Alexis Kropf, MD

Background  and credentials    

Dr. Farooq obtained her medical degree from Dow Medical College, one of the  most prestigious medical schools in Pakistan. She completed her residency in  General Psychiatry at New York Medical College-Westchester Medical Center in  Valhalla, New York. Dr. Farooq is ECFMG certified and an active member of the  American Psychiatric Association. During her training, she gained diverse  clinical experience in psychiatric inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care  settings.    

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Treatment approach  

Dr. Farooq emphasizes a friendly, collaborative, and patient-centered  treatment approach, focusing on building strong therapeutic relationships.  Her practice primarily centers on medication management, combined with  supportive therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational  interviewing. She tailors treatment approaches to the unique needs and goals  of each patient.  

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What you can expect in a first visit    

Patients meeting Dr. Farooq for the first time can anticipate a welcoming  and collaborative atmosphere. Her initial evaluation focuses on understanding  each patient’s symptoms, concerns, and individual treatment goals. Dr. Farooq  integrates medication management with supportive therapy and therapeutic  modalities such as CBT and motivational interviewing, ensuring treatment  plans are personalized and aligned with patient-care objectives.    

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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.

Dr. Gloria Odum is a board-certified psychiatrist who treats adult patients. She completed her undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, where she received her Bachelor's degree with Honors in Public Health, then completed her medical degree at The University of Texas at Houston. She completed her residency in psychiatry at the University of Texas Dell Medical School in Austin, where she served as chief resident. Dr. Odum has worked in several clinical, leadership and administrative positions and has been actively involved in teaching and community outreach. She previously worked at The Menninger Clinic, which specializes in psychotherapeutic treatments. Dr. Odum has expertise in treating a wide variety of mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, OCD, and addiction. Dr. Odum strongly believes in treating the person and not the diagnosis. Dr. Odum's approach is holistic, collaborative, supportive, and patient-centered. Dr. Odum has been in practice since 2011.

Dr. Clark is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She is fellowship-trained in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has been in practice for 11 years. She received her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Clark then completed her residency training and continued her training in child and adolescent fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Clark works with patients to create an environment where they feel comfortable and supported. She focuses on medication management along with supportive therapy. Normally visits are 30-minute follow-ups that allow time to focus on areas of support needed. If additional therapy is recommended, she will request a therapist be added to your care team to meet all your needs. Dr. Clark has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings with adult, child, and adolescent populations. She has worked in private practice as well as community mental health, where she worked with reaching under-served communities. Dr Clark has a passion for treating both adult and child and adolescent patients with anxiety and depression.

Jackie LaVe' is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She is also dually certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She received her master’s degree and post-master’s certificate from Vanderbilt University. Jackie has 12 years of experience as a nurse and over 7.5 years of experience as a Nurse Practitioner. Jackie is licensed to practice in Montana, Arizona and New York.

Jackie LaVe’ offers a patient centered approach, working with individuals aged 18-65. She believes in engaging patients in the decision-making process. Jackie has professional interests in treating a wide range of adult psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD, OCD, panic, autism and bipolar disorder.

She provides psychiatric assessments and medication management along with brief supportive psychotherapy. She believes in educating patients, so they are empowered to work together to create treatment plans that improve their health and quality of life. Jackie has additional education and experience in cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and motivational enhancement. Jackie can also review if adding a therapist to your care team could improve outcomes.

Belinda received her undergraduate education at the University of Tulsa and completed her nurse practitioner training at the University of Texas–Arlington, earning a Master of Science in Nursing. She is nationally board-certified in psychiatry across the lifespan and has over a decade of experience working in outpatient, residential, and inpatient care settings. She is skilled in medication management and utilizes therapeutic modalities such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and psychodynamic approaches.

Belinda is a passionate psychiatric nurse practitioner dedicated to continual development and lifelong learning. With over ten years of experience, she spent more than five years working in a residential eating disorders facility. She has evaluated and treated individuals with a wide range of diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. Belinda believes in addressing the whole person and thrives on helping people find individualized solutions. While she specializes in using medication when necessary to alleviate symptoms, she also incorporates therapeutic techniques into her sessions to help clients discover what works best for them.

She prioritizes the therapeutic relationship and supports patient-centered goals. Belinda empowers her clients to choose options that align with their lives and encourages active engagement in self-care. She is deeply committed to helping individuals improve their quality of life by identifying and addressing areas of struggle, such as depression or grief. Additionally, she supports clients in recognizing and overcoming fears by identifying stressors and developing new coping strategies. Her approach inspires clients to reduce stress and prioritize rest and sleep to enhance overall wellness—body, mind, and soul.

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Dr.Gusta Shurdut is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with 8 year experience. She completed her medical training at SUNY Downstate Medical center in Brooklyn, and psychiatric residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, NYC. After her residency, she worked as an assistant professor at Mount Sinai Psychiatric Ambulatory Services. Dr.Shurdut graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with an undergraduate degree in biology. Prior to moving to New York, she obtained a degree in communications and public relations and worked as a journalist at her hometown in Latvia.

Dr.Shurdut believes in individual, empathetic, and collaborative treatment approach. Through her residency and work experiences, Dr.Shurdut has developed expertise to treat various mental health conditions including mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, PTSD. While her primary focus is medication management, she also incorporates CBT, psychodynamic and supportive psychotherapy.

Dr.Shurdut’s goal is empowering patients to participate in their healthcare choices. As a psychiatrist, she feels honored to witness the complexity of the human experience, and curious to explore the factors that contribute to it.  On intake appointment, she will take time to understand your concern, provide assessment, discuss treatment options and collaboratively decide on most appropriate action. The follow up appointments are usually 30 minutes and include a psychotherapy modality.