Finding A Psychiatrist: What To Look For In Psychiatry Professionals

Medically reviewed by Kayce Bragg, LPCS, LAC, LCPC, LPC, NCC and Julie Dodson, MA, LCSW
Updated October 22, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health conditions and would like to find a psychiatrist near you, it may seem like an intimidating process. In this article, we will offer a few tips for how to research and find psychiatrists near you, how to assess if the psychiatrist might be a good fit for your health care needs, and other options to consider. Therapy, psychiatry, and a combination of the two can all be helpful for people with various mental health concerns. For some people and for some concerns in particular, one treatment option may be more effective than others, so it may make sense to consider a variety of psychological or psychiatric options given your situation.

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How do I find a psychiatrist?

There are a few ways patients can find psychiatrists specializing in treating their mental and emotional challenges or conditions. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who work with various challenges and disorders, including but not limited to obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, medical conditions, and adolescent psychiatry. To find a psychiatrist specialist, consider the following steps.

Getting referrals

When first looking for the best psychiatrists for your challenges, you might start by seeking referrals or suggestions from your primary care doctor, friends, or family members. They may be able to attest to the effectiveness and approach of a psychiatrist near you, and they may be able to offer suggestions of nearby psychiatrists they have dealt with previously. This may help you narrow down your search or start with a small pool of promising psychiatric options.

Also, it may be worth noting that some insurance plans may require you to get a referral from your primary care doctor for these services to be covered. You might check with your insurance company to see if this is required by your plan. 

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Checking insurance and pricing for mental health services

If you have health insurance, that plan may cover mental health care, including psychological or psychiatric needs. If so, you may want to start by trying to find psychiatrists who accept your insurance. You may be able to find this information through your insurance company or by checking with the psychiatrist’s office. 

If you don’t have health insurance or if you have difficulty finding psychiatrists near you who accept your insurance plan, the next step may be to compare prices for psychiatry services. You may be able to find this online or you may have to call the nearby psychiatrist’s office for pricing information. Additionally, the process time and conditions for psychiatric reimbursement may vary significantly depending on your insurance. 

Some psychiatrists may charge significantly more than others, so depending on your preferences and pricing restrictions, you may be able to narrow down your acceptable psychiatric options according to your budget.

Researching credentials and specialties 

Next, you may want to research the psychiatrist’s credentials, such as where they attended medical school, and areas of focus to determine if they would be a good fit for your needs. If you have a specific concern that you are seeking help for, such as depression, you may want to find a psychiatrist with experience working with individuals with depression around your same age or background. You may also consider looking at their experience, education, publications, and certification. 

What to look for in psychiatry professionals

Once you have found a psychiatrist who seems to be a good fit for you, you may start by setting up an initial conversation with the psychiatrist to learn more. This initial psychiatry appointment may help you determine if you would like to work with a doctor before committing to a treatment plan. Many psychiatrists have an intake appointment where they may get to know you and your situation, talk about payment options, and offer initial ideas for treatment.

You can use this psychiatric intake appointment to ask questions of your psychiatrist and see if you feel comfortable with psychiatry overall and the psychiatrist specifically. For this conversation, you may want to consider some of the following factors when trying to determine if the psychiatrist will be a good fit for your psychiatric needs: 

Listening and communication style

Everyone has a different communication style, and not all communication styles mesh. When working with a psychiatrist, it is important to sense that you are genuinely being heard and to perceive that you and your psychiatrist can communicate effectively. If you believe that you and your psychiatrist are not communicating well, you may want to look for a different psychiatrist, or you may let them know that you’re having a difficult time with their communication style and see if they can adjust accordingly.

Clarity in presenting information

Your psychiatrist may cover a lot of information in your sessions, especially if they are prescribing medication. You may want to consider if they are presenting the information in a way that is clear and easy to understand, so that you can feel confident that you are absorbing what they cover. A psychiatrist may educate you about your symptoms and your diagnosis, work with you to develop a treatment plan, educate you on the methods that will be used, and describe medication options—and with all of these, you may want to ensure that they are taking the time to present all of this in ways that make sense to you.

Empathy

When it comes to seeing a psychiatrist, you may want to ensure that you are talking with someone with whom you feel comfortable and respected. It is important that your psychiatrist doesn’t dismiss your feelings or emotions, but rather treats you with respect and empathy. This may be hard to assess at first, but you should have a consistent sense of feeling heard, understood and respected, even though some topics may be uncomfortable to address. Comfort with one’s clinician is separate from enjoyment of addressing potentially painful topics.

Breadth and depth of knowledge

When you first talk with a psychiatrist, you might consider their knowledge about different types of therapies and medications, especially given your particular concern or concerns. The same treatment does not always work for every patient, so you may want to see if they demonstrate knowledge of multiple treatment modalities and alternative medications that can work for your unique situation. You may consider asking about their experience working with individuals with similar concerns and utilizing various treatment options. 

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Frequency of sessions

Finally, you might consider asking how often a psychiatrist can meet with you and how easy or difficult it may be to schedule sessions. The preferred frequency of psychiatric appointments may vary from person to person, so you may want to see if the psychiatrist's availability aligns with your needs. Some psychiatrists, may offer talk therapy as part of their services, whereas other psychiatrists may only offer medication management, diagnosis, and quick check-ins.

Addressing symptoms of mental illness with online therapy

Depending on your concerns and preferences, you may find that you want to try other mental health treatment options or work with other mental health professionals in addition to psychiatry. For instance, as the American Psychological Association notes, for depression, there is “some evidence that combining psychotherapy and medications may be more effective than either treatment alone,” and for anxiety disorders, “research generally shows that psychotherapy is more effective than medications.”

People experiencing depression or anxiety may find it difficult to leave the house and attend an in-person appointment. With an appointment through an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can meet with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your own home. 

Efficacy of online therapy for mental health conditions

There is significant research demonstrating the effectiveness of online therapy for a range of concerns, including depression and anxiety. For instance, one such study examined the effectiveness of a digital therapy program for improving symptoms of depression and anxiety. The study found that those participating in the intervention experienced significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety over time.  
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Takeaway

Finding a mental health care provider near you can seem like a difficult process. As you navigate this process of finding a psychiatrist, you may consider some of the tips above to help you find the right psychiatrist for you. Depending on your particular concerns and preferences, online therapy could be an effective part of your healing journey.
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