Deora Johnson, PMHNP

Dr. Maxim Chasanov, MD, brings over 30 years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings. He has held leadership roles, including serving as Medical Director across various clinical programs. Dr. Chasanov completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago and earned his medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his residency at Loyola University Medical Center, where he was appointed chief resident during his final year.

Dr. Chasanov values open, honest communication and takes a collaborative approach to care. He partners with patients to identify clear treatment goals and uses symptom screener tools to objectively track progress. He strives to create a warm, supportive, and empathetic environment where patients feel heard, respected, and actively engaged in their treatment journey.

In the first session, Dr. Chasanov works to gain a thorough understanding of each patient’s history, current concerns, and long-term goals. He then develops a personalized treatment plan aligned with those goals. His approach balances symptom improvement with medication tolerability and incorporates therapies that further enhance outcomes.

Dr. Hess is double board-certified in Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry. He completed his psychiatry internship and residency training at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City, and then completed a geriatric psychiatry fellowship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Hess has practiced inpatient psychiatry at the Long Island College Hospital, NYU Langone Brooklyn, and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. He has also worked in emergency rooms, day hospitals, and consultation-liaison settings, as well as seeing geriatric outpatients at a naturally-occurring retirement community (NORC) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Dr. Hess has taught St. George's University medical students during their clinical rotations in psychiatry. Dr. Hess has more than 24 years of experience providing patients with compassionate psychiatric care for depressive and bipolar disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dementia. He uses pharmacotherapy as well as supportive psychotherapy. Dr. Hess may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. The philosophy of his practice is to collaborate with patients to meet their specific needs and make an impact in various stages of their lives.

Dr. Ghulam Mujtaba earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, and completed his adult psychiatry residency at Chicago Medical School in North Chicago, IL, where he served as chief resident. He has experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including work at the Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX, caring for diverse patient populations.

Dr. Mujtaba takes a patient-centered approach, ensuring each individual feels heard, respected, and understood. He fosters a warm and supportive environment focused on collaboration and progress. His care is centered on helping patients move toward their personal goals with clarity and confidence.

During the initial session, Dr. Mujtaba takes time to understand each patient’s history, current concerns, strengths, and goals. He then works collaboratively to develop an individualized treatment plan that aligns with the patient’s values and desired outcomes.

Dr. Tahira Akbar specializes in adult psychiatry, she completed her four years of residency training at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus NJ and additional two years of geriatric psychiatry fellowship from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. During her final year of the of residency training, she was appointed as the chief of research. She utilized her extensive research experience to guide and mentor her fellow residents. Under her supervision the program submitted maximum number of research papers and presented medical posters to various psychiatric platforms including American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Akbar was introduced to tele-psychiatry during the second year of her fellowship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She appreciated that tele-psychiatry allowed her to continue to serve her patients in the comfort of their own homes. During the challenging times of social distancing, she recognized the importance of collaborative care involving family members, social workers, medical team, and therapist to work together in the best interest of her patients while protecting their privacy and individuality.

Dr. Akbar has excellent communication skills, she believes that an open communication is essential for any relationship to prosper especially that of doctor-patient relationship. She provides a comforting environment for her patients to be able to express their needs and encourages feedback while preparing their individual treatment plan. She is experienced in providing psychiatric care to all age groups while her clinical interest focuses on taking care of adults and geriatric population. Dr. Akbar emphases on medication management utilizing a multidisciplinary methodology when treating each patient based on their requirements and tailoring treatment appropriately.

Dr. Govalla is an adult psychiatrist who completed her training at George Washington University and earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She is deeply passionate about global mental health and is dedicated to educating her community.

Dr. Govalla values professionalism, honesty, and shared decision-making, using these principles to guide her evidence-based approach to care.

Her process is rooted in understanding each patient as a whole person—not just a diagnosis. She considers a patient’s history, environment, relationships, and personal journey to provide practical, individualized support that empowers them to reach their goals.

Dr. Solomon is a double board-certified psychiatrist in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed medical school in his home state at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, where the focus on mind-body connection now fits seamlessly into holistically minded patient care. Dr. Solomon then completed General Psychiatry residency and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Colorado, where he was Chief Fellow focused on improving resident/fellow experiences and ensuring all medical students took a firm grasp of psychiatry into their futures. Having worked with patients across their lifespans allows Dr. Solomon to take a well-rounded approach to identifying issues with his patients, especially in family settings. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Solomon worked in a residential treatment center for teenagers with eating disorders, gaining significant experience with challenging patients and their families. Dr. Solomon uses a variety of therapeutic approaches (supportive, CBT, DBT, psychodynamic) in combination with medication management to help patients identify and develop treatment plans towards their own unique goals. No problem too big nor too small, Dr. Solomon looks forward to helping you get there!