Dr. Maya Heck is a hospital-based psychiatrist at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. She works primarily with adults experiencing acute mental health challenges who are hospitalized, but also evaluates youth who come to the emergency department in crisis.
“My training is in adult, child and adolescent psychiatry, which has shaped how I think about mental health across the lifespan,” Heck shares. “In the big picture, my role is to evaluate, diagnose and treat psychiatric conditions.”
Heck has always been fascinated by psychiatry, which she partially credits to her psychiatrist father who “passed along the gift of curiosity.” This gift led her to ponder the inner workings of people’s minds and emotions, and what can ail those when life delivers its difficulties.
“Some of the most meaningful moments are when people start to see themselves differently.”
“I’ve just always been interested in people’s stories and learning what makes us who we are,” she tells the Source, “like how we respond to challenges, or what helps us feel better.” Heck also feels that psychiatry creates a space where she can pursue both her passions for science and for helping others, sharing that she “love[s] that psychiatry combines the science of medicine with the opportunity to build relationships and help people through some really difficult periods in their lives.”
Not only does Heck love her profession, she feels thankful to be able to support people both in and out of her office. “I feel very fortunate to do this type of work,” she shares, “and I don’t take the privilege of sitting with people during their most vulnerable moments lightly. There’s responsibility that comes with that, not just to provide good clinical care, but to advocate for patients.” Heck notes that historically, seeking mental health care has been stigmatized. Though she feels that stigma has been reduced throughout her lifetime, she feels there is more work to be done to continue supporting those in need. “Access to care is a big challenge, particularly in Oregon and here in Central Oregon, where mental health resources are limited,” Heck explains. “I try to be a strong advocate for my patients, even when the options aren’t what I wish they were. I think part of this job is recognizing those limitations while continuing to push for better support and care.”
Beyond her work, Heck continues to show up for her community, dedicating her free time to act as the board president of Hearts Unknown Education. HÚE is a nonprofit mental wellness organization designed to support youth mental health through creativity and community, with an aim of making mental wellness more approachable and accessible to the young people of Central Oregon.
Heck was originally a board member, then the Mental Health Director, and as of about a year ago has taken on the role of Board President. Amongst other things, her role involves “working with our executive director, Nico Carpinelli, and the rest of our board to support the organization and figure out how we can continue to grow in a sustainable way,” Heck explains. “That includes fundraising, event planning, establishing community partnerships and thinking about how we can reach more kids.” Heck says she believes strongly in what HÚE does and appreciates that it supports mental wellness in ways that differ from her professional work. “As a psychiatrist, I spend a lot of time thinking about mental health, but HÚE approaches it from a completely different angle,” she shares. “It isn’t about diagnosing or treating kids; it’s about creating a space where they can explore their interests, connect with other people and just feel good about who they are.”
For Heck, this is an important preventative part of mental health that she isn’t always able to address at her day job. “One of the things that makes HUE really special is that it gives me an opportunity to approach mental health differently,” she tells the Source. “In my clinical role at St. Charles, I see people when they’re already having a really difficult time. At HÚE, I get to think about what we can do before that happens. We can’t prevent every mental health challenge, of course, but we can help create spaces where kids feel connected, supported and accepted.” HÚE supports this preventative approach by being available to children with and without mental diagnoses. Heck appreciates this aspect of the organization specifically because it combats the idea that mental health resources are only for those actively suffering. “We tend to talk about mental health in the context of mental illness, but mental health is something everyone has,” she says. “It’s also something we can support and nurture, rather than only addressing it when something goes wrong.”
Both in her clinical work and in her work with HÚE, Heck is committed to selflessly supporting the members of the Central Oregon community and helping them reach a place of mental wellness. “In general, some of the most meaningful moments are when people start to see themselves differently,” she explains. “When someone who has been struggling begins to recognize their own strengths or see possibilities for their life that they couldn’t see before, that’s really rewarding.”
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