Hi, I’m Andrea.
I’m a Physician Assistant (PA) with nearly 20 years of experience in medicine, much of that time spent in emergency departments caring for people during moments of crisis. While I am grateful for that work, it showed me something important: stabilizing a crisis is only one part of healing. Many people need time, understanding, and a place to work through what exists beneath the surface.
My path into psychiatry grew from a desire to do deeper work. I wanted to move from brief encounters toward meaningful relationships where I could help people understand themselves, not just their symptoms.
Today, my focus is helping people feel heard, understood, and supported while we work together toward lasting change.
A Turning Point That Shaped My Work
During my years in emergency medicine, I found myself drawn toward patients struggling with emotional pain, trauma, and overwhelming stress. Again and again I saw how short interventions helped in the moment but rarely addressed what people were truly carrying.
I believe mental health treatment works best when we care for the whole person. Medication can be an important tool, but healing often also involves understanding stress patterns, life experiences, physical health, and the connection between mind and body.
My goal is to help patients move beyond simply managing symptoms toward understanding themselves and building a more sustainable way to live, work, and relate to others.
Why I Chose Mental Health Care
Like many healthcare professionals, the COVID pandemic changed me. Working in emergency medicine during that time pushed many of us beyond what we thought we could carry. I reached a point where I realized I needed support too.
My own therapy journey became a turning point. Through that process I found healing, perspective, and renewed meaning in my work. It also helped me understand how much courage it takes to ask for help.
That experience continues to shape how I practice today. I have deep respect for the people who sit across from me and trust me with their story.
What Shapes My Practice
Patients often describe me as compassionate, collaborative, and grounded.
Treatment is a partnership. You bring your lived experience. I bring clinical training and tools. Together we build a plan aligned with your goals and your life.
Thoughtful psychiatric medication management when helpful
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
Anxiety and burnout recovery work
Practical strategies to restore balance and resilience
I often work with people who are used to caring for others but struggle to care for themselves. Many are used to pushing through stress without slowing down long enough to ask what they need.
You have to put your own oxygen mask on first. Taking care of yourself allows you to show up more fully in your life.
What Andrea Helps With
Andrea provides psychiatric care and therapy-informed medication management for adults experiencing:
• Anxiety and chronic stress
• Healthcare worker burnout and compassion fatigue
• Depression and emotional exhaustion
• Life transitions and identity shifts
• Trauma and stress related to medical work
• Work-life balance struggles
• People who feel stuck in survival mode
• High responsibility professionals experiencing mental fatigue
She especially connects with people who want to better understand themselves and take an active role in improving their mental health.
Many patients seek care because they want to feel:
• More calm and less overwhelmed
• More present with family
• Less reactive to stress
• More emotionally steady
• More connected to themselves again
Who Andrea Works Best With
Andrea often works best with people who:
• Are caregivers, healthcare workers, or helpers who feel burned out
• Tend to put others first and struggle to prioritize themselves
• Want a collaborative provider rather than a directive one
• Are open to both medication and therapy approaches
• Value understanding the “why” behind their symptoms
• Want practical tools, not just prescriptions
She has a particular interest in supporting healthcare professionals, first responders, and high-stress professionals in the Ann Arbor area who are navigating anxiety, burnout, and the emotional weight of caring for others.
Common Reasons Patients Reach Out
Patients often contact Andrea when they notice:
• “I feel constantly on edge and cannot turn my mind off.”
• “I am exhausted even when I rest.”
• “I feel numb or disconnected from my life.”
• “I am successful on the outside but overwhelmed inside.”
• “I take care of everyone else but do not know how to take care of myself.”
• “I want to feel like myself again.”
Many people reach out after realizing stress has slowly taken more from them than they realized.
What Makes Andrea Different
Andrea brings a rare combination of emergency medicine experience and relational psychiatric care. She understands both crisis medicine and the slower, more meaningful work of recovery.
Patients often notice:
• She builds trust quickly
• She listens closely before offering solutions
• She balances science with compassion
• She values collaboration rather than hierarchy
• She focuses on sustainable change, not quick fixes
Her goal is not just symptom reduction, but helping people feel more steady, more clear, and more like themselves again.