PERINATAL PSYCHIATRIC CARE IN CALIFORNIA
You don’t have to know exactly what you need just yet.
Maybe something feels different.
Maybe anxiety has gotten louder, your mood doesn’t feel like your own, or something that was manageable before pregnancy suddenly isn’t.
Or maybe you feel mostly okay, but you have questions about your psychiatric medications and what they mean for trying to conceive or having a healthy pregnancy.
You don’t need to diagnose yourself before you come see me.My job is to help you understand what’s happening, talk through your options, and make thoughtful decisions about your mental health with the full picture in mind.
There’s a lot changing.
Your mental health is part of it.
Pregnancy and postpartum can affect your brain and body in very real ways. And when you’re in the middle of it, it can be surprisingly difficult to tell where “normal adjustment” ends and something that deserves more support begins.
You might be wondering:
Is this just hormones?
Should I be feeling this anxious?
Why don’t I feel like myself?
Can I keep taking my medication while I’m pregnant?
Is what I’m experiencing serious enough to get help?
These are exactly the kinds of questions we can sort through together. You don’t have to wait until you’re certain something is wrong. And you definitely don’t have to wait until it becomes unbearable.
So, what kind of care do you need?
There are two primary ways I can support you, depending on what brings you here.
Ongoing care through pregnancy and postpartum
For when you want someone in your corner throughout pregnancy, postpartum, or another part of your perinatal experience.
We’ll start with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation so I can understand what you’re experiencing in the context of your psychiatric history, physical health, current circumstances, and where you are in the perinatal period.
From there, we'll build a plan together.
Ongoing care may include medication management, therapy, psychoeducation, or a combination depending on your needs.
This isn't about rushing to a prescription or handing you a diagnosis after an hour together. I want you to understand what I’m seeing, why I’m recommending something, and what your options are.
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We'll spend that time talking through what’s happening now, your psychiatric and medical history, your concerns, and what you’d like help with. It also gives us time to get to know each other because feeling comfortable with the person providing your psychiatric care matters.
Initial psychiatric evaluation: $250
Appointment length: 60-90 mins -
Once we've established care, follow-up appointments give us space to see how you're doing, make adjustments when needed, and continue supporting your mental health as things change.
Depending on your treatment plan, follow-up care may include medication management, therapy, psychoeducation, or ongoing medical evaluation.
Follow-up appointments: $175
Typical length: 30–60 minutes
A one-time medication consultation
Already have a provider you trust, but questions about medication and pregnancy?
You may not need a new provider at all. Sometimes you already have a psychiatrist or other mental health provider you trust, but you want another set of eyes on your medication specifically through a perinatal lens.
That’s what my Medication Consultation for Conception Planning + Pregnancy is for.
This is a one-time educational consultation where we can talk specifically about psychiatric medications in pregnancy, including what we know about their risks and benefits and how they may affect pregnancy and fetal development.
The goal isn’t to tell you that medication is simply “safe” or “unsafe.” These decisions can be more nuanced than that.
I’ll help you understand the information available so you can have a more informed conversation with the provider who already knows and treats you.
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This is an educational consultation and does not establish an ongoing patient-provider relationship. It is designed primarily for people who already have psychiatric care they plan to continue and would like, or have been advised to seek, a second opinion from someone specializing in perinatal mental health.
Appointment cost: $200
Appointment length: 60 mins
I know the science. I also know you have to live with the decision.
There are guidelines. There's research. There are risks and benefits we can talk through. And then there's you: your history, your symptoms, your pregnancy, your priorities, the thing keeping you up at 2 a.m. after you made the mistake of Googling one more time. Good care has to make room for all of it.
A few things I want you to know before you reach out:
You don't have to be in crisis to see me. If something feels off, harder than it should, or simply worth talking about, that's enough reason to start.
Medication isn't automatically the answer. Care can include medication management, therapy, psychoeducation, or a combination. We'll talk about what actually makes sense for you.
Questions are welcome here. Especially the scary ones. Especially the ones you've already Googled fourteen times. My role is to bring the clinical knowledge, explain it in language that makes sense, and help you make informed decisions about your mental health without shame or judgment.
You deserve to understand your care, not just be told what to do.
Starting is simpler than it probably feels right now.
01. Reach out.
Send an email or give me a call and tell me a little about what you're looking for. We'll make sure I'm the right person to help and figure out which appointment makes the most sense.
02. We'll talk.
For ongoing care, we start with a comprehensive 60 to 90 minute psychiatric evaluation. For a medication consultation, we spend 60 minutes focused on your questions about medication, conception, and pregnancy.
03. We'll figure out what comes next.
For ongoing patients, we talk through my recommendations and build a plan for continued care. For a one-time consultation, you'll leave with a clearer understanding of what you need to continue the conversation with your existing provider.
A few questions you might have
And some answers, too!Do you accept insurance?
Yes, I currently accept Aetna. If you have questions about your coverage or what an appointment may cost, reach out before booking and I can help you understand your options.
Do you only work with people during pregnancy and postpartum?
No.
Perinatal mental health can begin before pregnancy and extend well beyond the first few weeks after birth. I also work with people who are planning to become pregnant and want to think ahead about their psychiatric care or medications.
Can I see you virtually if I'm not near Orange?
Yes. I offer in-person appointments in Orange, California, and virtual appointments for patients throughout the state.
You can ask for help before things get harder.
You don't need the right words, a diagnosis, or absolute certainty that what you're experiencing is “bad enough.”
You can start with what you know right now.