Strategy Session, DISCOVER Labs, Ongoing Care or the Online Course: Which Starting Point Fits

If you are not sure what you need, the 75-minute Health Strategy Session with Dr. Lewis is the broadest starting point: it reviews your history and concerns and ends with a decision about next steps such as labs, psychiatric care, coaching or the online program. If you already know you want medication care or therapy, the practice's ongoing care includes psychiatric care and psychotherapy, so ask on the discovery call whether you can start there directly; if you want education without becoming a patient, the online course is designed for that.

The DISCOVER Assessment & Labs program sits between these: a structured assessment built around advanced testing, with a clear caveat that some of its tests are investigational. The sections below explain who each option suits, what it includes, and whether it creates a patient-doctor relationship.

The options side by side

This table compares the practice's current offerings using only what the practice states about them. Fees are not listed here; they are published on the insurance and payment page.

The rest of this guide takes each option in turn. If you have not yet contacted the practice, how to start care with Dr. Lewis covers the discovery call and interest form that come first.

The Health Strategy Session: when you want the whole picture first

The strategy session covers a review of health history, a discussion of top health concerns, an exploration of treatment options, and a decision about next steps such as lab testing, psychiatric care, coaching or the online program. It also includes a beginning exploration of psychological and physical factors and the option to discuss comprehensive bloodwork and functional medicine testing if appropriate.

It suits people who have been through several treatments, whose symptoms cross mental and physical health, or who simply want a clinician to help them choose an order of operations. The practice says it is designed to help you understand your options with no pressure, and that many people find it valuable even if they choose not to continue.

For residents of states other than New York, New Jersey and California, the session is an educational consultation only: Dr. Lewis can provide guidance and referrals in your area but does not diagnose or treat. A full walkthrough is in what happens in the 75-minute Health Strategy Session.

DISCOVER: Assessment & Labs, when testing is central to your question

The DISCOVER program is the most structured option. According to the practice, it includes:

• A 75-minute initial assessment with Dr. Lewis.
• Advanced bloodwork and functional labs: a comprehensive blood panel, environmental and chemical exposure screening, mold and mycotoxin testing, toxic metals, a hormone panel including adrenal, thyroid and sex hormones, gut inflammation and microbiome testing, and intestinal barrier testing.
• A 90-minute findings and strategy session.
• A personalized supplement plan for month 1.
• A 10-page written report.

One caveat matters. The practice itself states that some of these tests (mycotoxin, toxic-metal and intestinal-barrier or "leaky gut" panels) are investigational and not validated for diagnosis, and that Dr. Lewis explains what each can and cannot tell you. A result from one of those panels is not a diagnosis, and it should be weighed alongside your history and standard tests.

DISCOVER makes most sense when you want a detailed, documented assessment and are comfortable with the cost of testing. It is a less obvious first step if your main need is to start or adjust a psychiatric medication soon, or if your budget is tight. Lab and supplement costs are separate from visit fees.

Before choosing DISCOVER, read what to expect from the DISCOVER assessment, which walks through each part, and ask the team whether it is available for your state of residence.

Ongoing psychiatric care and medication management

If you already know you want help with diagnosis or medication, the practice's ongoing care includes psychiatric evaluation and medication management, alongside lab testing and nutrition and lifestyle psychiatry. Its prescribers include psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.

This route suits people with a known diagnosis who want a more integrative prescriber, people whose current medication is not working well, and people who need a new evaluation. Telehealth is available for patients physically located in a state where Dr. Lewis holds an active license, and the team confirms state eligibility before the first visit.

If you are switching from another prescriber, plan the handover so you do not run out of medication; switching psychiatrists without a gap in your prescriptions explains the sequencing. Do not stop or change a medication on your own while you wait for a first visit.

Psychotherapy

The practice's psychotherapists offer ongoing therapy, including CBT and DBT. The therapy team includes psychologists, licensed clinical and master social workers, and mental health counselors, and one psychologist is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Therapy may be the right first step when the main problem is a pattern you want to change, such as anxiety, a relationship difficulty or recurring low mood, and medication is not yet on the table. It can also run alongside medication care. If you already have a therapist you trust, keeping your therapist while seeing an integrative psychiatrist explains how split care works, and starting therapy with the practice covers the first steps.

Coaching

The practice's coach is a certified integrative wellness coach with the NBC-HWC credential. The credential is awarded by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching, whose certifying examination is developed in collaboration with the NBME.

Coaching is useful for building habits around sleep, movement, nutrition and stress. Its limits are set by the profession itself: the NBHWC scope of practice states that coaches do not diagnose, prescribe, or provide psychological therapeutic interventions or treatment on their own, though they may support a treatment plan when working under the license of a qualified professional. If you are unsure whether coaching is enough, coaching, therapy or psychiatry lays out the warning signs that call for more, and wellness coaching with the practice describes how coaching there works.

