FAQs

About Our Practice

Who are the psychiatrists at Seaside Psychiatry?

Seaside Psychiatry is led by Dr. Nadia Nassar Kuhn, MD, founder and medical director, a fellowship-trained Child, Adolescent & Adult Psychiatrist in Encinitas, California. Dr. Nassar Kuhn completed her Psychiatry Residency at UC Irvine and her Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UC San Diego. She is joined by Dr. Nisha Patel, MD, who completed her Psychiatry Residency at New York Medical College and her Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UC San Diego. Together, they provide individualized psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in Encinitas and via telehealth throughout California.

What makes Seaside Psychiatry different?

Seaside Psychiatry intentionally maintains a small patient panel so each patient receives personalized, relationship-centered care from the same physician. Appointments are longer and never rushed, allowing time to understand the person behind the symptoms. We thoughtfully integrate medication management, psychotherapy, lifestyle factors, and collaboration with other members of your care team when appropriate.

Who typically seeks care at Seaside Psychiatry?

Our patients include children, adolescents, professionals, executives, physicians, entrepreneurs, attorneys, athletes, and high-achieving families. Many are navigating anxiety, ADHD, burnout, performance pressure, life transitions, or other concerns that require more individualized psychiatric care.

Getting Started

Are you accepting new patients?

Yes. Seaside Psychiatry accepts a limited number of new patients for child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry in Encinitas and via telehealth throughout California. Referrals are welcome but not required. Because we intentionally maintain a small patient panel, availability may be limited.

What does a first appointment look like?

Initial psychiatric evaluations typically last 60–120 minutes. Your physician takes a thorough history of your current concerns, background, relationships, lifestyle, previous treatment, and goals. You leave with a clear clinical impression and personalized recommendations, whether or not medication is part of the plan.

Can I be seen if I live outside Encinitas?

Yes. While our office is in Encinitas, we serve patients throughout North County San Diego, including Carlsbad, Cardiff, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Rancho Santa Fe, and La Jolla. We also provide secure telehealth throughout California.​​​​​​​

What appointment lengths do you offer?

Initial psychiatric evaluations are 60–120 minutes. Follow-up appointments are tailored to each patient's needs, with 50-, 80-, and 120-minute options, as well as 25-minute interim visits for focused follow-up. Our scheduling is designed around the patient rather than a one-size-fits-all model.​​​​​​​

Can I be seen if I live outside Encinitas?

Absolutely. While our office is located in Encinitas, California, we serve patients from across North County San Diego — including Carlsbad, Cardiff, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Rancho Santa Fe, and La Jolla — as well as patients throughout California via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth. Patients outside the San Diego area may work with Dr. Nadia Nassar Kuhn, MD, or Dr. Nisha Patel, MD, exclusively through telehealth, depending on their needs and availability.

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Is there a child psychiatrist near Encinitas or Carlsbad?

Yes. Dr. Nadia Nassar Kuhn, MD, and Dr. Nisha Patel, MD, are fellowship-trained Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists who care for children and adolescents ages 5–18. Seaside Psychiatry is located in Encinitas and serves families throughout North County San Diego, as well as families throughout California via telehealth.

Do you work with high-achieving students and student athletes?

Yes. Dr. Nassar Kuhn works with many high-achieving students and young athletes navigating academic pressure, performance demands, anxiety, ADHD, perfectionism, and burnout. Our goal is to support both mental health and sustainable performance without losing sight of the whole person.

How does Seaside Psychiatry involve parents in a child's care?

Parent involvement is tailored to the child's age and needs. For younger children, parents are central to the evaluation and treatment plan. With adolescents, we balance the young person's privacy and independence with appropriate parental involvement, while collaborating with therapists, pediatricians, schools, and learning specialists when helpful and with consent.

Adult Psychiatry

What does an adult psychiatrist treat at Seaside Psychiatry?

Adult psychiatry at Seaside addresses concerns including anxiety, ADHD, depression, burnout, executive stress, life transitions, sleep disorders, postpartum concerns, OCD, trauma-related conditions, and mood disorders. Dr. Nassar Kuhn takes a whole-person approach, considering the individual's history, relationships, lifestyle, and goals alongside symptoms.

I'm a high-performing professional. How is Seaside different?

High performers may appear to be doing well while quietly struggling with anxiety, ADHD, perfectionism, burnout, or overwhelming demands. Dr. Nassar Kuhn understands the particular pressures of high-performance careers and provides thoughtful, discreet psychiatric care designed around the individual rather than a standard treatment template.

Do you treat adult ADHD? What does that look like at Seaside Psychiatry?

