I am a psychiatrist who is triple boarded in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, addiction and adult psychiatry. After graduating from University of Nairobi, Kenya in 1992, I worked several years in various departments as a medical officer in Kenya. This allowed me to have clinical experience in other areas before settling in my field of choice which is Psychiatry. I relocated to USA in 1997 and did the necessary exams to get into residency training in Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh and then did a fellowship in Child and adolescent psychiatry at Alleghany General hospital. I have worked in western PA since September 2002 in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Watching a child go from being incapacitated from depression and anxiety to being a fully functioning young man or woman has been a source of great joy and fulfilment for me. I believe that we are all here on this earth to fulfill a purpose greater than ourselves and mental heath problems sometimes interferes with some people being able to tap into their full potential. I would like to use my skills and knowledge to not only treat psychiatric symptoms but to help patients get to the root cause of their problems so that we can each become all we were designed to be. I believe it is important to work with therapists and help patients to use solution based approach to self management and empower my patients to first manage themselves and their internal environment then manage their external environments using mindfulness techniques to complement medication management. I also encourage patients to work with their primary care physicians to address chronic medical conditions to optimize each persons wellbeing.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The initial session is obtaining the history to assess for the diagnosis. I then discuss my treatment plan with you which will include lab work as necessary, gene-site testing to see what meds work best with your genetic make up, nutritional assessment and nutrient therapy recommendations, medication management and therapy as necessary.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My greatest strength is how long I have been in the field and pursued skills to improve my knowledge in tools to provide a wholistic care rather than focus on just medication management.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I am best positioned to serve clientele who are interested in an integrative approach to management of their mental illness, especially anxiety, PTSD, depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder. Have you reached a place where you want more for yourself , your family and your mental illness is getting in the way? Are you ready to see some lasting change in you life rather than more of the same? Schedule your initial intake and lets see how we can work with you.

About Dr. Sarah N M Gatumu