Psychiatrist in La Jolla — adult & child psychiatry
Double board-certified psychiatric care for La Jolla adults, adolescents, and children — delivered with the discretion and unhurried attention a private practice makes possible.
Psychiatric care for La Jolla, without the fifteen-minute appointment
La Jolla is a community of high performers — physicians and researchers at Scripps, UC San Diego, Salk, and Sanford Burnham; attorneys and executives; and students carrying the weight of a college-admissions culture that starts early. That environment produces a specific kind of psychiatric presentation: capable people who are functioning on paper while quietly running on empty, and teenagers whose anxiety is mistaken for conscientiousness until it isn’t.
Dr. Leila Hariri is double board-certified in Adult Psychiatry and in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. For La Jolla families, that combination matters practically: one physician can evaluate a Muirlands student struggling with attention, treat an older sibling’s anxiety, and support a parent through a depressive episode — with a coherent understanding of how those things interact inside one household.
Understanding the La Jolla context
Academic pressure that starts early
Students at La Jolla High, Muirlands Middle, The Bishop’s School, and La Jolla Country Day often operate under sustained academic expectation. Distinguishing genuine ADHD from chronic sleep deprivation, an anxiety disorder from a rational response to an overloaded schedule, and depression from burnout requires a careful evaluation rather than a rating scale and a prescription pad.
Professionals who cannot afford to be unwell
Physicians, researchers, and executives frequently delay care because the visible act of seeking it feels risky. A private practice with no shared waiting room and appointments scheduled around real working hours removes much of that friction — and telehealth removes the rest.
UC San Diego students
Undergraduate and graduate students at UCSD frequently need continuity that campus services are not structured to provide across breaks and academic years. Because Dr. Hariri is licensed in California, care continues by telehealth wherever in the state a student happens to be.
What Dr. Hariri treats
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and medication management for children, adolescents, and adults. A fuller list is on the conditions treated page.
Adults in La Jolla
- Depression and persistent low mood
- Anxiety, panic, and social anxiety
- Adult ADHD evaluation
- Bipolar spectrum disorders
- OCD and related conditions
- Trauma-related symptoms and PTSD
- Insomnia and burnout
Children & Teens in La Jolla
- ADHD evaluation and treatment
- Childhood and adolescent anxiety
- School refusal and avoidance
- Adolescent depression and irritability
- Mood dysregulation and anger
- Tics and Tourette’s disorder
- Behavioral concerns
How Care Is Delivered
- Extended diagnostic evaluation (60–90 min)
- Psychiatric medication management
- Second-opinion consultations
- Parent guidance sessions
- Collaboration with your therapist
- School and pediatrician coordination
- Secure telehealth statewide
In person or by secure video
La Jolla patients are seen at the North County San Diego office, with secure telehealth available for follow-up appointments or as the primary format when a drive up the 5 doesn’t fit the week. Telehealth appointments are available to any patient physically located in California, which also covers Bird Rock, Torrey Pines, University City, Pacific Beach, and Carmel Valley.
This is a private, out-of-network practice: payment is due at the time of service, and a monthly superbill is provided so you can pursue reimbursement through your plan’s out-of-network mental health benefits. The fees page explains exactly how to check what your plan will cover before you book.
Nearby communities
Dr. Hariri’s practice serves families throughout coastal North County San Diego.
Request a consultation
A brief, confidential conversation to understand what you’re facing and outline sensible next steps.