Psychiatry and Mental Health Services
ADULT PSYCHIATRYMind and Brain Link offers diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of a range of adult mental health and psychiatric conditions.
Now accepting new patients.
Our Services
Medication Management
Dr. Aiyer provides medication treatments for a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, and insomnia.
In-Person Evaluations
Dr. Aiyer offers in person evaluations, as he is aware that many patients prefer to consult their Psychiatrist in person. All new and initial evaluations with Dr. Aiyer are required to be in person.
Telehealth
Dr. Aiyer offers telepsychiatry service that is convenient and accessible, using our HIPAA-compliant software. This service will be offered for follow-up visits on a case by case basis, and will be discussed with you after your initial in person evaluation.
Expert Second Opinion
Dr. Aiyer also offers a one-time expert consultation: a second opinion on a complex set of symptoms, clarity on a newly diagnosed condition, or medication options that previous specialists haven't raised.
With over 60 publications and invited talks at international conferences, his opinion is evidence-based and individualized to your mental health needs. And as Principal Investigator on several clinical trials, he stays current on the latest treatment options in psychiatry — a depth of medication knowledge few specialists in the field can offer.
We are a Direct-Pay Practice
Dr. Aiyer's practice is intentionally out-of-network, so your care can follow your needs rather than an insurance company's requirements. This lets him spend real time with you — for a thorough evaluation, meaningful follow-up, and treatment planning you build together.
How often you meet, how long visits run, and which treatments make sense are decisions you and Dr. Aiyer make based on what's clinically right for you, not on reimbursement rules or paperwork. With less administrative burden, more attention goes where it belongs: a strong therapeutic relationship and thoughtful, evidence-based psychiatric care.
If you have out-of-network benefits, we're glad to provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement.
Conditions We Treat
Depression
This is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses that hundreds of millions of people experience all over the world. It can be caused by all kinds of stressors and stressful events in a person’s life, and can also be triggered by physical illnesses. The symptoms of this illness are thoughts and feelings of sadness, low energy, loss of interest and motivation, feeling hopeless and worthless, being unable to function at home and at work, having poor attention and concentration, sleep and appetite disturbances, no longer finding enjoyment in life and sometimes having suicidal thoughts and feelings. Without treatment, future depression episodes can often present as more severe. There are a number of medications that can treat this condition. Learn more »
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with this condition have excessive worry or anxiety that is out of proportion to the situation and can interfere with quality of life. They are often considered as “worriers” or as “nervous” by their family and friends. The anxiety can be accompanied by restlessness, sleep difficulties, irritability, poor concentration and muscle tension. The condition tends to be chronic, but can fluctuate in its severity and is often worsened by stress. It often presents with other anxiety or mood disorders, such as depression.
There are several effective medication treatments to treat anxiety. Learn more »
Social Anxiety Disorder
People with social anxiety are afraid of being subject to public scrutiny, and they also have a fear of behaving in a way which will be embarrassing or humiliating for them. This can occur in certain social situations, such as going to a busy restaurant or attending a concert. This leads to a persistent fear and ultimately to avoidance or endurance with extreme distress, of the social situation. The anxiety may be limited to specific situations such as speaking, eating, using a public bathroom or waiting in public, when it is referred to as performance anxiety, or can impact onmore general social situations.
