Finding the right psychiatrist is one of the most important decisions you can make. It affects the quality of care you receive and the potential success of your treatment. There are important considerations when choosing a mental health specialist.
Where Do You Start?
The first thing you can do is ask your primary care doctor, whose referral you may need to see a psychiatrist. Your doctor can refer you to a psychiatrist who is within your insurance network. However, this is tricky, especially in New York, where many psychiatrists do not accept insurance. You may also miss out on a great psychiatrist by limiting your search to doctors within your insurance network only. To cast a wider net, search for “psychiatrist near me” to find psychiatrists in your area.
Board-Certification
You want a board-certified psychiatrist to treat you or your loved one. The journey to becoming board-certified is a long one. One has to graduate from an accredited medical school, earn a license to practice medicine, undergo residency training, and obtain a license to practice psychiatry.
Only after completing all these can a doctor apply to become certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). By the time the doctor has become board-certified, they will have spent over a decade in studies and residency training, as well as passed rigorous exams to satisfactorily complete the Board’s specialized training requirements.
If the psychiatrist has been practicing for decades, that tells you they have had much experience that can be advantageous for you, because you want to see an expert, not an amateur.
Gender
If you are a male patient, you may feel more comfortable talking with a male psychiatrist with whom you can share experiences. Comfort is very important since you will be discussing personal and intimate details with the psychiatrist to make the most out of therapy. If the idea of seeing a psychiatrist of the opposite gender stresses you out, it could undermine the effectiveness of treatment. By all means, choose a psychiatrist whose gender you can get comfortable with.
Conditions Treated
You can usually see on a psychiatrist’s website the mental health conditions they specialize in. It’s important to go with a doctor that sees patients with similar issues as you. You could have a combination of a mood and anxiety disorder, trauma, and addiction problem, for example. A psychiatrist that treats the full spectrum of psychiatric, behavioral, and mental disorders is ideal since their breadth of knowledge and experience means they have a well-rounded set of skills and can diagnose and treat your condition(s) effectively.
Conveniently Located
The right psychiatrist’s clinic is centrally located, for the convenience of patients. Life gets busy, and if getting to your psychiatrist means getting stuck in hours of traffic, you are more likely to miss appointments. Ease of access to their office is very important. Some psychiatrists offer telepsychiatry – psychiatry services delivered virtually. This can be a very convenient way of getting the care you need without compromising your busy schedule.
Gentle and Compassionate
You get an idea of the psychiatrist’s communication style in the initial consultation. Do you sense a genuine interest in helping you? Are you comfortable speaking with them? In order to make the most of your treatment and interactions with your psychiatrist, you need to build trust and be able to communicate transparently. The last thing you want is to go to a psychiatrist with whom you feel reserved, shy, or intimidated.
Psychiatrist in NY and CT
Dr. Mark Stracks of Psy Visions is a board-certified psychiatrist who treats the full breadth of psychiatric, behavioral, and emotional disorders. His signature gentle nature and compassionate approach to treatment make him the perfect expert for every patient. Dr. Stracks treats adults and adolescents with a wide range of issues.
Our clinic in Manhattan is conveniently centrally located in Midtown Manhattan, at 5th Ave & W 28th St., just a block north of Madison Square Park. Also conveniently located is our Southbury, CT clinic at 88 Main Street South. We also offer telepsychiatry or virtual visits whenever possible for greater convenience.
If you have any questions about our services, our friendly staff is happy to help. Call our NYC clinic at (718) 887-2918 or our Southbury clinic at (203) 405-1745. You can also request an appointment online.
