Our Team

Thank you for taking a moment for me to introduce myself and my professional journey to date…

I am a Board Certified General Psychiatrist in Santa Monica and Redondo Beach, California. I was further trained in Addiction Psychiatry. After graduating from University of California, Los Angeles in 1993 with a degree in English Literature, I continued at UCLA to complete a Master's Degree in Education in 1994.

I worked for several years in both education and journalism in the U.S. and Israel before returning to school and earning my medical degree from Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2003. I then moved to New York City to complete my residency in general psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center in 2007 followed by one year of fellowship in addiction psychiatry at NYU Medical Center / Bellevue Hospital in 2008.

I practiced privately in New York City from 2007- 2009, focusing on both general and addiction psychiatry, and held clinical instructorships at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York at Beth Israel Medical Center, and at NYU Medical School at Bellevue Hospital. In 2009, I moved with my family to California and now see patients privately in both Santa Monica and Redondo Beach. My patient population ranges from adolescents and adults with general psychiatric issues as well as cancer-related issues, chemical dependence, eating disorders and co-occuring illnesses. I am board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and I am also a licensed buprenorphine provider.

I see the practice of psychiatry as a part of an integrated approach to overall health and therefore find it extremely helpful to collaborate with various different practitioners toward the wellbeing of our patients. I work closely with pain specialists, internists, family practitioners, pediatricians, psychotherapists, physical and cranio-sacral therapists, acupuncturists, yogis, yoga therapists and nutritionists. I am also a consultant to several local residential drug and alcohol treatment centers and sober living facilities and I'm familiar with many more residential and outpatient programs that I like to work with for more specific treatment needs.

Dr. Tara Klein is a board certified general adult psychiatrist practicing in the South Bay. Dr Klein approaches mental health care with a focus on compassionate and individualized treatment plans.  She values collaborating with her patients to discover the unique biologic, psychosocial, and environmental factors that contribute to each individual's mental health.

Dr. Klein completed her B.S. in Psychology at Duke University with a certificate in neuroscience and then earned her medical degree at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.  After medical school, Dr Klein completed her psychiatry residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she served as the chief resident of the inpatient psychiatry unit. Following residency, she completed an addiction psychiatry fellowship at Cedars-Sinai and then joined the faculty at Cedars-Sinai treating patients on the inpatient unit and serving as a clinical instructor.

Dr. Klein utilizes a holistic approach in her practice.  When necessary, she uses medication management to treat psychiatric conditions such as depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders, but she also empowers her patients to participate in their treatment by encouraging them to explore the many evidence-based lifestyle changes that can benefit mental health.  Through compassionate presence and guidance, Dr. Klein hopes to not only alleviate suffering, but to also help her patients reach a state of wellness.

In pursuit of meaningful and authentic lives we often encounter obstacles. When our normal ways of coping with the stresses of the world are overwhelmed, symptoms like depression and anxiety can ensue. It is certainly possible to feel adrift, left alone to pick the pieces up yourself. It takes profound courage to seek an outside perspective. But looking for self-truth and healing is not a luxury; it is a basic human need that connects every person.

There is simply no single answer to the complexities of a human life. Our biologies, societies, families, partners, and friends all share in sculpting our specific strengths and particular wounds. So for some, a conscientiously-crafted regimen of medication may bring rapid relief of symptoms. Sometimes, a solely psychotherapeutic stance may work best. And others still, a thoughtful combination of myriad approaches.

I truly believe in creating a space of emotional safety and understand the power of having an ally to support you on your journey. Drawing from evidence-based psychopharmacology, psychodynamic perspectives, and a synthesis of East-West wisdom, I look forward to meeting and working with you.

My professional path so far: I completed undergraduate degrees in Early Cultures and Neuroscience at Brown University and went on to finish my medical training at the University of Queensland. I subsequently did my residency in psychiatry at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn and honed competency in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York at NYU. I’m currently doing a fellowship at UCLA in college mental health.

Breanna Colvin, MA

Breanna Colvin is our Office Executive Assistant covering all our doctor’s, current patient and potential patients needs. Breanna has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and tenured professional background in Human Resources. She works well with confidential and high stress situations in a fast-paced environment. She describes herself as being responsible, dedicated and reliable.