By Linda Esterson
Dr. Abbey Borich has been fascinated by the brain most of her life; that insatiable curiosity led her to a career in psychiatry.
“It’s one of the few specialties that really considers the whole person, that gives you enough time in the appointments to talk about physical health, talk about mental health [and evaluate] social factors,” she said.
During her residency at the Medical University of South Carolina, the new mom realized her true calling was to help children. “Seeing a kid that’s really sick or had cancer, those are really hard to deal with,” she said. “I realized I loved working with that patient population for psych issues and helping them through some of the crisis.”
She completed a two-year fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at MUSC last June and joined the Cluver Psychiatric Group in July 2024. She meets with patients and provides therapy for a variety of conditions, including depression and anxiety, and covers emergencies as well.
Being a mother of two, she said, gives her a compassion and understanding that sets her apart. “I don’t even like giving my kid Tylenol, so I really understand when parents or kids are nervous about starting medications. I completely get that as a mom, so that’s part of it,” she explained. “I really think my philosophy is just more dynamic than prescribing medications. I try to build rapport early on. I try to get a very thorough patient history.”
Dr. Borich takes pride in seeing the direct effect treatment has on her patients. “I ultimately picked psychiatry because it’s incredibly rewarding to see someone improve in their daily functioning or help someone through a crisis,” she said.
The field of psychiatry is shifting as research continues on how neuroanatomy, genetics or inflammation cause neuro and psych disorders.
“Treating psych disorders is truly an art because there aren’t necessarily specific algorithms to follow,” Dr. Borich explained. “You can mix and match therapy and medications in a way that’s unique to each person’s story, and I think this will keep evolving in the future as we learn more about the brain.”
Abbey Borich, MD
Cluver Psychiatric Group
109 River Landing Drive, Ste. 100, Daniel Island
843-972-4404
cluverpsychiatric.com
