Beverly Bryant, DFAACAP

Dr. Seth Flesher is double board-certified in adult psychiatry and addiction medicine.  Dr. Flesher’s practice focuses on medication management of psychiatric illness without the use of controlled substances.  Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Flesher may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome.

Before joining Talkiatry Dr. Flesher was Medical Director of Advanced Psychiatric Services [complex/high profile cases] at Kings County Hospital and Unit Chief of the Covid19 positive unit.  He was also a clinical professor at Downstate Medical College where he was voted educator of the year numerous times by psychiatric residents and medical students.  Dr. Flesher is a graduate of the prestigious combined 6-year BS/MD program at The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.  He did research at the neuropsychiatric branch of the National Institute of Mental Health, completed his psychiatric residency at St. Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital, and he received his master’s degree in public health from Columbia University.

Dr. Flesher believes that psychiatry should start with a thorough assessment to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.  Then a discussion with the patient of the different evidence-based options available.  Followed by shared decision-making to arrive at an effective treatment plan to achieve the goals that the patient identifies as being important.  This should be done in an honest, open, non-judgmental, but realistic environment.  Understanding that the ultimate goal is to get the patient to a position where they will no longer need medication and/or therapy.

Bethany McCann is a board-certified Adult Psychiatrist. After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Kent State University, she received her medical degree from Ohio Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to complete her Psychiatry Residency training at The Ohio State University, where she served as a Chief Resident for two years.

Following residency, Dr. McCann pursued an additional year of training through Ohio State, where she completed a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship. A large portion of her time was spent in the state hospital system, where she learned more about the interplay between psychiatry and the law, provided high-quality psychiatric services to an inpatient forensic population, conducted forensic evaluations, and educated the Court on psychiatric topics through expert testimony.

While Dr. McCann has had experience working in a variety of settings, she has maintained a passion for outpatient psychiatry and building a strong, therapeutic relationship with her patients. Dr. McCann will provide an evidence-based medication management visit for a variety of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, and OCD, while incorporating therapeutic techniques that are tailored to the individual and their goals.

Dr.Gusta Shurdut is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with 8 year experience. She completed her medical training at SUNY Downstate Medical center in Brooklyn, and psychiatric residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, NYC. After her residency, she worked as an assistant professor at Mount Sinai Psychiatric Ambulatory Services. Dr.Shurdut graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with an undergraduate degree in biology. Prior to moving to New York, she obtained a degree in communications and public relations and worked as a journalist at her hometown in Latvia.

Dr.Shurdut believes in individual, empathetic, and collaborative treatment approach. Through her residency and work experiences, Dr.Shurdut has developed expertise to treat various mental health conditions including mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, PTSD. While her primary focus is medication management, she also incorporates CBT, psychodynamic and supportive psychotherapy.

Dr.Shurdut’s goal is empowering patients to participate in their healthcare choices. As a psychiatrist, she feels honored to witness the complexity of the human experience, and curious to explore the factors that contribute to it.  On intake appointment, she will take time to understand your concern, provide assessment, discuss treatment options and collaboratively decide on most appropriate action. The follow up appointments are usually 30 minutes and include a psychotherapy modality.

Dr. Morales is a board-certified psychiatrist who is dedicated to the bio-psycho-sociocultural model. This has been reflected in Dr. Morales' pursuit of treating patients suffering from diverse medical and psychiatric conditions, respective psychological mindedness, and varied socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. As an individual, Dr. Morales is fascinated by the human mind, its mechanisms to pursue goals, and the cyclical patterns seen in maladaptation and suffering. He believes in understanding patients' experiences and developing comprehensive treatment plans towards reconciliation. After completing his medical education at the East Carolina Brody School of Medicine, as a Brody Scholar, he subsequently completed psychiatry residency at Jackson Health System/University of Miami. Dr. Morales has had the opportunity to work with a diverse array of patients including high-functioning patients, veterans, trafficking victims, the severely mentally ill of low socio-economic status, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems via telemedicine and face-to-face interactions. His experience includes working with patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, mood disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and more. He honors active listening, analytic understanding, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and evidence-based and methodological treatment for patient care and actualization. His goal is to assist patients in navigating short- and long-term goals as well as improved quality of life. As a result, Dr. Morales focuses on medication management, which is offered in conjunction with supportive therapy, which is offered in 1-hour initial and 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Morales believes that appropriate patients can benefit from additional exploratory and self-actualizing therapy from other valued and specialized therapists to support targeted goals. He will not hesitate to recommend and promote consultations with therapists for such patients who are ready to pursue. Ultimately, Dr. Morales seeks to understand, validate, and treat patients in a collaborative therapeutic alliance.

Cassandra Lozano, LPC, LCDC is located in Texas. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Texas-Brownsville. Following obtaining her master's degree in counseling and guidance from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She has 10 years of experience in the addictions field and 7 years in mental health, working with her local mental health authority for the past 8 years. She has dedicated her career to specializing in addictive disorders, ADHD, individuals struggling with mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and life transitions. Cassandra works with both adults and adolescents and is a strong ally of the LGBTQ community and Latinx communities. Her therapeutic approach is eclectic in nature, and client-centered. She collaborates with her clients, meeting them where they are and helping them find personalized solutions to achieve their goals and become their best selves. She utilizes a combination of Motivational Interview approaches, CBT, Solution-Focused counseling, and DBT. She ensures that clients are fully aware of their treatment goals and will work collaboratively to facilitate meeting their needs, finding meaning in life, and finding solutions to their current issues. In her personal life, Cassandra is the proud mother of two boys and enjoys tending to their Kuk Sool Won (martial arts) events. She loves relaxing on the beach and is very family oriented. She enjoys fishing, hunting, and off-roading in her jeep.

Dr. Molly Fels is a board-certified psychiatrist. She completed her undergraduate education at Barnard College followed by medical school at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr Fels then completed her psychiatry residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She has previously worked in the Mount Sinai health system in the psychiatric emergency department and inpatient psychiatric unit. Dr. Fels has an interest in treating patients with a wide variety of psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and in working with patients who have experienced trauma. She believes in addressing holistic and lifestyle factors with her patients, including nutrition and sleep, in addition to pharmacology. Dr. Fels combines medication management and supportive psychotherapy to provide well-rounded and comprehensive care to her patients and prioritizes involving patients actively in each step of their psychiatric treatment.