How to Start Care With Dr. Lewis: From First Call to First Visit

Starting care with Dr. Lewis's practice usually begins with a free discovery call by phone or text, where you can ask about care options, scheduling and insurance. Individual clinical care then starts with the Patient Interest Form, which helps the team understand whether Dr. Lewis is the right fit for you.

The practice's Get Started page also lists the 75-minute Health Strategy Session with Dr. Lewis, which ends with a decision about next steps such as lab testing, psychiatric care, coaching or the online program. This article walks through each step, what to have ready, and when a different kind of care is the better place to start.

The path at a glance

The table below pulls together the steps the practice describes on its own pages. The exact order can vary from person to person, so confirm it on the discovery call. Each step is explained in more detail further down.

Step 1: The free discovery call

The first contact is a free discovery call. You can reach the practice by phone at (212) 621-7770, by text at (929) 600-7724, or by email at info@drlewis.com. On the call, the practice says you will learn how it can support your needs and what to expect from its integrative approach, and you can ask about care options, scheduling and insurance.

This is a good moment to ask practical questions rather than tell your whole story. Useful ones include:

• Which starting point makes sense for my situation?
• Can I be seen by telehealth from where I live?
• How does out-of-network reimbursement work with my plan?
• If I need care that is in network with my plan, what are my options?

If you are still weighing whether this type of practice suits you at all, a framework for deciding whether out-of-pocket integrative psychiatry is worth it can help you frame those questions before you call.

If you want a fuller list, questions to ask on a free psychiatry discovery call groups them by topic, from scheduling to medication philosophy.

Step 2: The Patient Interest Form

Individual clinical care starts with the Patient Interest Form. The form asks you to take a few minutes to answer its questions thoughtfully, because the answers help the team understand whether Dr. Lewis is the right fit for you.

The form works best when your answers are specific. "Low mood for two years, two antidepressants tried, still tired in the afternoon" gives the team far more to work with than "depression." It also helps to note what you hope will be different, whether that is sleep, focus, energy, anxiety or a medication question.

You do not need complete records at this stage. A rough list of medications, diagnoses and past treatment is enough. If you want to build a fuller history before your first visit, the guide to preparing your medication and psychiatric history includes a fill-in template.

Step 3: Confirming fit and state eligibility

Dr. Lewis sees patients in person in Brooklyn and by telehealth for patients who are physically located in a state where she holds an active medical license, and the team confirms eligibility for your state before your first visit. The practice has state pages for New York, New Jersey and California.

The reason for this check is legal, not administrative. Licensing generally follows the patient: New York, for example, requires a New York license to treat a patient who is located in New York, and other states set the same kind of rule for patients located there. In practice, that means where you are sitting during a video visit matters as much as where you live.

For residents of other states, the practice describes the strategy session as an educational consultation only, with a patient-doctor relationship established only for New York, New Jersey and California residents. The details, including what this means if you travel, are in seeing Dr. Lewis by telehealth from another state. Before a video visit, the telehealth visit checklist covers the technical and privacy basics.

Gathering records before your first visit

You do not need a complete file to make the first call, but records save time once clinical care begins. A new clinician who can see what was tried, at what dose and for how long, is less likely to repeat a medication that already failed or to miss a pattern that earlier notes make obvious.

Request records early, because they can take weeks to arrive. Under the federal HIPAA Privacy Rule, a provider covered by the rule generally has 30 days to act on your request for access to your records, and may take one extension of up to 30 more days. Ask for the records to be sent to you, so you can share them with whichever clinician you choose. Requesting your mental health records explains your rights under federal and New York law and how to word the request.

Step 4: The 75-minute Health Strategy Session

The Health Strategy Session is a 75-minute appointment with Dr. Lewis. It covers a review of your health history, a discussion of your top health concerns, an exploration of treatment options, and a decision about next steps. The practice also describes it as a beginning exploration of both psychological and physical factors, with the option to discuss comprehensive bloodwork and functional medicine testing if appropriate.

The practice says the session 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. That framing is worth taking at face value: you can treat the session as a structured second look at your situation, not a commitment to a long program.

Preparation makes a real difference to how much ground you cover. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests listing every medication you take, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, vitamins and supplements, and reviewing your family mental health history before a visit. It also notes that some people bring a close friend or relative to help take notes and remember what was discussed. A step-by-step preparation plan for the week before is in what happens in the Health Strategy Session.

Step 5: Choosing your next steps

The session ends with a decision about what comes next. The options the practice lists include lab testing, psychiatric care, coaching and the online program. Its ongoing care covers psychiatric evaluation and medication management, psychotherapy (including CBT and DBT), coaching, lab testing, and nutrition and lifestyle psychiatry.

