Depression Psychiatrists in New York

Dr. De Jesus is a bilingual psychiatrist, fluent in English and Spanish. She is a double board-certified psychiatrist in Adult Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. De Jesus provides medication management services in combination with supportive therapy during 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. De Jesus received her medical degree from the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She completed her Adult Psychiatry residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL. Subsequently, Dr. De Jesus pursued her fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Pennsylvania and was a Chief Resident during her last year of training. Dr. De Jesus has been providing psychiatric services in the community mental health setting for 8 years. Her clinical focus has been in treating children, adolescents, and young adults with depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and ADHD. Dr. De Jesus believes in the importance of establishing an individualized treatment approach to meet each individual's need while providing comprehensive care to her patients.

Dr. Stoddard earned his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson and completed his residency at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. He is board-certified in psychiatry and provides care for adult patient populations. Prior to his career in medicine, he proudly served in the U.S. Air Force.

Although Dr. Stoddard specializes in medication management of psychiatric conditions, supportive psychotherapy is often incorporated into his visits, as he believes a combined approach leads to a more robust treatment response. Additionally, he aims to enhance wellness through discussion of lifestyle modifications that emphasize quality sleep, a healthy diet, and regular exercise.

Initial appointments consist of a psychiatric evaluation and discussion of evidence-based treatment options. If telehealth is deemed to be an appropriate modality and pharmacotherapy is recommended, discussion will consist of selecting a suitable medication to address target symptoms while minimizing adverse effects. Follow-up visits focus on assessing treatment response and adjusting regimens to optimize outcomes.

Dr. Reinhart’s practice is influenced by his training and research in political and medical anthropology, psychoanalysis, and social psychiatry. He views mental health as inseparable from history, culture, and social context––not just neurobiology. His approach ensures patients time to elaborate how their life history shapes their experiences and goals. In a healthcare system that often relies on generic diagnoses and standardized plans, Dr. Reinhart works with each patient on their own terms, integrating psychotherapy and potential medications to support the pursuit of their unique life possibilities.

Dr. Reinhart often works with writers, actors, musicians, and visual artists and with journalists, academics, athletes, healthcare workers, and activists, many of whom seek treatment in response to creative blocks, burnout, and relationship struggles. He also has long-term experience working with people who have lived through incarceration, war, torture, migration, childhood abuse, and psychosis, and with those building queer and trans identities and communities.

To facilitate durable changes, Dr. Reinhart regards psychiatric symptoms as matters to be taken seriously, understood, and worked through, not simply suppressed by medications. He asks patients to actively engage in treatment and often recommends frequent appointments to support this.

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Dr. Mirica Sanders is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She graduated from Tennessee State University and earned her medical degree from Ohio University College of Medicine. She completed her Psychiatry Residency as Chief Resident at The Cleveland Clinic and pursued advanced training in community and public psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Sanders has experience practicing in both outpatient and inpatient settings and holds a special interest in women’s mental health.

Dr. Sanders values creating a warm and inviting atmosphere where patients feel comfortable and heard. She encourages openness and authenticity, aiming for each patient to leave with a clear understanding of their treatment plan. She also welcomes questions to ensure patients feel fully informed and supported throughout their care.

Patients can expect a conversational interview in which Dr. Sanders gathers medical, social, family, and psychiatric history to inform a personalized treatment plan. Each session involves collaboration, with patients actively participating in shaping their care. Following appointments, patients receive an after-visit summary and instructions to guide them between sessions.

Deborah Bearman, PMHNP, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner dedicated to helping individuals facing mental health challenges live more fulfilling lives.

She earned her Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in psychiatry from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Deborah is trained in psychiatric diagnosis, medication management, and both psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies. Over the past 10 years, she has gained valuable experience in a variety of settings, including inpatient and outpatient facilities, community mental health clinics, and private practice.

