I was born in Maryland, but was raised throughout the Mainland, as my father was in the military and we moved often. After medical school, I came to Hawaii with the military and met my wife here. We decided to make Hawaii our home. My wife graduated from Waipahu High School and is in construction. We have two young sons and one daughter.
The truth is that I care about others. After changing my major a few times in college, I resonated most with medicine and the opportunities it could afford me to help others. In context of the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Model, which is truly the cornerstone of modern Psychiatry, I discovered a calling that is both challenging and enjoyable. I have had additional training in Existential Psychotherapy. In the Military, I served the "Wounded Warriors" of Post-9/11. During residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, I had the opportunity to see patients for individual psychotherapy at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. I have noticed one common theme in the Kaiser Permanente system in both California and Hawaii: Those who work here are truly positive and happy. I have also appreciated our focus on preventive health. I believe there are many factors that influence our mental health and every person has a unique story of what makes them who they are. A physician needs to see the person as a whole and should not just focus on one organ, the brain. This whole consists of four pillars of being: biological, psychological, social, and spiritual. A psychiatrist needs to form an alliance with his or her patient. Until an alliance is formed, it can be very difficult to adequately help someone with their mental health. It is first formed by establishing trust between the physician and the patient, which is one the foundations of effective mental health care. I usually start seeing positive results from treatment when the patient and I are working together on the common goal of good mental health.
I monitor my progress to better health with my physician and keep an attitude of preventive health. I use journals to maintain an account of what I eat and how much I exercise, and to note things I can change to "thrive” in my own life. I try to stay active and keep positive thoughts as much as possible, and to reframe negative ones. Because I have only this life to live, I might as well live the best and most enjoyable life I can. I spend as much time with my family as possible, and know that I am lucky to have them in my life. Some of my hobbies include cooking and trying new recipes, playing music on my guitar, and traveling. I like supporting my children both in school and during extra-curricular activities like soccer and swimming. I enjoy getting to know others and hearing the stories they have to share.
