FAQs

1. What is your approach to working with patients?

My approach to patient care is rooted in a psychodynamic framework that integrates clinical evidence with a nuanced understanding of each individual’s values, personality structure, and creative functioning. I prioritize developing a collaborative therapeutic relationship in which concerns, goals, and treatment preferences are openly explored.

A central component of my work involves minimizing the burden of medications. Many patients feel hesitant about pharmacologic interventions due to prior experiences with changes in personality, temperament, sexuality, or creativity. I take these concerns seriously and provide clear, accessible explanations of relevant clinical concepts to support informed decision‑making.

I utilize a resolution‑focused approach aimed at fostering emotional balance, personal growth, and optimal professional functioning. Treatment planning is always collaborative, ensuring that interventions align with the patient’s goals and support sustained therapeutic progress.

2. How do you integrate medication management?

Medication management is incorporated through a comprehensive biopsychosocial and psychodynamic formulation that guides all treatment decisions. Pharmacotherapy is used when clinically indicated to target specific symptom domains, support affect regulation, and enhance overall functioning, while psychotherapy remains central to understanding the patient’s developmental history, trauma exposure, ego stability, and patterns of relating. By evaluating biological factors, psychological defenses, interpersonal dynamics, and lifestyle contributors, medication becomes one component of a coordinated treatment plan rather than an isolated intervention. This integrated approach allows for ongoing assessment, collaborative goal‑setting, and careful monitoring of therapeutic response, ultimately promoting stability, strengthening the sense of self, and supporting sustained recovery and growth.

3. What types of concerns do you specialize in treating?

I specialize in working with adults who are struggling with ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, perfectionism, excessive use of substances, burnout, and high-stress jobs. 

4. What's something you want your patients to know about you?

I am a psychiatrist committed to a comprehensive, evidence‑informed approach to mental health care. My practice extends beyond medication management to include a deeper exploration of the psychological, behavioral, and environmental factors that shape a person’s symptoms and overall functioning.

After completing my medical training at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine – TTUHSC and my residency at UCLA/VA system—where I trained in treating in trauma, excessive substance use, and mood disorders—I was inspired to practice psychiatry in a way that integrates conventional psychiatric medication with psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, and personalized coaching. This combined approach allows for more nuanced, sustainable treatment tailored to each individual’s needs.

My clinical work focuses on adults experiencing perfectionism, burnout, high‑stress occupational demands, and maladaptive coping strategies. Many of my patients describe patterns of overwork or productivity‑driven avoidance. I also treat individuals who rely on dissociation or numbing behaviors such as substance use, binge eating, compulsive work, pornography use, gambling, or excessive exercise. My goal is to help patients understand the underlying drivers of these behaviors and develop healthier, more adaptive ways of coping.

Treatment is collaborative and individualized. I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities and structured, resolution‑focused coaching to support emotional regulation, personal development, and professional performance.  

At the core of my work is the belief that effective psychiatric care requires attention to the whole person. By addressing both symptoms and root causes, I aim to help patients achieve meaningful, lasting change and a greater sense of stability and well‑being.

5. What do you believe is the most important part of the healing process?

I believe the most important part of the healing process is understanding the whole person—who they are, how they live, and what truly sustains them.** Healing becomes possible when we look beyond symptoms and begin to explore the deeper patterns, environments, and internal narratives that shape a person’s life.

My work is rooted in the idea that mental health cannot be separated from the broader context of someone’s lived experience. Family, love, vocation, spirituality, finances, living environment, physical health, diet, and sleep all play essential roles in a person’s sense of stability and well‑being. When any of these areas are strained or out of balance, symptoms often emerge as signals rather than isolated problems.

Through my training at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine – TTUHSC and my residency at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs system—where I specialized in trauma, excessive substance use, and mood disorders—I came to appreciate how deeply interconnected these domains are. That experience shaped my commitment to an approach that integrates conventional psychiatric medication with psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, and personalized coaching.

For me, the heart of healing lies in helping patients understand the underlying drivers of their distress, develop healthier ways of coping, and build a more balanced, sustainable life. When individuals feel supported in all dimensions of their well‑being—not just their symptoms—they’re better able to grow, adapt, and move toward lasting change.

6. What kinds of clients do you work with best?

I work best with individuals who are ready to take an active role in their healing. My approach is collaborative, so I’m a good fit for adults who are curious about themselves, open to reflection, and motivated to make meaningful changes in their lives.

Many of the people I work with are navigating perfectionism, burnout, high‑stress careers, or patterns of coping that no longer serve them. They tend to appreciate a structured, integrative approach — one that combines psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, coaching, and when appropriate, medication.

I’m especially effective with clients who want to understand the deeper drivers of their symptoms and are willing to engage in the process with honesty and consistency. You don’t need to have everything figured out; you just need a willingness to show up, participate, and explore what a more balanced, sustainable life could look like.

7. Do you have experience with trauma or PTSD?

Yes — trauma and PTSD have been central areas of my clinical training and practice.

During my residency at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs system, I worked extensively with combat Veterans experiencing PTSD, complex trauma, and co‑occurring conditions. That experience shaped much of my understanding of how trauma affects the mind, body, and daily functioning.

After residency, I continued this work with refugees from Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, many of whom had endured war‑related trauma, displacement, and significant loss. I also spent over four years practicing in a maximum‑security prison, treating individuals with extensive histories of childhood and adult trauma. These settings gave me a deep appreciation for the many ways trauma can manifest — from dissociation and emotional numbing to substance use, compulsive behaviors, and chronic patterns of avoidance.

Across all of these environments, my approach has remained consistent: trauma‑informed, collaborative, and grounded in evidence‑based care. I focus on helping patients understand the roots of their symptoms, develop healthier coping strategies, and rebuild a sense of safety and stability in their lives.

8. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I’m an avid surfer, and it’s become an important anchor in my daily routine. I love starting my mornings with a brief surf session before getting our kids to school. Surfing has offered both physical and mental benefits for me — it helps regulate my sleep, keeps me mindful of my diet, and reinforces my commitment to balance and longevity. I feel fortunate to live somewhere that allows me to be in the water almost every day.

My spouse and I are both physicians, and with four children, we’re constantly learning how to maintain a sense of balance and stay present during the time we have together as a family. Surfing has been one of the ways I reconnect with myself so I can show up fully at home and at work.

I genuinely believe everyone should have at least one hobby that helps them step away from the demands of daily life — something that brings joy, creates space from stress, and helps us feel connected and playful again, even for a moment.