As a board-certified General Adult Psychiatrist, I truly enjoy talking with people, getting to know who they are, and creating an ongoing therapeutic collaboration. I am fortunate to work in a medical field where taking the time to sit down and understand my patients is still valued and protected.
Many aspects of modern life are stressful, unjust, and dangerous, frequently straining our mental health. My job is to work with my patients to identify strengths, build coping strategies, and develop relationship skills in order to accomplish personal goals, reduce suffering, and better know oneself.
Over the past twenty-five years of practicing psychiatry, my style has grown to be a mix of medication management, relational psychotherapy, cognitive reframing, behavioral skills, mindfulness, and practical problem solving. My areas of interest have expanded to include peripartum psychiatry, eating disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, gender identity, couples therapy, somatic approaches to trauma, and practitioner well-being.
Since graduating from the UCSF Psychiatry Residency Program, I have continued there as a volunteer faculty member. I supervise residents with their clinical caseloads and teach psychotherapy, which keeps my skills current.
In addition, I am the owner and leader of Baywell Psychiatry Group, APC. I founded this practice in 2009 and have overseen its exciting growth and evolution. Navigating small business challenges and creating solutions energize me. This practice pushes me to learn, cultivate healthy group dynamics, and advance my leadership skills. It is an honor to fight for a safe and sustainable workplace for our doctors and staff, as well as accessible, high-quality mental health care for our patients.
My educational history includes graduating magna cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University and finishing medical school at UCLA with honors in psychiatry. Upon completing residency, I received the Henry F. Albronda Award for exceptional psychotherapeutic skill. I have had the pleasure of working in many different clinical settings: University of San Francisco Counseling Center, UC Hastings College of the Law Counseling Center, New Dawn Residential Eating Disorders Program, Summit Eating Disorders Outpatient Program, and as the Director of the UCSF Medical Student Well-Being Program.
The sum total of these experiences motivates me to keep learning, adapting to changes in our world, and investing in community.
