What to Expect in Your First Telehealth Psychiatry Appointment

For many people, the decision to see a psychiatrist is not the hard part. The hard part is not knowing what actually happens once you book the appointment. What will they ask? How long will it take? Will it feel clinical and rushed? Will you have to talk about everything at once? Will medication be pushed on you before anyone has taken the time to understand what is going on?

Those questions are worth answering directly, because uncertainty is one of the most common reasons people delay getting the care they need.

At Empathy Therapy, the first appointment is a 75-minute intake with Dr. Mark Chofla, a board-certified psychiatrist who provides both psychiatric medication management and formal psychotherapy. It is conducted entirely online through a secure telehealth platform. There is no waiting room, no commute, and no need to take significant time away from work or family. You connect from wherever is private and comfortable, and the appointment begins.

Empathy Therapy serves adults, adolescents, and children across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida. New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks. Evening appointments are available for patients in New York and Florida.

Why the First Appointment Is 75 Minutes

Most psychiatric intakes run 20 to 45 minutes. At Empathy Therapy, new patient appointments are 75 minutes. That is not an arbitrary number. It reflects a specific clinical philosophy: that getting treatment right requires understanding a patient fully before making any recommendations.

In a 20-minute intake, a provider can collect basic symptom information and make a diagnosis. In 75 minutes, Dr. Chofla can understand your history, what has been happening in your life, how long symptoms have been present, what you have already tried, what has worked and what has not, what your goals are, and what kind of care actually fits your situation.

That depth of understanding at the outset is what makes the difference between generic treatment and treatment that is genuinely tailored to the individual.

One patient described that experience on Healthgrades:

"My first appointment made me feel like I was being treated with dignity and respect. It was obvious he was making a sincere effort to build rapport."

What the Intake Appointment Covers

The 75-minute intake is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. It is a conversation, not a checklist. Dr. Chofla will ask about your current concerns, how they are affecting your daily life, and how long they have been present. He will ask about your history, including previous mental health treatment, medications you have tried, and any significant life events or circumstances that are relevant to understanding what you are dealing with.

For new patients who have never seen a psychiatrist before, the intake is also an opportunity to ask questions. What does treatment look like? What options are available? What would medication involve if it is appropriate? What does therapy involve if that is part of the plan? Dr. Chofla takes time to explain and discuss rather than prescribing and sending patients on their way.

For patients returning to care after a gap, the intake covers what worked before, what has changed, and what makes sense as a starting point given where things currently stand.

For children and adolescents, parents are part of the intake process. Dr. Chofla gathers information from both the young patient and the family to build a complete picture before making any recommendations.

As one patient shared on Healthgrades:

"Kind, helpful, and gives you a lot of time to ask all the questions you need to make important mental health decisions. The appointment was straightforward to schedule, and the office's technology worked very well."

What Happens at the End of the Intake

By the end of the 75-minute appointment, Dr. Chofla will share his clinical impressions and discuss a treatment plan. That plan may involve medication management, formal psychotherapy, an integrated combination of both, or a recommendation to start with one and reassess.

Treatment decisions are collaborative. Dr. Chofla explains his reasoning, discusses options, and takes a patient's preferences and concerns seriously. If medication is part of the plan, he explains what it is, how it works, what to expect, and what to watch for. If therapy is part of the plan, he explains what that process looks like and what it is designed to address.

Patients leave the intake appointment with a clear understanding of what comes next, which is itself a meaningful departure from the experience many have had in other settings.

One patient reflected on that quality of clarity and care on Vitals:

"Dr. Chofla is very kind. He helps a lot. I am so happy. I feel good."

Follow-Up Appointments: What Those Look Like

Follow-up appointments at Empathy Therapy are 45 minutes, significantly longer than the industry standard of 15 to 20 minutes. That time is used for real monitoring and meaningful conversation, not just a quick check-in and a prescription refill.

In follow-up appointments, Dr. Chofla tracks how a patient is responding to treatment, whether that means monitoring medication effects and making adjustments, continuing therapeutic work, or both.

Patients have time to report what has changed, ask questions, and participate actively in decisions about their ongoing care.

For patients who are also receiving psychotherapy, follow-up appointments are typically more frequent, which builds the consistency and depth that makes therapeutic work meaningful over time.

Scheduling is structured to keep wait times between appointments short. Established patients are not

waiting weeks to be seen when something changes or when they need to connect with their provider.

What You Need for a Telehealth Appointment

The technical requirements are minimal. You need a device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a private space where you can speak openly. Most patients use a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The platform is secure and easy to use. Dr. Chofla's office provides clear instructions for connecting before the appointment.

For patients who have never done a telehealth appointment before, the learning curve is minimal. Many patients who were initially uncertain about the format find that it works better than they expected.

One patient described that experience on Vitals:

"I will start by sharing that logging onto a doctor has long not been something I am interested in doing. Keep reading though. Within minutes you certainly do forget that there is technology and miles in between you. Dr. Chofla can do this, and for this, I am grateful."

Is Telehealth Psychiatry as Effective as In-Person Care

Research consistently shows that telehealth psychiatric care produces outcomes comparable to in-person care for most patients and most conditions. For many patients the convenience and comfort of connecting from a familiar environment actually improves engagement, which is one of the strongest predictors of treatment success.

The quality of care at Empathy Therapy does not depend on physical proximity. What makes the difference is the length of appointments, the consistency of the provider relationship, and the depth of clinical attention. All of those are present in the telehealth format.

What to Expect Regarding Cost

Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice. Insurance is not accepted. The intake appointment is priced to reflect the 75-minute evaluation. Follow-up appointments are priced accordingly for 45 minutes of clinical time.

For patients who have experienced insurance-based psychiatric care, the difference in appointment length and quality of attention is usually apparent from the first visit. Many patients describe the investment as straightforwardly worth it given what they have experienced elsewhere.

As one patient noted on Vitals:

"He seems expensive and you get what you pay for here. It all worked for me. Keep doing what you are doing, Dr."

New patients are typically seen within days of scheduling. To get started, visit www.empathytherapy.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the first appointment? The new patient intake at Empathy Therapy is 75 minutes. This is a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation conducted via telehealth with Dr. Mark Chofla.

What will be asked during the intake appointment? Dr. Chofla will ask about your current concerns, how long they have been present, your mental health history, previous treatments, medications you have tried, and your goals for care. The intake is a conversation, not a checklist.

Will I be prescribed medication at the first appointment? Not necessarily. Dr. Chofla conducts a thorough evaluation before making any treatment recommendations. Medication may or may not be part of the plan, depending on what the evaluation reveals and what the patient needs.

Can a psychiatrist also do therapy? Yes. At Empathy Therapy, Dr. Chofla provides both formal psychotherapy and psychiatric medication management. Patients can receive one or both depending on their needs.

What do I need for a telehealth appointment? A device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a private space. Dr. Chofla's office provides instructions for connecting before the appointment.

How long are follow-up appointments? Follow-up appointments are 45 minutes.

How soon can I be seen? New patients are typically seen within days, not weeks.

Does Empathy Therapy accept insurance? No. Empathy Therapy is a private-pay, fee-for-service practice.

Are evening appointments available? Evening appointments are available for patients in New York and Florida.

Which states does Empathy Therapy serve? Empathy Therapy serves adults, adolescents, and children across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, New York, and Florida via telehealth.

How do I get started? Visit www.empathytherapy.com to schedule a new patient intake appointment. New patients are typically seen within days.