About

Karla Benzl, M.D.

I am a board-certified psychiatrist. I completed my training in adult psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, with a focus in women’s mental health. Prior to this, I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis, and my medical degree from New York University School of Medicine. I provide both medication management and psychotherapy, and I tailor my treatment recommendations to meet the individual needs of each person I work with. I enjoy working with a diverse population of adults, and have extensive experience treating mood and anxiety disorders. I have additional expertise in women’s mental health, and treat peripartum and postpartum mood/anxiety symptoms, as well as premenstrual and perimenopausal mood changes. My professional interests also include mindfulness, integrative psychiatry, and nutritional psychiatry, which are all topics I write about on my blogs (see blog section on this site as well as www.resiliencykids.com for mental health and kids/parents).

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

2012-2015 University of California, San Francisco Residency Psychiatry

2011-2012 University of California, San Francisco Internship Psychiatry

2007-2011 New York University School of Medicine M.D. Medicine

2005-2006 Scripps College, Claremont, CA Certificate Pre-medical Studies

2000-2005 University of California, Davis B.A. Psychology

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATIONS

2015-Present American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

2012-2015 Women’s Mental Health Area of Distinction, University of California, San Francisco

2012-Present Medical License, California, A121990

2012-Present Drug Enforcement Administration, FB3434026

HONORS/AWARDS

2015 Thacher Community Grant, American College of Nurse-Midwives

2007-2011 Diversity Scholarship, Partial Tuition, NYU School of Medicine

2005 Cum Laude, University of California, Davis

2000-2005 Dean’s List, University of California, Davis

2000-2004 Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, University of California, Davis

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Psychiatry – Inpatient, outpatient, consult-liaison, integrated care clinic, medication management, emergency psychiatry, psychotherapy, psychotherapy supervision.

Systems – Public/community, private, VA

WORK EXPERIENCE

2018-Present Private Practice

2015-2018 Pacific Coast Psychiatric Associates, San Francisco, CA

2013-2014 Psychiatric Emergency Services, San Francisco General Hospital, CA

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2014-2015 Outpatient psychotherapy case conference co-leader for time-limited dynamic psychotherapy, 4

second year residents per group, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco.

2014-2015 Outpatient psychotherapy supervisor for time-limited dynamic psychotherapy, 2 second year residents

per group. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

2018- Present Postpartum Support International

2013-Present American Psychiatric Association

2016-Present Orange County Psychiatric Association

2013-2016 Northern California Psychiatric Society

RESEARCH

2008 Summer Research Fellow Awarded by: Summer Training on Aging Research Topics- Mental Health,

University of California, San Diego Location: Center for Brain Stimulation and Therapeutic Modulation;

Columbia University School of Medicine; Principal Investigator: Sarah Lisanby, M.D. Project: Magnetic

Seizure Therapy for depression.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING/OUTREACH

2004-2005 Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center-Crisis Line Counselor, Yolo County, CA

PRESENTATIONS

2015 “Needs Assessment for the Development of a Module on Complex Trauma for Inpatient Psychiatry,” UCSF Educational Showcase poster presentation

2015 “Working with Complex Trauma on Inpatient Psychiatry- An e-Learning Module,” San Francisco General

Hospital Grand Rounds

2014 “Trauma-Informed Delivery Plans,” San Francisco VA Women’s Clinic Didactic Series

2012 “This is not the Woman We Know- The Interface between Affective Disturbance and Personality,” San

Francisco General Hospital Case Presentation

2008 “Magnetic Seizure Therapy for Treatment of Depression,” Summer Training on Aging Research Topics–

Mental Health Conference; San Diego

PUBLICATIONS

Rowny, S.B., Benzl, K.S., Lisanby, S.H. Translational Development strategy for Magnetic Seizure Therapy. Experimental Neurology, 2009. 219(1):27-35.

EDUCATIONAL MODULES

Benzl, K. S., Hasser, C. “Working with Complex Trauma on Inpatient Psychiatry”- An online learning module designed to teach trauma-informed care in the setting of inpatient psychiatry to residents in early training, 2015. www.PTSDLEARNINGMODULE.COM
Benzl, K. “Trauma-Informed Birth Preparations and guidelines for the clinician working with traumatized pregnant patient”- An online learning module designed to train OBs, midwives, and mental health provider, 2015. www.PTSDLEARNINGMODULE.COM