Bethanne Folks, LPC

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Dr. Angela Shields is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with over 10 years of experience. Dr. Shields' clinical expertise includes treating adults with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse. Dr. Shields' greatest passion is bringing healing and hope to those experiencing stress in their lives. Dr. Shields takes an evidence-based, whole health approach to patient care and believes in meeting you "where you are” on your road to recovery. Dr. Shields will welcome you with empathy and sincerity combined with a direct approach to treatment. Dr. Shields grew up in Gulf Breeze, FL. She obtained her Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She then completed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Vanderbilt Medical School, earning both her MD and her Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. Her Ph.D. research focused on stress and its role in relapse to addiction. Following a four-year residency in Psychiatry at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Dr. Shields became board certified in both General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Shields lives in Nashville, TN. She enjoys hiking, cycling, reading, puzzles, and travel.

Tulsie Patel, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Tulsie Patel is a board certified psychiatrist who treats adults. She graduated Cum Laude from Drexel University and attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) and was elected to serve as Chief Resident during her final year of training. She has worked as an outpatient psychiatrist in California and Florida and has experience in medication management, individual and group therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). She is dedicated to constantly learning and has previously published numerous articles and book chapters on various topics in the fields of psychiatry, dermatology, and psychodermatology. She is also very passionate about education and medical journalism. During her residency training, she worked at ABC News in New York City as a member of their medical unit. She provided consultation on medical stories for programs including Good Morning America and World News with David Muir. She has published a number of articles on the websites for ABC News and Good Morning America. She also has experience presenting as an on-air expert for ABC News and for mental health podcasts. She is committed to continuously evolving as a provider in order to provide the best care for her patients. Her focus is always to provide patient-centered care by prioritizing open communication and collaboration with her patients. She has experience providing care for a variety of psychiatric illnesses. The conditions she treats include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD.

Nicole Estevez, LMHC

Staff Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Nicole Estevez is a licensed mental health counselor in New York and an out-of-state telehealth provider in Florida. She received her Master of Mental Health Counseling from Alliance Graduate School of Counseling (now Alliance University). Nicole has 9 years of experience providing client-centered individual and family therapy services to a wide variety of clients. Nicole has worked in a variety of settings including an outpatient community clinic, in-home family therapy, treating undocumented minors with trauma history, and telehealth. Nicole has experience working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, grief, post traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health concerns. Over the years in the mental health field, she believes that the best approach to therapy is a collaborative process with the client to assist in achieving their goals. Nicole has experience with modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, motivational interviewing, and dialectical behavioral therapy.

Kevin Seske, LCPC

Staff Therapist

Kevin Seske is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who specializes in Sport and Health Psychology. His approach to therapy is collaborative, empowering, nonjudgmental, trauma informed, and goal-focused. He sees therapy as a method to find the individual's strengths to help overcome any hardships.‍Kevin integrates treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, Existential Therapy, and mindfulness techniques. In addition, he incorporates Sports Psychology in sessions where appropriate as he believes physical activity can empower us and teach us life skills that boost self-esteem, promote team building, and aid in relaxation. These methods are proven to show reduction in anxiety and depression.‍Kevin specializes in treating PTSD among young adults, adults, and/or immigrant populations. He is also skilled in treating mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, grief, emotional abuse, and life transitions. Kevin has been told by clients and colleagues that he has a calming presence and is a good listener.‍Kevin's 10 years of experience as a counselor has included providing trauma-informed care for undocumented minors who arrived at the US border seeking refuge from their home countries, including ones experiencing Adjustment Disorder, PTSD, and ODD. Additionally, Kevin served in a FQHC on the Southwest side of Chicago, in their clinical setting and school-based health center.

Gabrielle Kull, LPC

Staff Therapist

Gabrielle Kull is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a strong foundation in mental health care. She earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2017 and went on to complete her Master's degree at West Virginia University in 2019. Since then, Gabrielle has gained experience working with diverse populations and age groups while working for a non-profit organization that served victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other violent crimes. She has a genuine interest in treating a vast array of psychiatric disorders including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Depression, Anxiety, and Obsessive-Compulsive related disorders. Gabrielle became licensed in 2022. She has been trained extensively in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy since 2019 and achieved her EMDR certification in 2025. She takes a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, meeting individuals where they are in their healing journey. Her practice incorporates evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and mindfulness techniques, to support her clients in achieving their goals. Gabrielle is committed to ongoing education and continuous learning to ensure she provides the most effective and up-to-date care for her clients. She is currently expanding her specialties to include mental performance counseling with athletes.

Jeffrey Niles, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Niles (he/him) holds the position of Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He has four years of experience in outpatient psychiatry and is board-certified for adult psychiatry. He has received training in the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive therapy, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy skills. He uses his training in therapy in tandem with medicine management to provide holistic, person-centered care. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh, while completing his pre-medical classes, he also pursued certification in the history and philosophy of medicine. Additionally, he studied the effect of culture and ethics on healthcare. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. He attended medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. His psychiatry residency training was completed at Charleston Area Medical Center. While in residency, he worked to improve cultural awareness in the outpatient setting. Dr. Niles is interested in treating patients with a wide variety of diagnoses. He treats mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, personality disorders, OCD, comorbid addiction, mild eating disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, and more. He also strives to provide care that affirms LGBTQIA+ identities and underwent additional training in transgender mental healthcare.

Alexia Ford, LCSW

Staff Therapist

Alexia Ford is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in various aspects of mental health and co-occurring disorders. She obtained her MSW from Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA.) and later obtained her MDiv and MPT from Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA.).