Yes. Adult ADHD is an important area of care at Seaside Psychiatry. Dr. Nassar Kuhn's evaluations consider developmental and academic history, current functioning, previous treatment, and the broader clinical picture before making a diagnosis. Treatment may include medication, behavioral strategies, lifestyle changes, or a combination.

Do you prescribe controlled substances, including stimulants for ADHD?

Yes, when clinically appropriate. Our physicians take a careful, evidence-based approach to controlled medications, including stimulants for ADHD. Prescribing decisions are based on a comprehensive evaluation, appropriate monitoring, and California prescribing requirements.

Medication

Will I definitely be prescribed medication?

No. Medication is one treatment option, not an automatic part of psychiatric care. Our physicians take a conservative, evidence-based approach and will discuss medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, or a combination based on what is most appropriate for you.

Can I transfer my existing psychiatric medications to Seaside Psychiatry?

Yes. If you are currently taking psychiatric medications and are looking for a physician who will manage your care with greater depth, continuity, and transparency, we welcome transfer-of-care consultations. Your physician will conduct a thorough review of your current medications and history, discuss your experience and response to date, and work with you to develop a forward-looking plan that you understand completely — including what we are prescribing, why, and what to expect.

How does Seaside approach medication management differently?

Medication management is an ongoing clinical conversation. We discuss why a medication is being recommended, what to expect, potential side effects, alternatives, and how we will monitor your response. Treatment decisions are individualized rather than based on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Do you help patients reduce or stop psychiatric medications they no longer need?

Yes — and we consider thoughtful deprescribing one of the most important and undervalued parts of psychiatric care. Many patients come to us on medications that were started years ago, without a clear rationale or exit plan. When a medication is no longer clinically indicated — or was never the right fit — we approach reduction and discontinuation with the same care, precision, and monitoring we bring to initiating treatment. Deprescribing is never rushed, never abrupt, and always guided by how you are actually responding.

Therapy & Lifestyle Optimization

Do you incorporate lifestyle optimization into psychiatric treatment?

Yes — we treat it as a clinical priority, not an afterthought. Sleep, exercise, nutrition, stress physiology, and hormonal health have profound measurable effects on mood, cognition, anxiety, and resilience. Targeted lifestyle changes can sometimes equal or reduce the need for medication.

Do you offer CBT for insomnia?

Yes. Dr. Patel offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) for adults. CBT-I is an evidence-based, non-medication treatment that addresses the behavioral and cognitive patterns that contribute to chronic insomnia.

What is the difference between CBT-I and sleep medication? Which does Seaside Psychiatry recommend?

CBT-I addresses the underlying behavioral and cognitive patterns that maintain insomnia, while sleep medications primarily target symptoms. CBT-I can provide lasting improvement without relying on medication, although medication may be appropriate in some situations. The best approach depends on the individual patient and may include CBT-I, medication, or both.

What lifestyle changes actually make a measurable difference in psychiatric symptoms?

Sleep consistency, regular exercise, nutrition, caffeine and alcohol use, and stress regulation can all influence mood, anxiety, cognition, and resilience. Our physicians focus on practical, evidence-based changes that fit the patient's life rather than generic advice.

Care Coordination & Collaboration

Do you collaborate with other members of my care team?

Yes — and we consider this essential to excellent psychiatric care. We collaborate closely with therapists, pediatricians, primary care physicians, specialists, and school staff when appropriate and with your consent. Good outcomes often depend on communication across the full care team, and we take that responsibility seriously.

I already have a therapist I trust. Can I still see a psychiatrist at Seaside?

Absolutely. Many of our patients already work with a therapist. With your permission, we can collaborate with your therapist so psychotherapy and psychiatric care remain aligned.

Do you work with my child's school or pediatrician?

Yes. When appropriate and with parental consent, we can communicate with pediatricians, teachers, school counselors, learning specialists, and other members of a child's care team.

Do you communicate with primary care physicians and specialists?

Yes. We collaborate with primary care physicians and specialists when there is clinical relevance, including around medications, medical conditions, and factors that may affect psychiatric symptoms or treatment.

Telehealth

Do you offer telehealth psychiatry in California?

Yes. We offer secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth for new and established patients throughout California. Patients must be physically located within California at the time of the appointment.

Can I complete my initial psychiatric evaluation via telehealth?

Yes, in most cases. Adults and adolescents can generally complete initial evaluations via telehealth. For younger children, an in-person evaluation may be preferred to allow for fuller clinical observation. The approach is determined case by case.

Can children be seen via telehealth?

Yes. Telehealth is available for many children and adolescents throughout California, particularly for follow-up care. For younger children, an in-person initial evaluation is often preferred.