Daniel Azzopardi, MD

Lance Briggs is a dedicated Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of clinical and leadership experience. A graduate of the University of North Dakota, Lance began as a psychiatric RN in acute inpatient settings before becoming a psychiatric RN supervisor in a major Houston hospital while pursuing advanced practice.

After becoming a PMHNP, Lance initially worked with outpatient addiction treatment and severe mental illness populations, later expanding into bariatric psychiatry to support patients preparing for weight-loss surgery. When the COVID-19 pandemic paused bariatric procedures, Lance founded a private practice—Grey Matters Mental Health—in Seattle, which was later sold to a larger healthcare organization in Minnesota. Lance then transitioned into correctional mental health, serving underserved populations within the criminal justice system. Currently, Lance is working at Talkiatry, providing compassionate, high-quality care informed by experience across diverse and challenging environments.

Lance understands that every patient is unique. His approach is grounded in Carl Rogers’ principle of unconditional positive regard, creating a safe, calming space where patients feel heard and valued. Lance takes time to explore developmental history, family background, and major life events, recognizing how past experiences shape present challenges. He aims to understand each symptom fully and offers thoughtful, collaborative treatment options.

Dr. Georgia Gaveras holds the position of Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Talkiatry. She is triple board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry, and addiction medicine. She has been practicing for over 18 years. Dr. Gaveras's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Gaveras may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. She received her medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, ME, before moving back to NY to complete her residency at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. After completing training, she remained and worked with dually-diagnosed adolescents at the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Education Service (CARES) before becoming the Director of Training and Education for the Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals. She was then the associate director of child and adolescent emergency psychiatry at Cohen Children's Medical Center before becoming the Director of the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Dr. Gaveras has held academic appointments at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine, and SUNY Downstate Medical College. In addition, she has appeared in numerous professional publications and authored several research papers. In addition to general, child, and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Gaveras is also board-certified in addiction medicine and trained in the Eating Disorders, Compulsions and Addictions Service (EDCAS) program at the William Alanson White Institute. She completed her undergraduate studies at New York University. While having treated a wide variety of patients, her primary clinical focus has been in treating adolescents and young adults with co-occurring substance use disorders.

Dr. Amanda Kerr is a board-certified Psychiatrist. Her practice focuses on medication management, though she passionately believes in a holistic approach. She attended Boston University for her undergraduate studies and Loyola Marymount University for graduate school. She then completed her training at Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school and Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine for residency, where she was selected to serve as Chief Resident during her final year. After completion of her residency in 2016, she dedicated seven years to serving a wide range of patients in a community mental health setting, both in-person and via telepsychiatry. She also serves as a provider at an Intensive Outpatient Program. She has experience treating patients with depressive and bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. She also has extensive teaching experience in various settings. Dr. Kerr has a gentle and approachable style when providing medication management in conjunction with supportive psychotherapy, and at times Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to more fully address each individual's needs. She utilizes mindfulness approaches as well, which she finds personally meaningful in her practices of meditation and yoga. If Dr. Kerr feels you would benefit from working with a therapist as well, she may recommend and values a collaborative approach.

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.

Asli Saba Abaci, MD is a dual board-certified psychiatrist in Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School and began her career in emergency medicine at a major trauma hospital. She later completed a research fellowship at Georgetown University before finishing her psychiatry residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, followed by a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship in 2004. Dr. Abaci has served as a faculty member at the University of Rochester Medical Center since 2005 and has extensive experience across hospital, outpatient, and school-based mental health settings. She is deeply passionate about patient care, family involvement, and medical education.

Dr. Abaci values building meaningful, reliable relationships with her patients and believes psychiatric care extends beyond medication management. She prioritizes understanding each patient’s life experiences, circumstances, and cultural background. Open, ongoing communication and cultural humility are central to her approach, and she finds fulfillment in supporting patients’ growth across all stages of life.

Dr. Abaci begins care with a comprehensive understanding of each patient’s past and present, emphasizing collaboration with families and other providers when appropriate. She strives to offer the highest quality care by discussing thoughtful treatment options in a safe, supportive, and trustworthy environment. Teamwork and individualized care are essential components of her practice.

Robynn Cavaliere, PMHNP-BC, is a nationally board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She earned her nursing practice degree from the University of San Diego (USD). Her passion for helping others began at the age of 16 when she became an EMT and volunteered with a local emergency unit. Inspired by a strong belief in service to country and a desire to follow in her brothers’ footsteps, she proudly served in the United States Marine Corps.

Robynn’s nursing journey began over two decades ago, driven by a deep calling to care for others. She started her career as an LVN on medical/surgical/telemetry floors, advanced to an RN in the emergency room, and eventually became a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Her extensive nursing experience spans a wide range of clinical settings and patient populations, shaping her approach to interviewing, assessment, and intervention. Robynn applies the Biopsychosocial Model in every patient encounter, believing that a comprehensive understanding of the whole person leads to more effective treatment recommendations, improved outcomes, and better prognoses.

She is deeply committed to making a positive impact in her patients’ lives and giving back to the nursing profession. Robynn precepts student nurse practitioners in her practice and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at USD, where she helps educate the next generation of healthcare providers.

Robynn emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessments, active listening, and building therapeutic alliances that foster trust and create a safe space for patients to share their thoughts and concerns. She collaborates closely with patients to ensure they feel heard, encourages active participation in their treatment, and provides education to enhance insight and promote behavioral change. Her approach includes supportive psychotherapy and incorporates techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy during medication management visits.

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