Catherine Derys, LMHC

Iesha Whitaker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that graduated in 2012 from Hunter College School of Social Work. She has been practicing since that time. Ms. Whitaker has worked with many populations including, Women, Men, adults aged 18 and up, homeless population, parents with children in foster care and parents in need support and learning communication skills with teens. Ms. Whitaker has knowledge of working with clients recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital setting as well as the.  hospital discharge planning process, and emergency room care. Her primary areas of focus are helping clients that suffer with Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, Stress, Trauma, Relationship issues, PTSD, Life transitions as well as Emotional Dysregulation. Ms. Whitaker enjoys working closely with clients that struggle with healthy lifestyles, poor decision making, suffering with substance use disorder and people dealing with chronic homelessness, Domestic violence and challenges of daily living. Ms. Whitaker uses treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Supportive Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and many other modalities. Ms. Whitaker has a passion for helping the are less fortunate and have challenges with routine daily activities, basic life needs such as food, housing, education, work stress and chronic medical conditions. Ms. Whitaker is very warm and open, very personable and allows her clients to work at their own pace. Ms. Whitaker enjoys helping clients to gain healthy insight to their conditions and allows clients to create the future they want for themselves.

Working with Ms. Whitaker will be an open, collaborative experience. Ms. Whitaker will help the client create the best version of themselves, while teaching the client to identify concrete obtainable goals.

Ms. Whitaker typical therapeutic process is a somewhat structured and flexible framework that provides empathy, rapport building and using evidence-based practices to provide mental health treatment. She uses a collaborative therapeutic relationship that warmly welcomes the client into therapy, discuss limits of confidentiality as it pertains to self harm or harm to others. She discuss the length of sessions and the frequency of meetings, invite questions from client and describe their role in the treatment process. Provides a safe space where a client can express themselves in an environment open to all cultures, gender identities while helping clients explore their strengths. Clinical assessments by use of standardized tools PHQ-9, GAD-7, and client interview and report. Clinician continues to monitor and track safety and implement Evidence based Interventions such as CBT, DBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic and Supportive Therapy to provide care. Over time Clinician continues to revisit progress, highlight growth and obtained goals, moving toward termination when appropriate, also providing aftercare and referrals.

Brian Sharp, LPC, has experience working with a diverse range of mental health concerns in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He works with individuals facing a variety of life challenges and is committed to supporting clients across different stages of their personal and emotional journeys.

Brian believes that all people have the desire and ability to grow and develop. He enjoys partnering with clients in their growth by creating a safe, supportive, and collaborative therapeutic space where individuals feel heard, respected, and empowered.

Brian draws from a broad range of therapeutic approaches and tailors treatment to each client’s unique needs. Together, he and his clients explore the sources of distress and identify meaningful solutions to promote insight, healing, and lasting change.

Deb Lund is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Deb brings to bear nearly 25years of experience helping children, adolescents, adults, and families cope with ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance abuse. Deb attended Assumption College, where she earned a CAGS and a MA in Rehabilitation Counseling.  She also attended Worcester State University, where she earned a BA in Elementary Education, including a minor in Psychology with a Concentration in Developmental Disabilities.  Other course work includes Substance Abuse Counseling and Psychology.

Deb uses evidence-based modalities, including individualized motivational interviewing, mindfulness exercises, and cognitive-behavioral techniques. She likes to refer to herself as a GPS  during the therapeutic journey; she explains that we can't always see our destination when we start together, but between us, we will get you and your family where you want to be.

Deb uses her natural compassion and sense of humor to assist in developing collaborative relationships with patients and families. Her goal is to help those she works with to reach their full potential and realize their goals through a combination of teamwork and advocacy.

Therapist Kim Heath has decades of experience collaborating with patients providing mental health care and interventions to facilitate health and wellness. Kim has worked in all aspects of mental health ranging from crisis care to rehabilitation. Kim has a great depth of community service connections and resources to link individuals in the community and an opportunity to extend support networks for greater health. Kim received her bachelor’s from the University of Kansas and master’s from the University of Missouri and continues educational opportunities in counseling/therapy and theology. Kim is a Christian counselor and believes people have need of mind/body/spirit balance to address the emotional pain, psychological turmoil, and physical challenges in life. Kim meets individuals where they are and with the focus of accomplishing the wellness goals of the individual answers the need for therapeutic interventions. Kim Heath uses a variety of modalities dependent on the needs of the patient to include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Christ Centered Christian Counseling Intervention.

Patients should be aware that Kim specializes in straight forwardness and application of the structure of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in sessions. Patients are of the utmost importance when receiving therapy with Kim Heath and are the key to mental health intervention and thereby change. Kim Health respects the wishes of patients with target goals, behaviors as well as providing support, care, and help. Kim acknowledges and is knowledgeable about getting to the heart of problems, issues, and concerns and identifying what is best in the patient’s opinion to address, then addressing them.

Kim Health typically will address the dynamics of a therapeutic relationship with patients   along with asking and assessing what patients hope to obtain or accomplish in therapy. Kim will discuss each clinical step taken to get to the accomplishments of the patient. Kim has worked with a wide range of diagnoses including Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Marital, Grief, Alcohol and Substance Use, Addictions, Workplace Issues, Relationship and Social Issues, Multicultural Issues, Faith Crisis, and Adjustment Issues.

Tiffany Reilly is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 8 years of experience providing therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and families in Seattle and New York City. She received her Master's in Counseling from Northwest University in 2015. Before coming to Talkiatry, Tiffany worked as a Family Therapist and Supervisor at Children's Aid. This role gave her experience navigating the complexities of adolescence, young adulthood, marriage, and other interpersonal stressors. She was also able to pursue additional trainings in motivational interviewing, trauma systems, and LGBTQIA supportive counseling. Tiffany focuses on treating mood and anxiety disorders, as well as the complexities of grief and loss. She has additional experience working with trauma, conduct disorder, ODD, and personality disorders. She utilizes a variety of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Psychoanalytic Theory, and Person-Centered Counseling. Tiffany approaches each therapeutic relationship with empathy and compassion, understanding the uniqueness of personal experience. She believes that all behavior maintains something for each individual and that when we bravely uncover our patterns, we can use our inherent strengths to work towards change.

Shannon Curry has been providing mental health therapy since 2016. She received her degrees from Plattsburgh State University. Shannon has worked in a variety of settings from mental health clinics, substance use and addictions clinics, along with providing treatment in correctional facilities. Shannon helped to establish a Medication Assisted Treatment Program for a New York State County Jail. She also has experience in treating people with issues with gambling. Shannon uses an eclectic approach in treatment to provide client-centered care. The most common therapeutic styles she uses are DBT, CBT, solution focused, narrative therapy, feminist therapy, and person-centered therapy. Her primary clinical focus has been in treating adults with more serious and persistent mental illness and issues of addiction. Shannon believes in a holistic approach to therapy and supports people in identifying the more complex factors that contribute to distressing symptoms while focusing on the resiliency human beings possess. Shannon is passionate about helping people advocate and empower themselves and provides a safe place to approach any area of concern. She has the ability to provide a non-judgmental space to allow anyone to feel comfortable with disclosing any issues or concerns.