Welcome to my practice
Looking for change within yourself?
You are here because you are looking for something to change in your life. You have probably tried "everything else," like self-help books, eating "right," meditating, or other therapies. Maybe you are overwhelmed, frustrated, sad, or you feel stuck in some other way.
My practice is guided by a calling to help you overcome internal obstacles to find a sense of wholeness and self-confidence, experience movement in calcified areas, and gain hope, joy, and happiness.
This kind of profound change is hard. Through the intensive approach of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, we explore deep issues that have caused long standing problems. With awareness you can improve your self-management and quality of life.
In addition to my qualifications below, I am in active consultation and study with senior psychoanalysts and continually working towards mastery. I receive my own intensive psychotherapy. What this means is that I have a high degree of commitment to ethical and effective practice in my work with you.
In addition to deep psychotherapy work and traditional psychiatry, I offer nutritional psychiatry, a.k.a. functional medicine focused on brain health. I offer specialized testing to evaluate for nutritional deficiencies, genomic variants, and metabolic dysfunction that can exacerbate mental health. Nutritional supplements and specialized dietary strategies recommended as appropriate.
Whether you are struggling with a relationship break-up, difficulties at work, identity issues, or mood difficulties, the process of reflection in psychotherapy can lead to lasting change.
One of the most vital factors in choosing a psychiatrist or therapist is feeling safe and comfortable with them. I encourage you to get on the phone and see if treatment with me feels right for you.
Credentials
Medical Board of California - Physician and Surgeon license
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine - Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) - Diplomate ("Board Certified")
Institute for Functional Medicine - Certified Practitioner track (est. 2021)
San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis - Former Board Member (2016-2019), Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy training graduate
Stanford University Medical Center - Psychiatry residency
Weill Cornell Medical Center - Medical internship
My educational background includes authorship, clinical research, and training in psychopharmacology. Training in psychotherapy from leading psychoanalysts at SFCP and from the renowned David D. Burns, M.D. I have worked in a range of settings spanning from New York to California including UC Hastings College of the Law Student Health Services, Stanford University Counseling and Psychological Services, public clinics, hospitals, and day programs.
Explore treatment
Thank you for your interest.
Current Fees:
Initial Consultation sessions x 3: $500 per 60 min appointment (no medication prescriptions)
Follow-up: $400 per 50 min appointment
Document/telephone refill fee: $150 per 15 min units (current patients only)
Out-of-Network. No insurances billed directly. Super-bills provided upon request.
Thank you for your interest. Please contact me for current fees. Patients are responsible for full payment of fees at time of service. I am an "out-of-network" provider and not contracted with health insurance. Cancellations must be requested more than 48 hours before appointment time or incur the full session fee.
Psychiatry and psychotherapy is provided via a secure tele-conferencing format. Patients who reside in California are eligible for treatment in the practice. We will start with a series of consultation visits to assess treatment potential in the practice. Please prepare for initial visits by reflecting on what you wish to gain from treatment and by organizing your history of psychiatric assessment and medication treatment and psychotherapy. Medications are not prescribed at these visits – make sure you have sufficient refills from your recent provider.
Resources
Book Recommendations
Introduction to psychotherapy
The Gift of Therapy by Irv Yalom, M.D.
Inside Out film
Understanding low self-esteem
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach, Ph.D.
Understanding and healing psychological trauma
In an Unspoken Voice by Peter Levine, Ph.D.
Understanding the Borderline Mother by Christine Ann Lawson, Ph.D.
Relationships and intimacy
Passionate Marriage by David Schnarch, Ph.D.
Relational Psychoanalytic Approach to Couples Therapy by Phillip A. Ringstrom
Female Sexuality
Women's Anatomy of Arousal by Sheri Winston, R. N.
Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski
Sexual Assault Healing
The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Wendy Maltz
N.B. - The book “Sexual Healing Journey” is aimed at women who have a history of sexual abuse. Despite that focus, Wendy Maltz framework on the sexual healing process is instructive to those who have experienced any kind of sexual trauma.
Inspiration and Life Coaching
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
Finding your North Star by Martha Beck
Symptom Assessment
Bipolar Hypomania Checklist - Not diagnostic, but useful to help you think about your mood history.
Insomnia - Track your sleep quality.
Sheehan Disability Scale - Track your improvement to medication treatment.
Depression Self Assessment - Evaluate any depressive symptoms.
Medication Information
Breastfeeding Women - Medication excretion rate into breast milk and safety information.
Women's mental health resource - Fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, PMS/PMDD.
Drug interactions - Clinician reference.
AIMS - Scale for tardive dyskinesia side effect to anti-psychotic medications.
Medication information - National Library of Medicine resource
Click on the links below to learn more about medications in each category below. Check Drugs.com for more information.
Low Fee Psychotherapy
Kara Grief Support - Palo Alto, CA
Gronowski Center - Los Altos, CA
SFCP - throughout Bay Area
Psychiatrists "taking" Insurance
Comprehensive Psychiatric Services - San Jose, San Mateo, San Francisco
Pacific Coast Psychiatric Associates - San Francisco, East Bay
Baywell Psychiatry - San Francisco, San Mateo, East Bay
Community Psychiatry - San Jose, San Mateo
Savant Care - Los Altos
Patient Support Resources
NAMI - support groups and information
Mental Health America - support groups
All Psych - self education on psychology topics, symptom information
Mood Network - Register and connect with other patients and get questions answered.
SF Peninsula Hospitals, Clinics, and Programs
Stanford University Psychiatry Outpatient Clinics - Stanford, CA
El Camino Hospital Partial Hospitalization Program - Mountain View, CA
La Selva Group Residential, Partial Hospitalization Program and Intensive Outpatient Program - Palo Alto, CA
Mills-Peninsula Behavioral Health Psychiatry Emergency Services, Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse - San Mateo, CA and Burlingame, CA
UCSF Langley Porter Psychiatry Hospital & Clinics - San Francisco, CA
Maternal Outreach Mood Services (MOMS) at El Camino Hospital - Mountain View, CA
Current Patients
Patient Portal: https://lovinachahalmd.clientsecure.me/sign-in
Supplement Webstore: https://lovinachahalmd.ehealthpro.com