Inspiring Conversations with Sara Dover of Whole Self Psychiatry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Dover.

Hi Sara, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Our partnership began in 2017 at Emory University’s Treatment-Resistant Depression Clinic, where we worked side by side evaluating patients, collaborating on research initiatives, and developing a shared commitment to thoughtful, comprehensive mental health care.

Over the years, our professional paths evolved. Sara pursued further training as a physician associate, while Dr. Crowell continued her clinical and academic work at Emory as a psychiatrist. Despite these changes, our friendship and shared vision for integrative, whole-person psychiatry only deepened. In our respective roles treating patients, we found ourselves grappling with a familiar tension, a deep passion for practicing medicine alongside growing frustration with the constraints of large healthcare systems.

That shared experience ultimately brought us back together. We decided to build something of our own: a practice grounded in evidence-based care, meaningful relationships, and truly patient-centered treatment.
Whole Self Psychiatry was born from that connection, a collaboration rooted in trust, clinical excellence, and a genuine passion for helping people heal.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have certainly been challenges along the way. Transitioning from a large healthcare system to a small private practice required not only a shift in how we delivered care, but also learning how to become business owners at the same time. While those challenges can feel daunting, they have grown more manageable with experience. The autonomy to practice thoughtfully and provide care with fewer constraints has made the uncertainty well worth it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Whole Self Psychiatry?
Whole Self Psychiatry is a private outpatient practice built on the belief that psychiatry is one of the few remaining areas of medicine where clinicians can truly care for the whole person, not just isolated symptoms. In a healthcare system that often fragments care into increasingly narrow specialties, we intentionally take a different approach, treating each individual within the context of their life, relationships, and environment.

We provide comprehensive psychiatric consultations, medication management including thoughtful deprescribing, psychotherapy, and clinical exercise prescriptions. Our areas of particular expertise include treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders, non-medication treatment strategies, and ADHD treatment for women and professionals who may not have been diagnosed in childhood. Rather than dividing care across disconnected providers, we emphasize continuity, collaboration, and shared decision-making.

What sets us apart is our commitment to integrative, evidence-based care with fewer constraints. We prioritize longer appointment times, minimize unnecessary polypharmacy, and thoughtfully incorporate lifestyle and behavioral factors such as sleep, movement, nutrition, and stress into treatment planning. When additional support is needed, we collaborate closely with trusted therapists, primary care providers, and other clinicians to ensure care remains coordinated and human.

Brand-wise, we are most proud of the culture we have created, one rooted in clinical excellence, ethical practice, and genuine connection. Whole Self Psychiatry exists to offer a different experience of psychiatric care, one that honors complexity, preserves humanity, and supports lasting mental health by caring for the whole self.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wholeselfpsychiatry.com
• Instagram: @wholeselfpsychiatry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Whole-Self-Psychiatry-61576194705006/

Image Credits
Lindy Nichole