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About Dr. Ames

Dr. Ames is a board-certified physician in the state of California and a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She has special interests in neuropsychiatry, psychopharmacology, interventional psychiatry, and existential psychotherapy. She is originally from Washington, DC and is now based in Costa Mesa, CA. She enjoys music, art, exercising, and reading.

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Education and Training

Integrative Psychiatry Fellowship, 2022 - 2023

Integrative Psychiatry Institute

Chief Resident in Psychiatry, 2021 - 2022

University of California Riverside | VA Healthcare System Long Beach

Residency in Psychiatry, 2018 - 2022

University of California Riverside School of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine, 2018

University of California San Diego School of Medicine

Master of Arts, 2012

Stanford University

Bachelor of Arts, 2009

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Licenses

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology #80939

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Registration FA1358589

Medical Board of California Medical License #A165388

Additional Training & Certifications

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation 

  • Spravato (esketamine) provider

  • Suboxone / Buprenorphine 

  • Nutritional psychiatry

  • Gottman Couples Therapy

Image by Sebin Thomas

My Philosophy

My passion is helping individuals overcome mental and emotional suffering associated with various aspects of the human condition. I believe every person is unique and that a person's thoughts and feelings are a manifestation of one's life experiences, relationships, adversity, social supports, genetics, and personality. I believe the mind and body are fundamentally connected. I practice a holistic, individualized, and comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment-planning that centers on a person's unique experiences, symptoms, and goals in order to alleviate symptoms and address root causes. I consider numerous factors that contribute to psychiatric symptoms and I emphasize the dynamic interplay between mind, body, and lifestyle that influences the biological, psychological, and social facets of illness and wellness. My goal is to meet you where you are at, help you to heal, assist you in better understanding yourself, and guide you in finding greater meaning in your life.

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