Eleanor Annan, MD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Eleanor Annan, MD, is a board-certified adult psychiatrist at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. She specializes in treating complex co-occurring disorders through a combination of psychotherapy and medication management.

Dr. Annan provides care for a wide range of mental health conditions, including mood, anxiety, psychotic, substance use, and eating disorders. Her approach is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and psychodynamic—grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and trust.

Committed to an integrative care model, she works closely with other specialists and patients’ families, viewing herself as both a guide and partner in each patient’s recovery. Her professional interests include psychoanalytic psychotherapy and reducing disparities in mental health treatment among marginalized communities.

Dr. Annan earned her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency at Northwestern University’s McGaw Medical Center. She is currently pursuing advanced training at the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis.

Before joining MedStar, Dr. Annan served as a staff psychiatrist at SunCloud Health in the Chicago area, where she co-led the launch of its partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and later served as lead psychiatrist. In that role, she gained extensive experience treating individuals with complex co-occurring disorders within an integrated, multidisciplinary model.

She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the Washington Psychiatric Society, the Montgomery County Medical Society, and the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy + Psychoanalysis.

She also speaks Ga, a native Ghanaian language.

Philosophy of Care

“My approach to care is grounded in empathy, relationship-building, and collaboration. Growing up in a community where mental health care was stigmatized and often inaccessible inspired me to create a space where patients feel safe, heard, and understood—and able to face the barriers that may stand in the way of seeking help, including shame. I look beyond symptoms to the whole person and invite curiosity about the underlying causes of distress to support lasting change. I also believe treatment is most effective when it’s collaborative and value working closely with other providers to deliver truly integrated, holistic care.”