Questions to Ask on a Free Psychiatry Discovery Call

A free discovery call is a short conversation to find out whether a practice fits your needs before you commit time or money. The most useful questions cover five things: who would treat you, how they approach care, what it will cost and how insurance works, practical logistics such as telehealth and scheduling, and what happens between visits or in an emergency.

Write your questions down, ask the same ones of every practice you call, and note the answers. A good practice will answer plainly, tell you when it is not the right fit, and point you elsewhere if needed. Below is a checklist that works for any practice, a way to compare answers, red flags, and what Dr. Lewis's discovery call specifically covers.

What a discovery call is, and what it is not

A discovery call is an orientation, not a clinical appointment. You should not expect a diagnosis, medication advice or a treatment plan, and you do not need to tell your whole story. Share enough for the practice to judge fit: your main concern, your age group, the state you will be in for visits, whether you take psychiatric medication now, and whether you plan to use insurance.

Because the call is not clinical care, it is also not the place for an emergency.

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.

Before the call: five minutes of preparation

• Write one or two sentences on what you want help with, for example "anxiety and poor sleep for a year, one antidepressant tried."
• List current medications, especially controlled medications such as stimulants or benzodiazepines, because continuity matters.
• Have your insurance card handy, even if you expect to pay out of pocket.
• Know which state you will be physically located in for telehealth visits.
• Decide what matters most to you: speed, cost, a particular approach, in-person visits, or keeping your current therapist.

A simple way to open the call

Many people freeze when the call starts. A short opening gives the practice what it needs and keeps the call on track:

"I'm looking for a psychiatrist for anxiety and sleep problems that have lasted about a year. I've tried one antidepressant. I'm an adult in New York, I'd prefer telehealth with occasional in-person visits, and I'd like to understand costs and whether you provide superbills. I have a few questions about how you work."

Then move through your list. If the person on the phone cannot answer a clinical question, ask who can, and whether that question is better saved for the first appointment.

The checklist: questions to ask any practice

Questions about who would treat you

Many practices combine psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and therapists. Each can be an excellent choice, but you should know who will diagnose, who will prescribe and who will provide therapy. The guide to psychiatrist vs psychiatric nurse practitioner explains the differences that matter. Also ask whether you would see the same clinician each time, and what happens if you want to switch.

Questions about approach

• How do you combine medication with therapy, and do you provide both in-house?
• How do you measure whether treatment is working, and how often do you review it?
• If you recommend lab tests, which are standard and which are exploratory, and what will they change?
• What would make you refer me to a different level of care?

A careful answer to the last question is a good sign. It shows the practice knows its limits, for example when someone needs an intensive program or hospital care.

Questions about medication continuity and telehealth

If you take a controlled medication, ask how the practice handles it by telehealth. Federal telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications have been extended through December 31, 2026, and the rules after that date are not yet settled. Ask whether the practice requires any in-person visits and how it would handle a rule change. The telehealth psychiatry visit checklist covers the practical side, and switching psychiatrists without a gap explains how to avoid running out during a transition.

Questions about cost and insurance

Cost questions are routine, and a practice should answer them without hesitation. Ask whether it is in network with your plan; if not, ask whether it provides a superbill and whether it will help submit claims. Then call your insurer. The guide to checking out-of-network mental health benefits has a call script.

If you are paying without insurance, you have a right to a cost estimate in most cases. CMS explains that, usually, if you are not using health insurance, a provider must give you a good faith estimate of expected charges if you request one or schedule services at least 3 business days in advance. The estimate must include an itemized list of expected charges, and you can ask for it before you schedule. Good faith estimates list expected charges for a single provider or facility, so a lab or other outside provider may give you a separate estimate.

• What does the first visit cost, and what do follow-ups cost?
• Are labs, testing or supplements billed separately?
• What is the cancellation policy?
• Do you offer a Good Faith Estimate in writing?

How to compare answers across practices

After two or three calls, the answers blur together. A simple comparison grid keeps them straight. Fill one column per practice and mark each row clear, unclear or not offered.

Weigh the rows by what matters most to you. A practice that is clear on every logistical point but dismissive of your concerns may still be the wrong fit; so may a warm practice that cannot see you in your state. If cost is the deciding factor, in-network vs out-of-network psychiatry shows how to compare real costs.

