For Happier Living psychiatrist Jonathan Mars, making interpersonal and intellectual connections is what he finds most gratifying. For as long as he can remember he has been interested in the interface between biology and the subjective experience.

‍

“I was initially interested in cognitive psychology until I majored in neuroscience in college,” he says. “In medical school, I had to choose between neurology and psychiatry and preferred the practice and thought process of the latter.”

‍

Dr. Mars appreciates Happier Living’s commitment to the therapeutic alliance and the flexibility his position provides. When he isn’t working he enjoys spending time with his family. He is also a literature buff – he was the president of the Baylor Literary Society while in school – and is a voracious reader.

‍

He appreciates Happier Living’s long term approach to mental health care. “Twenty-minute med checks every three months can be dehumanizing and aren't satisfying for the patient or psychiatrist,” he says. “Our goal of establishing long term therapeutic relationships works well for me and is the ideal for mental health care.”

‍

This approach allows him to gain a stronger connection with his clients and to go deeper with them. “The connection comes from listening and asking genuine questions so that we can reach new insights that help the patients understand themselves and their relationships with others.”

‍