Deborah approaches adult mental health from a holistic perspective, combining medication management with supportive counseling, which she offers during 30-minute follow-up sessions. While her primary focus is medication management, she believes most individuals benefit from therapy as well. She has extensive experience in both psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies and is committed to providing psychoeducation to patients, families, and caregivers.

As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, Deborah values the therapeutic relationship and its positive impact on daily functioning. By working collaboratively with patients to create comprehensive and effective treatment plans, she supports them in achieving healthier, more satisfying lives.

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Dr. Ruiz is a compassionate psychiatrist specializing in adult and maternal mental health. She develops personalized treatment plans to address anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, PMDD, and perinatal conditions. Her goal is to help patients reconnect with their values and live balanced, fulfilled, and meaningful lives.

Her passion for medicine began in childhood, inspired by curiosity about the mind and body. She earned an Honors Chemistry degree with  magna cum laude and completed her medical training and psychiatry residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. With a strong scientific foundation, Dr. Ruiz understands the role of medications, and embraces holistic healing through connection, gratitude, and spirituality.

Dr. Ruiz has experience in diverse clinical settings and has received national awards including the AWP International Fellowship and ADMSEP Innovations Award. She is dedicated to advancing maternal mental health screening and treatment through clinical care and education.

Dr. Ruiz combines pharmacotherapy (medication) with psychotherapy to create individualized treatment plans. Therapy provides powerful tools to manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that support balanced brain chemistry. Research shows that medication helps restore this balance more quickly and effectively, especially in moderate to severe cases.  

Dr. Ruiz likens medication for the brain to fertilizer for a garden. Imagine your mental health as a vibrant garden—when well-nourished, it can thrive with resilience, beauty, and balance. But when symptoms like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or mood instability take hold, they act like invasive weeds, crowding out healthy growth and making it hard to enjoy the space. Medication acts like fertilizer, strengthening the garden’s natural systems so the healthy parts can reclaim their place and flourish. Just as some gardens need only seasonal care while others require more consistent tending, medication plans are personalized to support each person’s long-term mental wellness. When the garden is healthy, there's more room to grow, connect, and fully enjoy life.

With a strong background in chemistry and pharmacology, Dr. Ruiz prioritizes educating her patients about how medications work and why they can be helpful. She believes patients should take an active role in understanding their diagnosis and treatment. Her approach emphasizes diagnostic clarity, medication management, patient education, and brief psychotherapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Your first appointment is a supportive, in-depth conversation to share your story, challenges, and goals. Dr. Ruiz will review your medical and psychiatric history and assess symptoms using a whole-person approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors.

Together, you’ll develop a personalized plan that may include lab work, medication, and therapy. Initial visits last 60 minutes for thorough evaluation; follow-ups typically last 20–30 minutes, focusing on medication management and brief therapy. If needed, Dr. Ruiz can refer you to in-house or community therapists for add-on therapy support.  

Throughout your care, Dr. Ruiz prioritizes shared decision making to ensure you feel informed, empowered, and supported.

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Dr. Matthew Hamilton is a psychiatrist who works with adults at all stages of life in improving mental health. He emphasizes a holistic approach in collaboration with patients to help them identify and achieve their goals. He has experience helping adults from a diversity of backgrounds with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, panic, OCD, ADHD, substance use and autism spectrum disorder. He offers one-hour initial consultation appointments, as well as 20 to 30 minutes for follow-up visits. Dr. Hamilton received his undergraduate education at the University of Texas at Austin, his medical degree at Texas Tech University Health and Sciences Center, and completed his residency training at the University of Texas Medical Branch. During training he worked primarily with adults in local clinics and acute care hospitals in the greater Houston area. He was honored with an award for his accomplishments in psychotherapy during his senior year of residency. Dr. Hamilton offers his expertise in both medication management and psychotherapy in his practice, including cognitive, behavioral, motivational, and supportive therapies. He will collaborate with your therapist when you are working with one and may offer a referral to a specialist therapist if indicated.

