Psychiatric Evaluations
Good psychiatric care starts with being genuinely understood — not sorted into a category in the first ten minutes. A psychiatric evaluation is a careful, unhurried conversation about what you're experiencing, how long it's been happening, and what you want to feel different. It is the foundation everything else is built on.
Sheilah Battle-Stephens, MSN, PMHNP-BC, brings 36 years in healthcare to that first visit. Many of the people she sees arrive after feeling rushed, unheard, or handed a prescription before anyone asked the right questions. The evaluation is designed to be the opposite of that.
What an evaluation actually involves
Your initial visit runs 45 to 60 minutes by secure video. Sheilah asks about your current symptoms and how they affect daily life, your history and any past care, your physical health and sleep, and the goals that brought you in. Nothing is assumed. The aim is a clear, honest picture of what's happening and why.
From that picture, she talks through the options with you — which may include a tailored medication plan, coordination with a therapist, adjustments to daily routines, or further assessment. Any recommendation is explained in plain language, and it's a conversation, not a verdict.
Who benefits from a full evaluation
- Adults who've never been formally assessed and want clarity
- People who felt rushed or dismissed in past psychiatric care
- Those wondering whether medication is worth considering — or whether a current plan still fits
- Adults managing more than one concern at once, where the picture has gotten tangled
- Seniors, veterans, first responders, and LGBTQ+ adults who want a provider who listens first
An honest, evidence-based process
Sheilah's approach is direct yet approachable: real evaluation, evidence-based recommendations, and plans that get adjusted over time rather than set once and forgotten. She doesn't promise outcomes — no responsible provider can — but she does promise to take your experience seriously and to build the plan around you.
If your needs would be better served by a different level of care, she'll tell you plainly and help you find the right direction. Nurturing change and growth, one choice at a time.
What it costs
The initial psychiatric evaluation is $325 for the 45–60 minute visit. Follow-up care and refills are priced separately — full details, including how insurance works in each state, are on the Rates & Insurance page.
Frequently asked.
How long is the first appointment?+
The initial evaluation is scheduled for 45 to 60 minutes so there's time to understand the full picture, not just the presenting concern. It's conducted by secure video.
Will I be prescribed medication at the first visit?+
Not automatically. Medication is only one possible part of a plan, and it's discussed with you after a careful evaluation. Some people leave with a medication plan, some with a different set of next steps, and many with both a plan and a referral for therapy.
Do I need a referral to book?+
No referral is required. You can book an evaluation directly. If you're already working with a therapist or primary care provider, Sheilah is glad to coordinate care with them.
What does it cost, and do you take insurance?+
The initial evaluation is $325. Insurance differs by state: in Colorado, Medicare and Medicaid are accepted and self-pay is welcome; in Florida, care is self-pay only. Full details are on the Rates & Insurance page.
Is this the same as therapy?+
No. This is psychiatric care — evaluation and medication management by a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. When talk therapy would help, Sheilah refers to trusted therapists and works alongside them.