FAQs
Trust, transparency, and shared alignment are the foundation of a lasting doctor-patient relationship. The questions below address what patients ask most often — about consultations, treatment, medication, and access.
Psychiatric care is for anyone ready to invest in their mental health — in crisis or simply ready for more. Those seeking Dr. Choy's care are often struggling with focus, mood, impulsivity, or burnout — or have a sense that their brain is working against them. Most arrive wanting to perform better, understand themselves more deeply, and unlock the version of themselves they know exists.
The first step is a comprehensive evaluation. ADHD and ASD in high-achieving adults are frequently missed or misdiagnosed — particularly in those who have developed sophisticated coping strategies over decades. A proper assessment looks beyond a symptom checklist, examining full history, neurobiology, environment, and goals. From there, Dr. Choy works with each patient to determine what's actually going on and navigate the most effective path forward.
My approach differs in four meaningful ways. First, I have ADHD myself — diagnosed late as an adult, just like many of my patients. I practice what I teach and recommend. Second, I have a neurodivergent son and a spouse with a chronic illness — I understand these experiences clinically and live them personally. Third, I treat the whole person — medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle approaches targeting neuroplasticity are all integrated to optimize both performance and healthspan. Fourth, everything I do is evidence-informed — grounded in current neuroscience and research, and applied with the depth and individualization that extends well beyond a standard clinical approach.
Dr. Choy is an in-network provider with Aetna. For private pay patients, a superbill can be provided following each appointment for submission to your insurer for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement rates vary by plan — it is recommended that patients contact their insurer directly to confirm out-of-network mental health benefits prior to scheduling.
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Initial evaluation (120 minutes): $2,500
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Follow-up session (25 minutes): $450
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Follow-up session (45 minutes): $800
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Follow-up session (60 minutes): $1,100
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Reach out through the contact form. Our practice manager, Regina Tyrkas, will follow up promptly to discuss your needs and whether an initial evaluation is the appropriate next step.
Frequency is individualized and evolves with the treatment plan. Early in treatment, sessions are typically more frequent as the foundation is established. Over time, cadence is adjusted based on progress, goals, and preferences.
Dr. Choy remains committed to providing exceptional care across all practice models. The Concierge Membership is a specialized offering for those requiring extended sessions, priority access, and multi-state coordination — alongside signature services such as Move & Mind and retreat accompaniment. This model is intentionally limited to a small panel to ensure the clinical depth and availability that complex, high-impact lives require.
The membership fee reflects a model of care designed for unparalleled access, clinical depth, and multi-state availability. This investment allows Dr. Choy to maintain a highly limited patient panel, ensuring he has the capacity to meet the full demands of high-impact lives. Specific details are provided during the initial inquiry process to ensure the partnership aligns with your goals and expectations.
Both. Dr. Choy offers telehealth via secure video for patients in CA and in-person visits in his Silicon Valley office.
A minimum of 48 hours notice is required for cancellations or rescheduling. This allows Dr. Choy to offer that time to another patient and ensures the standard of care he commits to for everyone in his practice. Missed appointments and late cancellations are charged at the full session rate.
Dr. Choy's approach integrates medication as a core tool for optimizing brain function through their neuroplastic benefits — and the patients who thrive in this practice are those who are curious and open to medication as a long-term investment in their performance and wellbeing.
Yes. As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Choy prescribes stimulant medications and other controlled substances when clinically appropriate — informed by a thorough evaluation and, where relevant, pharmacogenetic testing to ensure precision and safety.
Pharmacogenetic testing analyzes a patient's DNA to identify genetic variations that influence how the body processes and responds to specific medications — allowing Dr. Choy to select the optimal medication and supplement regimen at the appropriate dose from the outset. It is a powerful tool in precision psychiatry, bringing clarity and confidence to medication management from day one.
Biological age testing measures how old your body actually is at a cellular level — which can differ significantly from your chronological age. Using epigenetic markers, we can track whether your lifestyle interventions are working and target specific areas for optimization. It's a valuable tool for anyone committed to optimizing their healthspan.
Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance originally developed as a dissociative anesthetic and now utilized at subanesthetic doses for its psychiatric benefits. As an NMDA receptor antagonist, it triggers a glutamate surge that activates AMPA receptors and increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — promoting the growth of new synaptic connections through synaptogenesis. Neuroimaging studies further demonstrate that ketamine normalizes disrupted functional connectivity across key brain networks, including the prefrontal cortex, default mode network, and cortico-striatal circuits — restoring communication patterns characteristically impaired in depression, anxiety, and trauma. This combination of rapid synaptic remodeling and network-level reconfiguration creates a window of neuroplasticity that supports the integration of new insights and lasting behavioral change.
