Rachel Kitazono, PsyD

About 

It is a pleasure to share my background with you!  Through my education, training, and experience, I have first-hand knowledge of the unique challenges faced by those in the healthcare field.  Working as a Behavioral Medicine Specialist at a large medical center has provided me expertise in integrated behavioral health care, with significant experience working on interdisciplinary teams while embedded in Adult Medicine, Women’s Health, Pediatric Weight Management, Gastroenterology and Bariatric clinics.   My passion for health psychology spearheaded my involvement in creating the Health Achieved through Lifestyle Transformation (HALT) program, a chronic disease reversal intervention that treats patients with ischemic heart disease and diabetes.   HALT is an interdisciplinary program aimed at helping patients implement comprehensive lifestyle changes.  While caring for others medical needs, the well-being and health of the provider should not be forgotten and is of upmost importance in being effective and resilient in this kind of work. Being a Communication Consultant for my medical center gave me the opportunity to conduct Patient-Provider Interaction courses and work with providers and staff to improve communication skills and ultimately, patient satisfaction outcomes.  I believe that implementing effective interventions and motivating behavior change in patients is both an art and a science and optimizing the health of providers will ultimately benefit patients as well. It is essential to know and learn how to be healthy in its fullest meaning in order to help patients achieve those goals as well.  Increasing the skills of resiliency will reduce burn out and allow for one to retain values-based living and the joy of medicine.   

Services

Virtual/telehealth practice for easy accessibility.  Dr. Kitazono uses an integrative approach that includes cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused strategies, as well as acceptance and commitment techniques.  Her focus is on teaching practical skills to increase well-being, adaptive coping, and resilience.  Dr. Kitazono’s areas of expertise include, Lifestyle Medicine, Resilience, Stress management, Weight Management, Sleep Issues, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Work-life Balance, Life Transitions, Chronic Illness.  

Education and Experience 

Board Certified in Lifestyle Medicine 

Plant-based Nutrition Certificate 

Psy.D., PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium 

M.A., PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium 

B.S., University of California, Davis 

Professional Memberships 

American Psychological Association (APA) 

American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) 

Learn more about Dr. Kitazono here.