A professional woman with long dark hair, wearing a gray checkered blazer, a white blouse with blue patterns, black pants, and a smartwatch, standing against a plain gray background with arms crossed and smiling.

Hi, I’m Vinita Prasad, MD

I’m a board-certified psychiatrist with specialized training in integrative and functional psychiatry. I help women navigate depression, anxiety, trauma, and burnout by treating the whole person — not just the symptoms. My work is rooted in the belief that true healing happens when we care for the mind, body, and spirit together.


Woman practicing yoga on a mat in a home, her head bowed down, with motivational affirmations written on the mat.

My Values

  • A healthy mind stays in a healthy body

Mental well-being and physical health are deeply interconnected, and nurturing both leads to optimal functioning.

  • A combined approach to patient care is essential

Integrating medication management, therapy, nutraceuticals, and lifestyle modifications acknowledges that health is multidimensional—each aspect of a person’s well-being influences the others.

  • Healing is holistic

Mental health is not just about addressing one specific problem; it’s about fostering balance across all areas of life.

  • True healing is individualized

Every person’s journey is unique, and a multifaceted approach tailored to their needs is key to achieving their highest potential.


My Philosophy

“Healthy Mind Stays in Healthy Body”

A stack of three stones on sand with the words 'Mind', 'Body', and 'Spirit' written on them from top to bottom.

I believe a healthy mind lives in a healthy body — and that mental health care should never be one-size-fits-all. My approach blends the best of conventional psychiatry with root-cause investigation, lifestyle medicine, psychotherapy, and evidence-based holistic tools. This allows us to address what’s beneath the surface — whether it’s nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, trauma, or limiting beliefs held in the subconscious mind.

I partner closely with each patient to create a personalized plan that supports healing across every level — emotional, physical, and spiritual. Healing isn’t just about managing symptoms — it’s about helping you feel like yourself again.

A woman with arms open wide enjoying a day at the water, with a body of water and cloudy sky in the background.

My Journey

My path to psychiatry began long before medical school — rooted in my own lived experiences. I grew up in India, where I witnessed a silent struggle of mental illness. In a culture where mental health was rarely discussed, I realized how many people suffer in silence simply because they don’t have the right support or tools. That early experience planted a deep desire in me to understand and help people heal.

Later, I completed my medical education and psychiatry residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC, where I worked across outpatient and acute care settings. Over the years, I’ve treated a wide range of psychiatric conditions — but I began to notice a pattern: many patients weren’t getting better with medication alone. Something was missing.

At the same time, I was going through my own healing journey — facing unresolved childhood adverse experiences, the emotional demands of motherhood, and chronic symptoms from an autoimmune condition. Through personal experience, I learned how nutrition, sleep, lifestyle, and emotional healing all play a powerful role in mental well-being. I began to study integrative psychiatry, functional medicine, and Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) — and everything changed.

Through my personal struggle with an autoimmune condition (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), I discovered the healing power of nutrition. By implementing a health, nutritious and gluten-free diet, I was able to regain my health, restore my energy, and significantly improve my overall performance

Outside My Work

When I’m not working, you’ll find me spending time with my husband and our two daughters, ages 11 and 7. We travel to India often to stay connected to our roots and pass on our cultural traditions to our children. I also love interior design — I’ve designed and decorated our own short-term rentals, which has become a fun creative outlet for me.

Gardening is another passion of mine — being outside, hands in the soil, surrounded by the elements of nature is how I recharge and reset. I’m a regular practitioner of meditation and an active member of the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences in Tennessee. And at home, you’ll often find me in the kitchen, cooking nutrient-dense meals to support my family’s health and well-being.

These parts of my life shape how I show up as a psychiatrist — grounded, intuitive, and deeply invested in helping others create balance in their own lives.

Woman in pink striped shirt and denim shorts standing outdoors next to a tall plant, cutting the plant with scissors, with a house wall and window in the background.
Four people, two women and two children, standing on a rocky lakeshore with clear water, mountains in the background and a blue sky.
Woman with glasses and dark hair smiling and pointing at a blender filled with fresh vegetables on a kitchen counter.
A woman practicing yoga outdoors on a red mat facing a serene lake, with green grass, trees, and houses in the background during daytime.

My Credentials

Board Certified Psychiatrist

  • Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

  • Psychiatry Residency, Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC

  • Certified in Integrative Psychiatry – Integrative Psychiatry Institute

  • Integrative Psychiatry Training – Dream Practice Academy

  • Certified Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) Practitioner

  • 10+ years of experience treating diverse psychiatric conditions across levels of care

  • Specialized in root-cause psychiatry, functional medicine, and lifestyle-based treatment

Professional Membership:

APA: American Psychiatric Association

To ensure the highest level of personalized care, I do not work directly with insurance companies. However, I can provide you with a superbill detailing the services provided, which you may be able to submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement based on your out-of-network benefits.