ADHD Psychiatrists in New Jersey

Dr. Rabia Choudhry, DO, became a psychiatrist with one mission: to provide compassionate, high-quality mental health care accessible to anyone, anywhere. Originally from Pakistan, she pursued her undergraduate degree at Benedictine University in Illinois, medical school at Des Moines University in Iowa, and psychiatry residency at Trinity Health Livonia Hospital/Wayne State University in Michigan. She has experience in inpatient, outpatient, forensic, and community mental health settings.

Dr. Choudhry is committed to meeting patients where they feel most comfortable, whether at home, work, or elsewhere. She offers the same compassion, attentiveness, and expertise as in-person care while removing barriers like travel, time constraints, and distance. Her approach emphasizes that patients are more than a diagnosis, focusing on the whole person—their story, struggles, and strengths.

Dr. Choudhry partners with patients to create individualized therapeutic plans that may include medication management and holistic strategies. Her goal is to promote mood stability, balance emotions, reduce anxiety, quiet overwhelming thoughts, resolve interpersonal conflicts, and strengthen resilience. She believes healing is best achieved through collaboration, open dialogue, and empowering patients to make informed choices about their care.

Dr. Ellis is a graduate of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ. He completed his psychiatric residency at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in Camden, NJ, where he served as Chief Resident his senior year. Dr. Ellis has served as Assistant Medical Director of the community mental health center of Gloucester County for 28 years, providing care to a diverse population. Additionally, Dr. Ellis maintained a private practice for 15 years, treating individuals and their families with ongoing collaboration with therapists and other health care providers

Dr. Ernesto Gonzalez is a board certified adult psychiatrist. He completed his undergraduate training at Yale University and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at the Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School Adult Psychiatry Training Program. Dr. Gonzalez prefers a holistic approach that takes the time to know the whole patient, incorporating biological, psychological, social, and cultural perspectives in crafting a comprehensive, individualized, treatment plan. He practices medication management combined with supportive therapy, typically delivered within 30 minute sessions. Elements of psychodynamic, dialectical behavior and cognitive-behavioral therapy will also be incorporated into sessions based on a patient's individual needs. If additional therapy is needed, Dr. Gonzalez will recommend the addition of an individual therapist to the patient's treatment team. Having dedicated his career to adult outpatient psychiatry, Dr. Gonzalez has worked with patients from a wide range of ages, cultures, ethnicities, and social settings across the New York City area. His primary focus is working with patients with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. He also values working with people adjusting to changes in their lives, whether it be grieving the loss of a loved one, changes in employment, relationships, or adjusting to changes that come with age. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Gonzalez was an Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and served as Director of the Adult Outpatient Psychiatric Department, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team, and Collaborative Care Departments at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He also had a small practice near his home. Dr. Gonzalez has also had a lifelong interest in meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. This interest has taken him as far away as the townships of Cape Town, South Africa and as close as his local diner, and it edifies the work he does with patients.

Dr. Tahira Akbar specializes in adult psychiatry, she completed her four years of residency training at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus NJ and additional two years of geriatric psychiatry fellowship from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. During her final year of the of residency training, she was appointed as the chief of research. She utilized her extensive research experience to guide and mentor her fellow residents. Under her supervision the program submitted maximum number of research papers and presented medical posters to various psychiatric platforms including American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Akbar was introduced to tele-psychiatry during the second year of her fellowship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She appreciated that tele-psychiatry allowed her to continue to serve her patients in the comfort of their own homes. During the challenging times of social distancing, she recognized the importance of collaborative care involving family members, social workers, medical team, and therapist to work together in the best interest of her patients while protecting their privacy and individuality.

Dr. Akbar has excellent communication skills, she believes that an open communication is essential for any relationship to prosper especially that of doctor-patient relationship. She provides a comforting environment for her patients to be able to express their needs and encourages feedback while preparing their individual treatment plan. She is experienced in providing psychiatric care to all age groups while her clinical interest focuses on taking care of adults and geriatric population. Dr. Akbar emphases on medication management utilizing a multidisciplinary methodology when treating each patient based on their requirements and tailoring treatment appropriately.

