Emily Romeo, LPC

Dorcas Adepoju is from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in 2006 from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. She completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, Kansas in 2010 and became board certified in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2012.‍She has a decade of experience working in community mental health centers, including the Center for Health Care Services (CHCS), where she treated people experiencing homelessness and mental illness from 2012 to 2019, and later served on the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team from 2019 to 2021, working with a multidisciplinary team providing wraparound services to patients with severe and persistent mental illness, in order to reduce their number of hospitalizations and to improve their quality of life. After working with the ACT Team, Dr. Adepoju worked for a little over 2 years at residential, partial day hospital, and outpatient chemical dependence treatment facilities, offering psychiatric evaluation and treatment to patients with psychiatric and/or substance use disorders. Dr. Dorcas Adepoju specializes in treating patients with severe and persistent mental illness(es) with or without substance use disorder(s). In addition, she has experience treating pregnant women with mental health challenges and continues to stay updated in this area of interest. Dr. Adepoju has a collaborative, patient-centered style of practice, focusing on whole person care and integrating psychotherapeutic techniques with medication management.

Dr. Goel holds the position of Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She has completed adult psychiatry training and is board eligible. She has been actively involved in mental health care in various capacities over the past 7 years. Dr. Goel's practice focuses on psychopharmacological interventions. Typically, she combines this with a strong emphasis on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Dr. Goel also strongly believes that the best outcomes are achieved when you treat a person and not just illness. She received her medical degree from one of the largest publicly funded medical schools in India, L.L.R.M. Medical College, Meerut, India, before moving to the US. She gained experience in mental and behavioral health in various roles at some of the most prestigious institutions in the US, namely Northwestern University, Emory University, and North Shore-LIJ. She completed her residency at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY. Dr. Goel has been a co-author of several research papers. Her team's research work has also been presented at national and international meetings as well. While Dr. Goel enjoys working with adults with various psychiatric disorders, her primary focus is on treating adults with various anxiety and depressive disorders. Dr. Goel also has a special interest in co-occurring sleep disorders related to these conditions.

Dr. Jennifer Ruch is a board-certified psychiatrist who strives to understand her patients' lived experiences and aspirations to develop supportive therapeutic relationships through empathetic listening, mutual trust, and respect. She collaboratively creates individualized care plans that align with personal treatment goals in a safe and judgment-free environment. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology with a focus in psychology from the University of California, Merced, she earned her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Ruch completed her General Psychiatry Residency at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in New York. Her clinical experience involves treating individuals of all age groups from diverse populations and socioeconomic backgrounds suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. She has provided care in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, emergency rooms, state facilities, and an inpatient chemical dependency center. She also performed pre-procedure psychological evaluations for bariatric and spinal cord surgeries, and psychiatric consult liaison services on medical units and has clinical training in inpatient and outpatient neurology. Her clinical experience incorporated treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and interventional psychiatry, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Spravato. Dr. Ruch integrates a wide array of psychotherapy as needed; however, her practice primarily focuses on medication management while utilizing referrals to therapists and providing collaborative care for optimal outcomes.

Dr. Akhtar is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in compassionate and comprehensive mental health care. She focuses on medication management for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, providing supportive therapy to help individuals navigate life's challenges and enhance their overall well-being, while emphasizing lifestyle changes and the development of coping skills. Dr. Akhtar completed her medical degree at the American University of Antigua, gaining a profound understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of mental health. Following her residency at Bergen, Newbridge Medical Center, where she was appointed Chief Resident in her fourth year, she worked for several years in both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings. Committed to holistic wellness, Dr. Akhtar believes in empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives and offers guidance on nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques. She is dedicated to fostering a therapeutic alliance built on trust, empathy, and collaboration. Her approach is rooted in evidence-based practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual under her care.

Melissa Sims, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) who is passionate about providing quality, compassionate, and comprehensive mental health services. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022 and has worked in community mental health and corrections since that time.

Melissa believes in a collaborative approach to care which includes utilizing other mental health professionals, medical providers, family, and other resources that may be pertinent to the patient’s treatment. She takes a patient-centered and individualized approach to treatment, utilizing both medication management and psychotherapy to address the unique needs of each patient.

When working with Melissa, a patient should expect to have a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plan tailored to his or her mental health needs. One of Melissa’s primary goals is to empower each person to make informed decisions about his or her mental health care by providing information and education based on research, evidence-based practices and clinical experience.

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Dr. TreSina E. Steger (Dr. Tre) is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who has practiced as a mental health therapist for several years. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Olive College, in NC, a Master of Science in Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Capella University, in MN, and a Doctorate in Education, in Higher Educational Leadership from Liberty University in VA. She has worked in business, outpatient mental health, non-profits, in private practice, and with the military. She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Board Certified Tele-Mental Health Provider (BC-TMH), Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapist (CDBT), and Certified Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (C-TFCBT). Dr. Tre uses person-centered, solution-focused, DBT, CPT, CBT, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, psychodynamic, and other approaches to assist clients. She strides in aiding clients work on attachment issues, relationship problems, ADHD, self-esteem, self-worth, gender identity, boundary issues, trauma, depression, and anxiety. Dr. Tre has worked with clients from a variety of backgrounds, populations, and identities and takes pride in being a LGBTQIA+ affirming, a gender-affirming, BIOPC therapist who has worked with clients who have experienced various types of traumas. Clients will find she has a conversational tone, direct, non-judgmental approach when addressing their therapeutic goals and provides a safe space for them to do their work.