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Elena Perea, MD

Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
SPECIALTIES
ADHD
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Perinatal Psychiatry
Postpartum Depression
Geriatric

Education and training

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • Univ of North Carolina Hosps (Residency)

Get to know

Elena Perea, MD

Dr. Elena Perea is a board-certified psychiatrist.  She completed her undergraduate training at Wake Forest University followed by medical school and residency training at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).

Dr. Perea holds an adjunct academic appointment at UNC and has been involved in medical education for her entire career.  She most recently served as Residency Program Director for the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) psychiatry residency in Asheville, NC.  She remains involved in didactic education there for both residents and medical students.

She has a genuine interest in treating a vast array of psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and obsessive compulsive and related disorders. She is a skilled psychopharmacologist and interested in the mind-body connection. She believes physical health greatly affects mental health and vice versa and loves helping patients with medical comorbidities to feel well.

Patients looking for a psychiatrist will find that Dr. Perea has a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and management of her patients. She believes in the principle that body and mind are interconnected and utilizes psychoeducation and psychotherapeutic approaches in addition to medications for total wellness.

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Shannon McElhone, LMHC

Staff Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Shannon McElhone is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York and Massachusetts. She has over ten years' experience working in the mental health field. Shannon has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults seeking assistance in managing their experiences with depression/mood challenges, anxiety, life transitions, self-esteem, trauma, attention focus, and relationship issues. Shannon utilizes humanistic, person-centered, collaborative, strength based, cognitive behavioral, mindfulness based, solution focused and emotionally focused approaches to therapy while maintaining an open, flexible, creative atmosphere to remain aware of the unique and individual needs of each client. Shannon seeks to create a non-judgmental and safe environment where a caring relationship can be built with her clients to utilize and add to their strengths. Through her practice, a collaboration can bring her clients towards achieving their goals and living the life they desire. Shannon completed her Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations from St. Joseph's College and received her Master of Science in School Counseling and Extended Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University. Shannon's years of experience include working as a Rehabilitation specialist/therapist at a Pros program, a psychotherapist at an outpatient clinic, a Child and Youth Behavioral Military Family Life counselor working with children and families on a Military base in New York. More recently, Shannon has held a role as a psychotherapist on an online platform that provides virtual therapy and continues to engage in this role at Talkiatry. Shannon's specialties include: Depression, Anxiety, OCD- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADHD, Trauma, Grief & Loss, Stress management, Life transitions, Self-esteem issues and Relationship issues.

Ruchir Arvind, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Ruchir Arvind is an Adult General psychiatrist. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He has been practicing for 4 years.

Dr. Arvind believes in collaborative and educational approaches to address his client’s needs. He believes that therapy is a foundational part in building a long term therapeutic relationship with his clients. He tries to put some educational part in helping his client’s to have a deeper understanding about their illness and related struggles and needs. He likes to follow up closely regarding progress towards his client’s goals. He integrates psycho education in all sessions into explaining his reasoning behind the choice of treatment options based on evidence based medicine. He also provides a brief supportive psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to aid in treatment for depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Dr. Arvind received his medical degree from PramukhSwami Medical College in India and completed his residency training at University of Texas Health Science Center in his Hometown of Houston, Texas. He held an academic position as a faculty with University of Texas Health Science Center – McGovern Medical School in Houston as assistant professor and enjoyed teaching opportunities.

During his pursuit for residency training in psychiatry Dr. Arvind had been extensively involved in clinical research understanding neurobiological and psychological aspects of development of different anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders as early as in childhood populations. He has had Publications for several peer-reviewed articles and manuscripts and presentations at annual conferences.

Dr. Arvind has experience in treating versatile patient populations. His areas of focus have been anxiety disorders, Acute stress and Post traumatic stress disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder( ADHD ) and Attention Deficit Disorder ( ADD ) , Tics  and Tourette Syndrome ,Insomnia and depression. He has also worker with adults with Bipolar illness and pregnancy related anxiety and depression and helping clients with any psychiatric illness due to underlying neurological issues like Seizures, Multiple Sclerosis and NeuroCognitive Issues along with addressing Caregiver Burden for some clients.

Patients looking for a psychiatric provider will find Dr. Arvind’s approach in a gentle, friendly and educational way with a composed demeanor. He tends to approach Individualized treatment plans based on different needs for different clients and will always welcome any questions regarding the plan to reach Client’s Goals.

