Brain health is mental health.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors that have a deep understanding of both mental and physical health, as well as how they affect one another. Your psychiatrist will work with you to optimize your mental health from a biological perspective, focusing on what goes on in your brain and how that affects your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
All our psychiatrists are experts in the biological foundations and treatment of a wide range of mental health disorders, including GAD, OCD, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD.
Evelyn Noriko Nelson, M.D.
Washington State Department of Health License Number: MD61138404
Prior to joining our practice, Dr. Nelson earned her medical degree at University of California, San Diego and completed her Psychiatry residency at University of California, Los Angeles, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She earned distinction as the chief resident for their interpersonal therapy clinic and also served as the lead organizer for residency recruitment.
In addition to her years of clinical experience, Dr. Nelson also has considerable research experience. She has been published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and worked on numerous research projects sponsored by Stanford University, the National Institutes of Health, and University of California, San Diego.
Before completing medical school, Dr. Nelson earned highest honors in religious studies at University of California, Berkeley with a concentration in Buddhism.
Works with patients 18 to 60 years of age.
Peter David Reiss, M.D.
Washington State Department of Health License Number: MD60930116
Dr. Reiss has years of experience providing comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and psychiatric medication management to patients. His professional experience includes various multidisciplinary mental health settings, as well as supervising medical students and psychiatric residents. He has worked in multiple levels of care in the Seattle area, including inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization and residential treatment programs, consultation-liaison psychiatry, as well as in the psychiatric emergency room.
After finishing medical school, Dr. Reiss worked on mental health research through the UK’s National Health Service and at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College London.
Dr. Reiss completed his psychiatric residency at the New York State Office of Mental Health in New York City, working in a variety of settings including at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center and Columbia University Medical Center. He was involved in multiple scholarly projects, including developing diagnostic tools for prodromal psychosis and early intervention for people at risk of developing psychotic disorders. He won his program’s Resident of the Year Award and also served as chief resident.
Works with patients 18 to 60 years of age.
Elizabeth Richards Hersey, M.D.
Washington State Department of Health License Number: MD61312467
Dr. Hersey is a board-certified psychiatrist in Seattle providing comprehensive mental health care, including ADHD evaluation and treatment, stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression. She works extensively with professionals in demanding careers who are navigating focus, motivation, and emotional well-being under high pressure.
She earned her medical degree and completed her psychiatric residency at the University of Washington, where she was Outstanding Chief Resident, served on the Residency Admissions Committee, and co-led the Perinatal Psychiatry Pathway.
Dr. Hersey provides comprehensive ADHD care, including detailed diagnostic evaluations, evidence-based treatment planning, and personalized ADHD medication management. She also supports patients facing burnout, workplace stress, and career-related mental health challenges, helping them build sustainable strategies for performance, balance, and well-being.
She has collaborated with leaders in Women’s Mental Health across the University of Washington and various other institutions nationwide to provide lectures and panels on topics of Reproductive, Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health. She has authored publications and a book chapter on topics including integrated women’s mental health care, infertility and the role of doulas in perinatal mental health care.
Her background includes considerable research experience with Harvard University, the National Institutes of Health, and the University of Washington, ensuring her practice is guided by evidence-based decision making and the latest psychiatric advances.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Hersey played varsity soccer in college, has volunteered as an assistant coach and in local schools and scout troops, and co-owns a Seattle photography studio with her husband.
Dr. Hersey also serves as our clinic’s older adult (60+) mental health specialist.
Works with patients 18 years of age and older.