About Me

I am a board-certified psychiatrist offering psychodynamic psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and medication treatment to adults in the greater Seattle area. I offer both in-person and virtual appointments. I welcome people of all gender, sexual and racial identities.

Education and Training

University of Washington Medical School, M.D.

University of Washington Psychiatry Residency

University of Washington Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, Chief Resident

Seattle Psychoanalytic Society & Institute (SPSI), advanced Candidate

Haverford College, B.A.

Screening/Intake Process

If you are interested in an initial consultation, please leave me a voicemail at 206-809-7436 with your name, contact information, and a bit about what you are looking for. If I have availability and believe I may be of help given your expressed interests/needs, I will call you back to have, or arrange for another time, a 15-20 minute (free of charge) phone conversation to discuss more about your situation, my practice, and to determine if we should move forward with scheduling a first appointment. Please write down any questions you may have about my practice to ask during that initial phone call. If we decide to schedule a first appointment, I will send you a number of electronic forms to review, complete, and sign in advance of our first appointment.

Payment and Insurance

I am currently an in-network provider with Premera Blue Cross, Regence Blue Shield, Aetna and Medicare (generic and Regence Medicare Advantage plans, but not others). If you have any other BlueCross/BlueShield plans such as from other states, I encourage you to reach out to your insurer to determine if I would be considered an in-network provider. I am also able to operate as an out-of-network provider for plans I am not contracted with and, upon request, can provide you with a monthly “superbill” which you can use to seek reimbursement from your insurance company.

I encourage all prospective patients to review your insurance policy and contact your insurance company to ensure your understanding of your benefits and coverage for in or out-of-network mental health services. Please note that Medicare does not provide any out-of-network reimbursement.

I do not typically provide information regarding my practice policies or fees until we have had a brief phone conversation to determine if my practice is a good fit for you. I provide all patients with my practice policies and fee information prior to our first appointment so that you may review those before moving forward.

What Type of Psychotherapy?

I offer psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. These are types of “talk therapy” in which the primary goal is helping the patient to better and more fully understand their own mind (emotions, motivations, ways of thinking), which hopefully enhances their sense of agency, awareness, and freedom. As the therapist, I primarily am in a role of listening and responding to you the patient, rather than guiding or directing you as to what to talk about. This type of therapy is best-suited for individuals looking for help with more chronic issues related to self esteem, relationship difficulties, conflictual feelings, or symptoms/issues that keep recurring that seem somewhat perplexing or resistant to conscious efforts to change.

Although some patients find that they achieve significant “behavioral change” as a result of these kind of therapies, behavior change is not the focus in and of itself. The goal is more lasting internal awareness that often impacts multiple domains of life. These therapies are based on the theory that all of us have subconscious aspects of our minds to which we do not have direct access. By way of open and free expression of thought and emotion (by the patient), careful and attuned listening (by both the therapist and patient), and discussion of what is said, felt and heard (by both) one can gain some degree of awareness of subconscious mental experience that enhances self-understanding.

The differences between psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are several: the frequency of sessions (psychodynamic psychotherapy is 1-2 meetings/week, and psychoanalysis is 3-5 meetings/week) and other aspects like the use of the couch vs. the chair and the dynamic between the therapist and patient. I am happy to discuss this further.

In-Person / Remote Options

I offer and recommend in-person appointments at my Edgar St. office (124 E. Edgar St. Seattle, WA). To access my office in-person, you must be able to walk up a flight of stairs as my office is on the second floor and the building does not have an elevator or ramp.

For now, I also continue to offer video appointments to those who are unable or strongly prefer not to attend in-person.

Transportation

Parking:
If you’re driving, there is free available street parking next to my office (124 E. Edgar St. Seattle, WA).

Public Transit:
The office is 1 block away from the #70 bus line, and 6 blocks away from the #49 bus line.

COVID Policy

For those coming in-person, full and up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination will be required and proof thereof must be shared prior to first appointment.

Masks may be required for in-person appointments depending on the situation at that time.