Corelli Richard J MD

10/24/2024

10/19/2024

Psychotherapy Practice Overview:

As a board-certified, Stanford-trained psychiatrist with over 40 years of experience, I provide high-quality mental health care that integrates psychotherapy and medication management. My approach addresses the whole person—body, mind, and emotions—by combining compassionate talk therapy with medication when necessary. This comprehensive treatment plan enhances the effectiveness of therapy and supports long-term healing.

Why Choose a Psychiatrist for Psychotherapy?

As a psychiatrist, I offer the distinct advantage of combining talk therapy with the ability to prescribe and manage psychiatric medications. While many therapists provide excellent psychotherapy, I bring an additional level of expertise by addressing the biological aspects of mental health, particularly in mood and anxiety disorders, where brain chemistry plays a significant role. My experience shows that an integrated approach often leads to quicker, more sustainable improvements.

My Approach to Psychotherapy

I believe in compassionate, individualized care. Each patient is unique, requiring a tailored treatment plan based on their personal history, challenges, and goals. I incorporate a range of therapeutic modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques. My goal is to create a supportive, understanding environment where patients can make meaningful changes and address concerns such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), relationship issues, and life transitions.

The Role of Medication in Treatment

While talk therapy is highly effective, some patients may benefit from medication to alleviate symptoms that hinder their progress in therapy. Medications can help stabilize mood, reduce anxiety, and improve overall engagement in therapy. When needed, I take a thoughtful and collaborative approach to prescribing, focusing on the most effective treatment at the lowest dose, ensuring minimal side effects. Throughout treatment, I monitor patients closely, making adjustments as needed and maintaining open communication.

Tailored Treatment Plans

During the initial assessment, I take a comprehensive history to gain a deep understanding of the patient’s unique needs. From there, we collaboratively develop a personalized treatment plan that may include both psychotherapy and medication. Whether medication is needed for a short-term boost or long-term management, I offer ongoing support and ensure the plan evolves with the patient’s changing needs.

Areas of Expertise

My areas of expertise include:

• Mood Disorders: I help individuals manage depression and bipolar disorder through a combination of psychotherapy and medication.
• Anxiety Disorders: For generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, I work with patients to identify root causes and develop coping strategies, often integrating medication when necessary.
• Life Transitions: I provide support for navigating major life changes such as divorce, loss, or retirement.
• Relationship Issues: Therapy offers a space to explore challenges in romantic, familial, or social relationships.
• Eating Disorders: I help patients develop healthier relationships with food and their bodies.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: I use a multifaceted approach to manage obsessive-compulsive behaviors through therapy and medication.

Long-Term Healing and Growth

My practice focuses on long-term healing and personal growth. I view psychotherapy as a process of self-discovery, helping patients gain insight into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while cultivating resilience and self-compassion. My goal is to empower patients to create fulfilling, meaningful lives beyond immediate challenges.

A Compassionate, Empathic Approach

I am deeply committed to providing compassionate, empathic care. I understand that seeking help for mental health issues can be vulnerable, so I strive to build strong, trusting relationships with patients. My approach is patient-centered, and I work collaboratively with each individual to develop a treatment plan that aligns with their values and preferences.

Conclusion

With over 40 years of experience, I am passionate about providing comprehensive mental health care. By integrating psychotherapy and medication management, I offer a holistic approach that addresses the whole person and promotes long-term healing and growth. If you’re ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, I invite you to reach out to my practice. Together, we can work towards a brighter, more fulfilling future.

01/20/2023

Richard J. Corelli, M.D. posted a video on LinkedIn

01/19/2023

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richardcorelli_activity-7009828096468017152-Yl6i?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

Richard J. Corelli, M.D. posted a video on LinkedIn

12/17/2022

12/07/2022

Hacking the Holiday Blues - Half Moon Bay Review. Half Moon Bay Review reporter April Seager interviews psychiatrist Richard J. Corelli MD about finding light in the darkness of winter.

11/26/2022

Bio
I am a board-certified Stanford trained adult psychiatrist in practice for over 35 years. I provide compassionate, empathic and knowledge based care. Together, we will gain insight and knowledge about you and where your strengths and conflicts may be. Each person comes with a unique background and through this perspective, I will work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. It is important to understand you as a whole person so that I can provide you with the most up-to-date treatment recommendations. My areas of specialty include mood disorders, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and life transitions including divorce and loss. I provide psychotherapy and medication with integration of both when indicated. I received my MD from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed my psychiatry training at Stanford University Medical Center. My practice is located close to downtown Palo Alto with satellite offices in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay for patients who live on the coastside. You can visit my website at: http://web.stanford.edu/~corelli/ and you can read some of the articles I have written about my clinical interests at: http://web.stanford.edu/~corelli/shortworks.html

