Today we’d like to introduce you to Kanthi Raju.
Hi Kanthi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thank you for this honor of being included in VoyageDallas’s series of inspiring stories! I grew up in Mississippi, where my parents settled in the small town of Kosciusko after my father completed his education at Mississippi State University. As the only ethnic family in the area, our arrival was initially met with some hesitation from neighbors. However, my parents quickly became part of the community. They formed lifelong friendships and were even featured in the local newspaper. They taught me early lessons in resilience, openness, assimilation, and the power of human connection.
Our family later moved to Ridgeland, a suburb of Jackson, where I completed high school at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. Although I received art scholarships, I ultimately chose to pursue a different path and enrolled at Mississippi College in their pre-med program. During high school and college, I worked in retail and volunteered as a candy striper at local hospitals. I still fondly remember the long conversations I had with patients who simply needed someone to listen to their stories. Those moments quietly shaped my understanding of care long before I entered medicine.
After college, my husband and I moved to Iowa, where I attended medical school at Des Moines University. I began my internship year in internal medicine at the University of Iowa convinced that my path was clearly defined. I was wrong. I was working nearly 100 hours a week in the hospital while caring for a newborn at home. I grew disillusioned with a system that left little time for meaningful patient interaction and even less for my family. Medicine began to feel more focused on lab values and imaging than on the people behind them.
Making the decision to step back was one of the most difficult choices of my life. I took a year away to focus on my family, complete my exams, and reflect deeply on what kind of physician and person I wanted to be. Through that reflection, I realized that psychiatry aligned far more closely with my values and the reasons I had been drawn to medicine in the first place.
I transitioned my training to begin my psychiatry residency at UT Southwestern in Dallas, where I found exactly what I had been searching for: time to truly listen to patients, meaningful therapeutic relationships, and a sustainable work–life balance that allowed our family to grow. After residency, I served as a medical director at a community mental health center in Dallas before working with a private practice group. Both roles offered invaluable experience caring for patients with diverse diagnoses and complex treatment needs, while also developing leadership and practice management skills.
Eventually, I made the decision to establish my own private practice, allowing me to practice psychiatry in a way that reflects my values and passions. Today, I continue to do the work that first inspired me years ago that involves listening, connecting, and helping patients feel seen and understood.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I am deeply grateful for the many incredible opportunities I have been given. Although my parents faced financial challenges early in my childhood, my younger sister and I grew up in a home defined by love, stability, and a strong emphasis on education and service to others. That foundation allowed us not only to persevere, but to thrive.
There were, of course, challenges along the way. As a kindergartener, I remember classmates asking whether I was “black or white” so they could decide which friend group I belonged to. This was an early and confusing introduction to how identity can be reduced by others. As a teenager, I struggled to reconcile my experience as an American with the expectations of a traditional Indian culture, all while trying to fit in and find my place.
Even in college, I encountered moments that revealed lingering bias. My advisor expressed surprise that I had so many friends on campus, despite being non-white. While such comments were disheartening, each successive stage of my education also brought greater diversity, inclusion, and a growing sense of belonging.
I often reflect with gratitude on the many kind and generous people who shaped my journey. The amazing neighbors, teachers, mentors, supervisors, attendings, colleagues, and friends in my life formed the village that raised me and, through their example, taught me what it means to be a compassionate professional and a responsible citizen of the world.
As you know, we’re big fans of your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an adult general psychiatrist with a private practice in Richardson, Texas, where I work as a solo practitioner supported by a full-time assistant. I have been practicing psychiatry for 27 years, including 23 years in private practice, providing care for adults with a wide range of mental health conditions.
My clinical focus includes mood disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder; anxiety disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder; psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia; neurodevelopmental conditions including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder; eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia; substance use disorders; and personality disorders.
I take a collaborative, patient-centered approach to care. Meta-analytic and large-scale studies have shown that a combination of medication and psychotherapy is generally more effective than either alone, and I encourage patients to consider both when appropriate. I strive to create a safe, supportive environment where patients can explore their symptoms, understand potential causes, and actively participate in developing their treatment plans. I work closely with patients, their families, and other healthcare professionals to create individualized treatment strategies that reflect each patient’s goals and needs.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For anyone considering a career in psychiatry, my advice is to explore your interests, passions, and goals, not only for yourself, but for the patients you hope to serve. Be curious, flexible, and committed to lifelong learning. Ask questions, take the time to truly listen, and prioritize self-care at every stage of your journey.
As you begin practicing, invest in understanding the communities your patients live in, including the challenges they face, biases they may encounter, and the resources available to them. Collaboration is essential. Work closely with other medical professionals and support systems to provide the best care possible. Above all, remain open to the process of listening. Psychiatry is as much about presence and understanding as it is about diagnosis and treatment. The ability to listen deeply will guide you throughout your professional and personal life.
I am deeply grateful for the work–life balance my career in psychiatry has afforded me. I value the trust my patients and colleagues place in me, and I take great satisfaction in the relationships I have built over the years. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, reading, pursuing crafts, and connecting socially with friends. These experiences keep me grounded and continually remind me of the importance of self-care, balance, connection, service to others, and joy in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WWW.DRKANTHIRAJU.COM
