Christa DeFries, MD

Dr. Jennifer Snowden completed medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995. She then completed a residency in general psychiatry at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by a fellowship in forensic psychiatry also at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia from 1995-2000. She spent ten years practicing forensic psychiatry at a state hospital in Atlanta. She then decided that she wanted to travel and spent eighteen months as a locum tenens psychiatrist primarily practicing in New England. During this time, she met her future husband and they decided together that they eventually wanted to live in the New England area. In 2013, she officially became a telepsychiatrist, which eventually provided her with the opportunity to move to Rhode Island and practice out of the home she and her husband bought there. She initially saw patients via telepsychiatry at a community mental health center in rural Georgia and later took a position as a remote consultant telepsychiatrist at Acadia Hospital in Bangor, Maine. Dr. Snowden uses a practical and realistic approach with patients to assist them in identifying small, attainable goals and then motivating them to achieve those goals. She prefers to work with adults and relishes the opportunity to work with patients who are highly motivated for change.

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.

Severine Dondina, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with licensure in Washington and Florida. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and graduated summa cum laude with dual bachelor’s degrees in nursing and biomedical science. Her background spans outpatient, community, forensic, and crisis psychiatry, including leadership roles with Florida’s Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) and Multi-Disciplinary Forensic Teams.

Currently serving patients in Washington, Severine treats adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. She brings a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to care and is deeply committed to creating affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse individuals. Her clinical style combines evidence-based medication management with warm, collaborative support.

Trilingual in English, French, and Spanish, Severine is known for her cultural sensitivity, clinical rigor, and authentic presence. She approaches each patient with curiosity, humility, and respect—believing healing begins with connection.

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Dr Jennifer Twing is a board-certified physician in Psychiatry. She completed her undergraduate studies in Neuroscience and Behavior at Vassar College in New York, medical education at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and Psychiatry Residency at the University of North Dakota in Fargo, ND. She has experience working in a variety of settings treating psychiatric conditions across the lifespan. She is also currently training to be certified in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.

Dr Twing has a warm approach to patient care, is easy to talk to and aims to cultivate a safe and comfortable atmosphere. She is empathetic and understanding, ensuring that her patients feel heard and are supported.

Her main focus is in treating anxiety, depressive disorders and trauma through medication management. She also integrates a holistic approach encompassing lifestyle, spiritual and nature-based healing practices to help reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall quality of life. She recommends that you work with a therapist or counselor as well to optimize treatment outcomes.

Dr. Jerry Sayers is a double board-certified psychiatrist in General Psychiatry and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Dr. Sayers completed an Internal Medicine internship in Youngstown, Ohio. He then completed his residency in General Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital followed by fellowship training in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurology at Johns Hopkins Bayview. He most recently finished his fellowship in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at the University of Maryland. Dr. Sayers has had the opportunity to care for a diverse group of patients with neuropsychiatric, neurological, and other general medical conditions. His work allowed him to work on a proactive, collaborative psychiatric consultation team designed to be involved early in the care of vulnerable patients with complex neuropsychiatric conditions. Dr. Sayers has experience in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and partial hospitalization programs. He works hard to tailor therapy to the needs of the individual patient by adapting techniques that have been successful across different treatment settings. His desire to ensure exceptional care is evident in his ability to relate to and understand an individual patient's needs and concerns.

Dr. Esha Garg is a board-eligible psychiatrist who is starting her post-graduate practice in psychiatry. After completing an undergraduate degree in psychology at Johns Hopkins University, she completed her medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. She is a recent graduate of the Adult Psychiatry Residency program at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Garg's practice focuses on medication management but she believes in the importance of both therapy and medication management in treating mental illness. She offers medication management with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow up visits. She also utilizes referrals to therapists to enhance collaborative care and management of illness. Dr. Garg believes in the importance of building a strong therapeutic relationship. She focuses on treating patients with depression and anxiety disorders. She believes in a holistic, patient-centered approach to care and encourages patients to explore their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs in addition to their mental health.