Lisa Goldman, MD, MSW

Media Releases

Dr Goldman specializes in serving busy people who work in the demanding fields of health care, education, law enforcement and first responders. She offers a free confidential hotline for doctors, medical students and physicians in training within the Tucson metro area, as part of her commitment to the prevention of physician suicide. Dr Goldman puts an emphasis on spending quality time with fewer patients rather than rushing people through to make as much money as possible. This is relationship driven psychiatry, not production driven psychiatry, setting Whole Human Psychiatry apart from most other clinics in the community. 

Dr Goldman is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish. She treats people who experience mood and anxiety symptoms, ADHD and traumatic stress disorders. She has over 20 years of mental health experience as both a social worker and a psychiatrist. Her office is a safe and welcoming space for people of all backgrounds, nationalities, orientations and faith traditions. 

Dr Goldman recommends balancing medication in the smallest effective doses with other supports such as purposeful daily choices in food, sleep, healthy relationships, and appropriate-for-fitness level physical activity. She helps her patients understand their own thought process, and teaches people how to think more positive thoughts. She patiently works with people over time and does not believe in “quick fixes” when it comes to mental health. 

“My purpose on earth is to dissolve shame and to walk with physicians, medical students and other healers on their journey of self discovery and self determination. I am here to assist sensitive, altruistic souls who are striving to offer their gifts of service in a broken system.” 

Dr Goldman holds active medical licenses in Arizona and Tennessee and offers telepsychiatry for established patients This saves them both travel time and expense, as well as providing increased scheduling flexibility and privacy. She is board certified with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, with an MD from the University of Arizona completed in 2009. She completed a four year psychiatry residency in general psychiatry at the University of Tennessee in 2017.  She has a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College and a Masters in Social Work from Arizona State University. 

Dr Goldman’s training in family systems therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, Imago relationship therapy, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness meditation sets her apart from many other psychiatrists who rely primarily on pills to treat symptoms. She is just as likely to take people off medication as she is to start people on medication. She recognizes music, art, friendships, pets, yoga, and a plant based diet as important components of a complete wellness plan. 

Dr Goldman takes care of patients and lets insurance companies take care of themselves.

Opting out of insurance frees her to focus exclusively on the individual needs of patients. DR GOLDMAN DOES NOT ACCEPT INSURANCE and patients pay for their services at the time they are seen. A one-page billing invoice is provided, which some patients may choose to submit to their insurance company for reimbursement. Dr Goldman is as an OUT OF NETWORK PROVIDER, and does not offer a billing service or do free paperwork or phone calls for people outside of their appointment times. Payment is due at the time of service. There is a fee for missed appointments or cancelations with less than 24 hours notice. 

Dr Goldman does not prescribe benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Valium. The reason for this is that newer studies show the risk of using these medications far outweighs the benefits, and for this reason, Dr Goldman looks for safer options. If you are looking for a prescriber of benzodiazepines so that you can continue to take these medications, please seek help elsewhere.  

Dr Goldman does not fill out disability paperwork or offer a free crisis service for the general public. There are NO MEDICARE PROVIDERS at Whole Human Psychiatry and unfortunately, AHCCCS is not accepted. Dr Goldman loves taking care of seniors, and offers a fee discount to senior citizens who are very motivated and who take an active part in their own wellness. Dr Goldman offers fee reductions for full time students, single parents, artists and musicians on a case by case basis. Medical students and physicians in training automatically qualify for a fee reduction, because this is a high risk population with limited access to other resources. 

There is no answering service at Whole Human Psychiatry, and when you call Dr Goldman, you get Dr Goldman. She turns off her phone from 10pm to 7 am so that she can sleep, however if you are an established patient seeking to reach her between visits, you may text her cell phone, and she will return your call as soon as possible. If you are experiencing a life threatening medical emergency, please do not delay. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are a doctor thinking about killing yourself, please read on. 

AMERICA LOSES ON AVERAGE ONE MEDICAL DOCTOR PER DAY TO SUICIDE. 

