General
Services & Evaluations
Medication
Appointments & Billing

Therapy

Questions we often get asked

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor — an MD — who specialises in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Unlike therapists or psychologists, a psychiatrist can prescribe medication, conduct comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, and provide clinical treatment for the full range of psychiatric conditions. Dr. Azam is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and provides both psychiatric evaluation and ongoing treatment.

No referral is required. You can book directly through the website at any time. Simply choose the service that best fits your needs, select a date and time, and complete your secure payment via Stripe. Your appointment is confirmed immediately.

If you are new to Dr. Azam’s practice and unsure where to start, the Initial Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation is always the right first step. It gives you a complete clinical assessment, an accurate diagnosis, and a personalised treatment roadmap — so you leave knowing exactly what the next steps are and why.

Yes. All sessions are fully confidential and conducted in accordance with HIPAA regulations. Information shared in your sessions will not be disclosed to any third party without your explicit written consent, except in the limited circumstances required by law — such as imminent risk of harm to yourself or others.

Dr. Azam treats the full range of adult psychiatric conditions including anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, substance use disorders, burnout, sleep disorders, mood disorders, and complex or treatment-resistant presentations. If you are unsure whether your concern falls within the scope of practice, please reach out before booking.

SERVICES & EVALUATIONS

Questions we often get asked

The Initial Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation is a 30 to 45 minute clinical session that includes a full psychiatric history, mental status examination, risk assessment, and diagnostic formulation. Dr. Azam reviews your presenting concerns, your personal and family psychiatric history, your current medications, and your functioning across all major life domains. The session ends with a clear clinical direction and a personalised treatment roadmap.

The Comprehensive Addiction Evaluation is a 45 to 50 minute clinical assessment covering addiction severity, substance use history, withdrawal risk stratification, dual diagnosis screening — assessing whether a co-occurring psychiatric condition is present — and a personalised treatment pathway. It concludes with clear recommendations for treatment, medication-assisted options where appropriate, and specialist referral planning where indicated.

A Second Opinion or Case Review is appropriate when you have received a prior diagnosis or are following a treatment plan that does not feel accurate, has not been producing results, or that you simply want independently reviewed by a board-certified psychiatrist. Dr. Azam provides a fully independent clinical assessment of your existing diagnosis and treatment — confirming, refining, or redirecting it based on a fresh clinical evaluation.

The Medication Consultation is specifically focused on reviewing your existing psychiatric medications — assessing effectiveness, managing side effects, adjusting dosages, reviewing drug interactions, and providing new prescriptions where clinically indicated. It is most appropriate for patients who already have a psychiatric diagnosis and an established medication regimen but want expert clinical review. If you do not yet have a diagnosis, the Initial Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation is the right starting point.

Follow-Up sessions are available to existing patients only — those who have already completed at least one prior session with Dr. Azam. They are designed to continue the clinical work begun in the initial session with full context and continuity of care. If you are a new patient, please begin with the appropriate initial service.

MEDICATION

Questions we often get asked

Not necessarily. A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation assesses the full clinical picture — and medication is one option within a range of evidence-based interventions. Some conditions respond optimally to therapy alone. Others benefit most from a combination of medication and therapy. Dr. Azam will discuss all clinically appropriate options with you and make recommendations based on your specific presentation and personal preferences.

Dr. Azam will conduct a full review of your current medications as part of any evaluation or Medication Consultation. He will assess whether your current regimen is clinically appropriate, whether adjustments are indicated, and whether any interactions or concerns need to be addressed. Please bring a complete list of your current medications — including dosages — to your first session.

This depends entirely on your specific diagnosis, the severity of your presentation, and your treatment response. Most people take antidepressants for a defined period — typically 6 to 12 months for a first episode of depression — before a supervised tapering process. Some conditions require longer-term medication management. Dr. Azam will discuss duration, monitoring, and the tapering process with you as part of your treatment plan.

Please do not stop your medication without speaking to Dr. Azam first. Many side effects are temporary and resolve within the first 2 to 4 weeks. If your medication is genuinely not producing benefit after an adequate trial, or if side effects are clinically significant, a Medication Consultation is the appropriate next step. Stopping psychiatric medication abruptly without clinical guidance can cause withdrawal symptoms and clinical deterioration.

Appointments & Billing

Questions we often get asked

All appointments are booked directly through the website via Calendly. Select your preferred service, choose a date and time that works for you, and complete your secure payment via Stripe. Your appointment is confirmed immediately and you will receive a confirmation email containing your Zoom link and pre-consultation intake form within minutes of booking.

Session fees are as follows: Initial Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation — $700 | 1-on-1 Individual Therapy Session — $375 | 1-on-1 Couples Therapy — $425 | Medication Consultation — $400 | Second Opinion / Case Review — $450 | Comprehensive Addiction Evaluation — $650 | Follow-Up Session — $250. All fees are listed clearly on each service page and collected securely at the time of booking.

Dr. Azam’s practice operates on a private-pay basis. Insurance is not billed directly.

Cancellations made more than 24 hours before your scheduled session will receive a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours of the session forfeit the full session fee. One free reschedule is available per booking if requested at least 24 hours in advance. This policy exists to protect Dr. Azam’s availability for patients who are waiting for appointments.

All sessions are conducted online via Zoom — available to patients anywhere in New York State. Zoom is free to use and requires no account or download beyond the standard Zoom application. Your Zoom meeting link is sent automatically in your booking confirmation email. In-person appointments in New York City are available on a limited basis — please contact the practice directly to enquire about in-person availability.

Session lengths vary by service: Initial Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation — 30 to 45 minutes | 1-on-1 Individual Therapy Session — 25 minutes | 1-on-1 Couples Therapy — 30 minutes | Medication Consultation — 30 minutes | Second Opinion / Case Review — 30 minutes | Comprehensive Addiction Evaluation — 45 to 50 minutes | Follow-Up Session — 30 minutes.