The team includes psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychotherapists and a health and wellness coach. That matters if you expect to need more than one kind of help, since several kinds of care are available within one practice.

• If you want a deeper look at labs, the practice's DISCOVER program pairs an initial assessment with advanced bloodwork and functional labs. The practice notes 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.
• If you want education rather than individual treatment, Dr. Lewis's online program is a self-guided course, with an option that adds live group coaching calls; no New York residency or patient relationship is required.
• If you mainly need medication care, ongoing psychiatric evaluation and medication management is the route.

Lab and supplement costs are separate from visit fees. For a side-by-side comparison of every option, see which starting point fits.

Other ways in: ADHD assessment, therapy, coaching and labs

The strategy session is not the only door. Several of the practice's services are described on their own pages, and it helps to know which one matches your question before you call.

• ADHD assessment. The practice's ADHD assessment is for children and adults, in person or by telehealth. Its steps are: complete an intake form or call, payment is processed, a 60-minute diagnostic session, a diagnosis and treatment plan, and then treatment with the therapy, coaching or prescriber team. The assessment uses a structured clinical interview, standardized rating scales that "support, but do not replace, clinical diagnosis", and history from a family member or another close person. What each step involves is covered in what to expect from the practice's ADHD assessment.
• Psychotherapy. The practice's psychotherapists include psychologists, social workers and mental health counselors, and one therapist is bilingual in Spanish and English. Starting psychotherapy with Dr. Lewis's team describes that route.
• Coaching. The team includes a certified integrative wellness coach (NBC-HWC). Coaching suits goals such as habits, sleep routines or stress, and it is not a substitute for psychiatric treatment when you have significant symptoms. See who health and wellness coaching helps.
• DISCOVER assessment and labs. This program combines a 75-minute initial assessment with Dr. Lewis, advanced bloodwork and functional labs, a 90-minute findings and strategy session, and a written report. The practice states that some of these tests are investigational and not validated for diagnosis, and that Dr. Lewis explains what each can and cannot tell you. DISCOVER step by step covers the sequence.
• The online course. If you want education rather than individual care, the self-guided course needs no New York residency or patient relationship, and it does not provide diagnosis, individual medical advice, medication management or emergency care. Who the online course is for sets out its limits.

Insurance and payment before you book

Dr. Lewis is an out-of-network provider with all insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, as are all of the practice's practitioners, and payment is due at the time of service. Current fees are published on the insurance and payment page.

Out-of-network does not always mean no reimbursement. The practice provides a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and for BCBS, Aetna or Cigna plans it can facilitate submitting the claim for you. The practice also offers a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs before you start care.

Before your first visit, call your insurer and ask the practice's four questions: whether you have out-of-network benefits for mental health services, whether there is a deductible for them, what the reimbursement rate is, and what the approved visit cost is. A word-for-word call script for checking out-of-network benefits turns those questions into a short phone call, and the practice's article on the cost of out-of-network psychiatry explains how the math usually works.

If you pay without using insurance, federal rules give you a right to a written good faith estimate. According to CMS, a provider usually must give one if you are not using health insurance to pay for your care and you ask for one or schedule a service at least 3 business days in advance. If you schedule at least 3 business days ahead, you should receive it within 1 business day for visits 3 to 9 business days away, and within 3 business days for visits 10 or more business days away. Good faith estimates for self-pay psychiatry explains what the estimate must include and what you can do if the bill is much higher.

Many patients also pay for psychiatric care with a health savings account or flexible spending account; eligibility rules vary between plans and change from year to year, so confirm what yours covers with your plan administrator. Using an HSA or FSA for psychiatry covers the details.

Starting care for a teen or another adult

Sometimes the person looking for care is a parent, partner or adult child rather than the person who will be the patient. That is a reasonable way to begin gathering information, but the steps differ by age.

For a child or teen, it matters that the clinician is trained to treat young people. Dr. Lewis is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry as well as adult psychiatry, and trained at the NYU Child Study Center. The practice's ADHD assessment covers children with an age-appropriate version of its structured interview. For what to look for in any child and adolescent psychiatrist, see choosing a child and adolescent psychiatrist for your teen.

For another adult, the person who will be treated generally needs to agree to care and take part in it. You can help with the practical parts, such as finding the practice, making a list of medications or sitting in on the first call if they want you there. How to help an adult family member start psychiatric care covers how to raise it and what to do if they are not ready.

