Bio

Bio

Dr. Amy Alexander works in the General Psychiatry Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry. She provides combination treatment that includes medication management and weekly short-term psychotherapy for a range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, and panic disorder. Therapy modalities include Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Therapies, and Existential Therapy. She uses a multi-faceted approach, which encourages collaboration with medical providers and family members to support patients, and also works with patients individually on improving their nutrition, exercise, sleep, and relationships with other people to help support recovery from mental illness and to help in long-term maintenance of the progress made in treatment. She has an interest in working with college students, including medical and graduate students. She also has experience in Geriatric Psychiatry. She greatly enjoys working with patients and helping them improve their lives, mental health, and well-being.

Dr. Alexander's main field of interest is in College Mental Health. She is currently the Training Director for the Student Mental Health Fellowship at Stanford. Nationally, she is involved in several collaborations in College Mental Health. She serves as the Co-Chair of the APA (American Psychiatric Association) College Mental Health Caucus. She is also the APA's representative to HEMHA (Higher Education Mental Health Alliance), an alliance of child psychiatrists, psychologists, counseling directors, counselors, and other stakeholders who provide college mental health care. She is also the President and a founding member of the Association for College Psychiatry (AFCP). Other interests include advocating for women's mental health issues. She is currently the Treasurer for the Association for Women Psychiatrists (AWP), and is also working on a national collaboration with the APA Women's Caucus advocating for universal paid parental leave.

Her hobbies include kayaking, swimming, and learning to cook.

Clinical Focus

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Short-Term Psychotherapy
  • College Mental Health

Academic Appointments

  • Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Administrative Appointments

  • Training Director, Student Mental Health Fellowship, Stanford University, Dept of Psychiatry (2017 - Present)

Honors & Awards

  • William Weber Award, (2nd Year Resident who Best Exemplifies Compassionate Psychiatric Care), Stanford University, Dept of Psychiatry
  • Louis & Rachel Rudin Scholarship, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (2002)
  • Regents Scholarship, University of California (1994-1998)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • Co-Chair, APA College Mental Health Caucus, APA (American Psychiatric Association) (2015 - Present)
  • President & Founding Member, Association for College Psychiatry (AFCP), AFCP (Association for College Psychiatry) (2017 - Present)
  • Treasurer, Association of Women Psychiatrists, AWP (Association of Women Psychiatrists) (2016 - Present)
  • APA Representative, Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA), HEMHA (Higher Education Mental Health Alliance) (2016 - Present)

Professional Education

  • Medical Education:University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine (2003) CA
  • Residency:Stanford Hospital and Clinics (2007) CA
  • Chief Residency, Stanford University, Dept of Psychiatry (2007)
  • Board Certification: Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (2013)

Community and International Work

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

    Ongoing Project

    No

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

  • Volunteer, Ronald McDonald House at Stanford

    Ongoing Project

    No

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

  • Stanford CHIPAO (Communication Health Interactive for Parents of Adolescents and Others)

    Ongoing Project

    No

    Opportunities for Student Involvement

    No

Contact

  • Psychiatry Clinic 401 Quarry Rd Rm 2303 Stanford, CA 94305
    • Tel: (650) 736-0532
    Fax: (650) 724-3144

Research & Scholarship

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Current projects:
(1) College mental health:
--Telemental health on college campuses
--Emotional support animals & service animals on college campuses
(2) Women's Health advocacy:
--Advocacy for universal paid parental leave
(3) Mental health & well-being in veterinarians

Publications

All Publications

  • Psychiatric complications of treatment with corticosteroids: Review with case report PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES Kenna, H. A., Poon, A. W., de los Angeles, C. P., Koran, L. M. 2011; 65 (6): 549-560

    Abstract

    Corticosteroids are widely used in modern medicine but can result in troubling psychiatric side-effects. Physicians and other medical professionals should be aware of the potential for these side-effects, possible means of prevention, and efficacious treatments. Herein, we review adult case report data published during the past quarter-century on adverse corticosteroid-induced psychiatric effects, and present a case of corticosteroid-induced psychotic depression. PubMed and PsychLit databases were searched using the terms 'corticosteroids', 'steroids', and the generic names of corticosteroid medications with terms for psychiatric symptoms or syndromes, including psychosis, mania, hypomania, depression, apathy, anxiety, panic, depersonalization, delirium, confusion, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, cognitive impairment and dementia. Fifty-five cases and a number of clinical trials investigating the incidence and treatment of these psychiatric symptoms and syndromes were identified. Data on incidence, drug dose, risk factors, course of illness and treatment (when present) were tabulated. We conclude that the cumulative data indicate that psychiatric complications of corticosteroid treatment are not rare and range from clinically significant anxiety and insomnia, to severe mood and psychotic disorders, delirium and dementia. While tapering or discontinuation of the corticosteroid treatment may remedy these adverse side-effects, psychotropic medications are often required because of the medical necessity of the corticosteroid or the severity of the psychiatric symptom. Further studies are needed to better understand the deleterious psychiatric effects associated with corticosteroids.

    View details for DOI 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2011.02260.x

    View details for Web of Science ID 000296045500002

    View details for PubMedID 22003987

  • Cultural competence: Serving Latino patients JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC ORTHOPAEDICS Poon, A. W., Gray, K. V., Franco, G. C., Cerruti, D. M., Schreck, M. A., Delgado, E. D. 2003; 23 (4): 546-549

    Abstract

    Culturally competent strategies are necessary as populations in many countries become increasingly diverse. In the United States, Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group. In this study, the authors interviewed Latino patients and families, collected demographics from 570 patients in pediatric orthopedic practices in California, and conducted population census and literature reviews. Based on these sources of information, the authors identified barriers to health care for Latino pediatric orthopedic patients and propose culturally competent strategies to overcome these barriers. This approach can be applied to other populations so that culturally competent care is available to patients from all ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000183819100024

    View details for PubMedID 12826958

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