Grand opening March 2026
About Us
Open Arms Primary Care is a small, independent practice built entirely by its physicians—without corporate backing, outside investors, or insurance company influence. It is a labor of love, fully funded and sustained by the three of us.
We don’t have layers of administration or a large support staff. Every phone call, every message, every decision comes directly from our doctors. We’ve chosen this intentionally, so nothing stands between us and our patients.
We care for our patients the way we care for our own families: with availability, honesty, and attention. We believe that when patients feel genuinely cared for, healthcare becomes not only more effective, but more humane.
Dr Shannon Connolly, MD, FAAFP, DABFM she/her
Hi, I’m Dr. Shannon Connolly, a board-certified family physician and one of the founders of Open Arms Primary Care. My approach to patient care is simple: I want to understand you—your life, your priorities, and what matters most—so we can make healthcare decisions together. I care for people at all stages of life, with a focus on family planning, behavioral health, gender-affirming care, diabetes care, and preventing chronic disease.
I’m deeply committed to creating a space that is inclusive, affirming, and never shaming. Whether you are LGBTQ+, transgender, neurodivergent, living in a larger body, have experienced trauma, are undocumented, or have felt unseen in healthcare before—you are welcome here. Open Arms is meant to be a place where coming to the doctor feels safe, human, and supportive.
Beyond the clinic, I’m active in physician leadership and advocacy at the state and national level, working to advance health equity and improve our healthcare system. In 2025, I was honored to be named Family Physician of the Year by the California Academy of Family Physicians.
Outside of work, I enjoy trying new foods, hiking with my dog Sadie, tinkering with my five aquariums, and rescuing animals. I’m so excited to welcome you to Open Arms Primary Care.
Education:
Undergraduate: Brown University and Harvard University
Medical School: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Residency: Family Medicine, UCLA
Fellowship: Primary Care Psychiatry, UC Irvine
Accepting new patients for March 2026!
Dr Amy Tressan, MD she/her
Hello, I'm Dr. Amy Tressan, a board certified family physician and a co-founder of Open Arms Primary Care. My approach to health care is to first and foremost center you and your needs in your care, to make sure you feel heard, seen and supported. I understand that health is shaped by more than biology — it’s shaped by life experiences, access, identity, community, and the systems we move through everyday. I recognize that many people face barriers that make health harder to achieve. My goal is to meet you where you are, using compassionate care, trauma-informed care, and shared decision-making to create a plan that works for your real life. No matter your identity, you are always welcome here. Diversity, equity and inclusion is at the foundation of the work I do and this practice.
Outside of work, I am involved in several professional organizations and leadership positions at the Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP), Los Angeles Academy of Family Physicians (LAFP) and the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP).
For fun, I enjoy hiking, dancing, and trying to keep my plants alive!
Education:
Undergraduate: University of Wisconsin, Madison and University of Southern California
Medical School: Thomas Jefferson Medical College
Residency: Family Medicine, UCLA
Fellowship: Family Planning, Tufts University (RHAP)
Fellowship: Physicians for Reproductive Health Leadership Training Academy
Dr Tressan is not accepting primary care patients at this time.
Dr Shayne Poulin, MD
Dr Poulin grew up in Arizona and went to college at the University of Arizona. Prior to medical school, she taught high school chemistry. She then returned to the University of Arizona for medical school. She completed family medicine residency at Boston Medical Center/Boston University. After residency, she became faculty at Boston University School of Medicine and provided care at South Boston Community Health Center.
Dr Poulin moved to California to join Dr Connolly in a practice focused on patient centered primary and reproductive health care. After working together for almost a decade, the doctors founded Open Arms Primary Care to realize the dream of optimizing inclusive patient centered primary care. Dr Poulin is dedicated to making all patients feel welcome by offering gender affirming care, comprehensive reproductive care and behavioral health care.
Dr Poulin is dedicated to improving health care for all by serving in leadership positions in many organizations including the California Academy of Family Physicians. She also completed the UC Irvine Train the Trainer Fellowship in Behavioral Health.
Outside of work she loves spending time with her family--especially outdoors and near the ocean. She also loves crafting and has melded her passion for medicine, teaching, and crafts by creating unique models anatomical for medical education.
Customer Voices
Hear from our valued patients.
Dr. Connolly made me feel safe and comfortable through my entire visit. She took time answering all my questions. I didn't feel like she was trying to rush through me. She took her time and gave me the care I needed.
Kylie R.
Costa Mesa
Having been treated by and worked with hundreds of docs over the years, I can safely say Dr. C is the best of the best! She's kind, empathetic, incredibly inclusive, and truly a life saver!
Ariss D
Los Angeles
★★★★★
★★★★★
Location
438 E Katella Ave Suite G
Orange, CA 92867
Tel 714-583-6173 Text us for the fastest response!
Fax (administrative) 714-610-9373
Fax (for medical records) 714-439-5186
info@openarmsprimarycare.com
© 2025. All rights reserved.
NOTICE TO PATIENTS ABOUT THE OPEN PAYMENTS DATABASE: For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public. You may search this federal database for payments made to physicians and teaching hospitals by visiting this website.