About Dr. Veras

Dr. Yokarla Veras is a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist specializing in women’s mental health, with a focus on hormonal conditions and transitions including PMDD, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. She is licensed in both New York and New Jersey.

She completed her undergraduate studies at Columbia University and earned her MD and Master of Science in Population Medicine from Brown University. She returned to Columbia for both her general psychiatry residency and a fellowship in Women’s and Reproductive Mental Health.

Throughout her career, Dr. Veras has cultivated extensive experience treating a wide range of mental health conditions, from mood and anxiety disorders to severe mental illness. Her work has spanned diverse care settings, including community mental health, academic medical centers, and specialized women's mental health services. Her advanced experience and training also includes psychotherapeutic modalities rooted in the belief that meaningful, lasting change often requires addressing problems from a holistic and well-rounded perspective.

Dr. Veras takes a thoughtful, individualized approach to care, recognizing that mood and anxiety symptoms are often shaped by hormonal, biological, and life factors. She integrates medication management and psychotherapy, and when appropriate, incorporates hormone-based treatment (HRT) as part of a comprehensive plan.

Dr. Veras has also contributed to her field through a prior literature review of postpartum depression screening practices. She has presented her work at national conferences and co-authored peer-reviewed publications spanning public health to women's health. Her academic and clinical background reflects a deep commitment to advancing mental health care that is informed, inclusive, and impactful.