Grove Emotional Health Collaborative
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What to Expect At

YOUR FIRST
APPOINTMENT

How to find us

We are located in downtown Ann Arbor. More information on arriving to our office can be found on our location page. Please note that we do not have an on-site receptionist. Feel free to sit in the waiting room and your clinician will come get you at the time of your appointment.


What to Bring

Please bring a current list of medications to your first psychotherapy or psychiatry appointment. If you have relevant paperwork on previous treatment or evaluations (e.g. neuropsychology testing, recent hospitalization discharge, IEP paperwork), please bring a copy for your clinician.

At your first appointment, your clinician will review necessary paperwork with you. This will include a HIPAA agreement to protect your health information and your clinician's practice policies. Clinicians vary about whether or not they will have you fill out any other paperwork ahead of time. Talk to your specific clinician for details.


new to psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a very effective way to build skills to manage depression or anxiety, to heal from trauma or loss, or to promote general wellness. Psychotherapy is done by a trained therapist, who could be trained in a variety of disciplines. At Grove Emotional Health Collaborative, we have masters-level social workers and psychiatrists who provide psychotherapy.

Clients may engage in psychotherapy alone, as a couple, or as a family. Some individuals stay in therapy for a relatively brief amount of time and others stay in therapy for the long-term. Research supports both approaches as useful in various ways.

If you are considering seeking psychotherapy for the first time, know that one of the most important things you can do is empower yourself to try to find a therapist who is a good fit for you. Consider important factors such as appointment time availability and insurance in choosing a clinician (see FAQs for more information on insurance).
Additionally, it is important to find a clinician who is a good fit for you in terms of their skills, approach to treatment, and personality. Feel free to meet more than one therapist to begin with and give it a few sessions to see if it seems right for you. Our clinicians at Grove are committed to helping you get effective care, and we encourage you to ask questions about your treatment that are important to you.


New to Medication?

Clients will often decide together with their therapist when it could be helpful to see a psychiatrist. Others decide to see a psychiatrist before even starting therapy and both approaches can work well. 

Psychiatrists are medical doctors and therefore will initially work with you to understand your symptoms and establishing a diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis is helpful because it allows a psychiatrist to interpret a large body of scientific knowledge and offer information specific to your situation. That information typically includes a better understanding of your condition, treatment options, and ways in which medication can be helpful. 

Based on this information you can work collaboratively with your psychiatrist to develop a treatment plan. Your psychiatrist may believe a medication can be helpful but will also describe any possible side effects. We encourage you to ask any questions you have about a medication or the process of choosing a medication. Your beliefs regarding medication will be respected and ultimately it is up to you to decide if your treatment will include medication.

A psychiatrist is also a mental health clinician and is not limited to only offering a medical diagnosis and medication. When creating a treatment plan a psychiatrist also considers your personality, your life story, and your current stressors. With your consent, your psychiatrist will talk to your therapist to make sure care is well coordinated. All psychiatrists have a solid understanding of different types of psychotherapy and many provide psychotherapy themselves.