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Dr.Venice Sanchez

Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Addiction Medicine Specialist

Venice Sanchez, MD, is a double board-certified physician, specializing in Psychiatry and Neurology as well as Addiction Medicine. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. At her private practice in Newport Beach, California, Dr. Sanchez offers a holistic approach to patient care, integrating not only medication management and traditional medical treatments but also therapy, spirituality, healthy eating, exercise, and attention to social factors that impact well-being.

Dr. Sanchez moved to the United States from the Philippines at the age of 11. As a first-generation immigrant raised in a disadvantaged community, she quickly recognized the value of education and hard work. While raising two daughters, she remained committed to pursuing her medical education and career. The challenges she faced as a young mother and first-generation postgraduate student deepened her awareness of the disparities in community support for women and highlighted the urgent need for improved mental health care services.

Dr. Sanchez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of California, Irvine, where she was honored with the Outstanding Resident of the Year Award in recognition of her dedication to education, patient care, and clinical work.

Her extensive training at multiple renowned facilities, under the guidance of experts in her field, has given her a broad and comprehensive skill set in treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions. Dr. Sanchez has worked at the Long Beach VA, various addiction rehabilitation centers, and San Diego detention facilities, gaining invaluable expertise in PTSD, substance abuse, and mood and thought disorders associated with substance use.

Dr. Sanchez has a particular focus on women’s health, especially in the treatment of pregnant and postpartum patients struggling with mental health issues. She trained with specialists at the Maternal and Fetal Clinic at UCI Medical Center and was instrumental in launching the first Women's Mental Health Medication Management Clinic at the Long Beach VA Medical Center.

Driven by her passion for her field, Dr. Sanchez has worked tirelessly to gain expertise in treating a range of psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, insomnia, and other treatment-resistant disorders. Her subspecialty in addiction medicine also allows her to guide patients through the difficult journey of recovery.

Due to her dedication and exceptional work in the field, Dr. Sanchez has been recognized as Women in Medicine Top Doctor 2024, as well as the Best of 2024 Newport Beach, Psychiatrist.

Dr. Navarro, is an associate UCLA professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is double board certified in treating children and teens, as well as adult psychiatry. Dr. Navarro is an expert on ADHD, depression and anxiety. He is passionate about treating the whole person in an integrative and preventative way. Dr. Navarro completed his undergraduate degree in Biological Psychology at UCLA. He worked as a public health educator in the South Bay serving over 800 middle school children for two years prior to pursuing medical training. He received his medical degree from UC Irvine College of Medicine and graduated with Honors in Service as an inductee into the Gold Humanistic Honor Society. Dr. Navarro did his internship, residency and child/adolescent fellowship at UCLA becoming Chief Fellow his final year of training. Dr. Navarro is an international and national lecturer on child and adolescent mental health.

Jennifer Hichar is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner trained to treat mental health disorders in patients of all ages. Her clinical training at Yale School of Nursing took place in both inpatient and outpatient settings with pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations. Jennifer is dedicated to providing patient-centered, evidence-based care within a holistic biopsychosocial approach to treatment.

I am practicing in Newport Beach since 1993. I completed Psychiatry Residency at King Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1992 and fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at USC Institute of Psychiatry and the Law in 1993. I have served as the Medical Director of Inpatient Psychiatry units and Partial Hospitalization Programs for over a decade. In addition I have been providing psychiatric consultations on complex, challenging patients on the medical floors and Intensive Care Units at Hoag, Fountain Valley and Orange Coast Memorial Hospital since 1994. I am also a consultant to the Emergency Rooms at these hospitals and I have extensive experience in dealing with the legal aspects of psychiatry, as well as clinical psychiatry. I enjoy reading, bike riding, working out in the gym and traveling with my family.

Dr. Amira Collison is a Board-Certified Adult Psychiatrist and Board-Eligible Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist who provides comprehensive psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults. She completed her medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, followed by both her Adult Psychiatry Residency and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Her clinical interests include neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD and autism spectrum disorder), anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, mood disorders, trauma-related disorders, and psychotic disorders. During residency, she received advanced training in the treatment of complex mood disorders through the UCLA Mood Disorders Clinic, where she developed expertise in treating treatment-resistant depression, using evidence-based medication management, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and intranasal ketamine.

Dr. Collison believes that exceptional psychiatric care begins with understanding the whole person—not simply treating symptoms. She partners closely with patients and families to develop individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that may include medication management, psychotherapy, family therapy, lifestyle interventions, and TMS when appropriate. Her approach emphasizes collaboration, compassion, and creating a supportive environment where patients feel heard, understood, and empowered throughout treatment. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Collison maintains an academic appointment at UCLA, where she teaches and supervises medical students, psychiatry residents, and child & adolescent psychiatry fellows.

Clinical Focus:

• Medication management, psychotherapy, and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
• ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, mood disorders, trauma-related disorders, and psychotic disorders

Certifications:

• Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry
• Board Eligible in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• Certified in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) by the Clinical TMS Society

Licensing:

• Licensed Physician under the Medical Board of California (License #: A191511)

Training:

• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (M.D.)
• UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (Adult Psychiatry Residency)
• UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior (Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship)

Appointments:

• Clinical Instructor, UCLA Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Awards:

• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Pilot Research Award for Early Career Faculty & Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows (2025–2026)
• American Psychiatric Association–SAMHSA Minority Fellowship (2022–2023)
• United States Fulbright Fellow, Spain (2016–2017)

Other:

• Author of several peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international scientific meetings
• Provides psychiatric care to justice-involved adults through the Los Angeles County Office of Diversion and Re-entry (ODR)
• Founder & Director, UCLA Mindful Mentors, a school-based mental health literacy program now integrated into the UCLA Adult Psychiatry Residency and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
• Served on American Psychiatric Association Council on Children, Adolescents and Their Families
• Member, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• Member, Clinical TMS Society

(*Click here for curriculum vitae)