Psychiatry and psychotherapy,
together.

Dr. Harry Rai is a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist providing concierge, private-pay care to adults in downtown Ann Arbor and across Southeast Michigan. He handles both medication and therapy himself, in one ongoing relationship. Trained in biological psychiatry and depth psychotherapy, he prescribes carefully and works closely with referring therapists and primary care physicians.

Book a free 15-min call What to expect
Dr. Harry Rai, MD — Board-Certified Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist in Ann Arbor, Michigan

How the Practice Works

A different kind of
psychiatric practice

In most psychiatric care, one person prescribes your medication and a different person does your therapy, if you have therapy at all. The two rarely talk, and things get lost between them. Here, one physician handles both in a single ongoing relationship, with the time it takes to do it well. If you already have a therapist or PCP, Dr. Rai works with them directly and keeps them in the loop.

First visit 01
A thorough first evaluation: 90 to 120 minutes
Enough time for a full psychiatric, medical, and life history, without a twenty-minute clock running. You leave with a clear understanding of what’s going on and a treatment plan you helped shape.
Ongoing care 02
Follow-ups shaped to what you need
Follow-up visits draw on psychodynamic therapy, CBT, and DBT, with thoughtful medication management and integrative approaches when indicated. Session length and frequency are matched to where you are in treatment.
Beyond the session 03
Direct access, flexible scheduling, integrated care
Reach Dr. Rai directly between sessions by phone, email, or patient portal. Evening and Saturday appointments are available, and lifestyle medicine — sleep, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness — is built in from day one.
45-minute standard visits, up to 90 when needed
Established patients in stable phases use 45-minute check-ins, with longer sessions available when something harder comes up. There is no 15-minute script-renewal visit here.
Evening & Saturday hours
Appointments that work around jobs, classes, and family life, instead of a clinic calendar that assumes you can step away at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday.
In-person and secure video
In-person sessions in downtown Ann Arbor, HIPAA-compliant video visits when that’s what fits. Dr. Rai is licensed in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, and Washington, so care continues if you travel, relocate, or split time between states.
Real privacy
Private pay means no insurance claims, no diagnosis in an insurance database, and no third-party visibility into your mental health history. Your care stays between you and Dr. Rai.
How Private Pay Psychiatry Compares
Dr. Rai — Private Pay Psychiatry
✓45–90 minute follow-up visits
✓Psychiatry + therapy in one session
✓Direct physician access between sessions
✓Evening and Saturday availability
✓Integrative: nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation
✓Direct collaboration with your therapist, PCP, and OB/GYN
✓No insurance records or employer visibility
Typical Insurance-Based Psychiatry
—15–20 minute medication checks
—Separate prescriber and therapist
—Phone trees and portal messages
—Daytime weekday slots only
—Medication only; lifestyle rarely addressed
—Minimal contact with other providers
—Diagnosis stored in insurance record

Philosophy of Care

Integrative psychiatry,
built around you

The work starts with the relationship. Treatment plans and medication choices matter, but none of it lands without trust between physician and patient: an open, unhurried space where what you say is heard and the plan is shaped around your goals rather than fitted to a template.

Dr. Rai treats psychiatric conditions, but more to the point he treats people, each with a history, relationships, work, family, and ambitions that shape what’s going on. Symptom checklists have their place, but they have never been a substitute for getting to know someone.

“Integrative” here means three concrete things: medication and psychotherapy in the same relationship; multiple evidence-based therapy modalities used as the situation calls for; and lifestyle medicine — sleep, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness — built into care from day one rather than mentioned at the end of an appointment.

“How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for their own personal growth?”

