Heidi Kilmer, LMFT

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Lena Champlin, PMHNP

Staff Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Lena Champlin, PMHNP-BC is a dual certified Family Practice and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She received her Family Nurse Practitioner degree from the University of South Florida and her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree from Augusta University. Since beginning practice in 2013, she has worked in inpatient and outpatient settings seeing a wide range of clients. Her expertise covers psychiatric issues of all types, including anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and ADHD. She is committed to finding solutions for her clients by using a holistic approach that takes into account physical and mental issues. Treatments include therapy, medication, and lifestyle modifications. She enjoys working with clients who are motivated to change and feel better. She takes time to listen to clients and treats each as an individual.

Saria El Haddad, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Saria El Haddad is double boarded in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. She previously held the leadership role of medical director for the dual diagnosis partial hospitalization program at the Brigham and Women's Faulkner hospital, where she helped create and establish this program, and she also worked as an outpatient addiction psychiatrist. She has been involved in teaching and currently maintains academic affiliation with the Harvard Medical School. In addition, she has appeared in numerous professional publications and authored several research papers. Dr. El Haddad received her medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and completed her psychiatry residency program at the University of Virginia. She completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry through Boston University, after which she started working at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. El Haddad's approach to treatment focuses on adopting a holistic approach through behavioral change, medication management, and brief psychotherapy.

Michael Kim, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Michael Kim, DO, is an accomplished attending psychiatrist dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health care. He earned his medical degree from Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at HCA's The Medical Center of Aurora North. With a diverse clinical background, Dr. Kim has honed his expertise across various settings including inpatient, outpatient, PHP/IOP, and specialized areas such as geriatrics, eating disorders, addiction, and child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Kim is proficient in innovative treatments like Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). He is passionate about employing supportive and psychodynamic therapy approaches, tailoring treatment plans to meet each patient's unique needs. Embracing a holistic approach to psychiatry, Dr. Kim integrates medication management with a focus on nutrition, diet, and lifestyle factors to foster overall well-being. Dr. Kim is committed to delivering high-quality, personalized care to his patients. Outside of his professional commitments, he is an advocate for personal health and wellness. He enjoys enhancing his fitness and nutrition, engaging with enlightening podcasts, and exploring the great outdoors. Dr. Kim's holistic approach to psychiatry reflects his belief in treating the whole person, ensuring optimal mental and physical health for each individual he serves.

Megan Kelly Gilman, PMHNP

Staff Nurse Practitioner

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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John Hendrick, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. John Hendrick is a practicing psychiatrist who has recently served as medical director for clinical services at Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. After several years of private practice, he had served as Chief of Inpatient Psychiatric Services and then as Chief of Psychiatry at Mountain Home VA Medical Center. During his time at Mountain Home VA he was also a Professor of Psychiatry at Quillen Medical School at East Tennessee State University where he taught General Psychiatry courses and the Neurosciences of Psychiatry. His specialties include affective and anxiety disorders and he has specific expertise in neuropsychiatry, psychopharmacology and alternative treatments for affective disorders. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and is a Past President of both the Tennessee Psychiatric Association and the Southern Psychiatric Association. He has been awarded a Distinguished Service Award from the United States Public Health Service. He has been twice named the Outstanding Teacher Award from the ETSU Psychiatry Residency program and was awarded Course Director of the year for the Neurosciences residency course he developed. He holds an Irma J. Bland Award for Excellence in Psychiatric Education from the APA. He has an extensive psychiatric background in practice and as a teacher. He practices psychotherapy from an Eriksonian perspective and is well versed in individual and psychodynamic psychotherapies.

Shilpa Amara, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Amara (She/Her) is an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology certified psychiatrist. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and arts from the University of Albany. She then graduated from St. Matthews University's School of Medicine in the Grand Cayman Islands. After completing her residency at LSUHSC-Ochsner program in 2016, she worked at Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans for 7 years. Her roles there included working with patients in the field of Consultation Liaison psychiatry. In addition, she was the medical director of the behavioral medical unit (IOP) and the lead of the transcranial magnetic stimulation clinic. Dr. Amara has been very involved in academics and won the Faculty Member of the year, Adult Psychiatry Program, LSU-Ochsner 2021, Teaching Excellence Award in Psychiatry University of Queensland 2019 and Roger Hatchette Award of Excellence in Emergency Psychiatry 2016. She then served in her community at Crescent Care FQHC clinic in 2023. Her interests include providing care for various behavioral health concerns, including Adjustment disorder, Mood disorders, including Treatment resistant depression, Anxiety disorders, PTSD, Neurodegenerative illnesses, Somatic disorders, Gender Dysphoria, and LGBTQIA2S+ community inclusive care. Dr. Amara's practice is focused on the functionality of a person in their life, including relationships, career, physical wellness and living a robust life. She provides primarily medication management but also includes Supportive therapy, Action Oriented therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational interviewing when appropriate. Her style is very approachable, inclusive and always grounded in humanistic values.**THIS PROVIDER CANNOT PRESCRIBE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES FOR LOUISIANA PATIENTS**

Emmalee Boyle, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Emmalee Boyle is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who specializes in providing patient-centered care. She offers a mix of medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Boyle's areas of interest include treating mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and co-occurring substance use disorders. In addition, she enjoys helping the patient explore a holistic approach to their mental health treatment. Dr. Boyle received her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She completed her general psychiatry residency training at Boston University Medical Center, where she was selected as co-chief resident. She also completed an additional post-graduate fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis. During training, Dr. Boyle worked with an ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse patient population with various psychiatric illnesses and has experience navigating the many intersecting systems of mental health care. In addition, she worked with experts in the fields of psychosis and substance abuse. She also co-authored a book chapter on the immune system and psychiatric illness. Dr. Boyle also has particular clinical interests in immigrant and refugee health.

