Emily Sykes, MD

Dr. Jane Eisen comes to Talkiatry from her previous position at McLean Hospital, in Boston, where she was Clinical Director of the Depression and Anxiety Division, overseeing the integration of clinical work, faculty development, and research in the division. Clinically, she has experience working with people with significant mood and anxiety difficulties. Dr. Eisen's practice focuses on using an integrated approach to the understanding and treatment of individuals' psychosocial stresses and psychiatric symptoms. Her sessions are usually 30 minutes. She frequently suggests including a family member or friend in at least one session to get a comprehensive sense of each person's strengths and challenges. She received her medical degree from NYU and completed her psychiatric residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital. She spent a number of years in the Brown system, as Training Director for the Brown Psychiatry Residency and as Vice-Chair of the Brown Department of Psychiatry. For several years, she served as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai West/St. Lukes' prior to her position at McLean, as Clinical Director of the McLean Hospital Depression and Anxiety Division. She has worked primarily with outpatients with the exception of a recent period of residential work at the Pavilion at McLean Hospital. Dr. Eisen is a general psychiatrist with a focus on anxiety disorders, OCD, and mood disorders. She is interested in the impact of trauma and personality and has extensive experience working with young adults.

Dr. Mendez-Maldonado is double board-certified in general psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She then moved to New York to complete her residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel where she stayed to complete her fellowship in geriatric psychiatry. After her fellowship, she proceeded to work at Woodhull Hospital where she worked as an attending before becoming unit chief and running their Special Pathogens Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. She focuses on medication management and offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, a focus on nutritional psychiatry, and 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Mendez-Maldonado focuses on integrating nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness techniques alongside pharmacotherapy to achieve a well-rounded approach to mental health.‍

Dr. Shahan Syed is a Board-Eligible Psychiatrist who offers personable, compassionate, and empathetic care. Before completing his residency in psychiatry, Dr. Syed graduated from International American University College of Medicine and recently completed his residency at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, NJ. He gained experience as a clinical researcher, emergency medical technician, and a registered nurse in both psychiatric and emergency departments prior to his formal training. This diverse background equipped him with valuable tools to deliver empathetic care to a wide range of patients with experience treating anxiety disorder, traumatic disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, substance use disorders, ADHD, OCD, and psychotic disorders. During his residency, Dr. Syed also took on the role of chief resident, demonstrating a remarkable ability to educate both his patients and colleagues. Throughout his residency, Dr. Syed actively pursued additional training opportunities at various safety net hospitals in New Jersey to care for underserved populations.

Dr. Syed places significant importance on collaborating with patients and all relevant parties to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting the patient's life before making treatment recommendations. Additionally, Dr. Syed emphasizes the importance of lifestyle, sleep, mindfulness, and nutrition, and their impact on overall mental health. He has experience in utilizing interpersonal and supportive psychotherapy, along with principles of motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral therapy, to foster resilience and meaningful change in partnership with other mental health professionals involved in patient care.

Dr. Syed employs a range of therapeutic methods alongside medication management to ensure a thorough and holistic approach for every patient. His goal is to create a safe environment that encourages healing and wellness, enabling individuals to remain motivated and live their lives to the fullest.

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Dr. Desir is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate training at The University of Scranton followed by medical school at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed psychiatry residency at Nassau University Medical Center where she served as the Administrative Chief Resident in her final year. Dr. Desir has been in practice for 4 years and has provided patients with compassionate psychiatric care. She has worked in community mental health settings throughout her career, in which she served a wide variety of patient populations. Dr. Desir is experienced in treating various psychiatric illnesses including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, and ADHD. At the heart of Dr. Desir's clinical approach is a strong emphasis on establishing trust and building a therapeutic relationship. She also provides psychoeducation to help patients make informed decisions regarding their care. She works collaboratively with patients to develop individualized treatment plans to help them achieve their goals. Dr. Desir's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Occasionally, Dr. Desir may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Talkiatry takes medication management seriously. All state-controlled substance databases are reviewed and taken into consideration during your initial evaluation.

Glenn is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience in health care, dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of his community. With a background in both inpatient and outpatient settings, he is committed to helping individuals become the best versions of themselves—no matter where they are in their journey at the time of their first appointment.

Outside of work, Glenn enjoys spending time with his family, biking, and being outdoors.

He takes a patient-centered approach and emphasizes that he, too, is human. Everyone faces challenges at different times and in different ways. Glenn adopts a holistic perspective, recognizing that effective treatment involves understanding how life challenges impact a person as a whole. He is dedicated to providing compassionate, empathetic, and practical care to all his patients.

Glenn engages with patients in a way that makes it easy and natural for them to share their stories. From there, he promotes a shared decision-making approach to develop the most effective treatment plan. His areas of expertise include psychopharmacology, as well as Cognitive Behavioral, Supportive, and Psychodynamic therapies.

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Dr. Vargas is an adult psychiatrist who received her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio. She subsequently completed her psychiatry residency training at UT Health San Antonio.

Dr. Vargas has a patient-centered and thorough approach to treatment. She has experience treating a broad spectrum of mental health disorders, with particular interest in depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. She has also worked in clinic with severely mentally ill patients at the South Texas VA in San Antonio.

Dr. Vargas's primary focus is medication management with an emphasis on shared decision-making; however, she frequently also utilizes supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic therapy principles in her approach. She may refer patients to a therapist if further support would be beneficial.

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