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San Francisco · Telehealth Throughout California

Mental health care
that keeps up with you

Accurate diagnosis. Coordinated care. Treatment that evolves.
  • 60-minute evaluations with psychiatry and therapy in one practice
  • Appointments available within 3–5 days
  • In-network: Aetna, Cigna, UHC/Optum, Carelon, Medicare + more
Book your first visit
Accepting new patients Insurance Accepted
999 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA
Care at Defina

The care you've been looking for

Psychiatry, therapy, and in-clinic Spravato. Coordinated in one practice, adjusting as your needs change.

In-person in San Francisco (999 Sutter St)  +  telehealth throughout California.
Defina Health – What We Offer
01

Therapy

Practical, evidence-based therapy for real life.

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01 · Therapy

Built around measurable goals

Therapy at Defina is structured and purposeful. We work toward clear, measurable goals using theraputic methods proven to lead to better outcomes, like CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed approaches. Building skills you can use between sessions, not just insights to sit with.

Explore therapy in San Francisco
02

Psychiatry

Thoughtful medication care, with close follow-up.

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02 · Psychiatry

Your full history, first

We take time to understand your full history before recommending anything. From there, we build a medication plan around your goals — adjusting early if something isn't working, and discussing options like pharmacogenomic (genetic) testing when clinically appropriate. You drive your care, we humbly guide.

Explore psychiatry in San Francisco
03

Spravato

FDA-approved. In-clinic. For treatment-resistant depression.

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03 · Spravato (Esketamine)

When other treatments haven't worked

Clinically proven for patients whose depression hasn't improved with standard antidepressants. Administered at our San Francisco office under medical supervision — we handle insurance, evaluations, and walk you through every step.

See if Spravato is a fit

Our Founders

The people behind
the practice

Defina was built by two clinicians who saw what thoughtful care could look like and decided to create it.

Genesis Javaherian, PMHNP-BC, Co-Founder of Defina Health

PMHNP-BC  ·  Co-Founder

Genesis Javaherian

Psychiatric nurse practitioner specializing in mood disorders, PTSD, and substance use. Genesis brings a direct, whole-person approach to every patient, combining evidence-based treatment with the attentiveness that's rare in mental health systems.

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Kavon Javaherian, MD MBA, Co-Founder of Defina Health

MD MBA  ·  Co-Founder

Kavon Javaherian

Internal Medicine Physician with clinical and operational expertise in coordinated and integrated care. Kavon built Defina around a simple belief: that patients with the most complex needs deserve the most thoughtful systems, not the most fragmented ones.

Full bio →


Our story

Why Defina exists

Too many people navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD — or conditions that have never quite had a name — are forced to choose between convenience and continuity. That means quick visits, little context, and too much trial and error with medications or therapists who barely know your name.

We built Defina to be the kind of practice we'd want for our own friends and family. Our board-certified psychiatric providers bring clinical rigor to every appointment. Our therapists coordinate directly with psychiatry so your care never exists in silos.

We see patients in person at 999 Sutter Street in San Francisco, and offer telehealth visits for anyone in California who can't come in or simply prefers it.

If you've had care that felt rushed or disconnected, we built this specifically for that. You deserve a clinician who knows your history, and a practice that makes it easy to keep going.

The name

Defina  /deh-FEE-nuh/

From the Spanish word for "define." It reflects what we set out to do: establish a standard for mental health care that feels personal, consistent, and grounded in real progress.

Defina Health office interior

Our office at 999 Sutter Street, San Francisco.

Who We Help

Psychiatric care & therapy for adults
in San Francisco & throughout California

We treat the full range, from anxiety and depression to serious mental illness and substance use disorder, including cases where multiple conditions are present at once. Psychiatry and therapy work together within one practice, with clinical measures tracked at every visit so your care adjusts as you do. In-person at our San Francisco office or by telehealth throughout California, whichever works best at any given point in your care.

