Hector Colon-Rivera MD, MBA, MRO

28/05/2026

They are the why of everything.

28/05/2026

27/05/2026

"How do you do what you do?" I think the questions should be: Why do we do what we do?

Colleagues, residents, and medical students kept asking me this at APA last week, after three presentations, interviews with and the , three new talk invitations on Behavioral Addictions, Immigration Policies, and the Empowering Psychiatrist, and a completed action paper on Gambling Regulations in the APA Assembly.

All while in 100% clinical practice back in

I flew home. Three days later, I made it just in time to welcome my second child, this little girl, into the world.👇

At 41, second baby, first daughter.

A better question than HOW? is the WHY: we do what we do. My patients, who trust me every single day. And this beauty in my hands, knowing that at least I am trying to build a better future for her. One where mental health parity and equity are not a debate, but a given.

She deserves that world. So do our patients.

More on that this fall, I'm launching a podcast. in 🎙️ Stay tuned.

16/05/2026

APA Annual Meeting friends — between sessions, networking, and the nonstop energy of the conference, I want to invite you to check out my newly released book:

BUT I STAYED
10 Lessons in Leadership, Presence, and Being Seen
By Héctor A. Colón-Rivera, MD

What if your greatest leadership strength wasn’t your title, but your unapologetic presence?

This book was born from the invisible moments — the struggles no one applauds, the sacrifices behind success, the burnout, the code-switching, and the choice to keep showing up anyway.

From selling broken toys on the streets of Puerto Rico to leading in psychiatry, advocacy, and national spaces, I share 10 powerful lessons on leadership, resilience, identity, and becoming visible in rooms that were never designed for us.

Inside each chapter:
• A raw personal story
• A memorable visual metaphor
• A practical leadership takeaway you can apply immediately

For every physician, trainee, leader, immigrant, first-generation professional, or person who has ever felt unseen — this book is for you.

If you’re at APA, come say hello and ask me about the book. I’d love to connect with colleagues who believe leadership starts with presence, authenticity, and courage.



American Psychiatric Association Foundation

14/05/2026

We continue to expand!!!

APM offers comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder services in Philadelphia and via telehealth in Western Pennsylvania counties including Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland, Venango, Crawford, and Mercer. These bilingual services feature evidence-based therapies like CBT, medication-assisted treatment (e.g., Suboxone, Vivitrol), individual/group counseling, and family support for diverse communities. Contact APM today at 267-296-7220 or visit
apmphila.org for accessible, compassionate care.

Convenient Access: In-person or secure telehealth, evenings available, most insurances accepted (Medicaid, Aetna, IBC, Medicare, UHC). No insurance for SUD? We cover you.

Call 267-296-7220 | [email protected] |
apmphila.org

Acceso Conveniente: En persona o telehealth seguro, horarios vespertinos disponibles, la mayoría de seguros aceptados (Medicaid, Aetna, IBC, Medicare, UHC). ¿Sin seguro para SUD? Lo cubrimos nosotros.

Llama al 267-296-7220 | [email protected] |
apmphila.org

14/05/2026

What will you queue for this May — a phone, a deal, or each other?

We’ll stand in miles-long lines for product launches and holiday deals, but often won’t pause to check in on the people around us.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m asking a simple question to my patients and to my clients:

What one action will you take to show up for someone’s mental health?

It could be a 5-minute check-in, running a workplace wellbeing session, sharing a vetted resource, or donating time to a local helpline.

I created an illustration to show the contrast. Feel free to share what you’re doing this month in the comments, and I’ll compile practical ideas to share with the network. Let’s turn our collective urgency into collective care.

13/05/2026

Proud to share that I’ve earned certification from the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry.

This reflects one more time my commitment to supporting high performers, athletes, and driven professionals with evidence-based psychiatric care that addresses both mental health and performance.

I’m also excited to announce that www.IntrinsicMePsychiatry.com is now open:

Men’s health and men’s psychiatry focused on high-performing men

Lifestyle coaching with a personalized care plans, and direct ongoing support

Comprehensive psychiatric treatment in and , including medication management, trauma-informed care, and support for stress, burnout, mood concerns, focus, and substance use

We are dedicated to men’s health, forensic psychiatry, behavioral health, and addiction, with a mission to help patients heal, refocus, and move forward through professional, personalized care.

Follow me at

13/05/2026

We need to do something! Help Me!

A lot of men were raised to believe that silence is strength.

Be tough. Keep going. Don’t complain. Figure it out alone.

But silence can become a trap when it keeps men disconnected from their emotions, their support systems, and their own healing.

Mental health does not make a man weak. Ignoring it does more damage than confronting it ever will.

12/05/2026

Brother, we need to do something!

Some of the strongest men I know are not the loudest.

They are the ones who learned how to sit with discomfort, tell the truth, and stop performing “I’m fine” when they are not.

Men’s mental health matters because silence has a cost.

It shows up as irritability, isolation, substance use, exhaustion, and broken relationships. The goal is not to be perfect.

The goal is to be present, supported, and well.

Help Me!

12/05/2026

Impostor syndrome doesn't disappear with seniority.

In fact, research shows it often intensifies the higher people climb — because the stakes feel higher and the visibility increases.