Anastasia Ruiz, MD

Background and credentials

Dr. Vansickle is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio and completed her internship at UAB. She then completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Louisville Hospital, where she served as chief resident and received a national award in community psychiatry. Throughout her career, she has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings as a staff psychiatrist, primarily in Texas and Alabama.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Vansickle places a strong emphasis on establishing trust and building therapeutic relationships to help patients achieve their goals. Her practice focuses on medication management, often combined with supportive or emotionally focused therapy during 30-minute follow-up visits. If she believes additional therapy would be beneficial, she may recommend that patients work with a therapist as part of their care team. She has extensive experience treating patients in various settings, including community mental health centers, VAMC-affiliated clinics, and hospital-based psychiatric units. She also has expertise in psychiatric consultations for medically ill patients, as well as guardianship and competency evaluations.

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What you can expect in a first visit

Patients can expect a thorough initial evaluation, where Dr. Vansickle takes the time to understand their symptoms, history, and treatment goals. She provides a structured yet compassionate approach to care, ensuring that each patient feels heard and supported. Follow-up visits typically last 30 minutes, during which she monitors progress and adjusts treatment as necessary. If additional therapy is needed, she collaborates with therapists to ensure comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs.

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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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Barbara (Barb) Pack is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with the Supervision Endorsement and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, Clinical Supervisor Endorsement who has been providing mental health treatment for over 24 years and addiction treatment for over 27 years. Barb utilizes a combination of approaches in working with her clients, including person-centered, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused techniques, and a variety of other techniques. She has experience in several different types of treatment settings and treatment modalities in both Ohio and Florida. Barb enjoys working with individuals who also have co-occurring disorders, both mental health and substance use. Barb has experience working with a wide range of age groups and mental health issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, trauma, stress management, grief, relationship issues, and a wide range of substance use issues. She will assess individuals' needs in their first few visits and work with them to develop an individualized treatment plan. Barb works to provide the empathetic listening and emotional support that her clients need to reach their goals. Her dream has been to work herself out of a job, as she wants to help her clients find healing and happiness. Barb attended the University of Akron for graduate school in a Community Counseling Program and attended Malone College, now University, and majored in Psychology.

Zaccaheaus (Zacc) Adams is a licensed clinical counselor in both Maryland and North Carolina. Zacc graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with his master's in clinical mental health counseling. He has been effective in providing therapy for many presenting concerns such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem/confidence, trauma, career conflicts, and relationship issues. Zacc has extensive experience working with adolescents, adults, couples, friends, and families. He aims to create a warm and inviting environment that will allow clients to further develop growth and empowerment within themselves. Zacc uses an integrative therapeutic approach to meet each client where they are in each session.

Dr. Cheryl Thomas' experience spans nearly two decades working with many who struggle to find their way through different life challenges. She will collaborate with you to identify and attain goals. Getting to know you is the first step and that is achieved through a variety of approaches that are grounded in family systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, and understanding any types of trauma that may have been experienced. Many have had trauma and what she has learned is that talking about the details of the trauma is not always helpful. It may be a component of healing, but there may be other ways to make progress. Dr. Thomas utilizes a combination of approaches to be helpful in working with clients. Some may include person-centered, solution focused, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. She has experience in different treatment settings in Ohio and enjoys working with those who have mental health and substance use disorders. Dr. Thomas works with ages 18 and up that include mental health issues like depression, anxiety, grief, stress management, trauma, communication, and relationship issues. She enjoys seeing a client shift perspectives and report feeling more at peace as they reach their goals. Dr. Thomas completed her doctorate degree in Counselor Education & Supervision in Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy in 2012.

Dawn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has over 18 years of experience in the field of mental health including Outpatient, Community Mental Health and Assertive Community Treatment. Dawn works with adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, self-esteem, and PTSD using an eclectic approach to suit your individual needs. Other modalities used are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and Positive Psychology. Dawn is easy to talk to and her number one priority is to help provide a safe, open, non-judgmental place to share your personal experiences. She focuses on providing the skills to help manage your symptoms while working in tandem with your psychiatrist to provide the best outcome for you. Dawn received her Master of Social Work degree at Eastern Michigan University and is Certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional. While in Michigan, Dawn worked extensively with the Community Mental Health. Initially, she worked as an advocate working with clients who were diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness or with a dual diagnosis. She facilitated psychoeducation groups, provided crisis intervention and case management services. At Henry Ford Allegiance Health, Dawn played an integral role in implementing the integration between physical and mental health. Combining a Psychiatric Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic with a Primary Care Practice utilizing General Medical Education Resident Psychiatrists. Moving on to Florida, Dawn worked at the Marion County Jail assessing suicidal risk of inmates and provided brief supportive therapy. Ultimately, Dawn began her own virtual private practice, continuing her passion of helping others find the skills to begin to live again regardless of their imperfections.

Kayla is a dedicated therapist with a robust educational background and extensive experience in the field of psychology. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida International University and completed a Master of Science at Nova Southeastern University. During her internship at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, Kayla worked within inpatient psychiatric units, gaining valuable experience in crisis management and acute psychiatric care. Kayla has a particular interest in helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. She brings empathy, understanding, and a client-centered approach to her practice, ensuring that each individual feels heard and supported on their journey to mental wellness. Outside of their professional life, Kayla enjoys spending quality time with family and her two dogs. Whether hiking or relaxing by the beach, she cherishes these moments of connection and tranquility.