In Conversation
Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Debbie Raphael, M.D.: Being an influential woman, to me, means helping others in the way that I know how, which means based on my professional and personal experiences over the years. I am aiming to intertwine these experiences together through my book, Carry My Strength, A Parent's Guide to Growing and Thriving Alongside Your Child. In the book, I'm hoping to make a difference in people's ability to achieve relational health within the family. And in doing so, to increase positive childhood experiences and the ability to buffer hard things that come family's way as well. I use my learning. Through the years as a child and adolescent and adult psychiatrist combined with my experiences in reality as a parent. To benefit others. I've learned a lot and I want to pass it along to me. This is what I can do as an influential woman to benefit everyone's health and help them feel like they matter and help validate their roles so that they can move through life in a way that feels good for them and in a way where they feel like they're benefiting their families at the same time, so that the generations can thrive.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Debbie Raphael, M.D.: A piece of advice that I would give younger women chasing their dreams is to go for it. Take it step by step and enjoy the steps along the way and try not to get overwhelmed by all the steps that are to come. We can live life in the moment and plan at the same time as best we can. Things will happen along the way that we don't anticipate. And so stepping back, reflecting, getting re-grounded, and finding our support system can be really helpful to then think about what comes next and how we want to best proceed. That's what I would say, and also to not forget to enjoy yourself and the people you care about along the way.
Her Story
About Debbie
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.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Debbie
01What 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.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
From my mom:
Go for it, Debbie!
03What 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.
04What 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.
05What 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.
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