Psychiatrist Simi Valley: Contact Dr. Jesalva Today

If you are suffering from a mental illness and are searching for a psychiatrist in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks or another nearby city, I can help. Whether you need help with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, ADHD or other mental illnesses, I encourage you to give me a call and set up a consultation.
 
My Philosophy
Too often, people feel shame about mental illness and believe that seeking treatment is a sign of weakness. However, psychiatric disorders are not a weakness, they are simply biological diseases that often are treatable.
 
Seeking professional help for mental disorders is no different than seeking treatment for any other type of illness. Would you feel ashamed for seeking treatment for an ear infection or asthma or appendicitis? Of course not.
 
You should feel no hesitation about seeking treatment for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse or any other mental illness. Everyone deserves a chance to live a happy, healthy life and seeking treatment can lead you out of the darkness of mental illness and toward a much brighter future. Here’s a quick look at some of the disorders I treat.
 
ADD/ADHD
While both terms were used for many years, ADHD is now the preferred term for this type of brain disorder, which occurs both in children and adults. ADHD has a wide range of symptoms, ranging from an inability to focus to hyperactivity and impulsivity. An ADHD psychiatrist can provide you with a diagnosis and prescribe medication if necessary as well as recommend other treatment options and strategies to help make life easier.
 
Addiction
If you need addiction treatment, either for drugs or alcohol, I can help. Addiction is a disease that cannot be cured but can be managed successfully. A person with addiction will need a plan to help them maintain sobriety and to help deal with the side effects of quitting alcohol or drugs, which can include mood shifts, depression, anxiety and stress. While this sounds daunting, with proper support and treatment, all of this can be managed and long term.
 
Anxiety
Everyone has worries and stress from time to time, but for people with anxiety, this is a chronic, day-to-day battle that often interferes with work, home life and socialization. People with anxiety often feel constantly on edge and anxiety can cause fatigue, mood changes, sleep issues and even panic attacks. Anxiety is not a sign of weakness; it’s a biological disorder and an anxiety psychiatrist can help you manage and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
 
Bipolar Disorder
Many people with bipolar disorder mistakenly believe that treatment cannot be effective in managing the many symptoms of this disease, but that is simply untrue. It can take time to find the ideal treatment for each patient, but the mania, depression and other symptoms can be treated, and an experienced bipolar disorder psychiatrist can help.
 
Depression
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 17 million American adults suffer from major depression. Depression can make life extremely difficult and many people with major depression or chronic depression attempt suicide. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call 988 to reach the national Suicide & Crisis Hotline. Help is available 24/7)
 
Many of my patients have sought the services of a depression psychiatrist in the past and found that treatment was unsuccessful. However, previous treatment options simply might not have been a good fit for your needs. There are many new treatments available, and we likely can find an option that helps reduce or even eliminate your symptoms.
 
Co-Occurring Disorders & Psychiatric Consultations
In many cases, my patients will suffer from more than one mental disorder or perhaps a combination of physical disorders and mental health disorders. For any type of treatment to be successful, diagnosing and treating all co-occurring disorders is crucial.
 
For instance, if a patient has chronic pain and addiction, this pain likely led to the addiction in the first place. If a person has bipolar disorder and addiction, it’s also likely that the bipolar disorder led the patient to self-medicate with drugs and/or alcohol. People with an eating disorder might also suffer from depression or anxiety, etc. If we don’t treat all of these issues, then treatment is likely to be less successful.
 
Often, psychiatrists don’t take the time necessary to create a comprehensive diagnosis. They simply focus on one disorder and miss other issues that also are affecting a patient’s wellbeing. I will provide you with a thorough diagnosis that takes into account all of your symptoms, both mental and physical.
 
The diagnostic process will include several sessions and also might include some physical tests, including bloodwork and other diagnostic tools. For instance, we may find that a physical condition or perhaps even a medication you currently are taking is causing some of your symptoms.
 
I believe that a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach is the best option for all of my patients and my treatment framework addresses four dimensions – biological, psychological, sociological and spiritual. There is nothing more fulfilling to me than providing care and helping my patients experience happier and healthier lives.
 
Treatment Options
There are many types of mental health professionals, including therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists. While all three might provide a diagnosis, only a psychiatrist can prescribe medication and psychiatrists also attended medical school and are medical doctors with medical degrees.
 
Therapists and psychologists provide other treatment options, such as talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Typically, psychiatrists provide diagnosis and suggest treatment options but do not provide the actual therapy beyond prescribing medications. Not all treatment plans will include medication, but even if medication, I highly recommend using additional therapies, such as behavioral therapies as a combination approach generally is the most successful.
 
There are many medication-assisted treatment options and medication can be a highly effective way to reduce or eliminate symptoms of a mental illness. Keep in mind, that it can take weeks or months to find the best medication and the best dosage to help reduce or eliminate your symptoms.
 
We also can consider alternative treatments, if traditional medications don’t seem to work or you perhaps want to try a different approach. For instance, ketamine can be an option for patients with treatment-resistant depression and possibly for those with severe anxiety disorders. While this is a type of medication-assisted treatment, it typically only involves short-term, controlled use in a doctor’s office.
 
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is another option for treatment-resistant depression. This is a treatment that uses an electromagnetic pulse to the nerve cells in the part of your brain that controls mood. For people with depression, this area of the brain often suffers from decreased activity and stimulating the nerve cells may help reduce depression symptoms.
 
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is another alternative treatment, typically used for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In some cases, EMDR may be used to treat some types of anxiety and panic disorders, as well.
 
In-Person Services & Telepsychiatry
While I am conveniently located for those needing a psychiatrist in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and even the greater Los Angeles area, I do also work as a virtual psychiatrist. This can be a good option for patients outside of my treatment area or for those who simply love the convenience of meeting virtually rather than in person. Whether you want to meet in person or online, please don’t wait another day to call and schedule a consultation so that we can set you on a path toward a happier life.