Iris Vanessa Guerrero Urena, MD

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Algion Seals is a LMHC who received his Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University. He has worked with families, couples, and individuals of varying ages and focused on grief, LGBTQIA+ related issues, anxiety, depression, as well as mood and personality disorders. Mr. Seals has a person-centered approach to therapy along with incorporating CBT, DBT, Adlerian Theory, and elements of trauma therapy as well as elements of sex therapy.

Barbara Pack, LPCC

Staff Therapist

Barbara (Barb) Pack is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with the Supervision Endorsement and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, Clinical Supervisor Endorsement who has been providing mental health treatment for over 24 years and addiction treatment for over 27 years. Barb utilizes a combination of approaches in working with her clients, including person-centered, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused techniques, and a variety of other techniques. She has experience in several different types of treatment settings and treatment modalities in both Ohio and Florida. Barb enjoys working with individuals who also have co-occurring disorders, both mental health and substance use. Barb has experience working with a wide range of age groups and mental health issues including but not limited to depression, anxiety, trauma, stress management, grief, relationship issues, and a wide range of substance use issues. She will assess individuals' needs in their first few visits and work with them to develop an individualized treatment plan. Barb works to provide the empathetic listening and emotional support that her clients need to reach their goals. Her dream has been to work herself out of a job, as she wants to help her clients find healing and happiness. Barb attended the University of Akron for graduate school in a Community Counseling Program and attended Malone College, now University, and majored in Psychology.

Erica Linnell, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Erica Linnell is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. Her practice focuses on medication management and supportive therapy. Dr. Linnell is a graduate of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, from which she graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors and earned the Glasgow-Rubin Certificate of Commendation for Academic Achievement Award. Dr. Linnell trained in psychiatry residencies at Brown University/Butler Hospital and at Harvard University/Mass General Hospital. During medical school and residency, Dr. Linnell volunteered in community outreach programs that provided preventive health education and clinical services to homeless and under-served populations, taught elementary school children about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity, and hosted monthly support meetings for adolescents living with chronic diseases and their parents to foster connections and mentorship. Dr. Linnell uses a compassionate, affable treatment style in her practice that specializes in psychopharmacology with conjunctive psychotherapy. She has experience in treating patients with depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD, and OCD.

Maria Fiore, LPC

Staff Therapist

Maria Fiore is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has experience with a broad range of people and situations. Maria attended school at the University of Houston - Victoria, and practices in Texas. She continues to study and research in order to bring the best quality of care to each individual that she works with.‍In the time that Maria has been a therapist, she has worked directly with clients needing intense inpatient care, clients in an educational setting, and clients in various outpatient settings. She believes that every individual is unique and the care they receive should reflect that. Maria will work with you to develop therapeutic goals so you can grow into being the best version of yourself.‍She bases her treatment approach on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with elements of mindfulness and solutions focused therapy. Outside of work, Maria enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time in nature.‍

Meredith McMillan, LMHC

Staff Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Meredith McMillan is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist with 9 years of experience working in mental health. She specializes in working with individuals who experienced trauma and toxic stress, as well as those with addiction issues, relationship challenges, and adjustment disorders. Ms. McMillan's therapy practice focuses on providing person-centered encouragement and support. She utilizes a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral approach to help you to develop your understanding of yourself and your challenges and enable you to utilize your strengths to facilitate your healing. She received a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University in Orlando, Florida, and established herself as a therapist working in community mental health in the Lakeland, Florida area. She spent several years working at Tri-County Human Services providing co-occurring outpatient substance abuse therapy. Later, she shifted to providing services to children through Tri-County's B-Net program and Children's Home Society. She went on to become the Clinical Supervisor at the Children's Home Society providing care to children and adolescents impacted by trauma and the child welfare system. Before joining Talkiatry, she also served as the clinical supervisor and therapist at The Mary Welsh Foundation, providing care to individuals of all ages and specializing in trauma and family issues. Ms. McMillan has worked with individuals dealing with a variety of mental health issues throughout her years of experience as a therapist. She has worked with people of all ages and has experience working with families and couples. She has had additional training to serve individuals dealing with addictions and with processing trauma. She has had extensive experience working with individuals dealing with mood disorders and anxiety, as well as relationship and parenting issues.

Mona Ismail, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Ismail is double board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Cairo University, where she also completed her neurology residency at Cairo University Hospitals. Following this, she pursued psychiatric training at New York Medical College at St. Vincent’s Hospitals, where she was appointed Chief Resident and recognized as Resident of the Year.

Dr. Ismail further specialized with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UMDNJ/Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Her career includes multiple leadership roles, notably serving as Chief of the Child and Adolescent Partial Hospital Programs (PHP) at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ, where she provided direct care to young patients. She has also held Medical Director positions across various clinical settings, including child and adolescent inpatient units, outpatient programs, and intensive outpatient services for both adolescents and adults with mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders.

An active educator, Dr. Ismail has been a teaching faculty member, delivering lectures and providing supervision and evaluations for medical residents and child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. Her academic contributions extend to research, where she has served as a principal investigator on multiple studies.

Throughout her career in leadership and teaching, Dr. Ismail maintained an integrative private practice in New Jersey, serving residents of the NJ and NY metropolitan areas before relocating to North Carolina.

Dr. Ismail is passionate about integrative medicine, which combines evidence-based alternative therapies with conventional treatments to optimize outcomes. Her approach focuses on promoting overall wellness, keeping both the body and mind in harmony.

