Ayanna Swinton Jamison, MD

Dr. Erica Mark is a board-certified psychiatrist with experience in both inpatient and outpatient care. She formerly served as a Staff Psychiatrist at a VA Medical Center, where she specialized in the mental health needs of veterans. Dr. Mark earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences, Summa Cum Laude, from Hampton University, received her MD from the University of Texas Medical Branch, and completed her psychiatry residency at Tulane University School of Medicine, serving as Chief Resident in 2017.

Dr. Mark fosters a warm, supportive environment where patients feel heard and respected. She values open communication and works collaboratively to set clear, personalized treatment goals. Deeply committed to service, she has supported underserved and marginalized communities through various nonprofit initiatives.

During initial sessions, Dr. Mark takes time to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. She then creates individualized treatment plans aligned with each patient's unique needs and preferences. Dr. Mark encourages ongoing dialogue to adapt care plans and support long-term progress.

Background and credentials

Dr. Nina Jacobs is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry with over 20 years of clinical experience. She earned her medical degree from the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine and completed her adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry training at NYU School of Medicine. Additionally, she has specialized training in psychodynamic psychotherapy from the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Before joining Talkiatry, she served as Chief of Adult Behavioral Health at a busy urban community health clinic.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Jacobs believes that understanding and compassion are fundamental to effective psychiatric care. She provides engaged, patient-centered treatment, focusing on reducing symptoms and restoring well-being. Her approach includes comprehensive evaluations, thoughtful medication management, supportive therapy, and the development of stress management skills. She treats youth ages 13-17 and adults with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. For adolescent patients, she includes parental involvement during a portion of appointments to discuss progress and treatment plans.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a comprehensive evaluation in which Dr. Jacobs takes time to understand their symptoms, history, and goals. She fosters a collaborative and compassionate environment, ensuring that treatment plans are personalized and patient-centered. Her approach may include medication management, therapy recommendations, and stress management techniques to support patients in achieving their mental health and well-being goals.

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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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Dr. Carder has been practicing for over 20 years in general adult psychiatry. She is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has a certification in Elder Law. She has advanced training in psychopharmacology, which she earned with distinction. Dr. Carder's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Carder may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. She received her medical degree from the University of Toledo, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, where she was given the outstanding medical student award by the Department of Head and Neck Surgery. She completed her internship with the Department of Family Medicine and completed her residency with the Department of Psychiatry both at the University of Toledo, College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Throughout her career, she has been the Medical Director of two Community Mental Health Centers and is also the Corporate Medical Director for a company providing neuropsychiatric and general psychiatric care to patients residing in nursing facilities. She received her certification in Elder Law through the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She has also been a preceptor for numerous universities and has trained advanced practice providers in psychiatry. In addition to general adult and geriatric psychiatry, Dr. Carder's areas of interest include complex psychiatric and medical conditions, neuropsychiatric issues, and treatment-resistant cases. She enjoys using her medical expertise to solve difficult cases. She has an interest in exploring combined traditional psychiatric practice with complementary and holistic approaches to treatment and believes in keeping her patients healthy rather than only addressing illness.

Dr. Rodriguez is a board eligible adult psychiatrist, who is also fluent in Spanish. He completed residency at North Florida Regional in Gainesville via the University of Central Florida, where he also served as chief resident for education. He received his medical degree from Lincoln Memorial University � DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tennessee. He also holds a master's and bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of South Florida, in Tampa. Dr. Rodriguez has worked with a wide array of patients across various medical settings and has experience treating patients with psychiatric illness who may also be suffering from medical comorbidities, such as obesity, hypertension, pain, and diabetes. He has been deeply involved with teaching and emphasizes psychoeducation while working in collaboration with his patients to help tailor their personalized treatment plan. His primary focus has been on treating adults with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and PTSD. Dr. Rodriguez has an approachable, patient-centered style, combined with a passion for optimizing sleep as it pertains to management of a psychiatric illness and overall well-being. He offers supportive therapy as part of his medication management visits, and at times may also offer cognitive behavioral therapy to address underlying stressors which may be contributing to one's presenting ailments. He may also recommend including a therapist in your care team to optimize outcomes.

Dr. Dennis Valerstain is a board-certified Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Emory University, he attended medical school at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at University of Miami/Jackson Health System and further sub-specialized at University of Miami/Jackson Health System with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Valerstain has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including children, adolescents, the severely mentally ill, veterans, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valerstain has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units, emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient clinics via telemedicine and face to face interactions. Dr. Valerstain has experience working with patients of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tic disorders, substance use disorders, and more. Dr. Valerstain's practice focuses on medication management and also employs empathic listening, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and a comprehensive and methodological approach to his visits. Given his broad and diverse training experiences, he enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with patients (and their families) to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.

Cecilia Wild is a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with a strong background in treating patients across the mental health spectrum. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Illinois State University and began her career in a women’s residential facility specializing in mood disorders, eating disorders, and PTSD. She then transitioned to inpatient adolescent psychiatry, where she became a charge nurse and obtained her Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Inspired by her passion for mental health, she pursued her master's degree at the University of St. Francis to become a PMHNP.  

Cecilia has extensive experience treating patients at all levels of care, including inpatient, PHP/IOP, and outpatient settings. She later transitioned to telehealth, providing medication management to college students. She is passionate about mental health advocacy, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.  

Cecilia takes a team-based, individualized approach to care. She believes in the importance of education, open communication, and empowering patients in their treatment journey. She emphasizes a holistic perspective, incorporating medication management, therapy, and lifestyle modifications.  

Cecilia prioritizes a trauma-informed approach, recognizing the significant role trauma plays in mental health. She integrates mindfulness techniques, motivational interviewing, and lifestyle changes to support overall well-being. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, she helps patients build resilience and achieve their mental health goals.