When the question is ADHD: the ADHD assessment

If your main question is whether you or your child has ADHD, the practice has a dedicated ADHD assessment for children and adults, available in person or by telehealth. It uses a structured clinical interview (the DIVA-5 for adults, and an age-appropriate version for children), standardized rating scales that the practice says support, but do not replace, clinical diagnosis, and collateral history from a family member or another person who knows you well. It ends with a review-of-findings session, a written summary and a personalized treatment plan.

The sequence the practice describes is: complete the intake form or call, process payment, attend a 60-minute diagnostic session, receive the diagnosis and treatment plan, and then begin treatment with the therapy, coaching or prescriber team. That makes it a more direct route than the strategy session when ADHD is the specific question. If your concerns are broader, such as low mood, sleep, anxiety and attention all at once, a wider first conversation may sort out the order better. The practice's ADHD assessment: steps and preparation covers the process in detail, and adult ADHD treatment options compared explains what a treatment plan can include.

Starting points for a child or teenager

Dr. Lewis is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry as well as adult psychiatry, and trained at the NYU Child Study Center. The ADHD assessment is available for children, with an age-appropriate interview. Beyond that, ask on the discovery call which of the practice's clinicians see children and teens, and for which concerns, because the facts the practice publishes do not list an age range for each service.

For a young person, the first step also depends on who needs to be involved. A parent usually makes the first contact, school information often matters, and a teen may want some time alone with the clinician. Choosing a child and adolescent psychiatrist explains what to look for, and preparing your child for an ADHD evaluation has a checklist for that specific route. The practice's child and adolescent psychiatry page describes its approach.

The online course, alone or with group coaching

Dr. Lewis's Integrative Psychiatry and Functional Medicine course comes in two forms: a self-guided course with lifetime access that you can enroll in anytime, and a Course + Live Group Coaching option with weekly virtual calls with Dr. Lewis. No New York residency or patient relationship is required.

The course is the most accessible option for readers outside New York, New Jersey and California, and for anyone who wants to learn the integrative framework before deciding on individual care. Who the online course is for goes into the fit in more detail. The practice is clear about its limits: it is an educational course and does not provide diagnosis, individual medical advice, medication management or emergency psychiatric care.

Questions that settle the choice

Most people can narrow the options with four questions. Answer them honestly before the discovery call and the conversation becomes much shorter.

1. Do I need a diagnosis or a prescription in the next few months? If yes, you need a clinical route, such as psychiatric evaluation and medication management; for New York, New Jersey or California residents the strategy session can be the starting point. The course and coaching cannot provide either.
2. Where will I be physically located during visits? Telehealth with Dr. Lewis depends on being in a state where she holds an active license, and the team confirms this before the first visit. If you live elsewhere, the educational options are the realistic ones.
3. Is testing central to my question, or a side question? If you mainly want to know whether something physical is contributing, DISCOVER is the option built around testing, with the caveat that some of its panels are investigational. If testing is secondary, the strategy session can decide whether any test is worth doing.
4. What can I spend, and over what period? Read the current fees, ask your insurer about out-of-network benefits, and request a Good Faith Estimate before you commit. A smaller first step that you can afford to follow through on usually beats a larger one you cannot finish.

If two options still look equally good after those questions, start with the one that keeps the most doors open. For many people that is the strategy session, because its whole purpose is deciding next steps.

A quick decision guide

• "I don't know what I need." Start with the Health Strategy Session.
• "I want a detailed assessment with testing and a written report." Consider DISCOVER, keeping the investigational-test caveat in mind.
• "I need medication help or a diagnosis." Ask about a psychiatric evaluation and medication management.
• "I want therapy." Ask about the psychotherapy team.
• "I want help with habits and lifestyle and I am otherwise well." Coaching may fit.
• "I live in another state" or "I want to learn first." The online course works anywhere; the strategy session is educational for out-of-state residents.
• "I need in-network care." If you need care that is in network with your plan, ask the team on the discovery call about options.

Whatever you choose, the safety floor is the same. If you are thinking about suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room.

When a different starting point is better

An honest decision guide also says when none of these options is the right first step.

• You are in danger now. Use 988 or an emergency room, as above. A discovery call or an interest form is not an emergency service, and the online course explicitly does not provide emergency psychiatric care. Psychiatric emergency vs urgent care in NYC explains where to go for what.
• You need more support than weekly outpatient visits. If you cannot keep yourself safe between appointments, or daily functioning has broken down, a more intensive program may be the right level of care. Levels of psychiatric care explained describes the options from outpatient to inpatient.
• You need in-network care. All of the practice's practitioners are out of network with all insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. If you need care that is in network with your plan, ask the team on the discovery call about options. In-network vs out-of-network psychiatry compares the two.
• You live outside New York, New Jersey and California and want treatment. For out-of-state residents the strategy session is educational, and Dr. Lewis can provide guidance and referrals in your area. Telehealth psychiatry from another state explains the location rules.
• You need a service the practice does not list. The practice's published offerings are the ones described in this guide. If you need something else, ask on the discovery call before you assume it is available.

