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About Dr. Essali
I'm a board-certified addiction psychiatrist specializing in comprehensive, evidence-based care for substance use and co-occurring psychiatric disorders.
I believe that psychiatric conditions and addiction are complex medical challenges, not moral flaws or personal weaknesses. My approach to care is collaborative and patient-centered. I believe that the most helpful treatment plan stems from a thorough diagnostic evaluation and understanding your struggles within the fuller context of your life. Once that foundation is laid, we explore evidence-based options that may include medication management, psychotherapy, or both. Your treatment goals dictate our direction, whether you're interested in harm-reduction or abstinence-based recovery, meeting you wherever you are on your path.
I completed a general psychiatry residency at the Medical College of Georgia and an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the University of Washington. I'm currently a part time clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington where I work on the Addiction Consult Service at Harborview Medical Center. I'm licensed to practice in Washington State and offer in person and telehealth visits. I provide care in English and Arabic.
Clinical Services
Integrated psychiatric care requires a thoughtful balance of biological, psychological, and personal support.
Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation
Psychiatric Diagnostic Evaluation
A successful treatment plan begins with a nuanced understanding of your health. Addiction and psychiatric conditions frequently overlap, making a thorough initial diagnostic evaluation essential.
Diagnostic Clarity: Distinguishing between primary psychiatric disorders, substance-induced symptoms, and overlapping conditions to ensure your care is targeted accurately from day one.
Dual-Diagnosis Focus: Identifying and clarifying complex, co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, or bipolar disorder alongside substance use challenges or behavioral addictions.
Contextual Evaluation: Understanding your struggles within the context of your unique life experiences, biological background, past treatment history, and physical health.
Medication Management
Medication Management
Medications can be a powerful tool to stabilize symptoms, reduce physical cravings, and create the internal space needed to engage fully in life and therapy. My approach to prescribing is cautious, collaborative, and grounded in current neuroscience:
Specialized Addiction Pharmacotherapy: Including buprenorphine and naltrexone.
Targeted Treatment for Co-Occurring Conditions: pharmacological management for depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, and mood instability.
Ongoing Monitoring: Regular follow-up visits to monitor effectiveness, minimize side effects, and adjust treatment as needed.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
Rather than adhering strictly to a single approach, I integrate elements from multiple evidence-based frameworks:
Psychodynamic Therapy: Exploring underlying patterns, past relationship dynamics, and unconscious drivers to help you gain deeper self-insight into long-standing behaviors.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): Resolving ambivalence and building internal motivation around behavioral change, particularly when navigating substance use or lifestyle habits.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identifying unhelpful thought loops and developing practical coping strategies for managing distress and cravings.
Supportive Psychotherapy: Providing a grounded, empathetic, and reassuring space to process immediate life stressors, crises, and major transitions.
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