Who?

People who are interested in collaborative care, and are willing to take an active role in their healing process. People who could use a less formal, perhaps less intimidating approach. People who are looking for a provider who has lived experience with marginalized identities.

And more concretely:

• 16 years & older.

• Inside of Washington State.

• No more than 2 psychiatric-related ER visits in the last 5 years.

• No psychiatric hospitalization within the last 5 years, unless people are being discharged from treatment for substance use disorder.

• Able to be safely cared for by a solo telehealth practice.

How?

Send people to the website, and ask them to push the schedule online button. They can self-schedule a free 15 minute consult, or an intake. (The intake scheduling form has some screening questions.) I recommend people do a consult first to ensure we are a good fit.

How can I communicate with you about a client?

I am happy to communicate securely, providing the requisite releases have been signed. You can message us directly on Spruce Health, which has a web version if you don’t want to download any more apps. You can use regular email, phone, or text for anything without PHI.

More about the person you are trusting with clients.

I started studying psychiatry early in my family practice career. As you know, access to mental health resources is limited. I always believed it was my responsibility in primary care to manage mental health meds for my patients instead of referring into a void. Over time, much of my practice became psychiatry because you can’t talk about uncontrolled hypertension or chronic pain without addressing mental health. Trauma informed care also quickly became a practice mainstay. When you work in community health generally, and HIV and gender affirming care specifically, an understanding of trauma responses is essential.

I believe in compassionate, creative, low-barrier health care. Evidence is critical to my practice, as is an understanding of its limitations. I attend CME regularly including the weekly University of Washington Psychiatry and Addiction Case Conference.

It can be helpful for some clients to know I am gay and Mexican-American. That said, everyone’s identity experience and social location is unique so I don’t assume to know what anyone is going through.

I am happy to answer any questions about my background, approach, or experience. Just use the contact us page to easily send an email.

You can also schedule a “free consult” visit to chat if you’d like.