About My Practice

• I am currently only providing services virtually via telepsychiatry (secure, online video chat).  I am not meeting with patients in person at this time.

• You must have reliable internet service, an email account and a device that allows video chatting (desktop or laptop computer with webcam, tablet or smartphone).

• If you need assistance getting set up for video chat, I will help.

• INITIAL PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS: Also known as a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation, intake appointment, initial consultation or diagnostic assessment.  Appointments generally last 1.5-2 hours (80 to 110 minutes video time).  More than 1 appointment might be necessary to complete your evaluation.  

• PHARMACOTHERAPY:  Also called psychiatric medication management.  This is the treatment of mental health conditions with prescription medications, including psychiatric and non-psychiatric medications, and sometimes non-prescription (over-the-counter) medications and supplements.  Appointments generally last 0.5-1 hour (25-50 minutes video time) with variable frequency depending on individual need.

• PSYCHOTHERAPY:  Also called talk therapy or counseling.  This is the treatment of mental health conditions using proven, established modalities of psychotherapy.  The type of therapy recommended varies, but most commonly I utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy and mindfulness therapy.  Appointments generally last 1 hour (50 minutes video time) and are usually scheduled every 1-2 weeks.   I do not provide psychodynamic or psychoanalytic therapy services.  

• COMBINATION PHARMACOTHERAPY & PSYCHOTHERAPY:  This is the most common service type.  Appointments generally last 0.5-1 hour (25-50 minutes video time) with frequency based on individual patient needs and preferences.

• PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION:  This is a psychiatric evaluation that is usually recommended by a provider you are already seeing.  Primary care providers, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, neurologists, psychotherapists/counselors and other medical care providers sometimes request consultation evaluation for the purpose of addressing specific questions but not for the purpose of establishing ongoing care with me.  Consultations can also be requested by patients who seek a thorough evaluation with recommendations but who do not plan on continuing treatment with me.  Common examples include diagnostic assessment and clarification, second opinions, and care recommendations.  Appointments generally last 1.5-2 hours (80-110 minutes of video time) plus time for record review and communication with the referring provider.  More than 1 appointment might be necessary to complete your evaluation.  

My goal as a psychiatrist has always been to provide highly competent, current, collaborative, compassionate mental health care to those experiencing mental illness and those dealing with life's challenges.  Contemporary life is unprecedentedly challenging for all of us.  I strive to destigmatize mental health care. I do not subscribe to only one school of thought or one modality of treatment when it comes to providing psychiatric care. Instead, I work with my patients in a collaborative manner that respects each person's unique strengths, difficulties, life circumstances and goals.  I respect individuality and diversity; I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. The goal is to arrive at a mutually agreed upon treatment plan based both on psychiatric research (evidence-based medicine), my many years of experience as a psychiatrist and my patients' individual needs, values, wishes and goals. I welcome any questions you may have about my experience and my approach.  

Examples of the conditions I treat most commonly include:

• Mood disorders (such as depression and milder forms of bipolar disorder)

• Anxiety disorders (such as generalized anxiety and excessive worry, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, agoraphobia)

• Obsessive compulsive disorder 

• Posttraumatic stress disorder

• Adjustment disorders

I have also frequently worked with people dealing with life adjustment issues and stress, relationship and family difficulties, insomnia and other sleep conditions including sleep apnea, obesity (including those who have undergone bariatric weight loss procedures), sexuality/gender concerns and LGBTQIA+ issues, and grief/bereavement/loss, as examples.   

Please note that there are many conditions which I am not able to treat effectively and safely in a small, solo private practice.  This is explained further below in "Important Limitations."   

My patients are generally people who:

• Function independently on a daily basis, with stable housing and the ability to communicate reliably via electronic means.  

• Are generally able to work or attend school.

• Do not require urgent or emergency psychiatric care, crisis services, inpatient, partial/day or residential psychiatric treatment.

• Do not pose a threat of harm to themselves (suicidal), others, or the property of others (homicidal, assaultive or destructive) and able to ensure their own safety.

• Do not require specialized treatment for a substance use disorder (alcohol, other substances or illicit drugs).

• Do not require specialized treatment for an eating disorder as their primary diagnosis.

• Are not experiencing significant problems with psychosis (loss of contact with reality) or who are diagnosed with or suspected of having  a chronic, severe mental illness that limits their functioning and/or results in dangerousness (such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or very severe cases of bipolar disorder with psychosis or depression with psychosis).

• Have the financial resources to pay for their own psychiatric care out-of-pocket.  

It is very important for me to determine if I can provide the treatment you need in an appropriate and safe manner.  Please see "Becoming a Patient" below. 

• I only provide online telepsychiatry services at this time. I am not scheduling in-person appointments.

• I absolutely cannot see patients who have Medicare or Medicaid coverage, even if you intend to pay out-of-pocket (see also Fees and Insurance). 

• I see patients between the ages of 19 and 70.  I am a general adult psychiatrist; I do not specialize in child/adolescent psychiatry or geriatric psychiatry.

• My patients should have a primary care provider (family physician, internal medicine, ob/gyn, etc) or be willing to discuss establishing care with a primary care provider.

• I do not provide emergency or crisis services.  As a solo provider in private practice, my practice is limited to people whose psychiatric care needs can be safely addressed.  

