We have board-certified doctors, coaches and licensed therapists available to meet with you. When scheduling your visit, you'll answer a few questions to help us identify what type of provider will be best for you!

Mental Health Therapists

Our mental health therapists are all master's level, licensed providers experienced and trained in mental health care.

Mental Health Coaches

Our mental health coaches are all board-certified and have extensive experience in providing mental health coaching.

Doctors

Our doctors are all board-certified and are experienced in diagnosing and prescribing medications for mental health conditions.

A mental health coach is a specialized coach who can help you reach goals in your life by focusing on your mindset and actions. They help people improve their mental wellbeing by working on things like setting healthy boundaries, life transitions, managing stress, burnout and more. 

Mental health providers are available to help you address issues like:

• Addiction
• Burnout
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Healthy boundaries
• Grief and loss
• Personal growth
• Stress management
• And more!

In your first session, your mental health provider will ask questions about your life, your feelings and why you’re seeking help. This is a chance for you to get to know your provider and for them to understand your goals for mental health care.

If you forget to ask a question or need support after your session, our care team is only a few clicks away in our secure message center! 

Preparing for a mental health visit can help you get the most out of the experience. Here are a few tips to help you feel ready:

Reflect on your goals: Think about what you want to achieve. It could be working through specific issues, improving communication or building coping strategies. 

Take notes beforehand: Write down any emotions, thoughts or experiences you've had recently that you want to discuss. Writing things down is especially helpful when you’re not sure where to start on your mental health journey.

Be honest and open: Be ready to share your thoughts and feelings, even if they’re uncomfortable.

Manage your expectations: Remember that mental health care is a process, and it may take time to see progress. Be patient with yourself and your provider.

Prepare questions: If you’re unclear about anything in during your visit, write down questions to ask your provider. This could be about the process, techniques or things to expect in future sessions.

Find a quiet, private place: We want you to be relaxed and free to speak about yourself during your visit. Be sure to find a private and comfortable spot away from noises. Don't join your visit while driving!

If you know it’s time for your mental health care visit but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got your back! Your provider will guide the conversation, but you can also ask questions like...   

• What is your approach?
• How many visits might I need?
• What can I expect in a typical visit?
• How will we measure progress?
• What should I do between visits?

It’s a good idea to write down any questions you want to ask so that you don’t forget during your visit.

The information you share with your mental health provider is fully confidential, as protected by law.

However, there are a few exceptions to this confidentiality. For instance, if you express a credible threat of serious harm to yourself or someone else, or if there are concerns regarding child abuse or neglect, your provider is legally obligated to report this information to ensure safety and protection.

We offer a wide range of virtual mental health support including:

• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Couples therapy
• Teen therapy
• Mental health coaching
• Mental health medication management

Yes, should you need medication to treat a mental health care issue, our doctors can prescribe most medications.

Doctors at First Stop Health do not prescribe or refill controlled substances like Xanax and Adderall. However, your care team can connect you with a local in-person provider who can manage these types of medications for you. 

Medications prescribed during your visit are sent to the pharmacy same-day unless your insurance requires prior authorization.  If you request a refill via the message center, allow 1-2 business days for your prescription to be sent to your pharmacy. 

After your care team has ordered your prescription, you can contact your pharmacy for prescription status updates. Questions about what we can prescribe? See our prescription policy.

Be sure to request your refill before you get to your last week of medication. Refilling a prescription can take 1-3 business days or longer over holidays.  

The quickest way to request a refill is to have your pharmacist fax a request to us at 312-258-1553.  After we receive the fax, your care team will process your request. You can contact your pharmacy directly for status updates, or message us if your request requires prior authorization. 

1. Someone from your care team will reach out to ask for your preferences and insurance information. This will help us find quality, affordable options in your insurance network. Let your care team know as soon as possible if you have provider preferences already.  
    
2. First Stop Health will use your insurance information and/or preferences to provide you with a referral. Once you receive your referral, contact the provider(s) to discuss service prices and schedule an appointment.  
   
   
3. Follow up with us! If you want to share your results with your doctor, verify that they will be faxed to your care team at 312-258-1553. After you’ve completed your visit(s), let us know how it went in your secure message center or schedule a visit to talk to your doctor.  

If you have any questions, feel free to message your care team. 

You might associate healthcare with health insurance. But that isn’t the case here! First Stop Health is separate from your health insurance. 

To avoid paying out of pocket, you will need to use HMO-, Tricare- or Medicaid-approved providers for testing, medications and referrals due to insurance restrictions. Please discuss the testing recommended by First Stop Health with your HMO, Tricare or Medicaid provider to find approved options. Not sure who your HMO, Tricare or Medicaid provider is? Call the phone number on your insurance card.  

You can see First Stop Health doctors for medical questions and advice, but we will not be able to order any testing or referrals. 

You can send your insurance card photos to the virtual primary care team in several ways: 

• Option 1: Log into the First Stop Health mobile app and choose “Profile” at the bottom of the homepage, then “Insurance Details,” then “Upload new insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 2: Log into https://app.fshealth.com/ on your desktop computer. Select “Profile” from your home page, then “Edit Insurance Details,” then “Upload new photo of my insurance card,” then “Save.” 
• Option 3: Attach the photos to a message in the First Stop Health message center.

*If you are sending a photo from an iPhone, be sure your photo is not in “live” mode.