Angela Shields, MD

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For the past 20 years, Dr. Lavin has worked at the University of Denver Health and Counseling Center, where she has treated undergraduate and graduate students. She also worked at a training clinic for students pursuing their PsyD degree. She has supervised and taught psychiatry residents. She taught a psychopharmacology and differential diagnosis course to psychology trainees. Dr. Lavin has a strong interest in functional medicine and alternative therapies. Dr. Lavin has been in practice for 35 years. She is board certified in adult psychiatry. Dr. Lavin focuses on a comprehensive medical assessment, medication management, psychoeducation, wellness, and alternative therapies. She enjoys treating young adults. Dr. Lavin did her undergraduate work at the University of Rochester. She earned her MD from Cornell University Medical College in New York City. Her psychiatry residency was at the University of Boston Medical Center. After training, Dr. Lavin held administrative and clinical positions at Kaiser Permanente in Denver, CO and at the Harvard Community Health Plan in Braintree, Massachusetts. She has written clinical triaging guidelines and patient information pamphlets.‍

Lorenzo Santos Gutierrez, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Santos is a highly experienced, Board-Certified Adult Psychiatrist with over 10 years of clinical experience in English and Spanish. He graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine and completed a rigorous 4-year psychiatric residency training in NYC at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center. In his residency and post-residency practice, Dr. Santos has provided high-quality care to culturally diverse communities, and has extensive experience helping patients with Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health conditions. He understands that choosing and seeing a psychiatrist can be stressful and is committed to providing a welcoming and non-judgmental environment where patients can feel free to discuss their concerns. Dr. Santos takes a personalized approach to treatment, considering the unique psychology, biology, and lifestyle of each individual patient when determining the best course of action. His practice focuses on medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy, and he conducts follow-up visits in 30-minute increments. He believes that the most successful treatments integrate physical health, therapy, mindfulness, and medication, when necessary, to provide the most effective solutions for his patients. If you are looking for a compassionate and experienced psychiatrist who is fluent in both English and Spanish, schedule an appointment with Dr. Santos today. His dedication to his patients and his extensive experience makes him an excellent choice for those seeking to improve their mental health.

Maria Carvajal-Ramirez, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Maria Teresa Carvajal is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, and is bilingual in Spanish and English. Dr. Carvajal earned her medical degree from Universidad de Guayaquil in Ecuador. She then participated in a medical program at The William J. Harrington Training Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, at Jackson Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Miami in Florida. Afterwards, she completed her adult psychiatry residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Bronx Care Health System, and her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwell Health in New York. She has experience working in various settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and emergency departments. Dr. Carvajal has submitted and presented work to the American Psychiatric Association and has also collaborated on a book publication. Dr. Carvajal has experience treating children and adults with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, dementia, etc. She utilizes medication management in conjunction with emotional and supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. She is passionate about her work and understands the impact of mental illnesses in daily life activities and in the family system. She will work with each patient in an individualized manner and will tailor personalized treatment plans that may include pharmacological treatment. In addition, Dr. Carvajal may recommend including a therapist in your care team to provide the best outcome.‍

Yaejin Park, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Yaejin Park is a board-certified adult Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She received her medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency training at Mount Sinai Morningside West. Dr. Park has professional interests in treating a wide range of psychiatry conditions including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders. She strives to provide compassionate and holistic care with the integration of supportive psychotherapy and medication management.

Nicole Martinez, LCPC

Staff Therapist

Dr. Nicole Martinez received her Master's and Doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship at Gateway Foundation in Lake Villa, Illinois. She earned a double major in Psychology and Therapeutic Recreation at the University of St. Francis. Dr. Martinez has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in individual, family, and group treatment. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, combining Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT) with holistic methods, emphasizing Solution Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Positive Psychology. She believes in the mind-body connection and that exploring various areas of an individual's functioning is essential for optimum physical and emotional health. Dr. Martinez emphasizes a collaborative therapist-client relationship, where both act as partners in designing treatment goals. She values identifying ineffective past modalities to avoid frustration and ensure personalized care. Recognizing that each person is unique, she adapts to the patient's evolving needs, ensuring they feel heard and supported for positive outcomes. Her areas of expertise include health psychology, complex trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, LGBTQIA populations, bereavement, forensics, substance abuse, couples work, MISA, co-occurring disorders, domestic violence, sex offenders, special needs populations, and chronic medical issues and rare diseases. She is skilled in the evaluation and assessment of these populations.

Jerry Sayers, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Jerry Sayers is a double board-certified psychiatrist in General Psychiatry and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Dr. Sayers completed an Internal Medicine internship in Youngstown, Ohio. He then completed his residency in General Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital followed by fellowship training in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurology at Johns Hopkins Bayview. He most recently finished his fellowship in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at the University of Maryland. Dr. Sayers has had the opportunity to care for a diverse group of patients with neuropsychiatric, neurological, and other general medical conditions. His work allowed him to work on a proactive, collaborative psychiatric consultation team designed to be involved early in the care of vulnerable patients with complex neuropsychiatric conditions. Dr. Sayers has experience in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and partial hospitalization programs. He works hard to tailor therapy to the needs of the individual patient by adapting techniques that have been successful across different treatment settings. His desire to ensure exceptional care is evident in his ability to relate to and understand an individual patient's needs and concerns.

