Debbie Raphael, M.D.
Debbie Raphael, M.D. is a double board-certified psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult mental health, with nearly two decades of clinical experience serving individuals and families across the lifespan. Based in Walnut Creek, California, she trained at UC San Diego and completed her psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at UCSF, where she also served as Assistant Clinical Professor. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles including Lead Child Psychiatrist for Contra Costa County and has worked extensively within public mental health systems to support children and families navigating complex emotional and developmental challenges. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Raphael is a recognized educator, speaker, and writer focused on relational health and the parent-child experience. She is a former Contra Costa Times advice columnist and a longtime member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her work emphasizes the importance of connection, emotional attunement, and breaking cycles of generational trauma. Drawing from her extensive clinical experience and her own journey as a parent, she integrates lived experience with scientific insight to help families build healthier, more resilient relationships. Dr. Raphael is also the author of the upcoming book Carry My Strength: A Parent’s Guide to Growing and Thriving Alongside Your Child, scheduled for release in January 2027 through Wiley. The book reflects nearly twenty years of journaling, clinical practice, and parenting experience, offering practical guidance for parents navigating both everyday challenges and deeper emotional dynamics. Through her writing, podcast appearances, and speaking engagements, she continues to advocate for stronger support systems for parents and children, with a mission to improve mental health and relational well-being across generations.
• Physician and Surgeon M.D.
• Board Certification in Psychiatry
• Board Certification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• UC San Diego- B.S.
• UC San Diego School of Medicine- M.D.
• Laughlin Award of the National Psychiatric Endowment Foundation (2008)
• Phi Beta Kappa summa cum laude from UC San Diego
• Regent Scholar at UC San Diego
• Howard Hughes Summer Research Award
• Glenn R. Elliott, Ph.D., M.D. Award for Excellence in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with Special Distinction in Patient Care
• Northern California Regional Organization of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (NCROCAP)
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Perinatal-Infant Mental Health Network
• Board member of Contra Costa Midrasha for Teens (nonprofit)
• Asked to be co-president for next year
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a lifelong commitment to helping and connecting with people, shaped by my lived experience including childhood adversity, combined with strong academic training as a Regent Scholar at UC San Diego and through UCSF. That foundation, along with years of sustained clinical work in both community and academic settings, has grounded my ability to serve families with depth, empathy, and consistency.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
From my mom:
Go for it, Debbie!
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise them to be mindful of boundaries. We all want to do our best at home and at work, and it's very admirable. Of course we strive for that, and at the same time to remember to hold these boundaries. I would encourage them to listen to our own words, in terms of how we are always advising our patients, and try to remember to do the same for ourselves, our family, and the people in our world. This helps us as people, and to do our job better over time. We can remember the words that we say for ourselves, as well.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is the increasing uncertainty and pressures for parents during these times. The pressures on parents in our society are mounting, making our job as psychiatrists more and more challenging. The rates of postpartum depression are very high, 1 in 5, and behavioral health concerns in children are about the same, also 1 in 5. This is not a coincidence, because stress on parents can trickle down and have ripple effects for their kids. It's really important for that to be validated so the parents don't feel like they're alone in this. When parents feel alone, it can feel as though they shouldn't be feeling that way, even though it is based in reality, and then they can come to feel guilt and shame, making everything even harder.
I'm trying to combat some of these difficulties with my book, so this added layer of difficulty can be mitigated some. This relates to the U.S. Surgeon General's advisory that he put out in 2024 called Parents Under Pressure, where he really called it out. What I'm trying to provide is something for parents to hold, to help cope with that reality and move forward in it for the best outcomes possible.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are validating parents’ experiences, fostering genuine connection and support, and strengthening relational health. I also place strong importance on healthy boundaries and self-care as essential foundations for sustainable well-being for both individuals and families.
Locations
Walnut Creek, CA 94547
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