Being driven like an 80 hour a week factory worker isn’t good for anybody’s health, especially when human lives are in your hands. The isolation from family members, the constant demands of work and the guilt from being stretched in too many different directions can cause some doctors to experience feelings of exhaustion, detachment, and meaninglessness. They may blame themselves for this experience rather than see the larger systemic forces that are at work. Some doctors will not even admit to themselves that this dream of serving humanity has turned into a long horrible nightmare. Afraid to seek help, some doctors turn to self destructive habits, worsening their self-isolation and despair. Their relationships, health, and sense of purpose can be destroyed, taking down others who are close to them. 

NOT ONE MORE DOCTOR LOST TO SUICIDE! 

Because of difficulty making time for self care and fears of confidentiality breach, licensing questions, even inquisitions from hospitals and peers, many doctors put off seeking mental health treatment for themselves. Some doctors even see their own vulnerable emotions as a sign of weakness. They may worry they could lose the respect of colleagues or even their license to practice medicine if word gets out they have been going to see a shrink. For all these reasons, many physicians suffer in silence. Because of her commitment to ending physician suicide, Dr Goldman offers a free hotline for physicians and other health care workers in crisis in the Tucson Metro area.  This is offered to healers who may have nowhere else to go due to concerns about confidentiality, and limited access to appropriate, off-the-grid mental health services.

If you are a physician, medical student or other health care professional working or living within the Tucson Metro area and you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, free confidential help can be reached at wholehumanpsychiatry.com.  Or you may text HELP to (520) 235-5259. You can expect a response right away or in a matter of hours, as soon as Dr Goldman can get back to you. Dr Goldman does sleep at night, and often works in a hospital, drives, sees patients in her own clinic, walks around in a forest or desert or goes to yoga class and may not be able to answer right away. Please leave a message with your first name and a contact number, letting her know when and how you can be reached. If you have not heard back within 6 – 8 hours, please text again, being sure you have left correct call-back information and have your phone ON. Please do not kill yourself today. Try this first please. This helpline is for physicians, physicians in training or allied health care professionals only. Others will be charged for Dr Goldman’s time. 

Dr Goldman subscribes to Pamela Wible MD’s medical philosophy, the Ideal Medical Care Movement. For more on Dr Wible and her work on physician suicide prevention, please check out idealmedicalcare.org, 

Dr Goldman is available for news interviews, speaking engagements, workshop leadership and panel discussions. She accepts no commissions or favors  from big pharma or any other special interest groups and reserves the right to use curse words on occasion. 

Recommended Articles

• How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

  If you think the symptoms you’re experiencing are related to the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may need to consult your medical practitioner. If you’re bothered by your child’s condition, it would be wise talking to the teachers before seeking medical attention. This...

• What Are Hallucinations?

  In psychiatry, hallucinations are defined as a perception experienced in the absence of an external stimulus to the corresponding sense organ. In simple terms, hallucinations are when people see, hear, feel, smell, or taste things that really don’t exist outside of their minds. For a...

• What Is Flakka?

  Flakka is now more popular than ever, with stories about its use spreading to national news channels. These stories range from hilarious to frightening, which makes flakka so interesting. There are stories of people running through the streets naked, which are a bit hilarious. However, there are...

• What Is Male Borderline Personality Disorder?

  Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is defined as a mental disorder that generally affects the way individuals think and feel about themselves and other people. People with this personality disorder often have unstable personal relationships due to their extreme emotions, impulsiveness, and...

• Are Stimulants Good for My Child?

  Most parents whose children suffer from the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reject the consumption of caffeinated drinks. They often think that such drinks could worsen their children’s symptoms. So why do medical doctors prescribe sedatives to kids experiencing severe ADHD...

• The Top 10 Health Threats For Men

  Here is a list of the top 10 dangerous diseases men can face in their lifetime. Don't be alarmed; many of these diseases are preventable and treatable. 1. Heart attack and cardiac arrestHeart attacks are caused by a blockage of any arteries that supply blood to the heart. Arteries can get clogged...