Emily Wu, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Emily Wu has dedicated over a decade to the study and treatment of psychiatric and neurocognitive disorders, with a particular focus on advanced mediation management and cutting-edge therapies such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Spravato. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Wu completed her residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Texas at Houston, where she trained at one of the national largest psychiatric hospitals. She also holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from the University of Texas at Houston.

Dr. Wu has extensive experience in applying holistic approach on treating psychiatric illness country and has earned her a strong reputation among her patients. She is also deeply committed to advancing research in psychiatric disorders, particularly neurocognitive disorders. As a teaching physician at the University of Texas at Houston's General Psychiatry Residency Program, Dr. Wu is passionate about educating the next generation of psychiatrists.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Wu has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and serves on committees for several prestigious organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, and the Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians' Academic Committee.

Dr. Wu has been recognized with multiple national awards, including the American Association's Research Colloquium for Junior Investigators, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry's Ruth Fox Scholarship, and fellowships from the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology. She also serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals. Her research focuses on exploring mechanisms and developing novel treatments for psychiatric disorders.

Pamela Walkiewicz, LPC

Staff Licensed Professional Counselor

Ms. Walkiewicz is a licensed professional counselor and is certified by the NBCC. She also has Certifications in Telehealth EMDR, and as a Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider. Her position at Talkiatry is that of a psychotherapist who works along with a licensed psychiatrist in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. In her career of over 25 years, her areas of focus are: child/adolescents/adults. Pamela offers modalities in CBT, DBT, Trauma Focused CBT, EMDR, Motivational Interviewing, Problem Solving Therapy, Psychoanalytical Therapies, and Adult ADHD. Also trained in modalities for specialty groups such as LGBTQ+. Family/couples Therapy, and Personality Disorders. Also has experience with DID, and Depersonalization. Pamela received her Undergraduate and Master's degree from Gannon University in Erie, Pa. Her majors are Political Science, and Psychology, Master's in Community Counseling. She began her career as a therapist at Sarah Reed Children's Center. She did individual therapy, family, crisis, and assessments. From there, she moved to Alabama to do administrative work and private practice. Now back in Pa. Her work in Pennsylvania and New York focuses on Outpatient Therapy as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Her most recent Certifications are within the work with Telemedicine for mental health conditions. Her work in Pennsylvania and New York focuses on Outpatient Therapy as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Her most recent Certifications are within the work with Telemedicine for mental health conditions.

Amanda Kerr, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Amanda Kerr is a board-certified Psychiatrist. Her practice focuses on medication management, though she passionately believes in a holistic approach. She attended Boston University for her undergraduate studies and Loyola Marymount University for graduate school. She then completed her training at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school and Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine for residency, where she was selected to serve as Chief Resident during her final year. After completion of her residency in 2016, she dedicated seven years to serving a wide range of patients in a community mental health setting, both in-person and via telepsychiatry. She also serves as a provider at an Intensive Outpatient Program. She has experience treating patients with depressive and bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. She also has extensive teaching experience in various settings. Dr. Kerr has a gentle and approachable style when providing medication management in conjunction with supportive psychotherapy, and at times Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to more fully address each individual's needs. She utilizes mindfulness approaches as well, which she finds personally meaningful in her practices of meditation and yoga. If Dr. Kerr feels you would benefit from working with a therapist as well, she may recommend and values a collaborative approach.

Carolyn Benson, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Carolyn Benson has 21 years of experience in treating adults, adolescents, and children. After graduating medical school at Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, North Carolina, she moved to Rochester, NY to complete her residency and fellowship at University of Rochester School of Medicine. Her focus over the last ten years has been on working with young adults, children/adolescents, and their families. Her expertise covers a wide array of therapeutic modalities and mental health diagnoses. The primary focus of her sessions is to provide medication management with education on treatment options. She will provide therapy models that are appropriate within that 20�30 minute medication session. If longer therapy time frames are indicated, she will discuss the need to add a therapist to your treatment team to achieve optimal care. Her successful treatment outcomes are based on experience, staying current on psychiatric treatments, and having open communication with patients and families of children/adolescents so they can choose the most effective treatments. Prior to medical school, she worked in both marine and biochemical research venues and was coauthor in several research papers. She has an avid interest in the emerging field of neuroscience and frequently gives talks to colleagues and students on current research topics. Her primary objectives in her work are to help patients achieve success in both treatment and life goals and to always take time to truly listen to her patients.

Gloria Rodriguez, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Gloria J. Rodriguez is an Adult Psychiatrist based in New York. She has over 18 years of experience. Her focus is the treatment of Depression and Anxiety disorders using a combination of medication management and psychotherapy. Before joining Talkiatry, Dr. Rodriguez served as the Vice Chair for the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Morningside and West Hospitals. She earned her Bachelor's degree at the City College of New York. Dr. Rodriguez received her medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and completed her residency training at the Mount Sinai Hospital. She remained on staff thereafter, rising to the position of Division Chief of Inpatient Psychiatry until November 2014. In December 2014, Dr. Rodriguez moved to Mt Sinai Morningside and West, to assume the position of Director of the Acute Care Division. Over the following years, she effectively led numerous changes and improvements, including the establishment of the Child and Adolescent Unit that moved from Mount Sinai Hospital. She was promoted to Vice Chair in January 2019 with a focus on staff wellness, Safety, and Quality Practices.

Gloria Odum, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

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.

Angela Shields, MD

Education and training

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