Dr. Varma grew up in an immigrant family surrounded by aspiring doctors, and her passion for understanding the human mind and behavior blossomed early. This curiosity led her to pursue extensive medical training abroad, beginning at Kasturba Medical College in Southern India, followed by clerkships at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. She completed her Adult psychiatry residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville and specialized further with a child/adolescent fellowship at Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Varma believes in a holistic, integrative approach to mental health. Her philosophy centers on identifying the root causes of ailments rather than merely addressing symptoms. She views mental health care as a partnership, where the mind, body, and spirit work together to achieve wellness. Dr. Varma is committed to fostering a safe, confidential therapeutic alliance to help you explore your potential for healing.

Dr. Varma embraces integrative psychiatry, which combines the best of conventional Western medicine with complementary approaches. This involves a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment tailored to each individual, incorporating psychopharmacology alongside lifestyle adjustments in diet, movement, and breathwork. She collaborates with therapists and other professionals to create a well-rounded treatment plan that honors your unique journey.

Dr. Hajer Ben Cheikh earned her medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she worked with refugee populations and participated in global health initiatives. She completed her psychiatry residency at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, serving as inpatient chief resident. Dr. Ben Cheikh has experience across the full continuum of psychiatric care, including higher levels of care, collaborative care, and outpatient settings. She has a particular interest in perinatal mental health.

Dr. Ben Cheikh values open communication, transparency, and collaboration, and takes a friendly, supportive approach to patient care. She practices evidence-based medicine with a thoughtful, minimalist approach to pharmacologic treatment, often favoring single agents that can address multiple concerns when clinically appropriate.

Her approach to care is holistic, integrating psychiatric diagnoses, comorbid conditions, social context, and lifestyle factors. Sessions include supportive psychotherapy, incorporating techniques from other modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic approaches as appropriate. Initial visits emphasize diagnostic clarity and collaborative goal-setting, while follow-up sessions focus on patient priorities, shared decision-making, and personalized strategies that support meaningful, sustainable progress.

Dr. Danielle Jackson is a board certified Adult Psychiatrist by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is a graduate of Yale University's Psychiatry Residency and Howard University College of Medicine. Dr. Jackson's practice focuses on a combination of psychopharmacology (medication) and psychotherapy techniques including supportive therapy, motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy. She approaches care from an individualized, patient-centered, collaborative perspective. She often integrates evidence-based lifestyle recommendations in areas such as nutrition, sleep hygiene, exercise, and stress management tools in treatment to help patients achieve their wellness goals. Her interests include adjustment disorder, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD and trauma-related disorders. In addition, she enjoys helping patients navigate the challenges that can accompany changes in life (careers, parenthood, relationships, chronic illness). Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Jackson served as medical director for substance use and co-occurring disorders at Sunset Terrace Family Health Centers at NYU Langone. She has experience caring for a diverse patient population including those with perinatal mood disorders (postpartum anxiety/depression), substance use disorders and those from minoritized and marginalized communities.

Dr. Ankila S. Chandran is a board certified general psychiatrist at Talkiatry with over 20 years of experience treating a diverse population of patients. After graduating with her doctorate in Communication Theory and Research from the University of Southern California she attended the Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Northern California and then completed her residency in Psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and became board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry in 2006. Dr. Chandran has spent the past 20 years fulfilling her passion for practicing integrated and holistic care for adults suffering from mental illness. Her years of experience include working as a Clinical Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, being an examiner for the oral boards for psychiatrists seeking board certification, engaging in longer term inpatient treatment for chronically ill patients and facilitating consultation-liaison psychiatry with other medical specialties as well as practicing general outpatient psychiatry. Dr. Chandran has an informal and approachable style when treating individuals who suffer from a variety of complex diagnoses, she explains conditions well and helps educate her patients about how to be actively engaged in living their best lives. Concurrent with medication management, Dr. Chandran provides supportive psychotherapy and she has psychodynamic therapy skills that help address the root causes of her patients' distress. If Dr. Chandran feels you would benefit from working separately with a weekly to every other week therapist in conjunction with getting medication management, she welcomes collaboration with your therapist to achieve optimal results. Dr. Chandran strives to empower her patients in advocating for themselves and in achieving an optimal integration of their mental and physical health.

