Depression Care
Depression treatment that starts with being heard
Depression is more than a low mood — it drains energy, flattens interest, and makes ordinary decisions feel heavy. It is also one of the most treatable conditions in psychiatry. We provide unhurried evaluations and careful treatment in Newport Beach and across California by telehealth.
In person in Newport Beach · Telehealth across California · Adults 18–65
Does this sound like your last few months?
Depression rarely announces itself. It usually creeps in as a hundred small subtractions.
- Everything takes more energy than it used to
- Food, music, and people have lost their color
- Sleeping too much — or lying awake at 4am
- Snapping at the people you love, then feeling guilty
- Quiet “what’s the point” thoughts
- Still functioning on the outside, empty on the inside
How we treat depression
- 1
A complete picture first
A thorough first visit covering your history, sleep, medical factors, and life context — because “depression” has more than one cause and more than one treatment.
- 2
Medication with a plan
Modern antidepressants, chosen for your symptoms and side-effect priorities, with close follow-up early on. If you’ve tried medications that didn’t work, we review what happened and why before trying next steps.
- 3
More than medication
Therapy coordination, exercise and light, sleep repair, and follow-ups that actually track whether you’re getting better — not just whether you’re tolerating pills.
Already tried medication?
A third of people don’t respond to the first antidepressant they try. That is disappointing — it is not evidence that you can’t be helped.
Dose, duration, diagnosis, and augmentation options all matter. A careful second look is often where treatment finally starts working.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, please don’t wait for an appointment: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or Orange County’s OC Links at (855) 625-4657, available 24/7. In an emergency, call 911.
Take the PHQ-9 screening9 questions · about 2 minutes · scored on this page, nothing is saved
This screening is private — the scoring happens in your browser and nothing you enter is transmitted or saved. Bring the result to your first appointment, or don’t. Either way it’s a faster start than describing everything from scratch.
Care from people who listen
Koehler Mental Health & Wellness is a psychiatric practice in Newport Beach. Our providers — Ricky Koehler, DNP, PMHNP-BC, Amanda Benvenuto, PMHNP-BC, and Nicholas Cory-Duffy, PMHNP, MSN — are all accepting new patients.
Insurance-friendly
In-network with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross, and Carelon Behavioral Health. Self-pay: $300 initial evaluation, $150 follow-ups.
In person or online
Visit us at 1000 Quail Street in Newport Beach, or meet by secure video from anywhere in California.
Unhurried, evidence-based
Real evaluations, careful medication management, and coordination with your therapist. Meet our providers →
Questions we hear a lot
How long do antidepressants take to work?
Most people notice early changes — often sleep and energy — within one to two weeks, with fuller mood effects over four to eight weeks. We schedule close follow-up at the start so adjustments happen quickly, not months later.
Will I need medication forever?
Not necessarily. Many people take medication for a defined season of life. Length of treatment depends on your history and goals, and stopping is something we plan together carefully rather than abruptly.
Should I do therapy or medication?
For moderate to severe depression, the honest answer is that the combination usually beats either alone. We provide the medical side and coordinate closely with your therapist — or help you find one.
It doesn’t have to stay like this.
A single unhurried appointment is a reasonable next step. In person in Newport Beach or by video anywhere in California.
New patients welcome · Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross & Carelon in-network · Read our FAQ
We also treat: Anxiety & Panic · ADHD · Bipolar Disorder · PTSD & Trauma · OCD · Insomnia — or see everything we treat.