Mood, Anxiety & Trauma

Depression

Feeling numb, exhausted, or stuck, even when you're trying.

Depression is treatable, and the right combination of therapy and medication makes a real difference. We track your symptoms at every visit with validated clinical measures so your care adjusts as you respond. For patients with treatment resistant MDD, we offer Spravato, one of the few certified clinics in San Francisco.

Anxiety

Racing thoughts, constant worry, or panic that won't turn off.

Anxiety disorders respond well to treatment when therapy and medication are coordinated around your specific pattern. We treat generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, and health anxiety, adjusting your plan based on how your symptoms are actually changing between visits.

PTSD & Trauma

Trauma shows up in sleep, relationships, and the body. It is treatable.

We provide trauma-informed psychiatric care and coordinate directly with your therapist so medication and therapy are working from the same plan. We treat complex PTSD, single-incident trauma, and the intersection of trauma and substance use, conditions that often require a provider experienced with both.

OCD

Intrusive thoughts and compulsions that take over your day.

Effective OCD treatment requires ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy coordinated with psychiatric care. We work alongside ERP specialists so medication and therapy are built from the same plan. We treat harm OCD, scrupulosity, relationship OCD, and other complex presentations.

Chronic Stress & Burnout

Exhausted by a life that looks fine on paper but feels unsustainable.

Chronic stress and burnout often signal underlying depression or anxiety that responds well to treatment. We help identify what is driving the pattern, not just manage the symptoms, with a care plan built around your actual schedule, pressures, and goals.

Postpartum Depression

When pregnancy or postpartum feels heavy, frightening, or unlike you.

Postpartum depression affects roughly 1 in 7 new mothers and is highly treatable. We offer evidence-based medication options, including breastfeeding-compatible choices when clinically appropriate. Telehealth is available for the weeks when getting to an office is hardest.

Complex & Specialty Care

Substance Use Disorder

When substance use has become a way to cope and you're ready for something different.

Substance use and mental health are rarely separate problems. We treat both, addressing the underlying depression, anxiety, or trauma driving the pattern rather than the behavior alone. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is also available.

Schizophrenia & Psychosis

Serious mental illness deserves serious, consistent care, not a referral somewhere else.

We provide ongoing psychiatric care for schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and first-episode psychosis. Our team is experienced with complex medication management, and coordinating care with families and community supports.

Bipolar Disorder

Highs and lows that disrupt sleep, relationships, and your sense of self.

Bipolar disorder requires precision. The wrong medication at the wrong moment matters. We focus on mood stability, early warning sign recognition, and a long-term plan that fits your real routine. We treat Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and cyclothymia.

Psychiatry & therapy, coordinated in one practice

Your psychiatric provider and therapist share notes and align on one treatment plan. You don't translate between providers. We handle that.

In-person or telehealth, your care doesn't have to be one or the other

Some patients start by video and come in as they stabilize. Others prefer in-person and switch to telehealth when life gets in the way. Both are available at 999 Sutter Street in San Francisco or from anywhere in California with the same clinical team either way.

In-network: Anthem (Carelon), Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Medicare & most CA plans.  Most patients pay $0–$40 per visit. We verify your coverage before you start.
See all conditions we treat →
Mood, Anxiety & Trauma

Feeling numb, exhausted, or stuck, even when you're trying.

Therapy and medication management tailored to your symptoms, with clinical measures tracked at every follow-up. For patients who haven't responded to prior antidepressants, we offer Spravato.

Racing thoughts, constant worry, or panic that won't turn off.

We treat generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, and health anxiety, adjusting your plan based on how your symptoms are actually changing between visits.

Trauma shows up in sleep, relationships, and the body. It is treatable.

Trauma-informed psychiatric care coordinated directly with your therapist. We treat complex PTSD, single-incident trauma, and the intersection of trauma and substance use.

Intrusive thoughts and compulsions that take over your day.

