A Personalized Approach to Psychiatry in Santa Monica & West Los Angeles
Hi, I’m Dr. Ellen Charles.
Psychiatric care should feel personal and professional. As a direct-pay, out-of-network practice, I provide empathetic evaluations and treatments that are tailored to you, guided by what the evidence shows works best.
I offer in-person visits in my Santa Monica office—serving patients throughout West Los Angeles—as well as telehealth for California residents. Let's start with a free 15-minute introductory call to see if we're a good fit.
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Prompt Access to Care
Appointments typically available within a week
Out-of-Pocket Only
I’ll be happy to provide superbills for your insurance
Board Certified in Psychiatry
I offer psychiatric care built on years of clinical experience
Flexible Appointments
See me in Santa Monica, or online from anywhere in CA
What We Can Face Together
Everyone's mental health journey is unique. My goal is to understand exactly how these challenges are impacting your everyday life so we can build a personalized, evidence-based plan to help you feel like yourself again.
PTSD & Trauma
As a specialist in trauma recovery, I provide a safe, highly sensitive environment to help you process difficult experiences. Using proven, evidence-based therapies, we will work together to reduce the impact of intrusive memories and reactivity on your daily life.
Request Free Consultation ➜OCD
When intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors start taking up too much of your time and energy, the cycle can feel exhausting. I use effective medical and therapeutic strategies to help you break this cycle, reduce your symptoms, and get back to living more freely.
Request Free Consultation ➜Depression
Depression can make daily life feel overwhelming, disrupting your energy, sleep, and focus. I provide comprehensive psychiatric evaluations to understand the biological and psychological factors at play, creating a personalized medication and therapy plan to help restore your well-being.
Request Free Consultation ➜Psychosis
Navigating a disruption in your perception of reality can be deeply confusing and frightening for both you and your loved ones. I provide expert, compassionate psychiatric care to help manage these complex symptoms, stabilize your daily life, and support your ongoing journey toward recovery.
Request Free Consultation ➜Personality Disorders
I help patients navigate the intense emotions and relational challenges that often accompany Borderline Personality Disorder and other personality disorders. Together, we will focus on reducing emotional suffering, developing flexible coping skills, and building a life worth living.
Request Free Consultation ➜ADHD
ADHD isn't just a deficit; it’s a difference in how your brain processes the world. I offer thorough, compassionate assessments to help you effectively manage the challenges of ADHD while preserving the unique creativity and energy that often accompany it.
Request Free Consultation ➜Anxiety & Panic
When anxiety, social fears, or panic attacks start interfering with your activities and causing distress, you don't have to push through it alone. Through tailored, evidence-based psychiatric treatments, I can help you manage these symptoms so you can navigate the world with greater ease and confidence.
Request Free Consultation ➜What I Offer
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Psychiatric Evaluations
Getting a comprehensive understanding of current symptoms, your psychiatric and other medical history, and your goals is an important first step. In a 60-minute session, we will look closely at your history and decide on a treatment plan together.
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Medication Management
For those patients for whom medication is an appropriate part of the treatment plan, follow up sessions will focus on your response to medication, side effects and evolving goals of treatment.
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Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for many conditions and can be used in addition to medication or on its own, depending on the patient. I offer 50-minute psychotherapy sessions.
Experience You Can Trust
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Extensive Clinical Background — I'm here to help you navigate complex mental health challenges, drawing on my previous experience as an attending psychiatrist and lead of the psychiatric emergency department at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.
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Dedicated to Women’s Mental Health — I provide personalized medication management and psychotherapy, built on the strong foundation of my time providing continuous, everyday care for hundreds of female veterans at the VA Women’s Clinic.
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World-Class Training — You can expect the highest standard of evidence-based care, backed by my medical degree (MD) from UCLA and a specialized four-year psychiatry and psychotherapy residency at the renowned UCLA Semel Institute.
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At the Forefront of Psychiatry — I always bring the latest, most effective treatments to our work together, staying at the forefront of the field through my ongoing role as a clinical instructor and supervisor at the UCLA Psychosis Clinic.
How It Works
Getting started is simple. From our very first conversation to your ongoing care, my goal is to ensure you feel heard, supported, and completely confident in your personalized treatment plan.
Let's Chat
We’ll start with a free, 15-minute phone call to understand what you're looking for, and see if my practice is the right fit to support you.
Psychiatric Evaluation
Next is a 60-minute comprehensive session—held either virtually or in person at my Santa Monica office—to get a full picture of your health. Together, we'll agree on a clear, personalized treatment plan.
Ongoing Support
Through careful medication management, psychotherapy, or both, we will work closely together to track your progress, adjusting your care as your needs evolve over time.
Let's Connect
Request a free 15-minute introductory call to see if we're a good fit. Appointments are typically available within a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No, my practice operates as a private-pay, out-of-network clinic. This model allows me to prioritize your privacy and the quality of your care without the administrative constraints of insurance companies. While I do not bill insurance directly, I can provide a detailed invoice (a "superbill") that you can submit to your insurance plan for potential out-of-network reimbursement.
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I offer a hybrid model to best accommodate your lifestyle. We can meet in person at my private office in Santa Monica, or virtually via a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform if you are located anywhere in California.
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I frequently collaborate with other therapists! If you already have a therapist you love working with, I am happy to focus strictly on your medication management while coordinating closely with them to ensure your care is seamless.
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I works with adults ages 18 and older. If you are looking for care for a child or adolescent, I can often provide referrals to colleagues who specialize in those age groups.