Dr. Francois Williams

I'm a board-certified psychiatrist, but I think of my work as being about people first and diagnoses second. I'm interested not only in the symptoms you're experiencing, but in who you are, where you come from, the relationships and communities that shaped you, and what's happening in your life that brought you here now. I earned my medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine and completed my general psychiatry residency at Baylor College of Medicine. I pursued fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Morehouse School of Medicine. Over my career I've worked in academic medical centers, community settings, college mental health, and private practice, with adolescents and adults from many different backgrounds. I commonly work with people experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship and family difficulties, identity concerns, life transitions, and challenges related to work or school. Psychotherapy has always been central to how I practice psychiatry. I have particular interests in psychodynamic and group psychotherapy, family systems, DBT, and other evidence-based approaches. That means I want to help you feel better — and I'm also curious about why certain patterns keep repeating, what purpose they once served, and what might need to change for life to actually feel different.

I try to offer the kind of psychiatric care I'd want for myself or someone I love: thoughtful, collaborative, unhurried, and grounded in a real relationship. Medication can be genuinely useful. But not every problem needs one, and good psychiatric care shouldn't feel like a series of refills. When we do consider medication, I'll tell you what I'm thinking, what our options are, and the tradeoffs involved. We decide together. I'm also fairly conversational. You don't have to arrive knowing exactly what's wrong or having the right words for it — part of my job is helping us make sense of things together. I'll listen, ask questions, sometimes challenge you, and pay attention to both what's being said and the patterns underneath it. And I'll give it time. Some things can't be understood in a hurry. Culture, family, identity, relationships, work, community, and the places we live in all shape mental health. I don't try to separate any of that from the person sitting in front of me.

The first visit is mostly about understanding your story. We'll talk about what brought you in, what's been weighing on you, what you've already tried, and what you'd like to be different. I'll also ask about your psychiatric and medical history, your relationships, family, and work or school, and other experiences that help me see the fuller picture. Expect a lot of questions — but you'll also have room to tell me what matters most to you. I don't expect us to understand everything in one appointment. By the end of the visit, I'll share what I'm thinking and we'll talk through a plan together. That might involve medication, psychotherapy, behavioral changes, further evaluation, or some combination of the above. Most of all, I want you to leave feeling that you were actually heard, that there's a clear and thoughtful reason behind what we're doing, and that we know where we're headed next.