Ms. Celeste Boyd is a dual board certified Psychiatric Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner.  She is the CEO and Founder of Metamorphosis Psyche, a psychiatric mental health resource platform.  She has practiced in family medicine since 2011 and psychiatric mental health medicine since 2013.  She has clinical experience and expertise in substance use disorders, addiction rehabilitation, sleep medicine, general psychiatry, and serious mental illness (SMI) in both private and public sectors.  In Academia, she has extended her knowledge and experience as Adjunct Clinical Faculty at School of Nursing Graduate Programs.

Since 2017, Ms. Boyd has been practicing general psychiatry in the outpatient private sector.  Ms. Boyd provides medication management and psychotherapy for acute, chronic, and comorbid psychiatric conditions that include Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Mood Disorders, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.  Her clinical treatment modalities include supportive therapy, solution-focused therapy, motivational enhancement, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

As a clinician, she promotes mental health awareness to reduce stigmatization and empower those suffering and struggling with mental illness. Ms. Boyd clinical practices are oriented towards the Mental Health Recovery Model, which permits individuals to go through an active process of change, being in control, strengthening, and empowering themselves to improve their mental health and well-being.

Dr. Kristen Clark earned her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed her psychiatry residency at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson. She has extensive experience practicing primarily in outpatient settings, along with additional experience in inpatient, consultation, and emergency psychiatry. Dr. Clark has also served in academic roles, teaching and mentoring trainees in both medical school and residency. She is board-certified in Psychiatry and in Addiction Medicine.

Dr. Clark prioritizes creating a welcoming environment where patients feel comfortable sharing their experiences. She values building strong rapport and approaches care holistically, recognizing that each patient is unique and deserves an individualized treatment plan. She appreciates the ongoing nature of outpatient care and adapts her approach as patients’ goals and priorities evolve over time.

Dr. Clark takes a collaborative approach to treatment, working closely with patients to ensure their understanding of all available options. She empowers patients to make informed choices and partners with them to develop plans that best align with their needs, values, and goals for treatment.

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Dr. Panchal is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who works with motivated adults to navigate and discover the root of their mental health struggles. Since working in private practice, Dr. Panchal knows that discovering the root of difficulties allows clients to find healthy perceptions of themselves and strengthen their relationships so they can know themselves as a whole. She is trained in multiple therapeutic modalities as well as medication management, implementing individually tailored treatment. Her educational background includes training in psychodynamic psychotherapy with the Psychoanalytic Association of New York. She has completed her psychiatry training at Delaware Psychiatry Residency Program in New Castle, Delaware.

Akif A. Khawaja M.D. is a Clinical General Psychiatrist. He has worked in this field since graduating and obtaining his residency from the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Neurology and Behavioral Sciences in 1996. He has worked mostly with adults ranging from 18 to 90 years of age. He has served as a director of Intensive Outpatient Programs in the state of Mississippi. He currently focuses on medical management of patients above 50 years of age and has served as a director of Geriatric Psychiatric Units.

He has a particular interest in treating mood, anxiety, and cognitive disorders, including ADHD. Patients working with him can expect thorough and detailed appointments, as he places special emphasis on gathering comprehensive medical and psychiatric histories, including specific dates of past treatments. During initial visits, he carefully reviews previous medical interventions, particularly procedures such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

His approach prioritizes thorough evaluations to ensure accurate diagnoses. He strongly believes that honesty is essential for achieving the best possible treatment outcomes.

Dr. Alexandra Held is a general psychiatrist who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She completed her psychiatry training at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. She is passionate about incorporating psychotherapeutic tools into her practice, including supportive psychotherapy.

Dr. Held takes a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental approach to care. Her goal is to create a safe and supportive space where patients feel heard and empowered to take an active role in their treatment, using a combination of supportive psychotherapy and medication management.

During the first few sessions, Dr. Held will take time to get to know the patient—their history, current concerns, and what they hope to achieve through treatment. Together, they will develop a comprehensive plan that may include psychiatric medications and supportive therapy. Follow-up visits are typically focused on checking in, adjusting treatments if necessary, and continuing to build on progress.

