Thoughtful, collaborative medication support for your emotional well-being.
Therapy offers space to explore your inner world—and find your way forward.
Making Thoughtful, Informed Decisions About Medication
Deciding whether to start, adjust, or stop a medication can feel overwhelming. You might wonder if medication is right for you, whether the one you’re taking is truly helping, or if there are other treatments that could better support your well-being. Some people feel unsure about whether to consult a psychiatrist or continue with their primary care provider, while others are curious about treatments like ketamine or TMS but don’t know where to start.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. I offer thoughtful, in-depth consultations to help you understand your options—not just in terms of medication but also in the context of your emotional life, relationships, and long-term mental health. Whether you choose to move forward with medication, explore other therapeutic approaches, or take a different path altogether, we will work together to find the best course of action for you.
Medication and Psychoanalytic Therapy
Hi, I’m Dr. Elizabeth Stuart—you can call me Elizabeth. I’m a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, based in Oakland, offering medication consultation and management within a psychoanalytically informed framework, working with individuals who are engaged in—or seeking—a depth-oriented therapy process.
If you’re considering medication as part of your therapeutic journey, we can explore what feels right for you.
Who Might Benefit from a Medication Consultation?
We might be a fit if…
- You’re wondering if medication is right for you and want expert guidance.
- You’re questioning your current medication—is it helping? Could something work better?
- You’re thinking about stopping medication but want to do it safely and thoughtfully.
- You’ve heard about ketamine or TMS and want to understand if it’s a good fit for you.
- You want a psychiatrist who collaborates closely with your therapist.
We might not be a fit if…
- You’re looking for a quick prescription without deeper exploration
- You already know what medication you want and need someone to prescribe it right away.
- You’re experiencing a mental health crisis and need urgent medication support.
- You’re seeking a psychiatrist specifically for ADHD, eating disorders, or addiction treatment.
How My Consultation Works
A comprehensive evaluation allows us to make informed, thoughtful decisions about medication and other treatment approaches. This process typically takes three to five 50-minute sessions, giving us the space to explore:
- Your current struggles and symptoms
- Your emotional, medical, and familial history
- How medication, therapy, or other interventions (including ketamine, TMS, or integrative approaches) might best support your well-being
At the final session, I’ll share my assessment and recommendations, helping you understand your options—whether that means starting, adjusting, or discontinuing medication, exploring new therapeutic approaches, or integrating additional interventions. If we decide to end our work here, I’ll provide a written summary and collaborate with your therapist or physician for continuity of care.
For those who continue with ongoing medication management, we will develop a schedule based on your needs, meeting more frequently at first and spacing out as things stabilize.
A Thoughtful Approach to Diagnosis
Labels can be useful, but they don’t tell the whole story. Anxiety and depression aren’t just categories—they’re deeply personal experiences that evolve over time. Rather than treating a diagnosis as the full picture, I work with you to understand the emotional layers beneath it, ensuring that any medication decisions align with your deeper needs and long-term well-being.
My expertise includes helping people with:
- Depressive Disorders – including major depression and persistent low mood
- Bipolar Disorders – mood instability, often with lows that can include highs
- Anxiety Disorders – including generalized anxiety, panic, social phobia
- Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive - Compulsive Disorders (OCD)
Ensuring a Collaborative Approach
Effective psychiatric care requires a strong therapeutic foundation. I work best with individuals engaged in depth-focused therapy, and I collaborate closely with therapists—particularly those with a psychodynamic or psychoanalytic perspective—to ensure a cohesive treatment approach. If this feels like a fit, I’d be happy to discuss how we might work together.
How Can I Support You?
Navigating medication decisions can feel overwhelming—there’s so much information, so many opinions, and no one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you’re wondering if medication is right for you, questioning whether your current prescription is the best fit, or thinking about stopping medication, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
As both a psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst, I bring an unique perspective to this process.
My background includes over a decade at UCSF’s private psychiatric hospital, Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital, where I treated people with complex psychiatric and medical issues, taught psychopharmacology, and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams. But my work now goes beyond medication alone. As a psychoanalyst, I take a depth-oriented approach—considering not just symptoms, but the emotional patterns, relationships, and unconscious factors that shape your experience.
Our work isn’t just about finding the “right” prescription. It’s about understanding what medication can help with—and what might require something deeper. My goal is to help you make thoughtful, informed choices that align with your emotional life and long-term well-being.
If you’re considering medication, you don’t have to navigate this alone.
Let’s talk about what feels right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is exactly what we’ll explore in our consultation. We’ll discuss your symptoms, emotional and medical history, and treatment goals to determine whether medication—or another approach—would be most beneficial.
We’ll take the time to understand your full story, not just your symptoms. Over multiple sessions, we’ll explore your experiences, concerns, and hopes for treatment, leading to a thoughtful and informed decision about medication.
Yes. Depending on your situation, we can consider various treatment options, including other psychiatric medications, ketamine, TMS, supplements, or specific therapeutic interventions. Any recommendations will be based on your individual needs and goals.
At first, we may meet more frequently to assess how the medication is working. As things stabilize, we’ll space out our sessions—typically every three months or as needed.
I do not accept insurance directly, but I can provide detailed receipts (superbills) that you can submit to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement.