Dr. Kethini is a board-certified psychiatrist in General psychiatry. She completed her medical degree at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada. After completing her residency at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, she transitioned to an attending psychiatrist at the same place where she completed her residency. During her initial years as an attending, she took care of her own patients and supervised third year residents in the outpatient setting. After a few years, she transitioned to an inpatient setting, where she treated both voluntary and involuntary patients. She also continued to evaluate patients in the emergency room as part of the call group for the last 8 years. ‍Dr. Kethini is passionate about and very experienced in providing a holistic approach along with evidence-based care for patients battling depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD. She integrates supportive psychotherapy along with medication management and lifestyle changes such as nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management. She is focused on having a collaborative approach to treatment and forming a therapeutic alliance with every single patient under her care.

Dr. Akhtar is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in compassionate and comprehensive mental health care. She focuses on medication management for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, providing supportive therapy to help individuals navigate life's challenges and enhance their overall well-being, while emphasizing lifestyle changes and the development of coping skills. Dr. Akhtar completed her medical degree at the American University of Antigua, gaining a profound understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of mental health. Following her residency at Bergen, Newbridge Medical Center, where she was appointed Chief Resident in her fourth year, she worked for several years in both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings. Committed to holistic wellness, Dr. Akhtar believes in empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives and offers guidance on nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques. She is dedicated to fostering a therapeutic alliance built on trust, empathy, and collaboration. Her approach is rooted in evidence-based practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual under her care.

Dr. Shahan Syed is a Board-Eligible Psychiatrist who offers personable, compassionate, and empathetic care. Before completing his residency in psychiatry, Dr. Syed graduated from International American University College of Medicine and recently completed his residency at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, NJ. He gained experience as a clinical researcher, emergency medical technician, and a registered nurse in both psychiatric and emergency departments prior to his formal training. This diverse background equipped him with valuable tools to deliver empathetic care to a wide range of patients with experience treating anxiety disorder, traumatic disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, substance use disorders, ADHD, OCD, and psychotic disorders. During his residency, Dr. Syed also took on the role of chief resident, demonstrating a remarkable ability to educate both his patients and colleagues. Throughout his residency, Dr. Syed actively pursued additional training opportunities at various safety net hospitals in New Jersey to care for underserved populations.

Dr. Syed places significant importance on collaborating with patients and all relevant parties to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting the patient's life before making treatment recommendations. Additionally, Dr. Syed emphasizes the importance of lifestyle, sleep, mindfulness, and nutrition, and their impact on overall mental health. He has experience in utilizing interpersonal and supportive psychotherapy, along with principles of motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy, to foster resilience and meaningful change in partnership with other mental health professionals involved in patient care.

Dr. Syed employs a range of therapeutic methods alongside medication management to ensure a thorough and holistic approach for every patient. His goal is to create a safe environment that encourages healing and wellness, enabling individuals to remain motivated and live their lives to the fullest.

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Dr. Illise Perlmutter is the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Talkiatry. She is double board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry. Before joining Talkiatry, Dr. Perlmutter was the Chair of Behavioral Health and Addiction Services at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. Prior to Bergen New Bridge, she was the Director of Inpatient Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center-Wakefield, in New York. Over 35 years, Dr. Perlmutter has held numerous leadership roles with some of the largest hospital systems in the New York Metro Area. Dr. Perlmutter is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has received awards for her contributions both locally and nationally. Dr. Perlmutter was included in Castle Connolly's "America's Top Doctors” list from 2006-2011 and 2017, as well as "Best Doctors in America” from 2009- 2012. Dr. Perlmutter received her MD from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. After an internship in pediatrics, she completed a residency in Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Medical Center followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Perlmutter has held leadership roles in several academic institutions and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Dr. Perlmutter has authored numerous publications and research articles and has lectured and presented extensively on clinical, epidemiologic, and psychopharmacologic issues in child and adolescent psychiatry. She has made frequent media appearances addressing topical issues in disaster psychiatry during the course of her work in disaster psychiatry outreach.