If you are already in treatment somewhere else

Starting with a new practice does not have to mean leaving everything behind. Three situations come up often.

• You have a therapist you want to keep. That is common, and coordination between a prescriber and an outside therapist can work well with your written consent. Keeping your therapist while seeing an integrative psychiatrist explains how to set it up.
• You have a current prescriber. Keep seeing them and keep taking your medication as prescribed until the new prescriber has seen you and the handover is agreed. Ending one relationship before the next one starts is a common cause of a gap in prescriptions.
• You are leaving a hospital or an intensive program. The first weeks after discharge often need closer follow-up than a new outpatient practice may be able to arrange at short notice, so keep the follow-up appointments the discharge team made. Next steps after a psychiatric hospitalization and levels of mental health care explained help you decide whether outpatient care is the right level yet.

When an outpatient practice is not the right first step

An outpatient practice with scheduled visits is not built for emergencies. 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.

A few other situations call for a different starting point:

• You need care that is in network with your plan. If so, ask the team on the discovery call about options.
• You live outside New York, New Jersey and California and need diagnosis or treatment. For out-of-state residents, the strategy session is educational, and Dr. Lewis can provide guidance and referrals in your area if you need clinical care.
• You need a quick medication refill this week. Contact your current prescriber first so there is no gap; switching psychiatrists without a gap in your prescriptions explains the sequencing.

Saying no to a practice that does not fit is a reasonable outcome of the process. The broader guide to choosing psychiatric care covers the other kinds of help available.

Common mistakes when starting with a new practice

1. Stopping a current medication before the first visit. Keep taking it as prescribed and bring an accurate list; any change should be planned with a prescriber.
2. Telling the whole story on the discovery call. The call is for questions about care options, scheduling and insurance; the detailed history can wait for the form and the first session.
3. Leaving out supplements, cannabis or alcohol. These affect sleep, mood and medication choices, and clinicians cannot weigh what they do not know.
4. Assuming telehealth works from anywhere. Eligibility depends on where you are physically located during the visit, so plan around travel.
5. Checking insurance after the first bill. The four out-of-network questions take one call and prevent most surprises.
6. Expecting an outpatient practice to handle a crisis. Urgent safety needs go to 988 or an emergency room first, with outpatient care arranged afterward.

A short checklist before you reach out

1. Write down your main concern and what you want to change.
2. Confirm the state you will be in during visits.
3. List current medications, doses and supplements.
4. Note past diagnoses, hospitalizations and therapy.
5. Call your insurer with the four out-of-network questions.
6. Read the current fees on the insurance page.
7. Book the discovery call, or start with the Patient Interest Form.

If you prefer to see all of the practice's entry points on one page, the Get Started page lists them together.

Frequently asked questions

Is the discovery call really free?

Yes. The practice describes the first contact as a free discovery call by phone or text, used to answer questions about care options, scheduling and insurance.

Do I have to fill out the Patient Interest Form before I can talk to anyone?

No. You can call or text first. The form is where individual clinical care starts, so you will complete it before clinical visits begin.

Can I see Dr. Lewis if I live outside New York?

A patient-doctor relationship is established for New York, New Jersey and California residents. Residents of other states can use the strategy session as an educational consultation, with guidance and referrals in their area if they need clinical care.

Does the practice take my insurance?

Dr. Lewis and all of the practice's practitioners are out of network with all plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. The practice provides superbills for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Current fees are on the insurance and payment page.

Should I stop my current medication before my first visit?

No. Keep taking your medication as prescribed and bring an accurate list. Any change should be planned with your prescriber.

What records should I ask my previous psychiatrist to send?

A medication history with doses and dates, recent evaluation notes, any testing reports, recent lab results and hospital discharge summaries if you have them. Ask for copies to be sent to you so you can share them with any new clinician.

Can a parent make the first call for a teenager?

Dr. Lewis is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry, and the practice's ADHD assessment covers children. Ask on the discovery call whether a parent can make the first contact and how the practice involves the teen and the parents from that point.

Will I know what care will cost before I start?

The practice offers a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs before starting care, and current fees are listed on the insurance and payment page. Lab and supplement costs are separate from visit fees.

Sources

1. Tips for Talking With a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health (NIH Publication No. 22-MH-8094), 2022. nimh.nih.gov
2. NYS Psychology: Practice Alerts & Guidelines: Telepractice. New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, 2026. op.nysed.gov
3. 45 CFR 164.524: Access of individuals to protected health information. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (HHS HIPAA Privacy Rule), 2026. ecfr.gov
4. What is a good faith health insurance estimate?. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 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.