Amanda Wright, MD

Deora Johnson, PMHNP, is a board-certified adult psychiatric nurse practitioner with 24 years of experience. He is passionate about providing clients with a holistic approach to mental health care, incorporating both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Deora works with adult and senior populations, focusing on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. He collaborates closely with clients to guide them through understanding and selecting the most effective interventions and medication management options for their needs. Supportive therapy, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing are integral components of his medication management sessions.

Deora earned his Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed a nursing practice degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He has experience treating patients in a variety of outpatient and inpatient settings.

His areas of specialty include the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, and insomnia. His research focused on non-pharmacologic interventions for insomnia in individuals with depression.

Deora also has experience working with military veterans. At the VA Outpatient Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, he treated veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as those from the Vietnam and Korean War eras. His clinical work focused on PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder.

Deora believes the therapeutic relationship offers a unique opportunity to work collaboratively through life’s challenges. He views medication management as an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan that also includes therapy.

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Dr. Mark Varela is a board-certified psychiatrist joining Talkiatry directly out of residency. He focuses primarily on medication management, often accompanied by brief cognitive, motivational, or supportive therapy. He may request that you also meet with a therapist regularly for your benefit. Dr. Varela received his medical degree and general psychiatric residency training both from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in West Texas. He treats young adults and adults with a wide variety of mental health concerns, including ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD.

Dr. Lauren Miller earned her medical degree from Loma Linda University and completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Miami. She has experience working in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, caring for individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of clinical needs. Dr. Miller has a special clinical interest in lifestyle and integrative psychiatry, particularly the role of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mind-body practices in supporting mental health.

Dr. Miller strives to create a warm, collaborative, and non-judgmental environment where patients feel truly heard and supported. She values whole-person care, addressing not only mental and emotional health, but also physical and spiritual well-being. She believes in partnering with patients to create treatment plans that reflect their values, goals, and strengths. Her approach emphasizes accessibility, practicality, and empowerment, providing patients with tools they can integrate into daily life.

Dr. Miller begins with a thorough, compassionate evaluation, taking into account both medical and psychiatric history as well as personal goals. She develops personalized treatment plans that may include a blend of medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle approaches. Dr. Miller encourages small, sustainable steps in areas such as nutrition, sleep, movement, and stress management, with the goal of not only reducing symptoms but also building resilience and long-term wellness.

Daniel Ebert, MD, earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. He has served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for over 15 years. Board certified in psychiatry by the American College of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Ebert has extensive experience treating mood, anxiety, psychotic, and substance use disorders across inpatient and outpatient settings, including student mental health, community psychiatry, and academic outpatient practices.

Dr. Ebert strives to create a respectful environment where patients feel heard as they build a strong therapeutic alliance. He values long-term collaboration to achieve meaningful treatment goals and improve quality of life. With clinical experience guiding his approach, he offers reasonable therapeutic optimism while addressing challenging symptoms and issues.

Dr. Ebert begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment to understand each patient’s symptoms, life story, behavior, and personality. He develops a collaborative treatment plan, revisiting it over time. Follow-up appointments integrate medication management, if prescribed, and psychotherapy tailored to the individual, using a combination of standard therapeutic approaches aligned with the shared plan.

Dr. Jacob Webbert is double board-certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. He earned his medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA, and completed his psychiatry residency at Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. He then pursued fellowship training in Addiction Psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Dr. Webbert has extensive experience across telehealth, outpatient psychiatry, and substance use disorder treatment programs, providing comprehensive care tailored to a wide range of patient needs.

Dr. Webbert takes a supportive, non-judgmental approach to care, prioritizing open communication and trust in the treatment process. He works with patients to set realistic, meaningful goals that align with their values and promote lasting improvement in mental health. His patients can expect a collaborative partnership where they feel heard, respected, and empowered to take an active role in their care.

Dr. Webbert begins by listening carefully to each patient’s unique story, concerns, and goals. From there, he develops a personalized treatment plan that may include therapy, medication management, or a combination of both. He collaborates with patients over time, adjusting the treatment plan as needed to best support progress and recovery, with the shared aim of building resilience and achieving sustainable wellness.

Dr. Kotadia is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his psychiatry residency training program at Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, NY. After completing training, he has been practicing outpatient psychiatry and specializes in the evaluation and management of major psychiatric disorders, including depression, and anxiety. He uniquely combines his education, training, and practical experiences into specialized treatment plans. Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Kotadia may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. A story that Dr. Kotadia came across years back still inspires him each day. A man was taking a morning walk at the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide, came hundreds of starfish. When the tide receded, the starfish were left behind and would die in the morning sun. While the tide was fresh, and the starfish were alive, the man took a few steps, picked one up and threw it into the water and continued throwing starfish back into the ocean. Behind him was a stranger who couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?” The man did not reply, rather he took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one.”With this story as his motivation and ultimate objective, it has always been Dr. Kotadia's goal, with each patient, to provide superior services.