What to Expect at Your First Visit: By Nicole Miner

So, you’ve made an appointment to see a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Panoramic Psychiatry, but now as the appointment gets closer, you’re becoming a little nervous. You may be unsure of what to expect, or what could happen in the appointment. These thoughts are totally natural, and this post hopefully helps ease your worries by providing some topics that may come up during your appointment. 

1. We will ask you A LOT of questions! There are no trick questions, and you DO NOT have to answer a question or talk about a subject that makes you uncomfortable. We strive to create a safe space, free of judgement.

2. Knowing you and your family’s medical and psychiatric history is super helpful. We will ask about current and past medication names and doses. 

3. It’s okay to feel many different emotions during the appointment, if you need to cry, cry. All emotions are valid and accepted during the appointment.

4. We will come up with a plan at the end of the appointment that you are comfortable with. A diagnosis may or may not be determined, and many different options for treatment will be discussed, including medication, lifestyle changes, therapy, or referrals to other specialists. 

5. This appointment is all about you and your mental health needs! It’s not easy to make the decision to see a psychiatric provider, but we commend you for taking the first difficult step by asking for help.