Clinician Spotlight: Dr. Arnav Pondicherry
Dr. Arnav Pondicherry knew from a young age that he wanted to be a physician. “I chose psychiatry specifically because I think the brain is fascinatingly complex, and there's so much room yet left to expand our understanding of how it works and how to influence its function in a positive way,” he says. “ I also love being a psychiatrist because you get to spend meaningful time with your clients and really get to know them, which is rare in medicine nowadays, as the emphasis has shifted from building relationships to seeing many people in as short a time as possible.”
When he isn’t working, Dr. Pondicherry can be found meditating, reading - both fiction and non-fiction, cooking and baking, or engaging in some other form of physical activity. His current favorites are hiking, weightlifting, and tennis. He also enjoys programming, a remnant from majoring in engineering in college. “I love learning about computer science and artificial intelligence, and using what I learn to develop applications to solve problems and enrich my life,” he says. “ I find it to be a great avenue for creativity, with the added benefit of sometimes creating useful things.”
Getting to combine medication management with psychotherapy in his practice is one of the best parts of working for Happier Living, according to Dr. Pondicherry. “I get to meet my clients regularly and spend 40 minutes per session with them. I also really like the people that I work with, who are all friendly and skilled in their respective areas of practice,” he says.
Dr. Pondicherry forms important bonds with his clients by sharing his “deep curiosity” about their lives, “particularly what kinds of things are most meaningful to each individual, combined with a genuine desire to see them “flourish and become more resilient.” He appreciates the company’s commitment to giving clinicians the opportunities to form longitudinal relationships with clients.
“[This] allows providers to get to know clients on a very personal level, and use that understanding to produce sustainable, long-term improvements in their mental health,” he says. “The emphasis on psychotherapy in particular is unique to Happier Living and helps to provide care that goes past the surface level of just prescribing medications to treat symptoms.”
