Caitlin Gardiner, MD

Tulsie Patel is a board certified psychiatrist who treats adults. She graduated Cum Laude from Drexel University and attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) and was elected to serve as Chief Resident during her final year of training. She has worked as an outpatient psychiatrist in California and Florida and has experience in medication management, individual and group therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). She is dedicated to constantly learning and has previously published numerous articles and book chapters on various topics in the fields of psychiatry, dermatology, and psychodermatology. She is also very passionate about education and medical journalism. During her residency training, she worked at ABC News in New York City as a member of their medical unit. She provided consultation on medical stories for programs including Good Morning America and World News with David Muir. She has published a number of articles on the websites for ABC News and Good Morning America. She also has experience presenting as an on-air expert for ABC News and for mental health podcasts. She is committed to continuously evolving as a provider in order to provide the best care for her patients. Her focus is always to provide patient-centered care by prioritizing open communication and collaboration with her patients. She has experience providing care for a variety of psychiatric illnesses. The conditions she treats include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD.

Background and credentials

Dr. Agarwal is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Irvine and graduated cum laude with his medical degree from the American University of Antigua. Dr. Agarwal completed his psychiatry residency training at the University of Central Florida, where he was elected chief resident.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Agarwal employs a collaborative and patient-centered approach, primarily focusing on medication management in combination with supportive therapy. He is a strong advocate of psychoeducation, believing it to be an integral part of effective psychiatric care. Dr. Agarwal specializes in treating adults experiencing depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia. He is also experienced in managing patients with psychiatric conditions complicated by medical comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, chronic pain, and diabetes.

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What you can expect in a first visit

Patients visiting Dr. Agarwal for the first time can anticipate a comprehensive evaluation conducted in a collaborative and supportive environment. Dr. Agarwal prioritizes understanding each patient's individual needs and concerns, creating a personalized treatment plan that integrates medication, supportive therapy, and psychoeducation. Follow-up visits typically last about 30 minutes, allowing time to adjust treatment and reinforce therapeutic strategies.

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Why Talkiatry?

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

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Dr. Chuck Stanfa is a board-certified psychiatrist who genuinely enjoys helping people.  He has practiced in a wide range of settings, including both outpatient and inpatient during the past 10 years.  He studied medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  He completed his psychiatry residency training at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.  He went on to complete a Community Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania and has continued to serve the greater Philadelphia area.  

Dr. Stanfa tries to take a person-centered approach to psychiatry.  He spends time getting to know each person and is easy to talk to.  He takes a collaborative approach to medication management and provides supportive therapy.  He believes that the relationship is one of the most important aspects of treatment.  He is open to working with most diagnoses including Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, PTSD, ADHD, Personality Disorders, and others.  He will work with each person to develop a treatment plan that works for them.

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Dr. Stuart Hedgpeth is a board-certified psychiatrist. While Dr. Hedgpeth primarily focuses on medication management, he understands that mental health often requires approaches from multiple perspectives. Psychodynamic and supportive therapies are offered on an as-needed basis in addition to medication management. New patients are provided 60 minutes for initial visits, and follow-ups are given 30 minutes. Dr. Hedgpeth graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, NC. He completed his adult psychiatry residency training at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond, VA. Dr. Hedgpeth's training has positioned him to care for adults of all ages with a wide spectrum of mental health disorders and related conditions. In his residency he sought out additional experience working with patients undergoing treatment for HIV, patients with trauma-related disorders, and the LGBTQ+ population.

Dr. Seth Flesher is double board-certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine.  Dr. Flesher’s practice focuses on medication management of psychiatric illness without the use of controlled substances.  Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Flesher may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome.

Before joining Talkiatry Dr. Flesher was Medical Director of Advanced Psychiatric Services [complex/high profile cases] at Kings County Hospital and Unit Chief of the Covid19 positive unit.  He was also a clinical professor at Downstate Medical College where he was voted educator of the year numerous times by psychiatric residents and medical students.  Dr. Flesher is a graduate of the prestigious combined 6-year BS/MD program at The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.  He did research at the neuropsychiatric branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, completed his psychiatric residency at St. Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital, and he received his master’s degree in public health from Columbia University.

Dr. Flesher believes that psychiatry should start with a thorough assessment to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.  Then a discussion with the patient of the different evidence-based options available.  Followed by shared decision-making to arrive at an effective treatment plan to achieve the goals that the patient identifies as being important.  This should be done in an honest, open, non-judgmental, but realistic environment.  Understanding that the ultimate goal is to get the patient to a position where they will no longer need medication and/or therapy.

Dr. Juliet Nichols has been a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 2002 and has been practicing psychiatry for over 25 years. While an expert in psychopharmacology, Dr. Nichols has an integrative approach to treatment and she often incorporates psychotherapeutic techniques when appropriate, tailoring every treatment to each patient's individual needs. She completed her Psychiatry residency at Stony Brook-SUNY and Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Over the last two decades, Dr. Nichols served as an attending psychiatrist at JT Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY, where she became proficient in delivering stellar psychiatric care in a variety of settings. She specializes in treating adult and geriatric mental illnesses, including: Depression, Anxiety Disorders (eg, OCD, Panic Disorder, GAD, PTSD), ADHD, and Cognitive Disorders in the elderly. Dr. Nichols strives to help her patients gain insights into their inner conflicts, unveil their strengths, accept their limitations, and build their coping skills. Her approach is dynamic, straightforward, and empathic so patients always feel safe, understood, and at ease. She engages the patient to be an active participant in treatment decision-making, creating a strong therapeutic alliance.‍