About Catalyst Integration for Health
Catalyst started off as a small mental health practice focused on treating depression, anxiety, trauma, and PTSD with ketamine and eskatamine. However, patients kept asking us if we could take care of their other mental health medications, too. They liked that our providers took the time to really listen to them and were prompt and responsive in their follow-up. They also appreciated that we have a real person answering the phone (rather than an automated phone tree) and that they got a prompt call back if our staff were momentarily unable to take a call.​ Our clinicians have decades of experience prescribing and managing all types of mental health medications, so we were able to tell patients yes, and we expanded our services accordingly.
Our Staff:
Eric Tepper, MD
Dr. Tepper graduated from MCP Hahneman School of Medicine in 2000. After his residency and board exams, he established his private practice, Eric Tepper, MD, in Sacramento in 2003. He has been an attending physician at both Sutter General Hospital and Mercy General Hospital, and he has served as the chair of the Family Medicine department at Mercy General. He has also spent many years teaching resident physicians at Mercy General and has been the medical director for various psychiatric facilities in town, so he has decades of experience specifically with mental health.
When the form of ketamine called esketamine (Spravato) received FDA approval to treat depression in 2019, he underwent training to be able to use this medication knowledgably with his patients. The rate of success he saw with his patients led him to establish Catalyst Integration for Health, a REMS-certified ketamine-specific private practice, in the suite next door to his existing medical practice. He currently helps train other physicians in appropriate uses of ketamine, both locally and nationally, so he knows what works, what doesn't, and why.​
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He is also an involved member of the Sacramento community, supporting local schools and human service organizations. He has served as a volunteer physician for local Boy Scout troops and for the sports teams of nearby high schools. He supports numerous non-profit organizations both nationally and internationally. See the Giving Back page for all the non-profit organizations Catalyst supports through an online shop, where we donate 100% of the profit from every sale.
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Deborah Murray, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Deborah is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with over 30 years of experience. She has worked with a wide range of ages and diagnoses, and currently works with patients ages 10 and older. In addition to her experience directly with patients, she has been an instructor at several universities.
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Deborah received her nursing degree from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Texas. She then received her Master of Science degree from Syracuse University, followed by a post-masters certificate as a family nurse practitioner (FNP-BC) from the University of Massachusetts. She worked as a family nurse practitioner for 14 years before returning to school to pursue advanced studies. She obtained her psychiatric nurse practitioner post-masters certification from Purdue Global University.
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Deborah enjoys reading, traveling, camping, and spending time with her family during her free time.
Fatima Rivera (medical assistant)
Our medical assistant, Fatima, has worked for Dr. Tepper since 2014. She is absolutely beloved by patients for her warmth, caring personality, and sense of humor. Here are her words (as she really says it best):
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"My time here has solidified my love for patient care and growth. I see and treat patients as if they were my own family member. In my free time, you can find me by the ocen, traveling the world, spending time with my family, or hanging out with animals. The most rewarding part of this job has been the connections that I have built over the years with patients and their families. Please know that I am eager to answer any questions or concerns about your treatment or life. I am here to help!"