Psychiatric evaluation
Your first visit: 60 to 90 minutes to tell the whole story.
A psychiatric evaluation at R3 isn't a checklist. It's an unhurried conversation about your history, your symptoms, what you've already tried and what's happening in your body and your life, so that whatever we decide next actually fits you.
What a psychiatric evaluation covers
The evaluation is the foundation for everything that follows. We take the time to understand you, not just your symptoms. During your first visit we'll talk through:
- Your story and your symptoms. When things started, what makes them better or worse, and how they affect your days, your sleep, your relationships and your work.
- What you've already tried. Past medications, therapy, supplements, and what helped or didn't. If something was "thrown at you" before, we want to know.
- Your medical and reproductive history. Thyroid, iron, vitamin levels, hormones, cycles, pregnancies, postpartum periods, perimenopause. Mental health symptoms often have a physical contributor.
- Family history. Mental health conditions and medication responses in your family can guide what's likely to work for you.
- Your life right now. Stress, support, sleep, nutrition, faith, caregiving. The things no fifteen-minute visit has time to ask about.
What happens next
By the end of the visit you'll have a clear picture of what we think is going on and a plan you helped build. Depending on your situation, that plan may include:
- Lab work to rule out medical causes before we treat a symptom as psychiatric.
- Medication, started low and adjusted slowly, if it's the right tool and you want it.
- Integrative support: nutrition, supplements, sleep and lifestyle changes, and GeneSight genetic testing when it would help guide medication choices.
- A referral to therapy or coordination with your OB, midwife or primary care provider.
Follow-ups happen monthly while we fine-tune, then about every three months once you're stable.
A new mom came to us with anxiety and insomnia she'd never had before. She'd been given medication after medication. We ran labs first. It was her thyroid.
Who the evaluation is for
Adults 18 and up anywhere in North Carolina who are struggling with anxiety, depression, mood changes, sleep problems, attention and focus, or anything in the pregnancy and postpartum season. Our specialty is perinatal and women's mental health, and we welcome men and partners too. You don't need a referral or a prior diagnosis.
At a glance
How long is the first appointment?
Your initial psychiatric evaluation is 60 to 90 minutes. Follow-up visits are shorter and happen monthly until you're stable, then about every three months.
Do I need a diagnosis or referral before I come in?
No. You don't need a referral or a prior diagnosis. The evaluation is where we figure out what's going on, together.
Will I leave the first visit with a prescription?
Sometimes, if medication is clearly the right next step and you want it. Often we order labs first or start with integrative changes. Nothing is decided without you.
Can the evaluation be done by video?
Yes. Most evaluations happen by secure telehealth anywhere in North Carolina. In-person visits are available at the Clayton office.
Renewing minds · Restoring balance · Reviving hope
Ready to be heard?
Request an appointment and our care coordinator will reach out to verify your benefits and get you scheduled. Not ready yet? Call us, or send a question. No pressure.
R3 is not an emergency service. If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room.