Welcome. I am a psychiatrist and am double board certified in general adult psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. My approach to my patients is the same as I would want for my own family members: a holistic treatment orientation, including talk therapy and improving nutrition, physical activity, and sleep in order to reduce the need for medications. I often share my patients’ concerns that they may have been taking too many medications for too long, sometimes with side effects that can contribute to mental slowing or that are interpreted as new psychiatric problems. Frequently, additional meds are prescribed to treat side effects with less consideration given to discontinuing medication once it has been started. For certain diagnoses and conditions, medications are a necessary and important component of treatment. I will take the time needed to address each of these factors and explore avenues that can help minimize medication while optimizing your mental health and well-being.
I graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine with an MD and a Master of Public Health. I went on to complete a residency in Psychiatry and a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at the University of Washington. I was an attending physician at the VA Puget Sound, where I sharpened skills for diagnosing and treating PTSD, a condition that affects veterans and non-veterans alike.
Before entering private practice, I worked for more than six years in the primary care setting. There I provided psychiatric consultation and treatment to patients with a wide variety of medical and psychiatric illnesses, including bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. I saw patients at Swedish Ballard Primary Care for four years and then in my private practice on Ballard Avenue before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2021. I maintain my medical license in Washington state and am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving patients in Western Washington remotely.
I am a participating Medicare physician. I am out-of-network for all commercial insurance, including Medicare Advantage, and will be happy to provide paperwork needed for you to file for reimbursement with your commercial insurance provider.
No Surprises Act Notification: a good faith estimate of expected charges is available in accessible formats, including written and spoken form, when services are scheduled or when you ask about the cost of your care.
