My Story – About Piotr Pelc, D.O.
The son of an immigrant family, I was born in Poland, but moved to Canada at the age of 3. Growing up in a multicultural country, I was surrounded by various religions, ethnicities and viewpoints. This has contributed to my curiosity for understanding the uniqueness of each individual. I’m passionate about working with individuals and families from all walks of life.
Undergraduate:
I was fortunate to obtain an Ivy League education, attending Cornell University, and graduating with a Biological Sciences degree, with honors.
Graduate:
I then attended the renowned Georgetown University Georgetown University, and obtained a Master’s Degree in Physiology.
Medical School:
After that, I decided to become a physician, and I ventured to California to attend Western University of Health Sciences, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. You can read about what a DO is here.
Residency:
I then attended Loma Linda University, a major medical center and teaching university where I completed 3 years of adult psychiatry training.
Fellowship:
Realizing I love working with children and adolescents and wanting subspecialty training, I completed a 2 year fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami.
My Values & Beliefs
Patient, understanding and gentle questioning
Holistic approach
Evidenced-based practice
My Approach
I believe that every patient is a unique individual. For this reason, each patient needs careful attention to his or her presenting problems. One person’s anxiety is not the same as another person’s anxiety. As an osteopathic physician, I use a holistic approach and view each patient through multiple lenses. I look at each problem from every possibly angle. I pay specific attention to diet and exercise and make recommendations for treatment, as both of these impact mental health.
I utilize the biopsychosocialspiritual model. I try to encapsulate each presenting problem through the biological, psychological, social and if applicable, spiritual, lens for each patient.
In my opinion, the cornerstone of good psychiatric care is talk therapy. I frequently tell my patients, “If you think you’ll solve all of your problems with just a pill, you’re dreaming!” I offer various types of individual therapy. These include supportive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy. If patients elect to see an outside therapist, I coordinate care with that therapist.
When indicated, I prescribe and monitor appropriate psychiatric medications. I will order required blood work. Above all, I utilize gentle questioning and work hard to allow my patients to become their best selves!