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Dr. Krishna Divadeenam is a staff psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He trained in New York and earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1997.  He finished his internship at Vanderbilt Medical Center and completed his psychiatric residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2000. During his residency, he served as Chief Resident at the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVA).  His initial post-residency focus was with patients with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) when he worked at the Johnson County Mental Health Center.  He has served as a adjunct professor at the University of Kansas providing clinical supervision to residents and yearly lectures on Bipolar disorder, Tourette’s and Obsessive compulsive disorder for over 20 years.  He worked at Midwest Psychiatric associates in an outpatient private practice for nearly 3 years before returning to the KCVA.  There he oversaw care for combat veterans as a clinical psychiatrist and the supervisor for the PTSD Specialty outpatient clinic.  After 5 years he transitioned to the inpatient unit as the inpatient supervisor and one of the attending physicians of the acute inpatient psychiatric unit.  In addition, he served as the University of Kansas Site director for their psychiatric residency program.  

Dr. Divadeenam believes in a holistic approach to mental health treatment, integrating medication management, supportive psychotherapy, and collaboration with therapists and support staff. He tailors treatment to each patient's unique needs, ensuring a comprehensive and individualized approach to care. His expertise includes treating a variety of psychiatric diagnoses, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders (including OCD), ADHD, and PTSD.

In a first visit, patients can expect a thorough evaluation, where Dr. Divadeenam takes the time to understand their medical history, symptoms, and treatment goals. He emphasizes open communication and collaborative decision-making, ensuring that patients feel heard and supported. Based on this initial assessment, he will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include medication management and referrals to therapy or other supportive services as needed.

Bethanie is a board-certified Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who earned her Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing credentials and a Master’s in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing from Columbia University School of Nursing, where she was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society. She has been in practice for over 10 years, providing care to individuals with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Bethanie also has a strong passion for supporting women’s mental health during the perinatal phase of life.

She believes in a collaborative partnership with her clients, working together to develop a mutually agreed-upon plan of action that maximizes the chances of success.

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Dr. Dodd, a Board-Certified psychiatrist, graduated from the University of Georgia Honors Program with a B.S. in Chemistry, and earned her M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. During her psychiatry residency in Greenville, SC, she was chief resident and gained extensive experience through moonlighting. She joined the faculty of Gateway’s Savannah residency program in 2021, where she served as Assistant Program Director, and continues to teach residents and students as an Assistant Professor at Mercer University and the Medical College of Georgia. In her community psychiatry practice, she specialized in Assertive Community Treatment, worked with First Episode Psychosis programs, a forensic Diversion-Reentry clinic, telehealth, and outpatient psychiatry, particularly serving graduate students, professionals, and their families in the Savannah area.

Dr. Dodd fosters a comfortable environment for patients at any stage of treatment. As a passionate educator, she enjoys providing psychoeducation and supportive therapy to help patients understand themselves, their relationships, and their motivations.

Dr. Dodd tailors treatment to each individual’s goals, preferences, and strengths. She uses her expertise in diagnosis and pharmacology to optimize care, monitor treatment success, and maintain progress, with the ultimate goal of helping patients feel and function at their best.

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Dr. Alexandra Dunn is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who completed her medical training at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine. She then moved to New York to complete her psychiatric residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. During training, Dr. Dunn gained extensive clinical experience in psychiatric inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings, allowing her the opportunity to treat patients of all ages and backgrounds. In addition, she co-led a mindfulness group at the outpatient clinic, worked with students at Baruch College, and rotated with the Assertive Community Treatment team at MSBI. Ultimately, Dr. Dunn chose outpatient care, focusing on treating patients with mood and anxiety disorders. While her practice primarily emphasizes medication management, she also incorporates supportive and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in her sessions with patients. If appropriate, Dr. Dunn will refer you for psychotherapy and collaborate with your therapist to support your care. She looks forward to meeting and working with you to help you feel better.