If you do not have insurance, you should ask about the initial assessment fee and the fee for follow-up appointments. Many times, the initial assessment costs two to three times more than the routine follow-up visits. Get the facts up front.

Determine Which Psychiatrist is Best

• 10

  Consider the referral credibility for each of the psychiatrists you contacted. Ask yourself how "strong" of a recommendation each psychiatrist received. There is a difference between a strong recommendation and a referral.

• 11

  Consider the specialty and accessibility of your top few choices. Ask yourself if you want a psychiatrist who specializes in certain disorders. You should also think about the location of each psychiatrist's office and how accessible they are to you.

• 12

  Choose one psychiatrist, based on the recommendations you received, as well as the information you acquired from your research.