Dr. Aleksandra Phillips

My path into psychiatry began in surgery, where I originally planned to become a neurosurgeon. During medical school, I participated in a diving expedition and later worked on the Biosphere 2 project — experiences that immersed me in extreme environments and sparked a deep curiosity about how people think, feel, and relate to one another under pressure. That curiosity led me to psychiatry, and since then I have combined rigorous medical training with psychodynamic study to better understand and treat the whole person, not just the symptoms. I provide telehealth psychiatric care to adults, adolescents, and children in Massachusetts and Connecticut, with a special focus on trauma, treatment-resistant conditions, and pediatric psychiatry, including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Many of the people I work with have felt unheard or discouraged in previous treatment — and I take that seriously.

I use a biopsychosocial framework, meaning I take the time to understand not just your symptoms, but the biological, psychological, and social factors shaping your experience. From there, I develop an individualized treatment plan that may include pharmacotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, or a combination of both — whatever is most effective for you specifically. At the heart of my approach is a commitment to creating a space that is warm, non-judgmental, and genuinely empathic, because I believe that feeling safe and respected is not just a nice feature of good care — it is the foundation of it.

Your first session is primarily about me understanding you. I will conduct a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, asking about your history, your current struggles, your strengths, and what has or hasn't worked in the past — with no agenda other than making sure I have a full and accurate picture of who you are and what you need. Many patients tell me this conversation feels different from what they've experienced before, that they finally feel heard. My goal is for you to leave that first session knowing you are in the right place, with the beginnings of a clear, honest, and collaborative plan.