— Carl Rogers · Humanistic psychotherapy

Treatment may include:

Core psychiatric care
Medication management Thoughtful prescribing — matching the right medication to you specifically, starting carefully, and paying close attention to both how it’s helping and any side effects. A large research review of 21 antidepressants confirmed they really do work, and that the differences between them matter. Dr. Rai prescribes only when it clearly serves you, never by default.Research on PubMed Collaborative care Mental health care works better when the psychiatrist, therapist, and primary care doctor are in regular contact. A 2025 research review combining results from many large studies confirmed that this kind of coordinated care consistently outperforms fragmented treatment for depression. Dr. Rai treats coordination with your other providers as a standard part of care.Research on PubMed
Depth & insight-oriented psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy A kind of therapy that helps you understand how earlier experiences and important relationships shape what you’re going through right now. Studies show benefits often keep growing even after the work ends. Dr. Rai trained in this approach for two years at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute.Research on PubMed
Structured & skills-based psychotherapy
CBT — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Structured, skills-based therapy that targets the unhelpful thought and behavior patterns keeping depression, anxiety, or OCD going. One of the most thoroughly studied talk therapies anywhere. Dr. Rai uses CBT techniques selectively — often alongside deeper therapy or medication — when a focused, skill-building approach fits best.Research on PubMed DBT — Dialectical Behavior Therapy A skills-based treatment originally built for people with intense, hard-to-manage emotions and turbulent relationships, now widely adapted for many situations. Carefully designed studies show real reductions in self-harm urges and emotional flare-ups. Dr. Rai draws on DBT skills — mindfulness, riding out distress, and working with strong emotions — when they fit.Research on PubMed Motivational interviewing A conversational technique for helping people work through mixed feelings and move toward change they actually want — rather than change someone else is pushing on them. Studies show real effects on cutting back substance use, sticking with medications, and changing health habits. Dr. Rai weaves it into conversations whenever change feels stuck.Research on PubMed
Lifestyle & integrative
Mindfulness & meditation A practical skill — not a philosophy or a religion — with strong evidence for keeping depression from coming back and easing long-running anxiety. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy cuts the chance of depression returning by roughly a third. Dr. Rai teaches the techniques patients are most likely to keep using.Research on PubMed Sleep strategies Sleep is the quiet backbone of mental health stability, and a behavioral treatment called CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) works better in the long run than sleep medications. Dr. Rai looks at sleep carefully in every patient and builds treatment around it when it matters.Research on PubMed Exercise planning Movement has a real, measurable effect on depression. A 2024 review pulling together 218 studies (in the BMJ) found that walking, running, strength training, and yoga all helped — and harder workouts helped more. Dr. Rai helps patients build a sustainable plan rather than a punishing routine that falls apart by week three.Research on PubMed Nutritional guidance The SMILES trial was the first carefully controlled study to show that shifting to a Mediterranean-style diet meaningfully improved depression in adults — and the size of the improvement was substantial. Diet isn’t a cure, but it’s a lever worth using. Dr. Rai discusses nutrition practically, without fads, when it’s relevant to your care.Research on PubMed Light therapy Bright light therapy is the first treatment most clinicians reach for in seasonal depression, and there’s growing evidence it helps non-seasonal depression too — about as much as an antidepressant in carefully run studies. Especially worth considering during Michigan winters. Dr. Rai helps patients use light boxes correctly.Research on PubMed

Who I Help

Care shaped
around your life

Dr. Rai treats adults across many situations, and certain ones come up so often that he has built specific training and a dedicated page around each. Each page covers what care looks like for that situation, in more depth than a homepage should. Start with the one closest to yours:

Concierge care

Professionals & Executives

Direct physician access, extended sessions, and complete confidentiality for demanding careers.

Explore this care
Sports psychiatry

Athletes

Confidential care for professional and collegiate athletes from an NBPA-credentialed psychiatrist.

Explore this care
Steps from campus

Students & Early Career

Timely, private care for undergrads, grad students, and young professionals — fully separate from your university.

Explore this care
Reproductive psychiatry

Women’s Mental Health

PMDD, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause — with specialized training from U-M’s Women and Infants’ Mental Health Clinic.

Explore this care
Dual diagnosis & sobriety

Addiction & Recovery

Treating the anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma that often sit underneath substance use.

Explore this care
Not sure where you fit?

That’s fine — most people aren’t

You don’t need a category to get help. The free 15-minute call is exactly for figuring out whether this practice fits.

