About
Whole-person psychiatry with a relational lens.
Founded by Peter Kass, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist, Aspen Grove believes in a holistic and collaborative approach to mental health and long-term healing.
Meet Peter Kass, M.D.
Founder of Aspen Grove
Dr. Peter Kass is a double-board certified adolescent and adult psychiatrist who believes in helping patients find fresh approaches to feeling whole. Through a new model of psychiatric care, Dr. Kass blends evidence-based medicine with holistic healing for individuals who’ve explored therapy or medication and still feel stuck or disconnected.
Dr. Kass completed his adult psychiatry training at University of California, San Francisco and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at University of California-San Diego, and brings extensive expertise across psychiatric evaluation/treatment planning, medication management, individual talk therapy, ketamine-assisted therapy, and group therapy. In addition to his residency training, Dr. Kass completed a two-year psychodynamic psychotherapy training program at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis and the Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Research Program at California Institute of Integral Studies, as well as additional training in Ketamine-Assisted Therapy through Polaris Insight Center. He’s passionate about going beyond the diagnosis or the symptom to help adults and adolescents feel more whole, connected, and joyful.
Before he pursued a career in psychiatry, Dr. Kass taught high school science and coached varsity basketball in downtown Los Angeles. When he’s not at work, he enjoys trying new coffee shops, going to the beach, and spending time with his family.
The Aspen Grove approach
Your guide as you pursue the life you want — not just tolerate the one you have.
While we bring a deep understanding of evidence-based practices, we believe that you are the expert in yourself and your life. We help you gather the tools and implement the strategies to support you, while recognizing you as the ultimate guide.
Professional affiliations
As a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Kass has extensive professional training from top institutions in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating a myriad of psychiatric and psychological conditions.
Education
Bachelors of Arts, Neuroscience
Pomona College, 2009
Masters of Urban Education with a Focus on Administration and Policy
Loyola Marymount University, 2011
Medical Degree, University of California
San Diego School of Medicine, 2016
Clinical training
Bachelors of Arts, Neuroscience
University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, 2016-2020
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
University of California, San Diego Medical Center, 2020-2022
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training Program
San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis, 2018-2020
Ketamine Assisted Therapy Training
Polaris Insight Center, 2014-2015
Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research
California Institute of Integral Studies, 2025-2026
Honors, awards, and publications
Chief Resident of Education, Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program, University of California-San Francisco, 2019-2020
Residency Teaching Award, Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program, University of California-San Francisco, 2019
Outstanding Educator Award, Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program, University of California-San Francisco, 2020
Kass, P, Morrison, T. The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Youth Athlete Mental Health: A Narrative Review. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2023. 25. 1-7.
Meza, J.I., Friedman, L., Kass, P., Chhabra, D., Pfiffner, L. Outcomes of School-Home Intervention for Attention and Behavior Problems: Teacher Adherence Matters. School Ment Health, 2020
Meza, J.I., Friedman, L., Kass, P., Chhabra, D., Pfiffner, L. Teacher Adherence Predicts School-Home Intervention Outcomes for ADHD. Poster presented at Association for Psychological Science (APS), May 2018, San Francisco, CA
Meza, J.I., Friedman, L., Kass, P., Chhabra, D., Pfiffner, L. Outcomes of school-home intervention for ADHD: Teacher Adherence Matters. Poster presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). November, 2017, San Diego, CA
Vilke, G., Kass, P., Retroperitoneal Hematoma Following Femoral Arterial Catheterization. Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2015, May; Pub Status: Published
Aspens
A natural guide for interconnected healing
Step into our office and you’ll find images of aspens scattered throughout — and it’s for good reason. Aspen groves thrive in disparate climates, from Alaska to the Southwest, and are known for growing from a single root system.
As individual trees, aspens represent strength and stillness, yet each tree relies on the community around it, an apt metaphor for mental health.
Take your next step toward feeling whole, joyful, and fulfilled.
We’re here to support you on your journey. Book a 15-minute consultation with us to see if we’re a good fit for each other.
Frequently asked questions
We believe in a deeply relational, whole-person approach to holistic psychiatry. This means taking a big-picture perspective on your mental health — from discussing your daily routines to understanding your long-term goals.
We take an intentional approach to working with patients who would benefit the most from our services. During our initial 15-minute consultation call, we’ll assess if we’re a mutually good fit — if not, we’ll put you in contact with other clinicians who can support your goals.
It depends on your goals and what feels most supportive. Some patients come weekly, especially at the beginning of treatment. Others meet less frequently once things feel more stable. To remain an active patient, we do need to meet at least once every three months.
We offer both in-person and video appointments. If you’re located in the San Diego area, we prefer in-person appointments to facilitate deeper work and build stronger connections. We currently have two locations in San Diego: 2991 Kalmia Street and 12625 High Bluff Drive.
Our approach is relational, collaborative, and tailored to you. We draw on a range of modalities, including psychodynamic therapy, parts work, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness. Our goal is to help you better understand your patterns and develop new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Yes, as long as each person is comfortable with the knowledge that we also see their family member. We maintain strict confidentiality and never share information between family members.
We work with both adolescents and adults. Each stage of life comes with different challenges, and our approach adapts to meet you where you are.