If you currently are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, or

if you are at risk of harming yourself or harming others, 

please seek emergency care immediately by going to an emergency room, 

by calling your local 24/7 crisis phone line (866-427-4747 or 206-461-3222 in King County),

 or by calling 911.

• It is very important that your psychiatric care needs fall within my scope of practice as a solo, private-practice psychiatrist without support staff.  When you contact me, I will ask questions to determine if I can safely and appropriately treat your condition(s).  Simply put, if I decide that I am not the psychiatrist you should be seeing to receive appropriate care, I will not be able to treat you.  I will try my best to help you access appropriate resources that do meet your needs. This is addressed further in "Becoming a Patient" below. 

• I DO NOT CURRENTLY PRESCRIBE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES.  

This includes several categories of medications that are commonly prescribed, including some medications for anxiety, insomnia and ADHD.  Common examples of medications I do not prescribe include but are not limited to alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), zolpidem (Ambien), methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse).  Fortunately, there are usually alternative prescription medications which are not controlled.  

If you are currently taking a controlled medication prescribed by another current or past healthcare provider (such as your primary care provider or another psychiatrist), please discuss this with me during your screening.  I will assess each situation on a case by case basis.  If your main reason for seeking psychiatric care is to obtain a controlled medication, I am not the right psychiatrist for you.  

ADDITIONAL SERVICES I DO NOT PROVIDE include:

• Mental health case management, involuntary treatment or court-ordered psychiatric evaluations and treatment, including treatment under Washington's Involuntary  Treatment Act (ITA)

• Forensic psychiatric evaluations

• Child custody or divorce evaluations

• Immigration examinations

• Service animal or emotional support animal evaluations, letters or documentation

• Disability and Social Security evaluations

• Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs) including evaluations of injured workers and those with active psychiatric claims with Labor & Industries

• Alcohol and other substance use/chemical dependency treatment including detoxification

• Medical marijuana evaluations or documentation

• Return-to-work and FMLA evaluations or documentation for new patients (offered on a case by case basis for established patients)

• Evaluations or letters regarding safe driving or specialized drivers licenses, or other specialty licenses (pilots, marine vessels, etc.)

• Evaluations to purchase or possess firearms

• Formal psychological or neuropsychological testing

• Specialized psychiatric treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), ketamine therapy, suboxone, treatment with hallucinogenics such as psilocybin mushrooms, etc.

• Domestic violence treatment

• Specialized care for children and adolescents, persons with dementia, severe eating disorders, anger management treatment, significant self-harm behavior or any psychiatric emergency care

• Subspecialty reproductive psychiatric care

If you are interested in becoming a patient, please follow these steps:

• First, please read the information on this website, especially Conditions Treated and Important Limitations and Requirements above, to determine if yours needs fall within my scope of practice.

• Then, contact me by email or by phone.  

• I will respond using whichever contact method you choose or specify, usually within 2 business days.

• If you do not hear from me, please try again. I do respond to all messages, so if you do not hear from me, it is likely I did not receive the message.

• Then, we will set up a time for a virtual (preferred) or phone "meet & greet" consultation to discuss your needs.  I will ask a number of screening questions in order to determine if we can move ahead with a new patient evaluation. If so, we will then schedule your first evaluation appointment.  There is no fee for this initial "meet & greet" visit (usually lasts 10-15 minutes).  Please note that this initial "meet & greet" visit is not a formal, billable, psychiatric treatment appointment and it does not constitute establishment of a doctor-patient relationship.

• Please be honest during this initial phone consultation.  I appreciate that finding a new psychiatrist can be difficult, and some people do omit certain details or they minimize the severity of their needs because they really want to be accepted as a patient.  This is not helpful for you or for me. If this happens, I will not be able to provide appropriate care to you, and misrepresentation may even be grounds for discharge.

• If I decide your care needs fall outside my scope of practice, i.e. if I am not able to evaluate or treat you, I will let you know directly. I will offer suggestions to access appropriate care as best I can, but I cannot guarantee I will be able to find a provider for you.

• If you care needs are within my scope, then we will schedule an initial appointment.

• Once scheduled, I will open a chart for you in the electronic health record (EHR) called Sessions Health. You will be able to log-in to your  patient portal account so you can access any required forms to complete or sign, enter your payment information, keep your demographic info and contact info up-to-date, and communicate with me via secure messaging.

• Initial psychiatric evaluations may require more than 1 appointment, each lasting 1 1/2-2 hours (80-110 minutes of video time, please also see Services Offered, above).  As part of your initial evaluation, we will discuss treatment recommendations, whether or not I can meet your needs, and whether you wish to begin a course of psychiatric treatment with me or not.  You are not under any obligation to continue treatment with me. We will discuss further treatment plans accordingly.

• I may ask you to obtain medical records from previous psychiatric or medical care and/or request your consent to communicate with other mental health providers prior to beginning any course of treatment.

• I may ask you to provide documentation of a comprehensive appointment with your primary care provider and/or documentation of laboratory studies or other medical tests (such as an EKG), or I may ask you to see your PCP or obtain certain tests in order for me to be able to treat you with medications. Different lab tests and medical evaluations are indicated depending on someone's age, sex/gender, medical history, etc. If you do not have a PCP or have not had a medical evaluation in the last year or two (this is the case for many people) please let me know so I can make appropriate recommendations.