​I have always been interested in healing and in understanding the mind.  After graduating  from  Smith College with a B.A. in Psychology, I attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine.   I then completed psychiatry residency at The Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program where I found the most satisfaction in direct patient care.  My focus was in  community mental health and  treating the severely mentally ill,  a population I felt was underserved.   I spent most of my clinic hours during residency at the historic Massachusetts Mental Health Center , managing conditions such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, substance use , borderline personality disorder and trauma.   Within this vibrant academic environment, I  enjoyed being involved in all facets of patient care -- biologically oriented treatments, psychotherapeutic interventions,  family intervention , case management, and outreach through the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program. 

​ After completing my residency training in 1999,  I relocated to the  Sacramento area for family reasons.  I initially worked in the outpatient psychiatry clinic at Kaiser Permanente for several years.  During this time I furthered my skills in medication management for common mood and anxiety disorders such as depression,  PTSD, OCD, and panic disorder, by prescribing for a large caseload. Eventually,  I left the Permanente Medical Group to open my private practice.  Although I found satisfaction in supporting my clients through their difficulties, I became progressively more disillusioned with the "real world" practice of conventional medicine and its overemphasis on pharmacological treatment.  In 2009, after five years in private practice,  I decided to take a sabbatical to recharge and explore other interests...

​I am thrilled to have reopened my practice as of 2014 but with a fresh perspective. I look forward to treating my clients with the most current knowledge in the field of mental health.  I am excited that the medical field  is in the midst of a revolution-- a paradigm shift from a  problem-specific  disease model to a more integrative one as we begin to recognize how the mind, body, spirit and community all interact to influence our health.  Rather than treating symptoms, we must focus on the root causes of illness.  I have witnessed through my years of practice that although  medications can be beneficial, especially in the acute situation,  they have limitations and that successful long-term healing must encompass a  greater scope of treatment options.

My passion to find a more comprehensive approach to preventing and treating mental illness led me to complete the 2-year Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine  (AWCIM) in 2018.   I am also a  graduate of the Nine Gates Mystery School, an immersive instruction in transpersonal psychology and ancient contemplative traditions. I have spent time in the Yucatan and South America learning from traditional healers. I have a special interest in the clinical utility of exploring "non-ordinary" states of consciousness, realizing the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy as an emerging treatment modality. 

In addition to my interest in lifelong learning, I teach as a guest instructor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Here,  I contribute content on mental health for the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine's online curriculum and lead a psychiatry-specialty physician group in the integrative medicine fellowship's clinical mentorship program. 

 I am very excited to incorporate a blend of ancient wisdom and modern medicine into my practice and to be a part of this evolution in  healthcare!