Deborah Ford, PMHNP

Dr. Yolan Shaw earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX and completed her psychiatry residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. She has experience in both outpatient and inpatient care through her work at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX, where she served veterans and caregivers. As a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine, she also taught and supervised medical students and residents.

Dr. Shaw creates a warm, supportive environment where patients feel heard, understood, and respected. She values open communication and believes in working collaboratively with patients to establish clear, achievable treatment goals that reflect their individual needs and preferences.

Dr. Shaw begins the treatment process by thoroughly understanding each patient's history, concerns, and goals during the initial session. From there, she develops an individualized treatment plan designed to align with those goals and support meaningful progress over time.

For the past 20 years, Dr. Lavin has worked at the University of Denver Health and Counseling Center, where she has treated undergraduate and graduate students. She also worked at a training clinic for students pursuing their PsyD degree. She has supervised and taught psychiatry residents. She taught a psychopharmacology and differential diagnosis course to psychology trainees. Dr. Lavin has a strong interest in functional medicine and alternative therapies. Dr. Lavin has been in practice for 35 years. She is board certified in adult psychiatry. Dr. Lavin focuses on a comprehensive medical assessment, medication management, psychoeducation, wellness, and alternative therapies. She enjoys treating young adults. Dr. Lavin did her undergraduate work at the University of Rochester. She earned her MD from Cornell University Medical College in New York City. Her psychiatry residency was at the University of Boston Medical Center. After training, Dr. Lavin held administrative and clinical positions at Kaiser Permanente in Denver, CO and at the Harvard Community Health Plan in Braintree, Massachusetts. She has written clinical triaging guidelines and patient information pamphlets.‍

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.

Background and credentials

Dr. Ian Goldberg is a board-certified adult and child/adolescent psychiatrist and a licensed physician in New York state. He has been practicing since 1988 and has extensive experience working with patients in private practice, hospital settings, and community-based mental health programs. His professional career has included work both in and outside of the United States.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Goldberg takes an eclectic approach to psychiatric care, integrating various treatment modalities, including psychodynamic perspectives and medication management. His focus is on improving his patients' overall quality of life by tailoring treatment strategies to their unique needs.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the initial visit, patients can expect a comprehensive and individualized evaluation. Dr. Goldberg values collaboration and strives to create a treatment plan that is both effective and adaptable. His experience allows him to approach each case with insight and flexibility, ensuring that patients receive care that is aligned with their personal goals and circumstances.

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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 specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

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Dr. Stephen Geisler is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and has been practicing for over 37 years. His practice focuses on medication management, and typically offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. If Dr. Geisler feels you would benefit from working with a therapist in conjunction with medication management, he welcomes collaboration with your therapist to make for the best outcome. Dr. Geisler is a graduate of the New York University School of Medicine. He completed a fellowship in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at the Zucker Hillside Hospital of Northwell Health after finishing his residency training there. He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Over the years Dr. Geisler has received a number of awards including NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award, The APA Irma Bland Certificate of Excellence in Teaching Residents, the Zucker Hillside Hospital Department of Psychiatry Recognition Award for Education, and twice received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from the graduating residents' class. Dr. Geisler is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the Nassau Suffolk District Branch of the APA and the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Through the years, Dr. Geisler has participated in many clinical research projects, has been the co-author of many papers, and has made many presentations. Dr. Geisler specializes in psychopharmacology, especially tailoring individualized treatment to serve the needs of patients with a variety of conditions. He has a lot of experience in treating patients with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and OCD.

Dr. Shelley Sellinger is a board-certified psychiatrist who has been in practice for 25 years. Her career has been devoted to serving both her local community as well as high-risk and underserved patients. As a pioneer and advocate for the use of telepsychiatry years prior to the pandemic, she has presented at the American Telehealth conference as well as at grand rounds. Dr. Sellinger's practice focuses on medication management as well as supportive and insight-oriented psychotherapy. She believes that a combination of therapy, as well as the use of medications, helps provide a patient with the best outcome. Her goal is to help patients live their best and most fulfilling lives. In addition to general psychiatry, she has a keen interest in mood disorders, helping creatives achieve their goals and the LGBTQ community.‍