What To Expect When Seeing a Psychiatrist for Trauma Therapy

A psychiatrist can help patients regain their sense of well-being. Depending on the patient’s condition, a psychiatrist can provide trauma therapy to help them identify, assess, and conquer their trauma and find a way to live a healthy life on the other side. However, talking through and reliving your trauma with a stranger can seem daunting. Fortunately, psychiatrists are neutral, professional, and eager to help, and they soon become a person you can trust.

We work with each patient on building trust first and foremost before delving into the work and ensuring our patients feel comfortable with their provider well before treatment. Read on to learn more about psychiatrists and how the first visit will likely go.

Psychiatrist qualifications

Psychiatry is the medical field dealing with examining, diagnosing, and treating mental or psychiatric illnesses and disorders. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who helps diagnose and treat patients with various behavioral and mental disorders. Psychiatrists must complete four years of college and four years of medical school, followed by a four-year general psychiatric residency. After that, they take an exam to become board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Some gain additional training to specialize and be certified in one of the following areas of psychiatry:

• Addiction/substance abuse
• Child/adolescent
• Forensic
• Geriatric
• Pain medicine
• Psychosomatic medicine
• Sleep
• Trauma therapy

Psychiatrists will often work in teams with psychologists to treat patients. Clinical psychologists go to school for four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. Then, they may attend anywhere from two to six additional years of school to earn a master’s or doctorate. After that, they complete an internship followed by one to two years of supervised clinical experience.

The main difference between the two is that psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Some states give psychologists limited privileges to prescribe. However, in the vast majority of situations, only a psychiatrist can prescribe medication. As a result, a psychologist primarily uses talk trauma therapy rather than medication to help the patient understand the issues causing them emotional and mental stress or the source of their trauma. Through talk therapy, the psychologist helps the patient find more positive ways of dealing with their emotional and mental issues.

Conditions a psychiatrist treats

Whether a patient is struggling with a chronic or acute mental health issue, a psychiatrist can employ multiple therapeutic tools, including medication, to help the patient return to a positive state of mental health. Psychiatrists treat various mental health disorders, including anxiety, concentration problems, depression, personality disorders, psychosis, substance abuse disorder, and trauma or grief.

Mental health conditions are typically diagnosed through a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. This evaluation is the first step in the treatment process. Some patients have a combination of these mental health issues and require a multi-faceted approach to treatment.

What to expect at your first visit with a psychiatrist

A quality relationship between doctor and patient is vital to treatment success. An important purpose of the first appointment is to ensure the patient is comfortable with their psychiatrist. It is crucial that patients feel they can be open and candid with the psychiatrist about their entire health history, including difficult subjects such as trauma, psychotic episodes, and recreational drug use.

The doctor will interview the patient extensively to try to get a preliminary diagnosis. The psychiatric evaluation typically covers a patient’s medical history, past mental health problems, and family history of mental illness. The psychiatrist will question the patient about their current symptoms, the intensity of symptoms, and how their daily lives are affected.

After getting the patient’s medical and psychiatric history and assessing the patient’s current state of health, the doctor may want to order additional tests. Often these tests are to make sure the condition is not a result of a physiological issue such as hormones or a medication the patient is already taking. Pre-existing medical conditions, current medications, and alcohol and drug use can impact treatment and aggravate mental disorders.

The doctor will discuss the diagnosis with the patient and suggest a treatment plan. The patient should ask questions about the treatment and express concerns at this appointment. The doctor will then schedule follow-up appointments to verify the treatment is working or make necessary adjustments.

Trauma therapy can help

You do not need to go through your trauma alone. Our team consists of qualified professionals, and you will be assigned a psychiatrist that best fits your needs and preferences. We are here to help you work through your trauma therapy and find relief and a bright light at the end of it. Call our office at (843) 788-9718 to learn more or schedule your consultation.

To learn more about our services, visit https://mb.futurepsychsolutions.com or call our Myrtle Beach office at (843) 788-9718 to schedule an appointment.

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