Helios Psychiatry

Feb 2021

I prefer to remain private with this topic (and yes, I may be using a pen name...), but it is important for me to share this review, which has been on my mind for over a month now. I have lived most of my life with major depression and have tried and failed multiple treatments. Then along came Helios Psychiatry. I became a patient of Meredith Bergman, MD, who is one of the two board-certified psychiatrists on the team (the other is Jennifer Dore, MD, who founded Helios in 2014). Dr. Bergman is brilliant (go ahead and just read her bio and credentials on the Helios website for an inkling), compassionate, attentive, insightful, funny, down-to-earth, and grounded in the utmost professionalism. She knows when to be tough and she knows when to go easy - and everything in between. Dr. Bergman thrives at offering immediate and deep insights... sometimes I feel like I'm just getting something silly off my chest and then - Dr. Bergman mic drop! - the lights turn on in the 60-seconds or less it takes her to convey a profound, yet easy to understand perspective. These aren't isolated incidents, either; they are deeply embedded in the care she provides. And the more Dr. Bergman has helped me understand why I tick the way I tick, the more connections I am able to make. It is scary at times, especially when you are called to action to actively do/change something in accordance with what you have learned. This is not easy and can feel downright insurmountable, but Dr. Bergman is right there with me, the whole way, and works at my pace by helping me break down daunting behemoth-like goals into several, smaller sub-goals. Am I "cured"? Well, no. This isn't necessarily about eliminating depression - that will likely always be with me to some degree. It is, at least in part, about understanding the sources of ingrained and unhealthy thoughts and perceptions, and learning they don't have to rule over or define me. I may have a long way to go, but under Dr. Bergman's care, I have made more progress than I ever thought possible. I humbly submit my highest recommendation for Dr. Bergman and the Helios practice. P.S. And thank you, Dr. Dore, for switching gears from your prior life and bringing Helios to the community!

Jun 2020

Comprehensive quality care with an extremely knowledgable, intelligent, compassionate and down to earth staff! I am mental health therapist who is willing to travel the distance from the east bay to be seen by the staff at Helios. I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Dore and was absolutely blown away by her brilliance. She thinks both in and out of the box when it comes to treatments and the knowledge base she possess is extraordinary! Her staff is all around amazing, highly trained and dedicated to their work. They are on the cutting edge of treatments (such as ketamine assisted psychotherapy) and really do look at the whole person when working with clients. As a patient of Helios, I don't feel like a number or a case study- I feel like an individual with my own unique set of difficulties and I feel supported in finding the right treatment(s). I am such a fan of Helios that I often refer my own clients to them. We need more psychiatry practices like this!