About Dr. Watkins

Posted on: June 1, 2014

I am a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist with a private practice in West Los Angeles.  I graduated with Honors from Swarthmore College and went to medical school at the University of Pennsylvania where I won the Kenneth E. Appel award for excellence in psychiatry and the Robert M. Toll prize for research in the field of mental health.  During my time in medical school I completed a National Institute of Mental Health sponsored Research Fellowship, studying HIV and addictions.  Originally from the East Coast, I moved to California and completed a medical internship at UCLA and a psychiatric residency at UCLA Nueropsychiatric Institute.  I became Board Certified in general adult psychiatry in 1997 and was a volunteer clinical instructor at UCLA in the women’s mental health clinic from 1998 through 2003. In 1999 I completed a two-year fellowship sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in health services and quality of care.  I have maintained a private practice in psychiatry since 1996 and see adults and older adolescents on an individual basis for both psychopharmacology and/or psychotherapy.  I love making a difference in people’s lives and find my work both satisfying and rewarding.

I believe people can best realize their potential to grow in the context of supportive relationships and that a good relationship with a therapist can change your life.  I also believe that mental illness is a disease of the brain, and that medication, when used judiciously, can be enormously helpful in relieving suffering.  While I individualize treatment depending on your needs and preferences, I also stay abreast of the research literature to give you state-of-the-art treatment that is scientifically supported by the most current evidence.  I believe in shared decision-making, and strive to make sure that you understand the choices you have in terms of treatment options and the risks and benefits of treatment.

In addition to my private practice, I am also a senior scientist at the RAND Corporation, where I conduct mental health policy research and write about how our country can improve the quality of mental health and substance abuse treatment. I am a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the Southern California Psychiatric Society and the American Association of Community Psychiatrists.

Please feel free to contact me by phone or email, to schedule an initial consultation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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