Emily Goncalves, MD

Cassandra Thomas-Jingles is a dedicated, board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with dual certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She is deeply passionate about helping others and takes a holistic, evidence-based approach to mental healthcare, empowering patients to live life to their fullest potential.

Her practice focuses on medication management and supportive therapy, offering 30-minute follow-up sessions. When additional therapy is needed, she recommends including a therapist in the care team to ensure the best possible outcomes. With extensive experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings, Cassandra has worked with adults and children facing a wide range of mental health conditions, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, and psychotic disorders. She strongly believes in prioritizing client involvement and fostering interprofessional collaboration.

Your mental health journey is unique, and Cassandra is here to listen with compassion and without judgment. All conversations are confidential, and her goal is to create a safe, welcoming space where you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and concerns.

During your initial appointment, Cassandra will review your mental health history, current symptoms, lifestyle factors, and any previous treatments to gain a comprehensive understanding of your needs. Together, you will develop a personalized treatment plan that may include therapy, medication, or other supportive strategies. She values shared decision-making, ensuring your input is considered at every step of the process.

If medication is part of your treatment, Cassandra will clearly explain its benefits, potential side effects, and how your progress will be monitored. Adjustments can be made as needed to achieve the best possible outcome.

Healing takes time, and Cassandra is committed to supporting you throughout the process. Follow-up appointments are essential for tracking progress, making necessary adjustments, and ensuring you receive the care you need.

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Megan is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specializing in medication management and various therapeutic techniques. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from Regis College and has board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Megan has extensive experience in psychiatric settings, including private practice, inpatient facilities, and substance use treatment programs. She has worked on community initiatives, such as the Mobile Suboxone Van program, which provides treatment to individuals in high-need areas.

She utilizes evidence-based practices in treating clients with mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, trauma, and substance use disorders, among other mental health disorders.

The first priority is establishing a therapeutic relationship and providing adequate support, which can substantially impact outcomes. The combination of medication management and therapy can effectively reduce symptoms and contribute to the remission of mental health symptoms.

The first session will involve a 60-minute psychiatric evaluation to gather history and discuss current symptoms and goals. Clients starting medication will need more frequent 30-minute follow-up appointments for medication management and therapy, ensuring a positive response to treatment.

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Dr. Mary Stephenson is a board-certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with more than 25 years of clinical experience working with this population. Dr. Stephenson's practice focuses on medication management. She believes that the support and involvement of the family are an integral part of the treatment of the client. Additionally, more therapy support may be needed on occasion, and the recommendation to bring a psychotherapist on the care team may occur to provide an optimal outcome. She received her medical degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, and her child and adolescent training at the Bingham Child Guidance Center, also part of the University of Louisville, in Louisville, Kentucky. After completion of her training, she moved to Colorado where she worked at The Cleo Wallace Center, in Westminster, CO, providing care for hospitalized youth, and clients in the Day Treatment and Residential setting. In 2000, Dr. Stephenson became the primary Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist on the outpatient team at Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. Her role was providing diagnostic evaluations, and medication management in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and the hospital clinic, working closely with residents, child fellows, and other trainees. She had an academic appointment through the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She treated a varied demographic and had a wide range of diagnoses in the child and adolescent population. From 2016-2021, she worked at Intermountain Health Center in Tucson, AZ providing care in the outpatient setting of the community mental health center. The care was a hybrid model of "in-person” and Telehealth treatment of children and adolescents with various disorders, with an emphasis on diagnostic evaluations of Autism and Autism spectrum disorders.‍

Dr. Ellis is a graduate of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ. He completed his psychiatric residency at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in Camden, NJ, where he served as Chief Resident his senior year. Dr. Ellis has served as Assistant Medical Director of the community mental health center of Gloucester County for 28 years, providing care to a diverse population. Additionally, Dr. Ellis maintained a private practice for 15 years, treating individuals and their families with ongoing collaboration with therapists and other health care providers

Dr. Zhou is a board-certified psychiatrist who has more than 4 years of experience practicing in various clinical settings with an emphasis on mental health care in outpatient settings. She practices a holistic approach to developing an individualized plan to work toward a patient's goals. Dr. Zhou is experienced in treating depression, bipolar spectrum disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, and other related psychiatric disorders. Dr. Zhou received her medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and completed her adult psychiatry residency training at LSU Health Shreveport. Dr. Zhou's background and experiences have broadened her understanding of cultural stigmas and the relationship it plays in psychiatric care. She incorporates a multitude of treatment modalities such as supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness practices as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. Dr. Zhou recognizes the value of a multifaceted approach to wellbeing and may recommend treatment modalities that are complementary to medication management.

Dr. Kristina Kurtz is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. She completed a Transitional Internship at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland in Pontiac, Michigan, and Psychiatry Residency training at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan. During her residency training, she held multiple professional leadership positions, including ethics committee consultant, associate chief resident, and chief resident. She has experience developing residency curriculum, and teaching psychiatry residents and medical students. Prior to relocating to Colorado Springs, Dr. Kurtz served as the Adult Inpatient Service Chief at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital. She joined Talkiatry after serving as the Medical Director of Behavioral Health at UCHealth Memorial Hospital as well as Regional Medical Director for Colorado for Lifestance Health. Dr. Kurtz is passionate about providing holistic, evidence-based care to both adults and geriatric patients. She believes in providing a well-rounded approach to care which includes both medication management as well as psychodynamic psychotherapy and supportive therapy for a wide variety of disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, substance use disorders, and bipolar disorder. She believes that medication management is most effective when an environment of shared decision-making exists between the prescriber and the patient and tailors her approach to meet each individual patient's needs.