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Getting ready for your first visit

A few notes made at home can help the evaluation feel less rushed, and you don't need to have everything worked out first.

Book a Free 15-Minute Consult

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Why a Little Preparation Helps

The initial evaluation runs 60 to 90 minutes and covers a lot of ground: what brought you in, your history, your life right now and what you want care to look like. Once you are talking, it is easy to lose track of the thing you most wanted to say. Notes you make beforehand, in your own words, can keep it within reach.

None of this is a test. You don't need the right vocabulary, and you can say "I'd rather not get into that today" at any point. Preparing is simply a way to bring your own priorities with you, so the time feels more like yours.

Getting Ready, Step by Step

You can do these a little at a time, in whatever order suits you.

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1
Note What Has Been Going On
Write down what has changed, roughly when it started, and how it is affecting your sleep, your work and your days at home. A few short lines are plenty.
2
Gather Your Treatment History
Think back over any past treatment and what helped or did not. Then make a list of the medications you take now, including any for other health conditions.
3
Plan Where You Will Be
If you are coming to the Minot office at 700 Western Ave SW, Suite 100, plan the drive, particularly in winter. For telehealth, find a private spot where you can talk freely.

Things to Think About Beforehand

These are worth a few quiet minutes before the evaluation, and there are no wrong answers.

What You Want From Care

What would feel like a step in the right direction for you? Your answer helps shape the plan, so it is worth a little thought ahead of time.

How You Feel About Medication

You may be curious, unsure or hesitant. Any of those is fine to say out loud, because medication decisions are made together.

Questions You Want Answered

Write down whatever you are wondering, big or small, and keep the list close by so your questions don't slip away once we start talking.

Topics to Leave for Later

If something feels like too much for a first meeting, you can decide that now. In the evaluation, you can simply say so and we move on.

What Preparation Can and Can't Do

Preparing won't change how the evaluation works, and it can't tell either of us how things will go from there. People respond differently, and I can't promise what any treatment will do. What your notes can do is help you feel less rushed and keep your own questions at the center of the conversation.

If you don't get to any of it, that is fine. You can start with nothing written down, and we begin from wherever you are. Either way, you should leave the evaluation with a plan you had a hand in making and a next appointment.

Questions About Getting Ready

Should I write out my whole history?

You don't have to. Notes are only there to help you remember, and anything you leave out can come up as we talk.

Should I bring a list of my medications?

Yes. A list of the medications you take now is useful, along with anything you have taken in the past and how it went.

Is there anything to do before the free consult?

Not much. Jot down a question or two, then use the 15 minutes to ask them and see whether this feels like the right fit.

Fees in Brief

The 15-minute phone consult is free, so asking your first questions costs nothing. After that, the initial evaluation is $300 for 60 to 90 minutes, and follow-up sessions are $125 for 30 to 45 minutes.

Fees and payment