Clara Kim, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Clara Kim is a board-certified psychiatrist trained in Adult Psychiatry. She received her medical degree from Yale University and completed her residency training at Cambridge Health Alliance - Harvard Medical School, where she served as Chief Resident of Quality Improvement. Dr. Kim treats each patient with a holistic, evidence-based approach that incorporates psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic best practices. Her priority is to build a safe and trusting working relationship with each patient, keeping in mind their unique biological, psychological, social, and spiritual contexts. Dr. Kim has extensive experience treating depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, personality disorders, OCD, and perinatal conditions such as postpartum depression. Other professional interests include forensic psychiatry, combined psychopharmacological and psychotherapy treatment, and ECT, in which she was certified by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She has worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds and all socioeconomic strata.

Sheila Henry, PMHNP

Staff Nurse Practitioner

Sheila Henry, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, is a dual board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health and Adult Nurse Practitioner with over 12 years of clinical experience. She earned her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification from the University of Michigan and her Adult Nurse Practitioner certification from Wayne State University. Sheila has provided care across inpatient, consultation-liaison, crisis intervention, and outpatient settings, treating a wide range of mental health conditions.

Sheila is dedicated to creating a safe, compassionate, and collaborative environment where patients feel heard and supported. She values open communication and works to build strong therapeutic relationships, empowering patients to take an active role in their mental health journey. She believes in tailoring treatment to each individual and takes time to ensure her patients feel understood, respected, and engaged.

Sheila integrates a holistic perspective, considering both mental and physical health, lifestyle, and relationships. Her process involves developing individualized treatment plans that may include medication management, therapy, and lifestyle guidance. She works side by side with her patients to identify goals, track progress, and make adjustments as needed, fostering meaningful and lasting improvements in overall well-being.

Gabrielle Delarose, PMHNP

Staff Psychiatrist

Gabrielle Delarose is a dually boarded Psychiatric Mental Health and Family nurse practitioner with over ten years of clinical experience. Gabrielle is dedicated to providing culturally competent and evidence-based medication management and psychotherapy to assist individuals in achieving their goals to live their best life. I believe in holistic treatment of individuals, and focus on the individual’s overall well-being, including how they are functioning socially and professionally. In addition to medication and psychotherapy, she is a proponent of incorporating research-supported alternative modalities, including dietary changes, exercise, social interaction, and yoga. She also advocates of forest bathing (“shinrin-yoku”), a practice of spending time in nature that yields both medical and mental health benefits as discovered in research trials from around the world. As a professionally trained cellist, she also frequently incorporates art and music into appointments and treatment plans with patients. Her goal for all her patients is to improve all facets of a person’s life with treatment. Gabrielle is an LGBTQ+ affirming provider and has extensive experience working with diverse populations.

New patients should know that the initial appointment will consist of obtaining their social history in addition to their medical history. This is an important part of establishing a therapeutic relationship in addition to obtaining health information to use in formulating treatment plans. A person’s identity and life experiences are a significant influence on a person’s health and well-being, and Gabrielle believes in discussing these experiences in order to best understand a patient’s background and incorporate that into their care. Patients are encouraged to write down any questions they may have prior to the appointment, as well as any significant points they want to discuss. This is encouraged because, as patients, we may forget to address these points without a prompt from the provider. Gabrielle also encourages patients to actively participate in their care and firmly believes in a patient’s right to autonomy and agency. This patient-centered approach empowers patients to help guide treatment plans that best fit the patient’s needs and abilities at any given time. Patients are also encouraged to discuss any concerns about medications or treatment, particularly if there are concerns about side effects.

Gabrielle works collaboratively with patients to determine appropriate and preferred treatment plans, including medication and therapy. She uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as the primary therapy modality, in conjunction with existential therapy, depending on the patient’s needs and preferences. She prefers to allow patients flexibility in their treatment, so the process may look less structured depending on the immediate needs of the patient. Other times, particularly while working through a specific problem in therapy, appointment agendas may be planned out for several weeks. If at any time, however, a need arises to deviate from preplanned appointment agenda, patients are encouraged to discuss this at the beginning of the appointment. Above all, patients’ needs will guide the agenda.

Mark Varela,MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Mark Varela is a board-certified psychiatrist joining Talkiatry directly out of residency. He focuses primarily on medication management, often accompanied by brief cognitive, motivational, or supportive therapy. He may request that you also meet with a therapist regularly for your benefit. Dr. Varela received his medical degree and general psychiatric residency training both from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in West Texas. He treats young adults and adults with a wide variety of mental health concerns, including ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD.

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Specialties
ADHD
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Perinatal Psychiatry
Postpartum Depression
Geriatric
States
North Carolina
Florida
Languages
English
Takes insurance
Virtual visits
years experience