Columban Heo, DO

Susan is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. In 2005, she began working in the mental health field by volunteering as a domestic violence advocate for a local women's shelter. She graduated from Texas State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and continued her education by obtaining a master's degree in counseling from St. Edwards University. Over the years, Susan has worked with several universities, group practices, and community mental health clinics. Susan received CBT training from the Beck Institute and is also trained in EMDR. She works with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, life transitions, feelings of shame and guilt, trauma, and emotional abuse.

Susan understands that seeing a new therapist can be intimidating. She wants all of her clients to know that she is a safe space and that your feelings and experiences do matter.

Susan uses a holistic approach when working with clients. She also uses unconditional positive regard. Both therapist and client work together to create treatment goals. Techniques used include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Informed CBT, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Rogerian and EMDR.

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Dr. Katelyn Thompson is board certified in Adult Psychiatry. Patients looking for a psychiatric provider will find that Dr. Thompson has a gentle and approachable style. She believes that each patient was created on purpose and for a purpose. The brain is deeply wired for resilience, and Dr. Thompson is blessed to witness this while supporting her patients. She focuses on medication management with supportive psychotherapy as she treats a wide variety of psychiatric diagnoses.‍

Dr. Chelsea Karson is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency training at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where she was Chief Resident of her program. Dr. Karson is passionate about patient care, believing in caring for the whole person. While completing her residency training, she led an interprofessional team to bring miniature-therapy horses to the inpatient psychiatry unit and thereby forge a relationship between the organization and all of Advocate Aurora Healthcare. Dr. Karson partnered with a mental health counselor to create a virtual therapy program of resources, the Bridge Project, to close the gap between inpatient and outpatient care that is now used throughout the Advocate Aurora network. At graduation Dr. Karson received the 2024 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Ruggie Humanitarian Award. The Ruggie Award selects and honors a graduating resident or fellow who displays academic excellence, commitment to the education of others, professional bearing, and a concern for the patient within the light of Human Ecology. Dr. Karson attended undergraduate at Elmhurst University, a biology major with minors in chemistry and medical humanities. She went to medical school at Rosalind Franklin University and was chosen to join the Gold Humanism Honor Society for her dedication to compassionate patient care.

Background and credentials  

Dr. Alexandra Baluna, MD, is board-certified by the American Board of  Psychiatry and Neurology. She received her medical degree from  LSUHC-Shreveport and completed her psychiatry residency training at  Montefiore/Albert-Einstein College of Medicine, where she served as chief of  the Consultation-Liaison (C/L) service. Following residency, Dr. Baluna  served as Senior Chief, during which she was honored with the Leo M. Davidoff  Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Medical Students. Her  professional experiences include roles at Fordham University, Albert Einstein  Student Mental Health Counseling Center, and most recently, as an outpatient  psychiatrist at Maimonides Medical Center, where she enjoyed teaching and  supervising residents.  

Treatment approach  

Dr. Baluna emphasizes creating a warm, empathic, and nonjudgmental  therapeutic environment. She collaborates closely with patients to develop  personalized treatment plans that consider cultural, biological,  psychological, and social factors. With a strong interest in psychotherapy,  she frequently employs ego-supportive and insight-oriented therapy techniques  during follow-up sessions.  

What you can expect in a first visit    

During an initial visit, patients can expect a welcoming and supportive  atmosphere where Dr. Baluna conducts a comprehensive assessment. This  involves exploring the patient's history, current challenges, and individual  circumstances. The goal of the first session is to collaboratively build an  individualized treatment plan tailored specifically to the patient's unique  needs.  

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Why Talkiatry?    

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great  care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our  providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who speciualize in  medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits  your needs and comfort level.

Dr. Larry Widman is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience as a psychiatrist and nearly 20 years as a high-performance mindset coach. His expertise is in diagnosing and treating psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and developing strategies to manage the pressures and challenges for anyone who is a considered a high performer. Dr Widman's approach involves supportive, solution-based counseling in conjunction with the role that psychopharmacology may play to help you max out in life.

Dr. Widman completed his medical school training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and did a combined residency with UNMC and Creighton University. Dr Widman has been the Medical Director of two hospital-based psychiatric programs at Trinity Hospital in Minot, ND for 10 years and at BryanLGH in Lincoln, NE for 7 years. For the last several years, Dr Widman has been in a solo private practice, with a focus on sport, nursing home and correctional psychiatry. Dr Widman also is the founder of Max Out Mindset, in which the primary focus is on training an elite mindset with athletes, coaches, teams, CEO's and military leaders.

Dr. Widman spends significant time with you to incorporate scientifically based non-medication strategies into the overall treatment plan.

Doctor Widman uses a bio-psycho-social approach to understanding who you are as a person which allows for the best treatment plan to be developed to meet your individual and unique needs.

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Dr. Jillian Saad is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who specializes in patient-centered care. She has been practicing for over 8 years in private practice and academic medicine .Dr. Saad focuses on medication management in 30-minute follow-up visits in conjunction with supportive and emotionally focused therapy. She takes a patient-centered approach that acknowledges all the psychosocial aspects of each individual to ensure they receive the most effective treatment possible. She received her medical degree from UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ, then moved to Pennsylvania to complete her residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Upon completion of training, Dr. Saad went into private practice for 5 years in southern NJ where she treated children, adolescents, and adults with a wide array of psychiatric disorders. She then went into academic medicine at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ, where she served as the Associate Program Director of the Psychiatry Residency Program supervising and teaching both residents and medical students .Dr. Saad has experience working with a broad range of psychiatric disorders including mood disorders, PTSD, OCD, and ADHD. She also has a strong interest in Women's Mental Health and alternative treatment options.