On this episode of The Care2Grow Show®, Dr. Larry Arbeitman welcomes Dr. Savitha Rao, a double board-certified adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist who recently opened her own integrative psychiatry practice, Walls Down Wellness, in Red Bank, New Jersey. Drawing from traditional medical training as well as formal study in functional medicine and integrative psychiatry, Dr. Rao designs customized treatment plans that go beyond medication management to consider the whole person.

In this episode, they discuss:

Dr. Rao's own journey with depression and anxiety, which came to a head during residency, and how incorporating therapy, lifestyle changes, meditation, and the gut-brain connection alongside medication eventually allowed her to move beyond needing it — an experience that now shapes how she treats her own patients.

Why she believes integrative psychiatry isn't a replacement for traditional, evidence-based training but a way to build on it, especially with children and adolescents whose brains are still developing.

How she cares for the whole family, not just the child in front of her, and why she sees a parent's emotional state, and even marital dynamics that surface in the room, as valuable information rather than a distraction.

The power of presence and simple, active listening — including research showing patients feel truly heard in as little as 50 seconds, while the average doctor listens for only 17 to 27 seconds before interrupting.

How she intentionally designed her office — a couch instead of a desk, no barriers between her and her patients, meaningful art on the walls, natural materials — to help regulate a patient's nervous system before a word is even spoken.

A powerful story about a homeless patient who refused a life-saving blood transfusion for hours, then signed the consent immediately once a provider simply sat down at his level — because, he said, she was the first person to do it.

Her own self-care practices, including a non-negotiable daily transcendental meditation practice, prioritizing sleep, and time at the beach, and why she believes physician burnout isn't caused by caring too much, but by not checking in with your own needs.

Her new newsletter, Buddy Business, exploring topics like the loneliness epidemic and the vagus nerve's role in social connection.

A lightning round covering her care philosophy in one word (integrative), the people who've shaped how she cares (her parents), and finishing the sentence: "Care is... being present."

About Dr. Savitha Rao

Dr. Savitha Rao is a double board-certified adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist who has recently opened a private integrative psychiatry practice, Walls Down Wellness, in downtown Red Bank, NJ. Her prior experience spans multiple psychiatric settings, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency room, and consult/liaison. Drawing from traditional medical training as well as formal training in both functional medicine and integrative psychiatry, she works closely with patients to design customized treatment plans based on their individual needs, taking an integrative approach to mental health that considers the whole person. Dr. Rao was born and raised in New Jersey and currently resides in Asbury Park. She attended Rutgers University for her undergraduate degree and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School for her medical degree, completing both a general psychiatry residency and a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Connect with Dr. Savitha Rao

Website: wallsdownwellness.com

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