About Me
Psychiatrist.
Chronic Pain Champion.
Skier. Tennis Player.
Struggling Spanish Speaker.
Yoga Student. Dog Lover.
CBS’s Survivor Enthusiast.
Hi there! My name is Mark, and I am a board-certified Seattle-based psychiatrist. I love to spend time with close friends and family, work on creative projects, travel to Latin America (and practice my horrible Spanish), and quote campy movies like Drop Dead Gorgeous and Waiting for Guffman.
I believe that physical as well as mental health are explicitly intertwined and the interplay between both is very real. I believe that the integration of both Eastern and Western treatments really add value to patient healing.
I believe that life’s obstacles serve as invitations for personal growth, allowing ourselves to cultivate a wiser mind and better manage our emotional experiences. I believe that optimal wellness is the goal for my patients, not just elimination of disease.
I also believe that life is too short to be serious all the time. Scrolling through my website, you might get the impression that I’m straight up business. Don’t get me wrong, I know how to be serious when it is called for however you might say my attitude towards life is a little bit like the mullet or rat tail hairstyle: I'm serious and business-like 95% of the time, but the other 5% of the time there is a little hidden party going on, and you might find me…
Dr. Mark Ellestad, MD, serious since age 4 (mullet/rat tail hidden in the back).
Not so serious when ‘Sweatin’ to the Oldies’ with Richard Simmons in Slimmons Studio with my high school friend Sara
My Credentials and Training
✓ Bachelor of Science, University of Notre Dame
✓ Medical Doctorate, New York Medical College
✓ Psychiatry Residency, University of Washington
✓ Board Certified Psychiatrist, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
✓ Psychiatry Addiction Fellowship, University of Washington
✓ Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
✓ Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Seattle Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
✓ Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy, Integrative Psychiatric Institute
✓ Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Washington. My work at Ellestad Psychiatry is independent from my work and responsibilities at University of Washington
“To heal is to touch where the soul hurts.”
— Cicely Tyson, American Acress
My Journey to Integrative Psychiatry
Background
I was born and raised in the Seattle area into a very large, close-knit Irish Catholic family. Like many Pacific Northwest natives, I spend a large chunk of my time outdoors, skiing, running, backpacking, hiking, swimming, playing tennis, and boating. My friends and family describe me as someone who is loyal, energetic, empathic, and compassionate with a blend of seriousness and wild fun, reflecting my quirky sense of humor and adventurous spirit.
Life Before Medical School
My journey into medicine and eventually the field of psychiatry has been shaped by a diverse range of experiences and took a decisive turn during my college years at the University of Notre Dame, where my analytic mind, my love of biology, and my compassionate heart found a natural calling.
Simultaneously, my experience as a gay male growing up in a Catholic family and in the challenging socio-cultural landscape of the 1980s and 1990s forced me to wrestle with common psychiatric themes such as sexual identity, social stigma, and self acceptance. With the support of family and friends (like my Dad and college roommates pictured here), I eventually found the courage to come out my junior year at a very Catholic and somewhat homophobic university.
Following college, I was an Americorps year long volunteer at a medical respite facility for homeless men in Washington, DC. This experience exposed me to the complexities of mental health and addiction and taught me how to genuinely connect with patients and fully appreciate their stories.
Medical and Psychiatric Training
After graduating in the top quarter of my class from New York Medical College, I returned to the Pacific Northwest and completed my psychiatry residency, followed by an addiction fellowship, both at the University of Washington. My commitment to a comprehensive understanding of the mind led me to complete a two-year psychoanalytic training course at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Institute. Currently, I am deepening my expertise through the Integrated Psychiatry Institute program, focusing on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy training. As a psychiatrist, I am fully committed to life-long learning for the betterment of my patients.
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With my friend Rachael at the end of medical school
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With my mom at the beginning of medical school
My Own Therapy
My own individual therapy over the last decade has not only been invaluable for personal insight and growth, but more importantly, I have learned what it is like to be on the other side of the curtain. It has allowed me to empathize deeply with the vulnerability, shame, trust, and genuine connection patients have with their therapist, and it has very much informed my therapeutic approach. In therapy, I offer a nonjudgmental space where you feel safe to share things you might never have thought you would share and the gradual cultivation of vulnerability becomes a powerful tool for navigating the outside world.
Personal Struggles and Integrative Medicine
My passion for a more integrative approach to psychiatry and medicine is rooted in my own battles with chronic health issues. I know how frustrating and scary it is to have symptoms that defy traditional diagnosis and, because of this, to feel dismissed by providers. Frustrated by little improvement with conventional treatment, I turned to a more integrative approach, seeking out naturopaths and specialized therapists. By integrating their approaches into my health plan, my symptoms have improved significantly. Like my personal experience with individual therapy, my journey with chronic medical conditions has significantly shaped my psychiatric clinical practice.
If you're seeking a psychiatrist who combines professional expertise with a compassionate, personalized, integrative approach, please learn more about my approach by looking at my services page.