Carolyn Benson, MD

Dr. Tsujimoto-Ryzewski is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She received her medical degree from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. She completed her residency at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, where she served as a chief resident during her last year of training. Dr. Tsujimoto-Ryzewski has treated patients with a wide variety of diagnoses both during her residency and after her training while working at a busy private practice clinic as well as for the Veterans Administration. Dr Tsujimoto-Ryzewski focuses on medication management and supportive psychotherapy. If she feels that additional therapy is needed, she will ask that you bring in a therapist as part of the treatment team. Dr. Tsujimoto-Ryzewski will work collaboratively with you in a caring environment to assist you in reaching your goals.

Dr. Ismail is double board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Cairo University, where she also completed her neurology residency at Cairo University Hospitals. Following this, she pursued psychiatric training at New York Medical College at St. Vincent’s Hospitals, where she was appointed Chief Resident and recognized as Resident of the Year.

Dr. Ismail further specialized with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UMDNJ/Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Her career includes multiple leadership roles, notably serving as Chief of the Child and Adolescent Partial Hospital Programs (PHP) at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ, where she provided direct care to young patients. She has also held Medical Director positions across various clinical settings, including child and adolescent inpatient units, outpatient programs, and intensive outpatient services for both adolescents and adults with mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders.

An active educator, Dr. Ismail has been a teaching faculty member, delivering lectures and providing supervision and evaluations for medical residents and child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. Her academic contributions extend to research, where she has served as a principal investigator on multiple studies.

Throughout her career in leadership and teaching, Dr. Ismail maintained an integrative private practice in New Jersey, serving residents of the NJ and NY metropolitan areas before relocating to North Carolina.

Dr. Ismail is passionate about integrative medicine, which combines evidence-based alternative therapies with conventional treatments to optimize outcomes. Her approach focuses on promoting overall wellness, keeping both the body and mind in harmony.

During the diagnostic evaluation, Dr. Ismail will review your medical history and past treatments to develop a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan that prioritizes your overall wellness. In addition to medication management, she incorporates supportive, cognitive, or psychodynamic psychotherapy during follow-up visits, as time allows. When appropriate, she may also recommend referrals to specialized psychotherapists to address your individual needs as part of a holistic treatment approach.

Dr. Rachel Sherhart is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who has been in practice for over 4 years. She specializes in medication management with 30-minute follow-up visits. This may be accompanied by elements of supportive therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy. If more in-depth work is needed, she may refer patients to a collaborating psychotherapist. ‍Dr. Sherhart received her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. She has served as faculty at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, providing education and supervision for psychiatry residents and medical students. ‍She has experience treating adult patients from many walks of life with a broad range of diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and trauma-related disorders. Dr. Sherhart has a passion for providing excellent patient care and education. Her goal is for patients to feel heard and find a safe place to discuss their concerns. She is motivated to work collaboratively with patients to find a solution that best fits their treatment goals and improves their overall quality of life.‍

Dr. Stephen Byrd is a clinical psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is board-certified in both psychiatry and addiction medicine. He has been practicing for over 31 years in a wide variety of settings, including working with inpatients and outpatients in private practice, community mental health, geriatric, VA, and community hospital/medical center settings. Dr. Byrd's practice focuses on evidence-based medication management, usually provided in conjunction with 30-minute supportive psychotherapy, which is informed by cognitive behavior therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and motivational enhancement. When more intensive therapy is needed, Dr Byrd may ask you to include a therapist as part of your care team. He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and completed his residency training in psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland. Throughout his career, he has treated patients with a wide variety of conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Additionally, He has served as director of inpatient geropsychiatry at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, program manager of the substance abuse treatment program at the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, and medical director of outpatient behavioral health at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Throughout his career, Dr. Byrd has been active in training medical students and psychiatry residents, and he has held clinical teaching appointments at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, University of Washington School of Medicine, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.�.�

Dr. Maaeesha Pushpita, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist with experience caring for patients across all age groups in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She holds a special interest in college-age populations, women’s and reproductive health, trauma-related care, nutritional psychiatry, and psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. Dr. Pushpita earned her medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University and completed her psychiatry residency at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.

Dr. Pushpita’s approach to care is patient-centered, holistic, empathic, evidence-based, and culturally competent. She values building trust and fostering an environment where patients feel heard, supported, and empowered in their care.

In the initial session, Dr. Pushpita takes time to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. She carefully rules out underlying physical conditions that may impact mental health and cognitive functioning, and collaborates with patients to identify lifestyle changes that can support their well-being. Treatment plans are tailored, evidence-based, and designed to be practical and achievable.

Dr. Mo Basith is a board-certified psychiatrist in the field of general adult psychiatry. He offers a mix of pharmacotherapy in conjunction with psychotherapy in 30-minute sessions. Dr. Basith's approach to clinical practice is rooted in fostering a safe atmosphere in which to explore biological and psychosocial factors that affect mental health. He views medication as a tool that patients can use while also engaging in psychotherapy and making lifestyle changes to optimize their mental health. He encourages patients to be actively involved in their healthcare decisions. Although he has an integrative psychotherapy style, Dr. Basith may occasionally believe additional therapy is needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Basith received his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He then went on to complete a general psychiatry residency training at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Since completing his training, Dr. Basith has been working with a wide variety of adults, including as a staff psychiatrist at Georgetown University's Counseling and Psychiatric Service. He has experience treating patients with a wide range of psychiatric concerns including various anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar spectrum disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use disorders. Dr. Basith utilizes pharmacotherapy along with facets of cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and supportive therapy as needed.