Today we’d like to introduce you to Harita Raja.
Hi Harita, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story: I come from a family that really shaped how I see people—my father and sister are psychiatrists, and my mother is a natural connector who always taught me to value people for who they are beyond their accomplishments. That combination really influenced my own path into psychiatry, and I found myself drawn to women’s mental health—especially the ways hormones, culture, and life transitions affect emotional wellbeing.
I trained at Albany Medical College and completed my psychiatry residency at Georgetown University Hospital, where I spent a lot of time with the Women’s Clinic. I founded Bethesda Women’s Mental Health to create a space where women could receive thoughtful, individualized psychiatric care at every stage—from menses through menopause.
A couple years ago, I also founded Raat Rani Collective, a group dedicated to the mental health of South Asian women. It’s been incredibly meaningful to create a community where cultural identity and mental health can be talked about openly.
I’ve stayed in the DC metro area because I love its diversity and energy, and I continue teaching and presenting on women’s mental health. At the heart of everything I do is really a mix of expertise and humanity—helping women feel understood, supported, and empowered.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Psychiatry, even now, isn’t always seen as a ‘real’ medical specialty, so I’ve had to deal with misconceptions about the field and really advocate for the importance of mental health care, especially for women. Starting my own practice brought its own challenges too—suddenly I wasn’t just a physician, I was also running a business, learning everything from operations to leadership, which was a steep learning curve.
On a more personal level, balancing the demands of building a career with raising two kids at home hasn’t always been easy. There have been plenty of moments of guilt or questioning if I was doing enough in either role. But each of those struggles has pushed me to grow, to clarify my priorities, and to build a life that feels more aligned with what matters most to me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Bethesda Women’s Mental Health is a practice I founded to create a space where women feel truly seen and understood. We specialize in reproductive psychiatry—caring for women during times when hormones and mental health are deeply connected, whether that’s premenstrual, during pregnancy and postpartum, or through perimenopause and menopause.
What sets us apart is the way we combine deep medical expertise with compassion and collaboration. I don’t just prescribe medication—I work closely with patients, their families, and their other providers to build treatment plans that actually fit their lives. I also take a holistic view, looking at lifestyle, relationships, and cultural context, not just symptoms.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that our name has become synonymous with compassionate, individualized women’s mental health care in the DC area. What I want readers to know is that women don’t have to suffer in silence, and that care exists that honors both their biology and their humanity.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you can create your own happiness by living in alignment with your values. For a long time, I felt pulled in different directions—by expectations, by what I thought I ‘should’ be doing—and it was exhausting. Over time, I realized that my biggest asset is myself: my perspective, my intuition, my ability to connect with people.
When I started trusting that, instead of constantly looking outside for validation, everything shifted. I made decisions—like starting my own practice and later creating Raat Rani Collective—that felt true to who I am, even if they were hard or unconventional. And what I’ve found is that when you build from that place, the happiness and fulfillment follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bwmhc.com
- Instagram: @drharitaraja