Paying for the starting point you choose

Cost often decides the order. Dr. Lewis and all of the practice's practitioners are out of network with all insurance plans, and payment is due at the time of service. The practice provides a superbill you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and for BCBS, Aetna or Cigna plans it can facilitate submitting the claim for you. The practice notes that reimbursement is usually around 50-80% of the insurer's approved visit cost, which may or may not be as much as the actual cost of the visit.

Before you commit, ask your insurer the four questions the practice recommends: whether you have out-of-network mental health benefits, whether there is an out-of-network deductible, what the reimbursement rate is, and what the approved visit cost is. How to check your out-of-network benefits turns those into a call script.

Many patients pay with a health savings account or flexible spending account, though eligibility rules vary between plans and change from year to year. Using an HSA or FSA for psychiatry explains which costs usually qualify. Under federal rules, people who are not using insurance generally have the right to a good faith estimate of expected charges when they ask for one or schedule care at least 3 business days in advance, and the practice offers a Good Faith Estimate before starting care. Keep in mind that lab and supplement costs are separate from visit fees, which matters most for DISCOVER. Whether out-of-pocket integrative psychiatry is worth it offers a framework for the overall decision.

Common mistakes when choosing a first step

• Choosing the most comprehensive option by default. More testing or a longer program is not automatically better. If your question is narrow, such as continuing a medication that works, a narrow starting point is usually faster.
• Treating educational options as treatment. The course and the out-of-state strategy session are educational; they do not diagnose or treat. If you need a prescription, plan a clinical route from the start.
• Letting a medication run out while you decide. If you already take psychiatric medication, keep your current prescriber involved until the new one has taken over, and do not stop or change anything on your own.
• Reading an investigational test as a diagnosis. The practice itself says some DISCOVER panels are investigational and not validated for diagnosis.
• Skipping the benefits call. Learning your out-of-network deductible after several visits changes the math. Call your insurer first.
• Not mentioning a therapist or other clinicians you already see. Coordination is easier to plan at the start than to fix later.

What to have ready before the discovery call

The free discovery call is where you learn how the practice can support your needs and what to expect from its integrative approach, and where the team answers questions about care options, scheduling and insurance. A few minutes of preparation makes it far more useful:

1. A one-sentence statement of what you want help with, and what you have already tried.
2. A list of current medications and doses, and the name of the current prescriber, if any.
3. The state you will be physically located in during visits.
4. Your answers from the insurer call, if you have made it.
5. Your own questions, such as whether you can start directly with ongoing care, and how the team would sequence therapy, coaching and medication for you.

Questions to ask on a psychiatry discovery call has a fuller list, and preparing your medication history includes a template you can fill in once and reuse. Individual clinical care then starts with the Patient Interest Form, which the practice describes as a way to understand whether Dr. Lewis is the right fit for you. For options beyond this practice, the full guide to choosing psychiatric care compares other routes into care.

Frequently asked questions

Can I join the online course if I live outside New York?

Yes. The practice states that no New York residency or patient relationship is required. The course is educational and does not provide diagnosis, individual medical advice or medication management.

Are the DISCOVER tests diagnostic?

Not all of them. The practice notes that the mycotoxin, toxic-metal and intestinal-barrier panels are investigational and not validated for diagnosis, and Dr. Lewis explains what each test can and cannot tell you.

Can I combine options, such as therapy and medication management?

The practice's ongoing care includes both psychiatric medication management and psychotherapy, so combinations are possible. Ask the team on the discovery call how they would sequence them for you.

Does coaching replace therapy?

No. The NBHWC scope of practice says coaches do not diagnose or provide psychological therapeutic interventions on their own. Coaching works best for habit and lifestyle goals, or alongside clinical care.

Where are the prices for each option?

On the practice's insurance and payment page. Lab and supplement costs are separate from visit fees.

Is the ADHD assessment a separate way to start?

Yes. The practice describes its own process for the ADHD assessment: complete the intake form or call, then a 60-minute diagnostic session, a diagnosis and treatment plan, and treatment with the therapy, coaching or prescriber team. It is available for children and adults, in person or by telehealth.

Can I pay for these options with an HSA or FSA?

Many of the practice's patients pay for psychiatric care that way, but eligibility rules vary between plans and change from year to year, so confirm with your plan administrator. Educational courses are less likely to qualify than clinical care.

What if I need help sooner than a first appointment?

If you are thinking about suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988 or go to the nearest emergency room. None of the starting points in this guide is an emergency service.

Sources

1. Scope Of Practice. National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), 2026. nbhwc.org
2. National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches. National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), 2026. nbhwc.org
3. What is a good faith health insurance estimate?. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 2026. cms.gov

Educational information, not medical, tax or legal advice. Decisions about diagnosis, medication and treatment belong with a clinician who knows your history.