Monika Downey, PhD, MSCP

Senior Director of Behavioral Health

Dr. Monika Downey is the Senior Director of Behavioral Health at Patina, where she helps the care team provide their patients with the healthcare and aging experience they want and deserve. As a Behavioral Health Consultant, she partners with patients to achieve their health-related goals by helping to navigate and manage barriers that may prevent them from living an empowered life. She enjoys helping patients tackle the challenges that often impact the aging process, such as insomnia, stress, adjustment to illness, caregiver burnout and the management of complex medical conditions.

Monika earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University and also holds a master’s degree in psychopharmacology from Alliant University. She has spent over a decade working in primary care and various medical settings promoting the integration of behavioral health into a patient’s routine medical care experience. As a licensed clinical psychologist with experience in health psychology, Monika is passionate about empowering people to live fully, independently and with dignity at every stage of their life.

In her spare time, Monika enjoys pickleball, hiking and playing frisbee with her Australian Shepherd, Huckleberry.

MONIKA’S FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” – Mary Anne Radmacher