Kara M. Brown, MD
Psychiatrist
About Me
I am a board-certified psychiatrist with an interest in reproductive psychiatry. I have completed additional training in women's mental health and spent several years treating people with a variety of reproductive concerns in different clinical settings. I founded NOLA Reproductive Psychiatry in 2021 with the goals of providing high-quality perinatal mental health care to birthing individuals in New Orleans and educating the community at large regarding reproductive mental health. My practice focuses on creating individualized treatment plans for individuals in the form of diagnostic evaluations and second-opinion consultations, and I utilize a variety of psychotherapy modalities and prescribe medication when necessary.
Prior to founding NOLA Reproductive Psychiatry, I was a staff psychiatrist and women’s mental health co-champion at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, and before that, I was a psychiatrist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and women’s mental health fellowship director for BWH/Harvard Medical School. I am currently a member of the think tank Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry and serve as a trainer for Postpartum Support International for their provider perinatal mental health certification courses.
I am a mother to an energetic first-grader and enjoy baking, traveling, and all things blerd-y. Proud to call New Orleans home since 2018.
Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Professional Memberships
American Psychiatric Association
Louisiana Psychiatric Medical Association
Marcé of North America
Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry
Postpartum Support International
Education & Training
University of Miami (2007), Bachelors in Biology and English Literature
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (2011), Doctor of Medicine
McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University School, four-year psychiatry residency training (2015)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, one year fellowship in Women’s Mental Health (2016)
Services
I am happy to provide both general psychiatric services in the form of diagnostic evaluations or second opinions as well as ongoing individual psychotherapy and medication management.
I also am a reproductive psychiatrist and can provide expertise in the form of one-time consultations or ongoing treatment for any of the following conditions:
• Breast and ovarian cancers
• Eating disorders
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Infertility
• Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders including bipolar disorder
• Birth trauma and postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Miscarriage and stillbirth
• Perimenopause
Media
002: Lucid and psychotic — a deep dive into postpartum psychosis
In the wake of the tragedy in Duxbury, two reproductive psychiatrists clear up myths around postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, and medication for mental health.
Image source:
Maddy Goddard/Pinterest via Two Truths
Protecting All Aspects of Women's Health
Accreta Expert Series:
Accreta and Maternal Mental Health
The National Accreta Foundation welcomes Dr. Daniela Carusi, MD and Dr. Kara Brown, MD for a discussion and presentation about accreta and maternal mental health, followed by live Q&A. For information about upcoming Accreta Expert Series livestreams, please visit:
Publications
The Mental and Physical Health Impacts of Overturning Roe v Wade
Robinson GE, Brown KM, Grigoriadis S, Nadelson CC, Feldman NS, Dhami N, Benders-Hadi N, Mittal LP, Wald M; GAP Committee on Gender and Mental Health. The mental and physical impacts of overturning Roe v Wade. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2022 Dec; 210(12): 891-893.
Use of natural language processing in electronic medical records to identify pregnant women with suicidal behavior: towards a solution to the complex classification problem
Zhong QY, Mittal LP, Nathan MD, Brown KM, Knudson González D, Cai T, Finan S, Gelaye B, Avillach P, Smoller JW, Karlson EW, Cai T, Williams MA. Eur J Epidemiol. 2019 Feb; 34(2):153-62.
Brown, Kara M, Kathol, Dylan. “Mood Disorders in Pregnancy” in O’Neal, M.A. (ed.) Neurology and Psychiatry of Women. Cham: Springer 2019, pp. 157-172.
Almeida, M., Brown, K., Mittal, L., Nathan, M., Joffe, H. “Women’s Mental Health and Reproductive Psychiatry” in Summergrad, P., Silbersweig, D.A., Muskin, P.R., Querques, J. (ed.) in Textbook of Medical Psychiatry. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing 2020, pp. 447-480.
Brown, Kara M, Mittal, Leena P., “Traumatic Childbirth and Postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” in Robinson, G.E., Nadelson, C. C., Apter, G. (ed.) in Postpartum Mental Health Disorders: A Casebook. New York: Oxford University Press 2020, pp. 61-68.
Book Chapters
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are commonly asked questions that may help you determine if my practice is a good fit for you.
I am looking for a provider for my child. Do you see children?
I do not have sufficient training to provide routine care to minor children. However, medication management for pregnant teens nearing age 18 can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Do you offer virtual visits or face-to-face visits?
I currently offer both telehealth and in-person visits. I can see patients virtually throughout the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Massachusetts, and I also have an office in Metairie where I see patients two days a week. Young children are welcome in the clinic, and the office is a safe space for nursing.
I work during the daytime. Do you ever see people after hours?
Every week! I work late two nights weekly (Wednesdays and Thursdays) and at least one Saturday monthly to help accommodate those with traditional working hours.
Do you take insurance?
No, I am not in-network with any insurance plan and do not bill insurance for any services provided. However, your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your visit. Contact your insurer to learn if you have out-of-network benefits. I can provide you with an itemized bill (often called a superbill) with the necessary codes for you to submit to your insurer for reimbursement. Please note that use of an insurance policy requires that for treatment to be covered, you be given a mental health diagnosis that meets criteria for medical necessity.
How much do you charge?
Initial intake/consultation (90 minutes): $425
Medication management follow-up (30 minutes): $195
Psychotherapy (60 minutes): $200
Psychotherapy and medication management follow-up (60 minutes): $250
Payment is collected at time of service via credit card, Zelle, or Venmo.