Dr. Martha James is board-certified in general adult psychiatry and has more than twenty years of experience working with adults in a variety of mental health care settings including academia, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, university medical centers, VA medical centers, and community mental health settings. Dr. James received her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatric residency at the University of California, Los Angeles Neuropsychiatric Institute. Dr. James has experience treating adults with a variety of mental health problems including anxiety, mood disorders, trauma related disorders and psychotic disorders.

Dr. James is an experienced, open-minded psychiatrist who prioritizes empathy and understanding in her work. She recognizes that each individual's path to wellness is unique and strives to meet patients where they are in this process. Dr. James believes that while some individuals may benefit from treatment with medication management alone, psychotherapy is often important for treatment success. She encourages patients to participate in psychotherapy and believes a therapist can be a crucial part of the treatment team.

Dr. James uses a collaborative, patient-centered treatment approach with the goal of reducing mental pain and improving wellness so that patients are better able to pursue their unique personal and professional goals. She utilizes psychopharmacology, psychoeducation, and supportive and psychodynamic psychotherapy skills when working with patients.

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Dr. Mendez-Maldonado is double board-certified in general psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She then moved to New York to complete her residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel where she stayed to complete her fellowship in geriatric psychiatry. After her fellowship, she proceeded to work at Woodhull Hospital where she worked as an attending before becoming unit chief and running their Special Pathogens Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. She focuses on medication management and offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, a focus on nutritional psychiatry, and 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Mendez-Maldonado focuses on integrating nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness techniques alongside pharmacotherapy to achieve a well-rounded approach to mental health.‍

Dr. Molly Fels is a board-certified psychiatrist. She completed her undergraduate education at Barnard College followed by medical school at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr Fels then completed her psychiatry residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She has previously worked in the Mount Sinai health system in the psychiatric emergency department and inpatient psychiatric unit. Dr. Fels has an interest in treating patients with a wide variety of psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and in working with patients who have experienced trauma. She believes in addressing holistic and lifestyle factors with her patients, including nutrition and sleep, in addition to pharmacology. Dr. Fels combines medication management and supportive psychotherapy to provide well-rounded and comprehensive care to her patients and prioritizes involving patients actively in each step of their psychiatric treatment.

Dr. Schwartz is a board-certified Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He completed his residency at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, New Jersey, where he excelled in his leadership and knowledge, becoming the Chief Resident in just his third year of residency at the busiest outpatient behavioral health clinic in New Jersey. Upon completion of his third year of residency, he went on to become Chief Academic Resident of his program, which allowed him to bestow his knowledge of psychiatry on younger psychiatrists in training. After completing his residency in General Psychiatry, he went on to complete a fellowship in the prestigious Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, based primarily out of the Beth Israel location. During this fellowship he studied Consultation-liaison psychiatry, also known as psychosomatic medicine. It is an exciting subspecialty of psychiatry that focuses on the care of patients with comorbid psychiatric and general medical conditions. Consultation-liaison psychiatry deals with the understanding and advancement of medical science, education, and the provision of healthcare for medically ill and complex patients. Using his training, Dr. Schwartz can focus on using his extensive medication knowledge to help treat an array of psychiatric disorders. Despite medication management, he also works on a holistic approach to psychiatry, including working with the patient to get the proper therapy services when clinically indicated. During the initial interview, a thorough assessment is done, including any medical and psychiatric history, medications you may be currently taking, and supplements before any medication is dispensed. Using his knowledge in psychiatry and consult-liaison psychiatry, Dr. Schwartz's interests include depression, anxiety, ADHD, obsessive compulsive and related disorders, transgender patients on hormone therapies and post-surgical transition. He also has an extensive interest in medical illnesses with a psychiatric component such as cancer patients, transplant, HIV, and many others alike. He looks forward to working with you to enhance your emotional well-being.