Dr. Choy offers Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) as a cornerstone of his comprehensive, individualized treatment plans. This modality bridges the neuroplastic benefits of ketamine with intention-based guidance, mindfulness, and depth-oriented psychotherapy — accelerating growth in cognitive, behavioral, and emotional capacities.
Utilizing a clinically monitored at-home protocol with low-dose troches, Dr. Choy views ketamine not as a standalone treatment, but as a catalyst — strategically leveraging the neuroplasticity window it creates to facilitate meaningful therapeutic work, deeper insight, and lasting behavioral change. A thorough evaluation is required to determine candidacy.
GLP-1 receptor agonists — medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide — were originally developed for type 2 diabetes and obesity. Emerging research suggests these medications may also influence brain function through effects on dopamine-related reward pathways, neuroinflammation, and neuroprotection. Dr. Choy prescribes GLP-1 therapies directly as part of a comprehensive Healthspan and Lifestyle Psychiatry plan for appropriate candidates.
Testimonials
"I can safely say that seeing Dr. Ambardar has been one of the best things l've ever done. She is beyond compassionate and skilled in a way which I have rarely if ever encountered. I've seen many Psychiatrists and mental health practitioners in the past 2 decades. I've also been to inpatient treatment multiple times before. She picked up and identified things that have never been addressed. As a result of seeing her I'm the happiest and most stable I've ever been in my life. I've had experiences where l've been overly medicated or felt unseen and she has been the complete antithesis. I do not feel like a zombie or not myself - I feel more myself and able to participate in my life in a way that l've never experienced prior to seeing her. I'm not a big reviewer in any way but felt compelled to share my experience. I understand the hesitation in picking out a mental health practitioner and my hope is that in sharing this I can ease someone's anxiety in "picking" her. TLDR: Just see her - It is worth its weight in gold."
Sarah Jenkins
— C.T.
“Dr. Ambardar has tremendous insight into personal and collective trauma and the impact of ancestral trauma on a person's life. It is not often you come across a professional who has an in-depth understanding of collective trauma and its impact on an individual's life. Her work and her insights have been supportive in my own healing journey. I highly recommend anyone wanting to connect with their ancestral histories, collective trauma, and current life experiences to work with Dr. Ambardar. She is a caring professional.”
Sarah Jenkins
— B.S.
"Absolutely amazing physician. I have been with her for over 5 years and she has helped me through some of the hardest times. She has been an incredible support system, professional, and has made me truly become a happier, more confident, and empathetic person. Her credentials and fund of knowledge are superb. She is open, kind, and everything you could want in a health professional. She has made such a positive impact on my life, I feel very fortunate to have connected with her in my journey to improving my mental health and well being."
Sarah Jenkins
— K.C.
"I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Ambardar for the past 3 years. She is a highly intelligent, compassionate, and thoughtful practitioner. I am confident in her skills and am happy to refer my patients to her for their psychiatric care as I know they will be in excellent hands."
Sarah Jenkins
— Patrice Robins, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Santa Monica, CA.
“Dr. Ambardar maintains a true professionalism and calm that is not equaled by many of her colleagues. She has a quiet, unassuming demeanor, but underneath she is intelligent, hard working, and her psychiatric evaluations of patients are well thought out, organized, and sound. Sheenie is a good person. She is honest, decent, and fun. She is well liked by the faculty and staff. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Ambardar. She would be an asset to any faculty or medical school.”
Sarah Jenkins
— Sofia Matta, M.D., former Unit Chief and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center in New York, NY.
“As a professional colleague of Dr. Ambardar’s who has worked closely with her in both the outpatient clinic and ER hospital settings, I can attest to Dr. Ambardar’s superb clinical and diagnostic skills, her agreeable bedside manner, and her genuine concern for patients. Dr. Ambardar is a consummate professional and a wonderful, caring psychiatrist. Her patients have always spoken very highly of her and I would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone seeking a bright, compassionate physician for themselves or their family members.”
Sarah Jenkins
— Sidney Gold, M.D., Former Chief of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Sherman Terrace Medical Offices, Los Angeles, CA.