This condition can be treated with psychiatric medications in conjunction with talk therapy. Learn more »
Adjustment Disorder
This condition is the development of significant emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to identifiable psychological stressors, such as a divorce or being fired from a job. Some people experience symptoms of depression, others experience symptoms of anxiety, and it can also present as a combination of both. There may be both disturbances of emotions and conduct. The stressor may be a single event or there may be multiple stressors. Adjustment disorders can persist, if the stressor or its consequences persist. The condition can be effectively treated by interventions that reduce the stressor, by strengthening the person’s coping mechanisms, and maximizing their support system. Medications can be used to effectively treat the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Learn more »
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
People who have experienced either a single, significantly traumatizing event in their lives, such as violent assault, an automobile accident, a natural disaster or have witnessed a traumatic event or have experienced multiple repetitive traumatic events such as physical, sexual or emotional abuse, ongoing domestic violence, extreme neglect and sudden, catastrophic medical illness, and who as a result experience intense fear, helplessness or horror, may develop a syndrome in which they re-experience the traumatic events with painful memories, vivid sensory experiences, have intrusive thoughts and emotions surrounding the trauma and also experience nightmares, flashbacks and hallucinations in which they relive the trauma. The person will avoid reminders of the trauma and will experience psychological numbing, consisting of an overall sense of detachment, a diminished range of emotions and withdrawal from important activities. The person can also be in a continuous state of arousal causing disturbed sleep, irritability, anger statements, difficulty concentrating, being over vigilant and having an exaggerated startle response.
There are effective treatments available for this condition including medications and different types of talk therapy. Learn more »
Panic Disorder
This condition is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are discrete episodes of intense anxiety that come on abruptly and peak in about 10 minutes. The panic attacks can be associated with several physical symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, a choking sensation in the throat, and sweating. Over time, the person becomes apprehensive about future panic attacks. A complication of panic disorder is agoraphobia, in which the person is anxious and becomes avoidant of places or situations from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing.
Agoraphobia can greatly restrict a person’s daily activities, leading to becoming dependent on others to face situations outside the home and often become homebound. There are several effective medications for this condition. Learn more »
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
This disorder is characterized by repetitive, intrusive or unwarranted thoughts such as fear of contamination and/or compulsive behaviors or rituals, such as repeated hand washing caused by the fear of contamination. Obsessions and compulsions cause considerable anxiety and distress, and generally interfere with a person’s quality of life. The disorder may present on its own or may be accompanied by symptoms of anxiety and depression.
OCD can be treated with a combination of medications and talk therapy. Learn more »
Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleep disturbance that can cause difficulty falling or staying asleep, or both. Certain people may also wake up earlier than expected. Due to insomnia, during the day people may feel lethargic, have issues with concentration, memory, and attention. These problems can negatively impact on their performance, professionally and personally. It can also lead to mood disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Effective medications are available for this condition. Learn more »
Adult Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that is usually diagnosed in children, but also negatively impacts adults. Symptoms experienced by people with a diagnosis of ADHD can include being easily distracted while talking to people, difficulty organizing tasks, often losing items like cellphones and purses, frequently forgetting appointments, procrastinating and leaving work to be done until last minute, constantly fidgeting, interrupting others in conversations and talking excessively. The majority of symptoms revolve around a patient’s inability to focus, concentrate and stay attentive.
Diagnosis can be done clinically by a Psychiatrist through a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, but often further testing by a Neuropsychologist is needed to confirm the condition as ADHD, which our clinic can provide a referral for if clinically indicated. If a diagnosis is confirmed, medications are extremely effective in treating ADHD symptoms. Learn more »
Your Path to Wellness
1) Introductory Phone Call with Dr. Aiyer
This is a free 15 minute initial phone call, where your psychiatric symptoms and past mental health history are screened. The purpose of this call is to ensure your mental health goals align with the treatment plans and options our clinic has to offer. If determined you are a good fit for the clinic, an initial intake session will then be scheduled.
2) Intake Appointment
This first visit is a comprehensive 60 minute evaluation (in-person in our Manhattan Beach office) that entails a thorough history, review of any prior psychiatric records, followed by a potential diagnosis and treatment plan. This should ideally all occur on the first visit, but if the case is complex, it may take up to two visits.
3) Follow Up Appointment(s)
The follow-ups are 30 minutes, with a focus on medication management/psychopharmacology, reviewing efficacy of the medication, any potential side effects, drug interactions and if dose adjustments are needed, as well as review of any necessary labs. I also provide supportive psychotherapy to further optimize clinical response to medications.
Linking your mental health with up-to-date treatments.
For inquiries, you may send us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.