Telehealth psychiatry · California
Psychiatry for adults, anywhere in California.
Are you looking for help with depression, anxiety, ADHD, work stress, grief, climate anxiety, or something else? Here, you'll have the unrushed time to share what's going on. We'll then work together to get you where you want to go.
Accepting new patients · Adults 18 and older
Professional references
Patients recognized and greatly appreciated the consistent high quality of care he provided. His sincere warmth and compassion for patients, combined with impressive depth of knowledge, make him an outstanding psychiatrist.
Dr. Bernstein is an excellent and well-trained psychiatrist. I wouldn't hesitate sending any of my loved ones to his care.
Dr. Bernstein is a compassionate and highly skilled psychiatrist who goes above and beyond to provide exceptional care to his patients. His warmth and conscientiousness put patients at ease, while his intelligence, energy, and attention to detail make him an excellent clinician. I would trust him without hesitation to care for a member of my own family.
I had the opportunity to supervise Dr. Bernstein during his psychiatry residency training at Stanford. He is a thoughtful, well-rounded, approachable, and highly competent psychiatrist with strong clinical judgment and a genuine commitment to his patients. As someone from the Bay Area himself, he also brings an understanding of the community he now serves in private practice.
Areas of focus
What I treat
- DepressionIncluding persistent, atypical, treatment-resistant, and recurrent depression.
- Anxiety and panicGeneralized anxiety, social anxiety, panic, and health anxiety.
- Climate anxietyTherapy and medication when appropriate for those struggling with the impacts of climate change on mental and brain health.
- ADHDEvaluation and ongoing treatment for adults, including those diagnosed later in life.
- OCDMedication treatment, and coordination with therapists who provide ERP.
- Trauma and PTSDCare for the sleep, mood, and anxiety symptoms that follow trauma.
- InsomniaTrouble falling or staying asleep, including when it accompanies another condition.
- Peripartum and postpartum mental healthDepression, anxiety, and sleep disruption during pregnancy and after birth, including decisions about medication.
- Burnout and work stressExhaustion, pressure, and loss of motivation at work — and sorting out where burnout ends and depression begins.
- Life transitions and relationship issuesCareer changes, becoming a parent, illness, loss, divorce — and the recurring patterns in relationships with partners, family, or colleagues.
About
About Dr. Bernstein
It's very meaningful for me to work with patients — to get to know them, to understand their stories, and to understand how biology, psychology, and environment interact to contribute to their present struggles.
I enjoy applying the principles of pharmacology, psychology, psychotherapy, sleep medicine, nutrition, exercise, and self-care to develop comprehensive treatment plans that help people feel better, calmer, more at peace, more in control, and more appreciative of their lives — and reach the goals they've set for themselves.
Psychiatry is my second career. Before medicine I worked in technology, running companies. I appreciate the stressors related to the Silicon Valley lifestyle, and I'm grateful to have arrived where I am. I went to medical school at Stanford and completed my residency there as well. I've also worked in the Kaiser, county, and VA systems. I'm a member of the clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, and I see patients there and here, in my private practice.
I'm particularly interested in how environmental exposures — heat, wildfire smoke, air pollution, plastics — affect brain health, sleep, and mood. I serve on the steering committee of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance, publish in the field, and work with patients struggling with eco-anxiety.
The beauty of a private practice is the time it affords both my patients and me — time to dive in deeply, to explore, to understand, and to heal, through a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and other interventions, if we decide together that they could be helpful.
I've trained in interventional treatments as well — TMS, esketamine, and ECT. These are delivered in person rather than by video, so when one is clinically indicated I'll talk it through with you and refer you to a program that provides it.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, playing racket sports, writing, and going to farmers markets.
- Academic appointment Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine
- Residency Psychiatry, Stanford University · Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Health Care System
- Additional training Interventional psychiatry — TMS, esketamine, and ECT
- Medical school Stanford University School of Medicine
- Graduate school Stanford Graduate School of Business
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies - Undergraduate Pomona College, graduated with honors
- Licensed in California
- Memberships American Psychiatric Association · Climate Psychiatry Alliance (steering committee)
What to expect
From first call to ongoing care
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Get in touch
Call or text (650) 395-9192, or send a short email with your name, a phone number, and a sentence about what you're looking for. Please leave clinical details out of texts and email — neither is a secure channel, and we can cover all of that by phone.
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A brief phone call
We'll talk for about 15 minutes, at no charge, to see whether this practice is a good fit for what you need. If it isn't, I'll try to point you somewhere better suited.
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First appointment, by video
First appointments typically run 60 to 90 minutes. You'll get a link by email beforehand — no app to install, just a private space and a decent connection. We'll go through your history, what's happening now, anything you've tried before, and what you want to be different. You'll leave with a plan.
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Ongoing care
Follow-ups run around 25 to 50 minutes, depending on the treatment modality. Frequency varies — generally weekly at first, moving to monthly or every two months once things are stable — again, depending on the treatment modality.
Fees and insurance
How payment works
Insurance
This practice is out-of-network with all insurance plans, and I charge typical market rates for the area. Payment is due at the time of the appointment, and I provide a monthly superbill you can submit to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement.
Checking your benefits. If you plan to seek reimbursement, it's worth calling the number on the back of your insurance card before your first appointment and asking:
- Do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits?
- What is my out-of-network deductible, and how much of it have I met this year?
- Once the deductible is met, what percentage of the allowed amount is reimbursed?
- Is there a limit on the number of visits?
- Do I need prior authorization or a referral to see a psychiatrist?
- How do I submit a superbill, and what is the deadline for submitting one?
It's also worth telling them you'll be seeing a physician — an MD — since some plans handle physician visits differently from visits to other mental health providers.
Good Faith Estimate. You have the right to a written estimate of what treatment will cost before we begin. Read the full notice.
Common questions
Questions people ask first
Do you take my insurance?
No. This practice is out-of-network with all plans. If your plan has out-of-network benefits you may be reimbursed for part of the cost. I provide a monthly superbill with the codes your insurer needs, but submitting the claim is up to you. See How payment works for questions worth asking your insurer first.
Do you see patients on Medicare?
No. I'm unable to work with patients who have Medicare insurance.
Do you offer therapy, or only medication?
I offer both, and sometimes together — depending on what we think will work best for you.
How do prescriptions and refills work?
Prescriptions are sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose. Between appointments, ask your pharmacy to send a refill request and I'll handle it promptly. What your plan covers for the medication itself is separate from what it covers for appointments.
Do you prescribe stimulants and other controlled medications?
Yes, when clinically indicated. Controlled medications generally require regular appointments even when the dose isn't changing.
What is your cancellation policy?
Forty-eight hours' notice is required to change or cancel an appointment. Without it, the full fee for the appointment is charged.
How do I reach you between appointments?
Through secure messaging in the patient portal, Monday through Friday. The portal is encrypted, so unlike text or email it's an appropriate place for clinical questions. For anything urgent, call rather than message.
What if I travel outside California?
I'm licensed in California, so I can only treat you while you're physically in the state. Tell me in advance if you'll be away and we'll work out how to keep your care going.
Contact
Getting in touch
- Phone
- (650) 395-9192
- Where I practice
- Video visits only, throughout California
Texting and email
Text and email are fine for logistics — scheduling, rescheduling, or asking me to call you back. Neither is a secure channel, so please keep anything clinical off both.
Once you're a patient, my online portal has encrypted messaging for clinical questions.
If this is an emergency
This website isn't a way to get urgent help, and messages aren't monitored around the clock. If you're in crisis or having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, free and available 24 hours a day.