Psychiatric care coordinated with ERP specialists, the clinical gold standard. We treat harm OCD, scrupulosity, relationship OCD, and complex presentations.

Exhausted by a life that looks fine on paper but feels unsustainable.

We identify what is driving the pattern, not just manage symptoms, with a care plan built around your actual schedule and pressures.

When pregnancy or postpartum feels heavy, frightening, or unlike you.

Affects roughly 1 in 7 new mothers and is highly treatable. Evidence-based medication options including breastfeeding-compatible choices. Telehealth available when getting to an office is hardest.

Complex & Specialty Care

When substance use has become a way to cope and you're ready for something different.

We treat both the substance use and the underlying mental health conditions driving it. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is available.

Serious mental illness deserves serious, consistent care.

Ongoing psychiatric care for schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and first-episode psychosis, conditions many outpatient practices decline to treat.

Highs and lows that disrupt sleep, relationships, and your sense of self.

Focused on mood stability, early warning sign recognition, and a long-term plan that fits your real routine. We treat Bipolar I, II, and cyclothymia.

Our Difference

Why San Francisco & California patients
choose Defina Health

01
01 — You Lead, We Guide

Mental health care that puts you in the driver's seat

Care works best when you're an active participant, not a passive recipient. We bring clinical expertise, honest diagnosis, and a full range of treatment options so every decision feels informed and chosen, not handed down. Your goals shape the plan. We build the evidence behind it.

02 — We Measure, Not Guess

Validated clinical tools at every follow-up, not just check-ins

At every visit we use validated clinical measures — PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, PC-PTSD-5 for trauma — to track how you're actually doing between sessions. If something isn't working, we catch it early and adjust before more time is lost. Progress you can see, not just feel.

03 — Your Care Team Actually Talks

Psychiatry and therapy on the same page — literally

At most practices, your psychiatric provider and therapist don't communicate. At Defina, they share clinical notes, coordinate your treatment plan, and adjust together as you progress. No repeating your story. No conflicting advice. One cohesive approach, built around you.

04 — Built for What's Hard

Care for cases most practices refer out

Many patients come to Defina after being told their situation is too complex, too layered, or too resistant to standard treatment. We were built specifically for that. Our team is trained in serious mental illness, substance use, and co-occurring conditions — cases where mental health and other challenges don't arrive separately. If you've tried other practices and haven't found the right fit, that's exactly who we're here for.

Care works best when you're an active participant, not a passive recipient. We bring clinical expertise, honest diagnosis, and a full range of treatment options — so every decision feels informed and chosen, not handed down.

At every visit we use validated clinical measures — PHQ-9, GAD-7, PC-PTSD-5 — to track how you're actually doing. If something isn't working, we catch it early and adjust before more time is lost.

At Defina, your psychiatric provider and therapist share clinical notes, coordinate your treatment plan, and adjust together as you progress. No repeating your story. No conflicting advice.

Many patients come to Defina after being told their situation is too complex or too resistant to standard treatment. We treat serious mental illness, substance use, and co-occurring conditions — cases where mental and other challenges don't arrive separately. If other practices haven't been the right fit, this is where you belong.

Getting Started — Defina Health, San Francisco

Three steps to your first appointment
mental healthcare that stays with you

Step One

Book your first visit

Fill out our short intake form online in about five minutes. We verify your insurance, confirm your coverage and estimated cost, and follow up with next steps by email. Most patients hear back within one business day.

No phone call required to get started
Step Two

Your 60-minute first visit

Your clinician reviews your intake before you arrive, so the visit focuses on understanding your situation rather than paperwork. Together you will clarify what is going on, discuss treatment options, and build a plan that fits your goals. You will leave with clear next steps. Available in person at 999 Sutter Street in San Francisco, or by telehealth throughout California.

In person in SF or telehealth across California
Step Three

Ongoing care that adjusts with you

At every follow-up, we use validated clinical measures to track what is actually changing between visits. If something is not working, we adjust before the next appointment rather than waiting. Care at Defina is not static. It moves with you.