Extra questions for specific situations

If you are calling for a teenager

• Do you see adolescents, and from what age?
• How do you involve parents while protecting the teen's privacy?
• Do you coordinate with schools or pediatricians when the family asks?

The guide to choosing a child and adolescent psychiatrist covers training and fit in more depth.

If you already have a therapist

• Can I keep my therapist and see your prescriber for medication only?
• How will the two of you share information, and what consent do you need from me?

If you were recently in the hospital or an intensive program

• How soon could a first appointment happen, and who covers my prescriptions until then?
• Do you need my discharge summary before the first visit?

If you will travel or live in more than one state

• Which states can you see me in by telehealth, and what happens if I am traveling on the day of a visit?
• If you cannot treat me in my state, can you suggest options there?

After the call: next steps

Write your notes into the comparison grid while the call is fresh. If a practice looks like a fit, ask what the next step is, whether that is a form, an intake visit or a deposit, and how long you have to decide. If you have two good options, it is reasonable to ask each one a follow-up question by email before choosing.

Before the first appointment, call your insurer if you plan to seek reimbursement, gather your medication history, and ask the practice for any intake forms in advance. If your situation gets worse while you wait, contact your current prescriber or primary care doctor; do not wait for a new practice to start care.

Red flags on a discovery call

• Promises of outcomes, such as "we can fix this" or "you will be off medication in three months."
• Advice to stop or change your current medication before anyone has evaluated you.
• Pressure to buy a package, supplements or testing on the call.
• Vague answers about who will prescribe, or about whether that person is licensed in your state.
• Refusal to give fees or a Good Faith Estimate if you are paying yourself.
• No answer to "what happens if I am in crisis after hours?"
• Discouraging you from keeping your therapist or primary care doctor informed.

The longer guide to red flags when choosing a psychiatrist or integrative clinician covers warning signs that only show up later in care.

Verify credentials yourself

You do not have to rely on what a practice says. In New York, the State Education Department's Office of the Professions offers a public online verification search for licensed professionals. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology offers a public verification tool, verifyCERT, for checking whether a physician is board certified in psychiatry. The guide on how to check a psychiatrist's license and board certification walks through each step for New York, New Jersey and California.

What Dr. Lewis's discovery call covers

First contact with the practice is a free discovery call by phone or text. On the call, in the practice's words, "you'll learn how we can support your needs and what to expect from our integrative approach. We'll answer questions about care options, scheduling, and insurance." The call is described on the practice's get started page.

Some answers to the checklist above are already published. Dr. Lewis sees patients in person in Brooklyn and by telehealth for patients physically located in a state where she holds an active medical license, and the team confirms eligibility for your state before your first visit. A patient-doctor relationship is established only for New York, New Jersey and California residents; 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. Insurance is one of the topics the call covers, so bring your cost and insurance questions from the checklist. If you need care that is in network with your plan, ask the team on the discovery call about options.

Individual clinical care starts with the Patient Interest Form, which helps the team understand whether Dr. Lewis is the right fit for you. For the full sequence from first call to first visit, see how to start care with Dr. Lewis, or return to the Choosing Psychiatric Care guide.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a typical discovery call?

It varies by practice. Ask when you book so you can prioritize your most important questions; if you run out of time, ask whether you can follow up by email or a second call.

Should I mention my diagnosis or medications on the call?

Share enough for the practice to judge fit, such as your main concern and whether you take psychiatric or controlled medications. You do not need to give your full history until the clinical intake.

Is the discovery call confidential?

Ask the practice how it handles information shared before you become a patient. If you prefer, keep details general until the formal intake.

What if the practice is not a fit?

Ask for a referral. A practice that knows its limits can often suggest a better-matched clinician, an in-network option or a different level of care.

Can a family member make the call for me?

Usually yes, for general questions about services and logistics. Clinical intake typically involves the patient directly. See helping an adult family member start psychiatric care.

Can I ask about the practice's approach to supplements and lab testing?

Yes. Ask which tests are standard, which are exploratory, what each would change in your care, and how costs are billed.

Sources

1. What is a good faith health insurance estimate?. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026. cms.gov
2. Verification Search. New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, 2026. eservices.nysed.gov
3. Patients & Credentialers. American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2026. abpn.org
4. Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications (FR Doc. 2025-24123). Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Register, 2025. federalregister.gov

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