Alexia is a wife, mother, daughter & sister who has also experienced life's challenges that may identify with your story in some way. Alexia is known for her empathic listening and attention to verbal and non-verbal cues. Her approach is individualized and non-judgmental in hopes of creating and holding a safe and comfortable space for all to be their true, authentic selves. Alexia is intentional with developing rapport and meeting clients where they are without criticism but will also gently challenge stagnant behaviors respectfully and when necessary.

Alexia prefers to work with adult age to geriatric age clients and couples using strengths-based and affirming perspectives. She uses several modalities, such as, CBT, ACT, IPT, BA, Solution Focused therapy, Client centered therapy, Mindfulness, meditations, breathing exercises, positive affirmations, spirituality, bereavement, existential concerns and other appropriate evidenced based approaches and interventions. Alexia is a “movie and series buff” and will often incorporate movie scenes, themes and character traits to add to discussion and use to demonstrate examples of behaviors and consequences.

Amanda Wright, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Amanda Wright is a board-certified adult Psychiatrist who has been in practice for ten years. Her practice offers in-depth evaluations for new patients, personalized medication management, and supportive and motivational therapy within 30-minute follow up visits. Dr. Wright's professional interest is in mind-body wellness; she believes in psychotropic medication management as one of the tenants of overall wellness and also recognizes that non-medicinal interventions such as psychotherapy can enhance patients' ability to reach their full potential. To that end, if Dr. Wright feels you would benefit from working with a therapist in conjunction to medication management, she welcomes collaboration with your therapy provider. Dr. Wright is a graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where she completed her psychiatric internship and residency training in 2013. From 2013 through 2022 she practiced Psychiatry in Louisiana. While practicing with Ochsner Health System, Dr. Wright was recognized locally (within her practice region) as "Provider of the Month” and later, "Provider of the Quarter” for the larger system of Ochsner. These awards were based primarily on patient feedback and highlight her warm and open approach as well as her genuine care for each patient's best long-term outcomes. In 2022, Dr. Wright and her family moved back to her home state of Texas where she has been practicing both in- and outpatient Psychiatry within a hospital system in the Rio Grande Valley. The broad scope of her professional experience lends itself to working with a variety of Psychiatric issues ranging from mood to anxiety spectrum disorders. Dr. Wright looks forward to returning her focus to outpatient Psychiatry and providing compassionate, individualized care for those seeking treatment.

Sarita Sharma, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Sarita Sharma is a board-certified adult psychiatrist dedicated to providing personalized psychiatric treatment that addresses the mind, body, and spirit for optimized health and healing. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, she earned her medical degree from Avalon University School of Medicine in Curacao and completed her residency at Southern Illinois University in Springfield, Illinois. Dr. Sharma has extensive experience working with underserved patients from diverse backgrounds and with varying severities of psychiatric disorders. She has a genuine interest in treating mood and anxiety disorders like depression and anxiety. She views medication as one of many tools to aid patients, emphasizing the importance of therapy and lifestyle changes aligned with each patient's goals. Believing in a holistic approach, she incorporates mindfulness techniques, lifestyle optimization (sleep, diet, movement), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to target the root causes of unease. She enjoys helping patients navigate meaning and purpose, relationship dynamics, and self-image. With a sincere, direct, and practical approach, Dr. Sharma values empathy and understanding as vital components of effective care. In her free time, she enjoys spontaneous adventures, connecting with fellow human beings, and just being in nature. She is committed to helping you achieve a balanced, fulfilling life.

Sophia Monsour, DO

Chief Psychiatrist, Pennsylvania

Dr. Sophia Monsour holds the position of Chief Psychiatrist for Pennsylvania at Talkiatry. After completing residency in 2013 at Albany Medical Center, she has spent the past 9 years fulfilling her passion for integrated and specialty care for adults suffering from mental illness. Her years of experience have included working as an integrated care Psychiatrist at a community health center, a medical director of a Partial Hospital and Intensive Outpatient Program (PHP/IOP), and also working for an Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT) specializing in the Serious Mentally Ill (SMI) population. Most recently, she has been serving our veterans as the Outpatient Section Chief, Primary/Mental Health Integration Medical Director and Resident/Medical Student Coordinator at VA Pittsburgh. Dr. Monsour has an approachable style when treating individuals who suffer from various diagnoses, especially those with prior trauma. She provides supportive psychotherapy and at times uses psychodynamic therapy skills to address her patient's current stressors and to identify the root cause of their ailment. She believes in a holistic approach and utilizes mindfulness as a technique along with medication management.

Valerie King-Ernst, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Valerie King-Ernst is a board-certified psychiatrist trained in Adult Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree at Western University of Health Sciences and completed psychiatry residency training at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. King-Ernst has a wealth of experience working in private practices, hospital settings, the State of IL � Elgin Mental Health Center, and telepsychiatry services. She has had the opportunity to serve in leadership positions, serving as a medical director twice and serving as president of her own medical practice for 10 years. Dr. King-Ernst has a wide range of experience in anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, geriatric depression, trauma, personality disorders and ADHD. Her clinical approach is holistic, collaborative, supportive, patient-centered and prefers to focus on the overall health and well-being of the patient.

Thy Vo, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Thy Vo is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of adults, adolescents, and children. Dr. Vo approaches patients as whole human beings with the goal of providing a safe therapeutic space that will help patients understand and address their suffering as well as fostering healthy emotional expression and self-awareness. Dr. Vo is collaborative with treatment needs, which may include medication and/or supportive or insight-oriented psychotherapy in 30 or 45 minute follow-up visits. She received a Master's in Global Health Systems and Development at Tulane University and then received her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine. Afterwards, she completed her adult psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training at Western Psychiatric Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. During her training, Dr. Vo has treated patients of all ages and diverse backgrounds with particular interest in immigrants and refugees. She works with people dealing with trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, relationship conflicts, life transitions, and existential concerns. She has also received additional training in psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Bethanne Folks, LPC

Education and training

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