Progress tracked with validated clinical measures
Defina Health therapy office at 999 Sutter Street, San Francisco — warm wood floors, bay windows, and comfortable seating

999 Sutter Street, San Francisco

"For the first time in years, I actually feel like myself again." Defina Health Patient San Francisco, CA
Get Started at Defina Health

The hardest part
is deciding

The form below takes about two minutes. We confirm your insurance before your first visit so there are no surprises on cost. Most patients are seen within 3 to 5 days.

HIPAA-protected
Your information is private
Seen within 3 to 5 days
Most new patients
Hablamos español
(415) 417-1929

999 Sutter Street, San Francisco · Telehealth throughout California

Your questions, answered

Everything you need to know
before getting started

From insurance and scheduling to what your first visit looks like — answered clearly, so nothing gets in the way.

  • Defina Health is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare/Optum, Magellan, Anthem (Carelon Network Partner), and Medicare. We also work with most major California insurance plans. We verify your specific coverage before your first appointment at no cost to you, so there are no surprises.

  • Most new patients at Defina Health are seen within 3–5 business days of submitting their intake form. After you submit, we review your information, confirm your insurance, and follow up within one business day to confirm your appointment.

  • Yes. Defina Health's San Francisco office is located at 999 Sutter St, near Union Square and Lower Nob Hill, at the corner of Hyde and Sutter. In-person appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8am–6pm.

  • Yes. Defina offers HIPAA-compliant telehealth appointments for therapy and psychiatry throughout California, including the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and surrounding regions. You see the same clinical team as in-person patients.

  • Defina Health offers three core services: psychiatric care (medication management), individual therapy (CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed approaches), and in-clinic Spravato (esketamine) for treatment-resistant depression. All services are coordinated within one practice.

  • Your first visit is 60 minutes. Before the appointment, your clinician reviews the intake information you submitted so the session focuses on understanding your situation and goals — not paperwork. You'll leave with a clear treatment plan and defined next steps. Most patients describe it as the most thorough first mental health appointment they've had.

  • Defina is built for patients whose needs are more complex, more layered, or more likely to change over time — including serious mental illness, substance use disorder, and conditions that haven't responded to standard treatment. Most practices are equipped for one thing at a time. Defina coordinates psychiatry and therapy within one practice, uses validated clinical measures at every visit to track what's actually changing, and offers both in-person care at 999 Sutter Street in San Francisco and telehealth throughout California — with the same clinical team either way. Care adjusts as you do, whether that means changing medications, adding therapy, or shifting between in-person and virtual visits.

  • Submit our online intake form — it takes about 2 minutes. We'll verify your insurance, and follow up within one business day. Most patients are seen within 3–5 days. You can also call us at (415) 417-1929, or if you prefer Spanish, hablamos español.

  • Yes. Many patients come to Defina after trying other practices, medications, or therapists without meaningful improvement. Our team is trained in treatment-resistant conditions, serious mental illness, and co-occurring diagnoses — cases where standard approaches often fall short. For patients with treatment-resistant depression specifically, we are one of a limited number of certified Spravato (esketamine) clinics in San Francisco, offering this FDA-approved treatment under direct medical supervision.

Book first visit
Our Location

Defina Health San Francisco Mental Health Clinic

Our office is at 999 Sutter Street, on the corner of Hyde and Sutter, near Union Square, Lower Nob Hill, and the Financial District. Street parking is available and Muni lines 2, 3, 19, 47, and 49 stop nearby.


Address
999 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109

Hours
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm

Phone

Hablamos español

Email
Telehealth throughout California

Not in San Francisco? We offer HIPAA-compliant telehealth for therapy and psychiatry throughout California.

Los Angeles · San Diego · Sacramento · Oakland · San Jose · Bay Area · and statewide

(415) 4117-1929

care@definahealth.com