Dr. Jeremy Orgel

I am a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and psychotherapist in private practice since 1994. I received my BA in Comparative Literature and my MA in English from Columbia University and my MD from New York University School of Medicine. I completed my residency at UCSF/Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute and my psychoanalytic training at San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis. I work with adults and adolescents. My background in the humanities and the sciences informs all of my work. In addition to my office practice, I was an attending psychiatrist and medical director at an adolescent inpatient psychiatric hospital for 25 years. I am comfortable and skilled with working with people of all ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and sexual and gender orientations. I do prescribe medications when I feel that they will be helpful but only when my patients are comfortable with taking them; I don't rush to recommend medications or push reluctant patients to take them. Many of my patients see me for psychotherapy only, some for psychotherapy plus medication, and some for medication alone. I work collaboratively with non-medical clinicians who often refer their patients for diagnostic evaluations and medication consultations and management. I am particularly interested in working with patients who have medical conditions in addition to mental health challenges.

I am non-judgmental, and non-directive; I help my patients define and meet their goals rather than imposing an agenda on them. I ask a lot of questions but I don't hesitate to give my recommendations and impressions when I think that they will be helpful. I strive to create an atmosphere in which people can feel safe and comfortable. I strongly believe that it is vital to learn about a person's current concerns, past history, family of origin and childhood, cultural background, and health status in order to be able to provide thorough and comprehensive care. My approach is holistic. I am strongly influenced by psychoanalytic and psychodynamic thinking but I am not rigid or dogmatic in my approach. I am convinced that there is also room for humor and playfulness in psychotherapy: my patients may well find that it can be fun to work with me. I offer every patient a full 50-60 minute appointment regardless of their reasons for meeting with me. Doing so permits patients to not feel rushed. Rather, they are more likely to feel that all of their concerns are being heard and addressed. I believe that a good therapeutic relationship is essential to healing. I do my best to create one with my patients.

Patients can expect me to listen carefully to them. I always do my best to make them feel welcome and safe so that they can feel free to tell me what is most concerning them. I ask questions in order to get a good overview of their situation and then will offer my understanding of the problems to be addressed and my recommendations for how to work on them. I hope that patients come away from the first session with a better sense of their issues and goals and a good idea of what it would feel like to work with me going forward.