Your Campbell Reproductive Psychiatrist Is Online & In-Person
Serving the Women of California
Reproductive Psychiatry: Focused on Women’s Mental Wellness
Reproductive psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry that focuses on the mental health needs of women across their entire reproductive lifespan, from the onset of menstruation through pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause through menopause. For many women, psychiatric symptoms emerge or worsen during key reproductive transitions: the premenstrual phase, pregnancy, the postpartum period, or the years leading up to menopause. The research into exactly how and why these changes happen is still evolving. What we do know is that most psychiatrists have had limited exposure to women during some of their most vulnerable moments — and that gap in training has real consequences for patients.
The Reality of the training gap:
The need for reproductive psychiatrists isn’t just about specialized knowledge its about the fact that most general psychiatrists aren’t trained or comfortable treating women during reproductive transitions. Roughly 70% of psychiatrists on major referral platforms don't indicate a willingness to treat pregnant or postpartum women. According to the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, there are fewer than 500 psychiatrists in the U.S. specifically trained in maternal mental health — to serve the approximately 800,000 women who experience maternal mental health complications each year. And when it comes to perimenopause and menopause, the picture is even more stark: research suggests that fewer than 7% of outpatient psychiatric visits include a clear discussion of menopause, even among patients with co-occurring diagnoses.
Dr. Alecia Greenlee is a reproductive psychiatrist who has had specialized training to understand how reproductive hormones can impact your mental health. She is experienced in working with women during these transitions and understanding the risks associated with each phase of a patient's reproductive cycle — helping to mitigate these risks by adjusting medication, modifying the frequency of visits, and understanding what additional support you may need when you feel the most vulnerable.
What We Treat
Conditions a Reproductive Psychiatrist Treats
Reproductive psychiatry addresses psychiatric symptoms that are triggered by, worsened by, or uniquely complicated by reproductive biology.
PMDD
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Severe mood shifts, irritability, and anxiety in the luteal phase that go far beyond typical PMS — with treatment options beyond birth control.
Perinatal Depression & Anxiety
Pregnancy & Postpartum
The most common complication of childbirth, affecting 1 in 7 women — often showing up as intrusive thoughts, rage, or hypervigilance.
Perimenopause & Menopause
Hormonal Mood Changes
When HRT helps the hot flashes but not the mood — because estrogen fluctuations affect serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
ADHD in Women
Across the Reproductive Lifespan
Symptoms that fluctuate with hormonal changes — often undiagnosed until the 30s or 40s, after years of being labeled "overwhelmed."
Postpartum Psychosis
Psychiatric Emergency
A rare but serious condition occurring in 1–2 per 1,000 deliveries, requiring immediate specialized evaluation and treatment.
Medication Management
Pregnancy & Lactation
Navigating psychiatric medication before, during, and after pregnancy — weighing real risks of treatment against real risks of untreated illness.
Not sure if your symptoms are connected to your reproductive health?
A consultation can help clarify what's going on.
Meet Your Reproductive Psychiatrist
Dr. Alecia Greenlee is a double board-certified psychiatrist in Adult and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry with advanced training in reproductive integrative psychiatry. While at the University of Chicago, she provided psychiatric consultation on inpatient oncology, OB-GYN, general medical, surgical, and transplant units. She deepened her expertise in women's mental health through the Fellowship in Reproductive Integrative Psychiatry gaining an additional toolkit of integrative approaches to reproductive psychiatry across the reproductive lifespan.
Training highlights:
UCSF School of Medicine (PRIME-US) & UC Berkeley - MD/MPH
Harvard Medical School / Cambridge Health Alliance - Adult Psychiatry Residency
University of Chicago - Consultation Liaison Psychiatry & Medical Ethics Fellowship
Couples & Family Systems Therapy Training
Reproductive Integrative Psychiatry Fellowship
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A reproductive psychiatrist is a physician who has completed psychiatry residency plus additional specialized training focused on women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan. This includes expertise in how hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause affect mood, anxiety, cognition, and existing psychiatric conditions — and how to safely manage psychiatric medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
A reproductive psychiatrist can be a helpful addition to your care team at specific moments. You might benefit from seeing one if your mood or anxiety symptoms seem connected to your menstrual cycle, a pregnancy, the postpartum period, or perimenopause — and haven't fully responded to treatment in a primary care, general psychiatry, or OB-GYN setting. It's also worth considering a one-time consultation with a reproductive psychiatrist if you have a chronic psychiatric condition that requires medication management during pregnancy or breastfeeding and may be associated with safety concerns. A reproductive psychiatrist can sometimes provide you with alternative options or collaborate with your OB-GYN to make sure your treatment plan is both safe and effective. And some women simply prefer to work with a reproductive psychiatrist long-term, knowing they'll have a provider who recognizes how your changing body and hormonal landscape may — or may not — be impacting your mental health.
Dr. Greenlee is an out-of-network provider. After each session, we provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. Many patients with PPO plans receive partial reimbursement. You can contact your insurance company to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits before your first appointment.
Yes to both. Dr. Greenlee offers telehealth appointments to women throughout California. In-person sessions are available at her Campbell office. Both new patient consultations and ongoing care can be conducted via telehealth.