How to Choose a Psychiatric Provider: A Checklist

At a glance

Who it's for: People ages 5 to 65. A parent or guardian joins visits for patients under 18.
Where: In person at our Sugar Land, TX office, or by secure video for people located in Texas, Idaho, Arizona or Maryland.
Provider: Victor Onodjacha, MSN, PMHNP-BC: a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, not a physician.
First step: A psychiatric evaluation. Send a one-minute request or call.
Cost: Many major plans, checked before your first visit, or self-pay. Insurance and fees
Not for emergencies: Call or text 988, or call 911.

What should be on my checklist?

The questions below work for any clinic, of any size, and for psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners alike. You can ask them by phone or by message before you book, and a clinic should be able to answer them without fuss.

Questions to ask when comparing psychiatric providers
What to check	Question to ask	Why it matters
License	Which states are you licensed in, and under what name?	You can confirm a current license yourself on the state board's website
Training and certification	What is your training, and are you board certified?	Titles and credentials vary, so it helps to know what they mean
Experience	What experience do you have with my concern, and with my age group?	Experience with your specific concern can matter more than general experience
Who you see	Will I see the same person each visit? Who covers when you are away?	Some clinics rotate providers, which can mean repeating your history
Cost and coverage	Do you accept my insurance? What does treatment cost if not?	Coverage varies, and it is better to know before the first visit
Video or office	Do you offer both? Can I switch?	One format may suit you better, now or later
Between visits	How do I reach you with a question, and how soon do you reply?	Questions come up between appointments, so the answer should be clear
Emergencies	What should I do in an emergency or after hours?	The answer should be clear, even if it is to call 988 or 911
How decisions are made	How do you decide on treatment, and what if I disagree?	You should be part of the decision

A notebook, pen and pair of glasses laid out on a table

How do I look up a provider's license?

Most licenses can be checked online. For nurses, including nurse practitioners, a national site called Nursys lets you look up a license and discipline status for free, from participating boards of nursing. You can also start at a state board of nursing. Physicians and psychologists are licensed by their own state boards, which you can usually find by searching for the board's name and your state.

Look for the exact name, the license type, whether the license is current, and any discipline listed. Board certification is separate from a state license, and the provider can tell you which organization certified them. If a clinic will not tell you the provider's full name and license, treat that as a reason to look elsewhere.

How much does experience with my concern matter?

It can matter a good deal. NIMH suggests asking what experience a provider has treating someone with your issue, and how they usually treat it. For a child, ask about experience with that age group and how parents take part. A provider should be able to tell you, in plain words, what they see often and what they tend to refer elsewhere.

No single title tells you everything. Psychiatrists have medical training in the physical as well as the mental side of illness, which can matter if you have a serious medical condition. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions, including counseling and medication management. For help sorting the roles, see our guide to therapists and psychiatric providers and our page on PMHNP and psychiatrist roles.

A man writing in a notebook beside a laptop

What are the red flags?

None of these alone proves someone is a poor provider, but each is worth a direct question. They apply to every clinic, including ours.

Promising a specific result, or a timeline for when you will be better. NIMH says there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, and people may need to try several treatments or a combination.
Promising a particular medication before anyone has evaluated you. A prescription should follow an evaluation, not come before one.
Treating a request for a medication as the whole visit, with little interest in your history, other medicines or medical conditions.
Vague answers about who will treat you, or about a license or credentials.
Dismissing questions, or brushing off a wish for a second opinion. NIMH notes that you may want to consider getting another opinion.
Pressure to pay up front or to commit to a long package of visits before you have met.
No clear answer about what to do in an emergency, or about the limits of confidentiality.

How can I tell if a provider is a good fit after the first visit?

Treatment works best when you have a good relationship with your mental health professional, according to NIMH. After a first visit, ask yourself whether you felt listened to, whether you understood the reasons for the plan, and whether you could say what you were not comfortable with.

If the fit is not there, it is reasonable to look elsewhere. Please do not stop a treatment on your own while you do. Talk with your provider first, and see our guide to switching psychiatric providers for how to change without a gap.

How does DanShalom Behavioral Clinic answer these questions?

Here is the same checklist applied to us, so that you can compare us fairly with other clinics. We are a small practice, and we will not be the right fit for everyone.

Provider: Victor Onodjacha, MSN, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. He is not a physician or a psychiatrist. His license numbers are on his profile page, so you can check them yourself.
Experience: more than 35 years in nursing, including 4 years as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. His main areas of experience are ADHD, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. For other concerns, ask us.
Who you see: the same provider at every visit.
Who we see: patients ages 5 to 65. A parent or guardian must be present at appointments for patients under 18.
Video or office: in person in Sugar Land, or by secure video if you are physically in Texas, Idaho, Arizona or Maryland at the time of the visit.
Visit length: a first evaluation of about 60 minutes and follow-ups of about 30 minutes.
Cost: we accept many major plans, which differ by state, and we offer self-pay and a sliding scale. See our insurance page.
Between visits: messages are answered within 2 hours during office hours, Monday to Friday. We are not an emergency service.

How are decisions made at this clinic?

Decisions are made with you, after a psychiatric evaluation. We share our impressions and discuss the options. Medication is one possible option and never a given. Not every medication can be prescribed at every kind of visit, some may require an in-person visit, and we explain what applies to you, as our medication management page describes. If a psychiatrist or another specialist would serve you better, we say so.

If our answers fit what you are looking for, you can send a short appointment request or call. DanShalom Behavioral Clinic is not an emergency service: if you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if there is immediate danger.

Questions patients ask

Is a psychiatrist better than a psychiatric nurse practitioner?

Neither is better across the board. A psychiatrist is a physician with medical training that can matter when mental and medical problems overlap. A psychiatric nurse practitioner is trained in diagnosis, treatment, counseling and medication management. For many common concerns either may be a good fit, so license, relevant experience and how well you work together also count.

Should I trust online reviews when choosing a provider?

Use them as one clue only. Reviews can tell you about scheduling, how easy an office is to reach and how people felt treated. They say much less about the quality of clinical care. Weigh them alongside a license check and your own conversation with the clinic.

Is it okay to talk with more than one provider before choosing?

Yes. NIMH notes that you may need to talk with a few providers before finding someone you are comfortable with. Ask each one the same questions so you can compare the answers. Some clinics charge for a first meeting, so check before you book. If you are already in treatment, keep going while you look.

What if the provider my insurance covers does not seem like a good fit?

Your insurer can give you a list of other covered providers, usually by phone, app or online. You can also ask your primary care provider for a name. If you decide to go out of network, ask about the likely cost in advance. Fit matters, since treatment works best when the relationship is a good one.

Does more experience always mean better care?

Not always, although it is reasonable to ask about. Experience that matches your concern, current certification, a careful evaluation and clear communication all count. A newer provider who listens and explains may suit you better than a more senior one who does not. Weigh the whole picture, including how the first visit felt.

References

Reviewed by Victor Onodjacha, MSN, PMHNP-BC, November 3, 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis.

How to Choose a Psychiatric Provider You Can Trust