ELLEN WALKER, MD

Adults – I work with adults aged 18 years and older. I do not work with children or adolescents through age 17 years old. I do not work with couples.

Seniors – Mental health problems are not a normal part of aging. The most common mental health issues in older people are anxiety and mood changes which often respond to treatment. Untreated mental health problems can lead to poor functioning, substance abuse, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. I spent a year long geriatric fellowship learning the nuances of working with aging adults including but not limited to the effects of physical functioning and medical problems on mental health, the psychological impact of retirement, common ways that people change as they age, the difference between depression and grief, and how death and dying affect individuals and their families.

Women – Mental health problems can affect women and men differently, and some disorders are more common in women than in men such as depression and anxiety. Some women experience significant mood and anxiety changes as a result of hormonal changes. I enjoy and have significant experience working with women while receiving fertility treatment, while pregnant, and during the postpartum period.

Anxiety

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Depression

Insomnia

Panic Disorder

PTSD/Trauma