Image of Ben Kovachy, MD a Stanford trained psychiatrist serving Menlo Park, Redwood City, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Los Altos, Portola Valley, Woodside, San Carlos area

About Me

I am a psychiatrist who is driven by questions of how we find meaning, how we form our sense of self, how we heal, and how we grow. I have a particular interest in psychotherapy and pursued additional therapy training both in my psychiatry residency at Stanford and through the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis.

Over the years, I have worked in psychiatry research groups at Harvard, Stanford, and Massachusetts General Hospital studying topics that include anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, sleep, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health care delivery models. I also enjoy teaching and have lectured in the Stanford Psychiatry residency curriculum.

Stanford Psychiatry Residency, Marnell Award for passion and curiosity in learning psychotherapy and authenticity with patients

Harvard Medical School

Harvard College, BA in Psychology, Phi Beta Kappa

Additional Training

San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis, Palo Alto Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Two Year Program (Currently enrolled)

San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis, Palo Alto Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Fellowship Year

Education & Training

Publications

    • Kovachy B, Chang T, Vogeli C, Tolland S, Garrels S, Forester B, Fung V. Does use of primary care-based behavioral health programs differ by race and ethnicity? Evidence from a multi-site collaborative care model. Healthcare, 2023;11(2). doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2023.100676

    • Vance MC, Bui E, Hoeppner S, Kovachy B, Prescott J, Mischoulon D, Walton Z, Dong M, Nadal M, Worthington J, Hoge EA, Cassano P, Orr E, Fava M, DeVivo I, Wong KK, & Simon NM. Prospective association between major depressive disorder and leukocyte telomere length over two years. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018;90:157-164. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.02.015.

    • Vance MC, Kovachy B, Dong M, & Bui E. Peritraumatic distress: A review and synthesis of 15 years of research. J Clin Psychol. 2018;74(9):1457-1484. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22612.

    • Simon N, Walton Z, Bui E, Prescott J, Hoge E, Keshaviah A, Schwarz N, Dryman T, Ojserkis R, Kovachy B, Mischoulon D, Worthington J, DeVivo I, Fava M, & Wong K. Telomere length and telomerase in a well-characterized sample of individuals with major depressive disorder compared to controls. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015;58:9-22. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.004.

    • Kovachy B, O'Hara R, Hawkins N, Gershon A, Primeau MM, Madej J, & Carrion V. Sleep disturbance in pediatric PTSD: current findings and future directions. J Clin Sleep Med 2013 May 15;9(5):501-10. doi:10.5664/jcsm.2678.

    • Kovachy B, Chang T, Vogeli C, Tolland S, Garrels S, Forester B, & Fung V (Aug 2020). Assessing Engagement By Race/Ethnicity in a Behavioral Health Collaborative Care Model. Academy Health Virtual Annual Research Meeting; Boston, MA.

    • Zeng M, Bui E, Kovachy B, Nadal M, Mischoulon D, Fava M, DeVivo I, Wong KK, & Simon N (2016). Change in leukocyte telomere length over two years in a sample of individuals with major depressive disorder and controls. 55th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP); Hollywood, FL.

    • Zeng M, Bui E, Borba C, Kovachy B, & Shtasel DL (2016). Physician health advocacy attitudes, barriers, and competencies: a survey of psychiatric residents. MGH Public and Community Psychiatry Symposium; Boston, MA.

    • Kovachy B, Bui E, Calkins A, Hoge E, Nadal-Vicens M, Wong K, & Simon N (2015). Avoidant coping strategies at baseline predict depressive symptom severity at two year follow-up. 49th Annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Convention; Chicago, IL.

    • Calkins AW, Elliott CM, Kovachy B, Simon NM & Wilhelm S (2015). Do implicit associations towards self-harm predict suicidal ideation and/or behaviors in anxiety and OC spectrum disorders? 49th Annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Convention; Chicago, IL.  

    • Zeng M, Bui E, Kovachy B, Mischoulon D, Fava M, & Simon N. (2015) Childhood sexual abuse associated with increased non-remission of major depressive disorder two years later. Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Conference; Miami, FL.

    • Kovachy B, Robinaugh DJ, Lincoln SH, Parker L, & McNally RJ. (2014). Integration of trauma memories in the autobiographical memory network: association with symptoms of PTSD. 48th Annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Convention; Philadelphia, PA.

Learn more about my approach