I am a psychiatrist who works with children, adolescents, and young adults at my private practice in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and the John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents (RICA) in Rockville, MD, in Maryland.
I specialize in treatment and consultation for patients with Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Mood and Anxiety Disorders, and Pervasive Development Disorders (including Autism spectrum disorders). I provide psychotherapy and family therapy and work with international children, families, and immigrants.
I started my career overseas 25 years ago as a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Santiago, Chile, where I combined an academic career and private practice. Later, I moved to the United States and completed an adult psychiatry residency at George Washington University in Washington, DC, and child and adolescent psychiatry training at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. After completing my training in 2001, I joined the staff at Massachusetts General Hospital and held a faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School.
I am board certified in both psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
My clinical and research interests have focused on psychopharmacology, consultation with pediatric practices, multicultural psychiatry, and international and immigrant children. My extensive training and work experience in two of the top psychiatric institutions in the country have given me ample cutting-edge expertise in psychopharmacology.
At the same time, I have an extensive background in family and individual psychotherapy that allows me to take an eclectic approach to diagnosing and evaluate patients. I consider patients’ biological, psychosocial, dynamic, and family contexts.
I have a comprehensive experience with all types of children, teenagers, young adults, and families, and I enjoy working collaboratively with psychologists, pediatricians, and social workers. At Massachusetts General Hospital, I was part of a pilot project that provided clinical consultation and supervision to pediatricians. Once established in the Washington DC area, I created and led an international exchange program for Child and Adolescent psychiatric trainees from Chile and the USA in collaboration with Dr. Biel from Georgetown Child Psychiatry, Dr. Edelson from JLG-RICA, and Dr. Duenas from the University of Valparaiso (Chile).
I consider myself a clinician and educator. I work with my patients and families with the dedication and professionalism that I expect from other clinicians if I were a patient myself.