11/26/2022

Bio
I am a board-certified Stanford trained adult psychiatrist in practice for over 35 years. I provide compassionate, empathic and knowledge based care. Together, we will gain insight and knowledge about you and where your strengths and conflicts may be. Each person comes with a unique background and through this perspective, I will work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. It is important to understand you as a whole person so that I can provide you with the most up-to-date treatment recommendations. My areas of specialty include mood disorders, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and life transitions including divorce and loss. I provide psychotherapy and medication with integration of both when indicated. I received my MD from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed my psychiatry training at Stanford University Medical Center. My practice is located close to downtown Palo Alto with satellite offices in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay for patients who live on the coastside. You can visit my website at: http://web.stanford.edu/~corelli/ and you can read some of the articles I have written about my clinical interests at: http://web.stanford.edu/~corelli/shortworks.html

11/16/2022

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa affect many persons with 90-95% of cases occurring in women. Preoccupation with weight and body size is a primary symptom in both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The extent of these eating disorders ranges from 1-10% of adolescents and young women although some women develop eating disorders later in life e.g. after the birth of their first child and some women turn to weight and body perfection as a way to establish some type of identity or to cope with marital and sexual issues or to deal with separation from their own grown-up children.

Patients with anorexia nervosa drastically diet and restrict food intake to as few as several hundred calories per day, limit food selection, and often demonstrate compulsive symptoms regarding food and other matters. Patients with anorexia nervosa experience an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat even though they may be seriously underweight. The person claims to feel fat even when emaciated or may feel that one area of the body is too fat. As body weight declines menstruation ceases. Anorexia nervosa seems to be a particular occupational hazard among models, ballerinas and gymnasts where our cultural obsession for thinness and perfection reaches its highest levels. Patients with bulimia nervosa are often of normal weight or slightly overweight but suffer from frequent eating binges which are recurrent episodes of rapid consumption of a large amount of food in a short period of time. They feel a lack of control over eating behavior during the eating binges and may engage in self-induced vomiting after meals, use of laxatives or diuretics, strict dieting or fasting, or vigorous exercise in order to prevent weight gain and are often self-destructive in other ways as well. Patients with either type of eating disorder may exercise for hours daily and may demonstrate unusual food preferences, social isolation, diminished sexual interest and depression. There is a persistent overconcern with body weight and shape. Many patients demonstrate both anorexic and bulimic behaviors together and up to half of anorexia nervosa patients may eventually develop bulimic symptoms.

Physical complications of anorexia nervosa include malnutrition and cardiovascular compromise, low blood pressure and slow heart rate, loss of menstrual periods, dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, fluid retention, osteoporosis, infertility, gastrointestinal motility disturbances, and hypothermia. Physical complications of bulimia nervosa include electrolyte disturbances, mineral and fluid imbalances, gastric and esophageal irritation and bleeding, large bowel abnormalities secondary to laxative abuse, fluid retention, and erosion of dental enamel and gingivitis secondary to vomiting. The early childhood histories of patients with eating disorders are often complicated by medical and surgical illnesses, separations, family deaths and behavioral disturbances. Sexual abuse has been reported in 20-50% of patients with bulimia nervosa. Patients with anorexia nervosa show increased rates of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Patients with bulimia nervosa show increased rates for anxiety, chemical dependency, manic-depression, personality disorders, dissociative symptoms, sexual conflicts and disturbances, and a variety of impulsive behaviors that may include overspending, shoplifting, promiscuity and self-mutilation. The families of patients with bulimia nervosa often show increased rates of substance abuse particularly alcoholism along with depression and obesity.

Many of the physical and psychological symptoms of eating disorders may result from starvation and malnutrition. Starvation disturbs sleep, impairs concentration, and causes indecisiveness, preoccupation with food, mood lability, anxiety, irritability and depression. Patients with eating disorders often experience a pervasive ineffectiveness in their lives which results in an attempt to gain self-control in the area of weight and body size. These patients often feel ill-equipped for the developmental tasks of growing up and this results in a weak sense of sexual identity and a pervasive sense of ineffectiveness and helplessness. Preoccupation with appearance and weight may become a focus for attempts at mastery and self-control during a stormy adolescence when struggles for autonomy, identity, self-respect and self-control take place. There may be a fear or rejection of adulthood.

Parents may have high expectations for the their children to succeed and may place unrealistic expectations on them. Women with greater degrees of conflict regarding maturation, separation, sexuality, self-esteem, or compulsivity may be more prone to develop eating disorders. Initially patients may be praised for thinness by family and peers but eventually they experience a growing sense of the eating disorder becoming their core identity. Other patients will persistently deny the abnormality or the severity of their eating disorder. Self-worth and attractiveness have become too closely associated with dieting and weight control for women in Western culture. More than 50% of women in United States report that they are dieting. The current epidemic of eating disorders may be related to our societal overevaluation of thinness and beauty.

10/12/2022