Namrata Shah, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Namrata Shah is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her medical degree at the American University of Antigua. She completed her psychiatry residency at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, where she trained at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. In addition to experience providing inpatient and outpatient care, Dr. Shah has worked with a wide variety of patient populations. The conditions she treats include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, OCD, and ADHD. In addition, Dr. Shah is particularly interested in issues related to women's mental health, including perinatal mental health issues. Dr. Shah emphasizes the importance of a strong doctor-patient therapeutic alliance and a patient-centered approach. To provide the best care, she believes in compassion, open communication, and collaboration. As a primary treatment method, she combines psychopharmacological medication and supportive therapy.

Kimberly Taylor, LPC

Staff Therapist

Kimberly Taylor is a Licensed Professional Counselor with an eclectic background who serves clients with a heart-centered focus. Kimberly completed her undergraduate degree in Spanish Literature and Teaching at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Her graduate degree in Counseling is from Wayne State University in Detroit. She was employed for a combined 15 years as a Spanish language teacher and guidance counselor. Kimberly has counseled in a variety of settings, such as schools, substance use facilities, community mental health, refugee camps, private practice, telehealth and urban federally qualified health centers. Over the last 13 years, she has helped many adolescents and adults who struggle with issues related to trauma, OCD, depression, anxiety, codependency, womanhood, domestic violence, cultural identity, sexuality and post-modern work-life imbalance. Kimberly utilizes a mixture of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), ERP (Exposure Response and Prevention), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and holistic practices to create a unique healing experience for the client.

Jose Gomez, LPC

Staff Therapist

Jos� holds the position of Psychotherapist for Michigan, Florida, and South Carolina at Talkiatry. After completing his Master of Arts in Community Counseling in 2012, he spent 7 years fulfilling his passion for integrated care for adults suffering from substance use disorder and mental health challenges. For the past four years, he has been working in private practice working with clients exclusively via telehealth. Jos� provides cognitive therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and logotherapy to help his patients gain insight into current stressors related to various diagnoses, including post-traumatic stress, affective mood disorder, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and substance use disorder. He strongly believes that collaborating with a physician for medication management allows patients to be more engaged in therapy, resulting in improved treatment outcomes.

Cecilia Wild, PMHNP

Staff Nurse Practitioner

Cecilia Wild is a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with a strong background in treating patients across the mental health spectrum. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Illinois State University and began her career in a women’s residential facility specializing in mood disorders, eating disorders, and PTSD. She then transitioned to inpatient adolescent psychiatry, where she became a charge nurse and obtained her Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Inspired by her passion for mental health, she pursued her master's degree at the University of St. Francis to become a PMHNP.

Cecilia has extensive experience treating patients at all levels of care, including inpatient, PHP/IOP, and outpatient settings. She later transitioned to telehealth, providing medication management to college students. She is passionate about mental health advocacy, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community.

Cecilia takes a team-based, individualized approach to care. She believes in the importance of education, open communication, and empowering patients in their treatment journey. She emphasizes a holistic perspective, incorporating medication management, therapy, and lifestyle modifications.

Cecilia prioritizes a trauma-informed approach, recognizing the significant role trauma plays in mental health. She integrates mindfulness techniques, motivational interviewing, and lifestyle changes to support overall well-being. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, she helps patients build resilience and achieve their mental health goals.

Christa DeFries, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Background and credentials

Dr. Christa DeFries is a board-certified Adult Psychiatrist. She earned her medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas, and completed her residency in Adult Psychiatry at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, Texas. Following residency, Dr. DeFries gained additional experience treating homeless and formerly homeless populations in New York City, particularly focusing on individuals with histories of trauma and substance addiction, prior to joining Talkiatry.

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Treatment approach

Dr. DeFries practices Adult Psychiatry, employing an integrative treatment approach combining medication management, psychotherapeutic methods, and lifestyle modifications. She recognizes that each patient benefits from a personalized mix of these three aspects of care. Dr. DeFries specializes in treating diverse psychiatric conditions, including those related to trauma, substance addictions, and various mental health disorders.

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What you can expect in a first visit

In a first visit with Dr. DeFries, patients can expect a comprehensive evaluation aimed at understanding their individual mental health history, specific concerns, and overall treatment goals. Dr. DeFries emphasizes an individualized approach, carefully exploring the best combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments tailored specifically to each patient's needs. Patients can anticipate an empathetic and collaborative environment focused on their personal experiences and goals.

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Why Talkiatry?

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

Heidi Kilmer, LMFT

Education and training

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