My Story

Combining Science with Kindness is what drew me to psychiatry and is the cornerstone of my practice. My parents tell me that I have wanted to be a doctor since I was five years old. I suspect that this is a combination of truth, fiction, and parental brainwashing. I grew up in India until the age of 11 when my parents made the fateful decision to move from Chennai to New Jersey.

I was accepted into Brown University’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (P.L.M.E) directly from high school. This program is unique in that it provides for a full undergraduate education while still guaranteeing a place in medical school. I became fascinated with the mind and I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Cognitive Science.

In medical school I had no intention of becoming a psychiatrist. I was convinced that psychiatry was just not scientific or rigorous enough to be intellectually satisfying. But I fell in love with it immediately, and I valued the fact that it celebrated medicine as both an art and as a science. Hence the title of my website.

After graduating from medical school I emigrated to California to start my psychiatry residency at the University of California - San Francisco (UCSF). This is where I first started working with veterans at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. I became fascinated by their experiences and I felt compelled to understand how trauma impacts the brain. I tried doing research on the immunology of PTSD, but I quickly realized that I was much better at working with human beings than with data sets.

I have been serving as the PTSD Psychiatrist at the VA Oakland Behavioral Health Clinic since 2000. I am also honored to be a Clinical Associate Professor at UCSF where I am actively involved in teaching UCSF residents and medical students. Much of my work involves treating PTSD in combat veterans and victims of military sexual trauma, I also serve the chronically mentally ill and with those who suffer from substance use disorders. It is challenging but very meaningful work.

I have developed my private practice in Berkeley since 2019. Having a private practice offers me the opportunity to share my expertise with a broader array of patients. I am proficient at treating Anxiety/Panic Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, ADHD, Psychotic Disorders, and Substance Abuse.

Beyond my experience and knowledge, I care deeply about my patients and I strive to fully understand what they are going through. I view treatment as a shared journey and as a collaborative venture. I love working with other therapists to build an integrative team. I am an optimist by nature and I believe that there is always room for positive change.

I love to work with patients who may be unsure about starting pharmacologic treatment. While the treatment process can seem overwhelming, it is absolutely worth the time and effort. I am deeply invested in you as a person and I want to help you build a happier and more wonderful life.

Thank you for reading my biograph.