Book a free 15-min call
Harry Rai, MD
Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist
Board-Certified in Psychiatry — ABPN
Psychiatry Residency — University of Michigan
Fellowship in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy — Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute
MD with Distinction in Biomedical Research — Wayne State University
American Psychiatric Association (APA) Award Recipient
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Award Recipient
Lecturer — U of M School of Social Work
Advisory Board — Garrett’s Space
NBPA Mental Health and Wellness Program Provider

About Dr. Rai

Trained at Michigan.
Practicing in Ann Arbor.

Dr. Rai completed his Psychiatry Residency at the University of Michigan and a two-year Fellowship in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute. He is one of a small number of practicing psychiatrists with formal advanced training in both biological psychiatry and depth psychotherapy — the two branches that most physicians never get to integrate. He is also trained in CBT and DBT.

His medical research at Wayne State focused on emotion processing using brain network mapping, earning recognition from the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, with presentations at international conferences. He has published in peer-reviewed journals across neuroscience and psychosomatic medicine.

He lectures at the Wayne State Physician Assistant Studies program and the University of Michigan School of Social Work, serves on the advisory board of Garrett’s Space — a non-profit focused on youth suicide prevention — and is a credentialed provider with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Mental Health Program, through which he provides psychiatric care to professional NBA players.

What Others Say

What colleagues say.

Selected comments from faculty who supervised Dr. Rai during his residency training and colleagues who refer patients to his practice.

From Supervising Faculty

“Dr. Rai stands out as the top 1% of all residents I have seen over the years.”

University of Michigan Attending Physician

“He went above and beyond — not only interviewing patients but taking the time to do therapy, for which he has a real gift.”

Clinical Supervisor, University of Michigan

“His calm and thoughtful demeanor put patients at ease immediately.”

Supervising Faculty, University of Michigan

From Referring Colleagues

“Dr. Rai is a thoughtful and personable psychiatrist. He has won awards from medical students for his excellence in teaching. Would recommend to any potential patients.”

Nancy Cheng, MD · Psychiatrist

“Dr. Rai is a highly trusted colleague and an excellent psychiatrist. He truly listens to his patients and treats them with warmth, respect, and compassion. His expertise and generosity of spirit make him a highly sought-after physician.”

Stephen Colon, MD · Psychiatrist

Fees & Access

Transparent pricing,
no surprises

This is a private-pay, out-of-network practice — that’s how the model can offer the time and continuity it does. Fees are due at time of service and can be paid by credit card, HSA, FSA, check, or ACH bank transfer.

