About Dr. Dara Psychiatry
Thoughtful, Personalized Psychiatry for Adults
Expert care for ADHD, women's mental health, mood, and anxiety — with a deeper, more individualized approach.
At Dr. Dara Psychiatry, we provide comprehensive, personalized psychiatric care for adults navigating ADHD, mood symptoms, anxiety, and women's mental health concerns. Our approach is grounded in clinical expertise, thoughtful evaluation, and a genuine commitment to understanding the full picture — not just a list of symptoms.
Our Approach
People do better when they feel truly understood.
Many patients come to us after years of feeling rushed, partially treated, or unsure why things haven't fully improved. We take a different approach — one that prioritizes careful diagnosis, meaningful conversation, and treatment plans that reflect how your brain actually works in real life.
Rather than forcing symptoms into a single category, we look at how these patterns connect — and build a plan that makes sense for you.
We specialize in identifying and treating the overlap between:
- ADHD
- Anxiety and overthinking
- Mood variability and depression
- Executive functioning challenges
- Sleep disruption
- Hormonal and women's mental health factors

Founded by
Dr. Dara Abraham, D.O.
Board-Certified Psychiatrist
The Story Behind the Specialty
How a Missed Diagnosis Became a Life's Work
Fifteen years ago, if you had told Dr. Dara Abraham she had ADHD, her first reaction would have been to laugh. She was a high-achiever. She could focus when she had to. There were no obvious signs — or so everyone thought.
Looking back, the signs were everywhere. She was the talkative one in school — constantly reprimanded for it, once given a B in psychology she'd clearly earned an A, asked to leave Hebrew high because she couldn't stop talking. She lost everything: keys, homework, library books, any sense of being on top of things. She was always anxious, always overwhelmed — but that anxiety made her work harder than her peers, which masked the ADHD so completely that nobody caught it. Not her parents, her teachers, her pediatrician. Not even herself, until her 30s.
When she was finally diagnosed, a diagnosis she received from an ADHD specialist, it reframed her entire history. The procrastination. The impulsive decisions. The intense emotional reactions. The way she'd lose track of time, or overcommit, or spiral into overwhelm over things that seemed to roll off everyone else. It all had a name — and more importantly, it all had an explanation.
What stayed with her wasn't the diagnosis itself. It was how long it had taken. She didn't blame her family or her doctors — she understood how easy it was to miss. But she committed herself to understanding exactly why, and to making sure her patients didn't spend decades wondering why things felt harder than they should.
Today, she specializes in the adult presentations of ADHD that are most frequently missed — especially in women, where anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and hormonal shifts so often obscure the picture. Her story isn't unique. That's exactly why she tells it.
“My story isn’t unique. Millions of adults — especially women — are living with undiagnosed ADHD right now. If sharing mine helps even one person recognize themselves, it’s worth telling.”
Published in
ADHD Max
A more complete picture of what ADHD can look like — especially in women.
Many patients arrive having been treated for ADHD for years — yet something still doesn't quite fit. Symptoms seem to shift. Some weeks feel manageable; others feel impossible. Mood, anxiety, and energy fluctuate in ways that standard ADHD treatment doesn't address.
ADHD Max is Dr. Dara's clinical framework for understanding a more complex ADHD presentation — one that includes cyclical mood and anxiety features, often driven by hormonal fluctuations. It sits at the intersection of ADHD, mood variability, and hormonal health, and it's frequently missed in traditional psychiatric settings.
Recognizing this pattern changes everything about how treatment is approached — from medication selection to timing to lifestyle factors. It's not just ADHD. It's ADHD at full intensity, with layers most clinicians don't look for.
You might relate if you experience:
- ADHD symptoms that worsen in the days before your period
- Mood swings or emotional reactivity layered on top of focus issues
- Good weeks and terrible weeks — in a pattern that feels almost predictable
- Anxiety that feels different from typical worry — more physical, more cyclical
- Symptoms that shifted significantly after pregnancy, perimenopause, or hormonal changes
- Treatment that worked at first, then stopped — without a clear reason why
Think this sounds like you?
Dr. Dara specializes in exactly this kind of complex, layered presentation.
How We Practice
Our Model of Care
Dr. Dara Psychiatry is a boutique, concierge-style practice designed for patients who want a more attentive and responsive experience.
Extended, in-depth evaluations
Thoughtful, individualized treatment planning
Ongoing collaboration and communication
Close physician oversight across all care
A focus on both symptom relief and long-term functioning
We believe high-quality psychiatric care requires time, attention, and a strong therapeutic relationship — and we've built our practice around that philosophy.
Is This the Right Fit?
Who We Work With
We work with adults who Suspect they may have ADHD or were diagnosed later in life
We work with adults who Feel like their symptoms don't fully fit one diagnosis
We work with adults who Have tried treatment before but didn't get the results they hoped for
We work with adults who Are navigating hormonal or life-stage-related mental health changes
We work with adults who Want a more thoughtful, expert-driven approach to care
Our Team
Board-certified providers with decades of combined experience in psychiatry, specializing in ADHD, mood disorders, women's mental health, and trauma-informed care.

Dr. Dara Abraham
Psychiatrist & Founder
Board-certified osteopathic psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience. Published author for ADDitude Magazine and Clinical Psychiatry News. Pioneer in understanding ADHD Max and hormonal influences on mental health.
Specialties

Ilyssa Carsia
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specializing in holistic, patient-centered care. Expert in helping patients navigate anxiety, depression, and life transitions with compassion and evidence-based treatment.
Specialties
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our practice, services, and what to expect as a patient.
You can schedule your first appointment by clicking the "Book Appointment" button on our website, which will take you to our online message portal to complete the intake information sheet. You can also email us directly at info@drdarapsychiatry.com or text us at 610-686-9161. We look forward to hearing from you!
Your initial evaluation is a comprehensive 60-90 minute appointment where we'll discuss your medical history, current symptoms, lifestyle factors, and treatment goals. We take a holistic approach, considering how physical health, hormones, sleep, nutrition, and stress all impact your mental wellness. You'll leave with a clear understanding of your diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan.
Yes! We offer secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth appointments for patients throughout Pennsylvania. Many patients find virtual visits convenient and just as effective as in-person care. Telehealth is available for both initial evaluations and follow-up appointments.
Still have questions?
We're here to help. Reach out and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Contact UsReady to Get Started?
Psychiatric care that is experienced, collaborative, and truly individualized.
If you're looking for psychiatric care that goes beyond the surface — you're in the right place.
Serving Philadelphia & the Main Line

