The Holistic
Psychiatry Clinic Consultant Psychiatrists
Psychiatry Clinic Consultant Psychiatrists
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Patient Information · Private Psychiatry UK
If you have never seen a private psychiatrist before, this page explains exactly what happens — so nothing feels uncertain when you arrive.
No pressure
to decide anything
The initial consultation is a conversation, not a commitment. You are under no obligation to continue after the first appointment or to follow any specific recommendation.
No referral
needed
You do not need a letter from your GP to see us. You can self-refer directly. A GP letter or previous clinic notes can be helpful, but they are never a requirement.
Completely
confidential
Nothing from your consultation is shared with anyone — including your GP — without your explicit consent. You control who knows you have seen us.
The process, step by step
Get in touch
Contact us using the form on our website, by email, or by phone. Tell us briefly what you are looking for — you do not need to have everything worked out. We will respond promptly, usually within one working day.
A brief intake conversation
Before booking, we may invite you to a brief phone or video call — typically 15 minutes — to help us understand your situation and ensure we are the right fit. This is also your opportunity to ask any questions before committing to an appointment.
Booking and confirmation
Once you book, you will receive a confirmation with the appointment details, a brief intake form to complete beforehand, and — for online appointments — a secure video link. The intake form takes around 10 minutes and helps us make the best use of the consultation time.
The initial consultation — 90 minutes
The appointment is 90 minutes. The consultant will take a thorough psychiatric history — your background, your mental health journey, what treatments you have tried, what has and has not helped, and what you are hoping to understand or change. This is not a rushed assessment. You will not be interrupted or steered toward a particular conclusion.
Clinical formulation and recommendations
Following the assessment, we will share our clinical view — our understanding of your situation, what we believe is going on, and what we would recommend. This includes a written summary sent after the appointment. You are free to ask questions, push back, or simply take the report away and think about it.
What happens next — your choice
After the initial consultation, you decide what, if anything, you would like to do. You may choose ongoing care with us, take our report back to your NHS psychiatrist or GP, seek further opinions elsewhere, or simply feel better informed and take no immediate action. All of these are valid outcomes.
Practical information
Useful to bring if you have them
You do not need any of these — but if you have them, they help us make the most of the time:
What you do not need to do
Before you arrive
Most people have at least one quiet anxiety about seeing a psychiatrist for the first time. Here are the most common ones — and what the reality is.
"What if they think I'm wasting their time?"
You are not. If you are questioning your diagnosis, your medication, or whether something has been missed — that is exactly the kind of question we exist to address. There is no threshold of severity you need to reach before seeing us.
"What if they just put me on more medication?"
We do not prescribe reflexively. Our approach is to understand first and recommend second. Many of our patients come specifically because they want to reduce or stop medication — and that is a conversation we take very seriously.
"What if they disagree with my current psychiatrist?"
If we see things differently, we will say so — honestly but respectfully. A second opinion that simply confirms the existing view is not always what is needed. We give you our genuine clinical assessment, not a diplomatic one.
"What if I get emotional during the appointment?"
That is completely fine. Many people do. The appointment is 90 minutes partly because difficult things take time to talk about properly. There is no expectation that you will be composed throughout — just honest.
Ready when you are
No commitment, no referral needed. Tell us a little about your situation and we will help you work out whether an initial consultation makes sense.