While in medical school, I was fascinated by my studies in behavioral science and liked to learn about other people’s stories, challenges and resilience toward life. I found in psychiatry the opportunity to touch people's lives in the most humanistic way. I also come from a traditional family of psychiatrists in Fortaleza, Brazil.

I am a board-certified general psychiatrist and child/adolescent psychiatrist with a special interest is in transitional-age youth. My primary clinical focus is adolescent depressive and anxiety disorders. I’m committed to providing the best evidence-based psychopharmacology in coordination with a more comprehensive treatment plan that includes families, schools, therapists and community support.

In my practice, we focus on the patient, their family and their community. We support multidisciplinary treatment and emphasize support from the family and community.

I received the Cincinnati Children’s 2015 Brian McConville, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Award for excellence in patient care, education and scientific inquiry. I also received the 2015 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Pilot Research Award for child and adolescent psychiatry residents and junior faculty.

My research focuses on better understanding the biological and environmental factors associated with depressive disorders and suicidality.

In my free time, I like to learn about different cultures and languages. I am also fascinated by world history and enjoy reading books about this subject.