Initial Evaluation
Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
$525–$625
90–120 minutes
A thorough evaluation covering psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial history. The 90-minute and 120-minute sessions are offered based on clinical complexity. Includes diagnostic formulation and a fully collaborative treatment plan.
Extended Follow-Up
Intensive Therapy & Medication Session
$425–$525
60 or 90 minutes
For patients in an active phase of treatment — working through a difficult period, starting a new medication, processing significant stress or trauma, or needing more time and depth than a standard visit allows. The 60-minute and 90-minute sessions are available based on clinical need. Many patients step down to the standard 45-minute appointment once things stabilize.
Standard Follow-Up
Medication & Psychotherapy Check-In
$325
45 minutes
The primary ongoing appointment for most patients. Covers medication management and a focused psychotherapy check-in — reviewing symptoms, adjusting treatment as needed, and addressing whatever is most relevant that week. Well-suited for patients who are stable or in a maintenance phase of care.
Brief Follow-Up
Medication Management
$225
30 minutes
Shorter sessions focusing on biological management offered to patients whose condition has been stable over time and/or who see a separate therapist for ongoing psychotherapy.
Out-of-network reimbursement: Many PPO insurance plans reimburse 40–80% of out-of-network psychiatric fees. Dr. Rai provides detailed superbills for all visits. Contact your insurer and ask specifically about out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits before your first appointment. HSA and FSA accounts accepted. Fees may also be paid by check or ACH bank transfer.
Good Faith Estimate: Under the federal No Surprises Act, uninsured and self-pay patients are entitled to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges for psychiatric care. Because this is a private-pay practice, all patients are considered self-pay for this purpose. A written Good Faith Estimate is provided at the time of scheduling and upon request. If the total billed charges exceed the Good Faith Estimate by $400 or more, you have the right to initiate a patient–provider dispute resolution process. For more information, visit cms.gov/nosurprises.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Most psychiatric care today splits treatment between a prescriber who doesn’t do therapy and a therapist who can’t prescribe — leaving a coordination gap that the patient often ends up managing themselves. When both happen with the same physician, medication decisions are informed by what’s surfacing in therapy, and therapy benefits from a full medical understanding of what’s going on. Sessions feel less fragmented, communication is cleaner, and things stop slipping through the cracks.
Insurance imposes session length limits, frequency restrictions, and authorization rules that can constrain clinical judgment in real ways. Working outside insurance is what makes longer appointments, more frequent sessions when something hard is happening, and treatment guided by clinical fit rather than billing codes possible. It also keeps your mental health records private from insurers and employers — which matters more to many patients than the cost difference suggests.
Because a meaningful psychiatric evaluation cannot be done in 20 minutes, as anyone who has been through a 20-minute intake already knows. Dr. Rai takes 90 to 120 minutes for the first appointment to gather a full psychiatric, medical, and life history, so he understands not just your current symptoms but the context they live in. By the end you have a clear sense of what’s going on, a treatment plan you helped shape, and a physician who knows you. That foundation makes everything that comes afterward more useful.
Absolutely — this is one of the most common ways patients work with Dr. Rai. If you have a therapist you trust, he can serve as your prescribing psychiatrist and collaborate closely with them. Split-care arrangements work well here, and Dr. Rai communicates directly with your therapist (or PCP) when you give consent — which most patients find reassuring rather than worrying.
This is a small private practice, and some conditions need a larger multidisciplinary team than a solo psychiatrist can offer. Dr. Rai does not see patients under 18, does not provide ASD diagnostic evaluations, and does not take on care for severe bipolar I, schizophrenia, active eating disorders, dementia, court-related testimony, or mandated treatment. The practice also does not prescribe buprenorphine or methadone for opioid use disorder — patients with opioid use disorder are referred to specialized addiction medicine providers. If you’re uncertain about fit, the best move is a brief phone call before booking — he’ll be honest about whether this is the right place, and can often suggest a colleague who’s a better match if it isn’t.
This practice uses an encrypted, HIPAA-compliant Electronic Medical Records system. If you do not submit out-of-network insurance claims, your records remain entirely private from your insurer. Dr. Rai maintains separate, protected therapy process notes not accessible to insurers or employers. For U of M students, records are entirely separate from the university’s health system.
Fees may be paid by credit card, HSA, FSA, personal check, or ACH bank transfer. Payment is due at the time of service. The initial evaluation is $525–$625 (90–120 minutes). Extended Follow-Ups are available at $425 (60 minutes) or $525 (90 minutes) for patients in an active phase of treatment. The standard follow-up — the primary appointment for most patients — is $325 (45 minutes). Brief medication management visits are $225 (30 minutes). Dr. Rai provides detailed superbills after each visit that you can submit to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

The Jacob Hoffstetter House · downtown Ann Arbor

Ready to
connect?

New patients start with a brief, free 15-minute inquiry call — a chance to talk about what's bringing you in and see if this practice is the right fit. If we both decide to move forward, the next step is the full intake form and your 90-to-120-minute initial evaluation, in person in downtown Ann Arbor or by secure HIPAA-compliant video. Evening and Saturday hours available.

Book a free 15-min call

Or reach Dr. Rai directly at (734) 203-0117.

Phone(734) 203-0117
LocationThe Jacob Hoffstetter House
326 East Washington St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Video visitsSecure HIPAA-compliant telepsychiatry available
HoursWeekdays including evenings
Saturday appointments available