Dominika Sekulska, LCSW

Barbara (Barb) Pack is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with the Supervision Endorsement and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, Clinical Supervisor Endorsement who has been providing mental health treatment for over 24 years and addiction treatment for over 27 years. Barb utilizes a combination of approaches in working with her clients, including person-centered, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused techniques, and a variety of other techniques. She has experience in several different types of treatment settings and treatment modalities in both Ohio and Florida. Barb enjoys working with individuals who also have co-occurring disorders, both mental health and substance use. Barb has experience working with a wide range of age groups and mental health issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, trauma, stress management, grief, relationship issues, and a wide range of substance use issues. She will assess individuals' needs in their first few visits and work with them to develop an individualized treatment plan. Barb works to provide the empathetic listening and emotional support that her clients need to reach their goals. Her dream has been to work herself out of a job, as she wants to help her clients find healing and happiness. Barb attended the University of Akron for graduate school in a Community Counseling Program and attended Malone College, now University, and majored in Psychology.

Dr. Telonis is a board-eligible adult psychiatrist who had been in practice for four years. Her focus is on using a collaborative approach and shared-decision making to help patients achieve their treatment goals. Dr. Telonis typically provides monthly 30-minute follow-ups with a focus on medication management and supportive therapy. In some instances, she may recommend a separate therapist to help facilitate the best care possible. Dr. Telonis earned her bachelor's degree in History of Art from Johns Hopkins University and then completed her master's at King's College London in international development with a focus on climate change. She received her medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry training at Mount Sinai Morningside and West Hospitals. Dr. Telonis has worked with a diverse patient population while training at Mount Sinai Morningside.‍

Abdulhafiz Ahmed, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Languages

English, Arabic

Conditions treated:

Anxiety, Depression. Bipolar Disorder, OCD, PTSD/Trauma, ADHD

Education and training:

University of Maryland at College Park, BS

Georgetown School of Medicine, MD

University of Maryland Medical System at Baltimore (UMMS), Residency

and fellowship.

Dr. Abdulhafiz Ahmed is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience across community hospitals, university teaching hospitals, the Veterans Administration (VA) medical system, and private practice. He has served as the inpatient medical director at MedStar Harbor Hospital in Baltimore and outpatient medical director at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake. Dr. Ahmed has extensive expertise diagnosing and treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, adjustment disorders, phobias, thought disorders, trauma, and PTSD.

Dr. Ahmed approaches each patient with empathy, attentiveness, and respect, fostering an environment of safety and trust. He recognizes the importance of cultural diversity and is dedicated to understanding each person’s unique background, values, and life circumstances. His patient-centered philosophy ensures that individuals feel heard, validated, and actively involved in their care.

Dr. Ahmed combines evidence-based psychopharmacology with supportive psychotherapy to provide comprehensive and individualized treatment. He collaborates closely with patients to develop a plan that targets their specific symptoms and goals, focusing on improving functioning, resilience, and overall well-being. His approachable and compassionate demeanor helps patients feel comfortable and confident throughout their journey toward recovery.

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Dr. Tony Tu is a board certified adult psychiatrist who emphasizes patient education and a psychodynamic approach to outpatient psychiatry. His passion for empowering patients with knowledge stems from his academic experience in psychiatry residency training. Dr. Tu's practice focuses on blending medication management together with psychotherapy. He also prioritizes collaboration with your therapist and encourages working together as a team. Dr. Tu is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine where he completed an MD and PhD combined program which helped develop his "doctors as teachers” style of practice. Dr. Tu completed his psychiatry residency training at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois. Dr. Tu served as an Associate Program Director of Loyola's Psychiatry residency training program for two years, and now maintains an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Psychiatry role with Loyola. He continues to contribute to residency training, as well as mentorship of medical students and psychology externs. Over the years, Dr. Tu has received several awards that demonstrate his affinity for teaching, including the Educator of the Year Award in 2022 from the Loyola Psychiatry Residency Program. Areas of specialization include psychopharmacology, patient-centered medicine, and combination treatment of psychiatry and psychotherapy. Dr. Tu understands that medications are not the end-all-be-all of treatment, but just the beginning. For trauma and acute stress, he understands that the journey starts at the tip of the iceberg, with much to explore as you feel more ready.

Belinda received her undergraduate education at the University of Tulsa and completed her nurse practitioner training at the University of Texas–Arlington, earning a Master of Science in Nursing. She is nationally board-certified in psychiatry across the lifespan and has over a decade of experience working in outpatient, residential, and inpatient care settings. She is skilled in medication management and utilizes therapeutic modalities such as CBT, DBT, ACT, and psychodynamic approaches.

Belinda is a passionate psychiatric nurse practitioner dedicated to continual development and lifelong learning. With over ten years of experience, she spent more than five years working in a residential eating disorders facility. She has evaluated and treated individuals with a wide range of diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. Belinda believes in addressing the whole person and thrives on helping people find individualized solutions. While she specializes in using medication when necessary to alleviate symptoms, she also incorporates therapeutic techniques into her sessions to help clients discover what works best for them.

She prioritizes the therapeutic relationship and supports patient-centered goals. Belinda empowers her clients to choose options that align with their lives and encourages active engagement in self-care. She is deeply committed to helping individuals improve their quality of life by identifying and addressing areas of struggle, such as depression or grief. Additionally, she supports clients in recognizing and overcoming fears by identifying stressors and developing new coping strategies. Her approach inspires clients to reduce stress and prioritize rest and sleep to enhance overall wellness—body, mind, and soul.

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Dr. Alexandra ("Sasha”) Blaes is a board-certified psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she practiced consult-liaison psychiatry, seeing medically ill patients with psychiatric problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she also treated veterans in nursing homes. Dr. Blaes graduated from New York University with a B.A. in philosophy and photography and worked in nonprofit marketing in New York before deciding she wanted to pursue a life in medicine. Following a post-baccalaureate, pre-medical program at Columbia University, Dr. Blaes completed medical school at The University of Maryland, followed by a psychiatry residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. While at Johns Hopkins, she mastered clinical assessment and treatment of general psychiatric problems. She also received specialized training in eating disorders, addiction, reproductive psychiatry, chronic pain, and geriatric psychiatry, an interest she pursued further with a fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In fellowship and in her subsequent experience at the VA, she developed expertise in caring for the difficulties that can accompany aging, including depression, anxiety, and memory loss, as well as the stress of medical illness. Dr. Blaes' practice focuses on medication management. She works to foster a safe and collaborative space in which patients can address psychiatric illness and other barriers holding them back from the lives they want to lead. Typically, she offers appointments for medication management coupled with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute sessions. When Dr. Blaes feels that additional therapy is needed, she will suggest inviting a therapist to join the team for additional support and guidance. She welcomes collaborations with other clinicians, be they therapists or other physicians caring for her patients. She strives to build strong therapeutic relationships that help patients grow and meet their goals - whatever their situation, challenge, or life stage. Dr. Blaes welcomes patients from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds and is LGBTQ+ friendly. In addition to her background in geriatrics, she has experience working with peripartum women and enjoys working with patients navigating major life changes.