During the diagnostic evaluation, Dr. Ismail will review your medical history and past treatments to develop a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan that prioritizes your overall wellness. In addition to medication management, she incorporates supportive, cognitive, or psychodynamic psychotherapy during follow-up visits, as time allows. When appropriate, she may also recommend referrals to specialized psychotherapists to address your individual needs as part of a holistic treatment approach.

Erica Cusick, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Erica Cusick is a board-certified psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Rochester and medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is committed to treating a wide range of mental health disorders and addressing the psychological and emotional challenges faced by adults of all ages. During her residency training at Allegheny General Hospital, Dr. Cusick developed a keen interest in the nuances of medication management, including drug interactions and side effects, ensuring accurate diagnoses, the mental health needs of women, identification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, and addressing mental health issues that may arise with concussions, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, Parkinson's Disease or dementia. Dr. Cusick approaches patient care collaboratively by actively listening to patients and involving them in their treatment planning while providing evidence-based care.

Anita Rosenberg, LPC

Staff Licensed Professional Counselor

Anita Rosenberg is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), with over 15 years of experience as a therapist. She graduated from Arcadia University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and received a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling Psychology from La Salle University in 2010. Following the completion of her education, Anita spent a decade providing direct patient care and clinical leadership in an inpatient co-occurring disorders treatment facility. She continues to have a passion for working with those navigating struggles with substance use and recovery efforts through the use of person-centered and strengths-based modalities, as well as incorporating 12 step programming. Anita provides care to both adolescents and adults using an eclectic approach based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and trauma informed care approaches to assist with challenging negative thoughts and beliefs that interfere with experiencing joy in daily life. This allows her to create a safe and comforting environment to serve diverse populations, including individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community. She is also well versed in assisting individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, grief and loss, eating disorders, chronic mental and or physical health issues, and unexpected life changes. Through treatment, Anita works along with the individual to explore personal thoughts, beliefs, and values that influence one's reactions to their lived experiences. Her approach allows for the exploration and building of healthy coping skills, positive thought replacements, and processing of past and current life events that lead to struggles with daily distress. Through her warmth, compassion, and strong sense of empathy, she strives to provide her clients with an open, positive, and affirming therapeutic relationship.

Amy Bichsel Pacheco Pina, LCSW

Staff Therapist

Amy Bichsel Pacheco Piña is a compassionate and experienced psychotherapist dedicated to helping individuals navigate the complexities of life with resilience and confidence. Amy holds a Master's in Social Work from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2008 and is licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). With 16 years of experience in the mental health field, Amy specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma (including Narcissistic Abuse), and grief. Amy prides herself on creating a non-judgmental and healing environment that allows for self-discovery and assists clients in identifying their authentic selves. She has experience in many methods and techniques, ensuring that her approach integrates evidence-based practices with experiential techniques which are tailored to each client's unique needs to allow for nervous system regulation and a sense of safety within themselves. She believes in fostering a collaborative therapeutic relationship where clients feel empowered to set and achieve meaningful goals. From a holistic perspective, Amy incorporates techniques such as identifying strengths, mindfulness, polyvagal techniques, challenging core belief systems, early childhood, and attachment types to heal the mind, body, and spirit. When not working with clients, Amy enjoys being outdoors, reading, and spending time with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Brittany Stef, LMHC

Staff Therapist

Brittany Stef is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). With extensive experience in education and various clinical settings, she has supported individuals and families of all ages in overcoming diverse mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, self-esteem issues, and significant life changes. Brittany is passionate about therapy and employs empowerment-driven, holistic approaches. Her techniques include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy.

Nicole Martinez, LCPC

Staff Therapist

Dr. Nicole Martinez received her Master's and Doctorate from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology and completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship at Gateway Foundation in Lake Villa, Illinois. She earned a double major in Psychology and Therapeutic Recreation at the University of St. Francis. Dr. Martinez has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in individual, family, and group treatment. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, combining Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy (CBT) with holistic methods, emphasizing Solution Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Positive Psychology. She believes in the mind-body connection and that exploring various areas of an individual's functioning is essential for optimum physical and emotional health. Dr. Martinez emphasizes a collaborative therapist-client relationship, where both act as partners in designing treatment goals. She values identifying ineffective past modalities to avoid frustration and ensure personalized care. Recognizing that each person is unique, she adapts to the patient's evolving needs, ensuring they feel heard and supported for positive outcomes. Her areas of expertise include health psychology, complex trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, LGBTQIA populations, bereavement, forensics, substance abuse, couples work, MISA, co-occurring disorders, domestic violence, sex offenders, special needs populations, and chronic medical issues and rare diseases. She is skilled in the evaluation and assessment of these populations.

Jessica Mars, LCSW

Staff Therapist

Jessica Mars is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has worked in clinical practice for over 10 years. Jessica received her undergraduate degree in Social Work at Colorado State University-Pueblo and her master's degree in social work from Newman University. Along with her clinical work, Jessica teaches undergraduate and graduate students of Social Work at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, because she values being able to work in her local communities to educate and teach. She identifies as a lifelong learner and incorporates that into her treatment approaches. ‍Jessica has primarily focused her clinical practices working with individuals who have experienced intimate partner violence, sexual assault, trauma from medical or physical health problems, substance use, and other forms of trauma. Her approach is culturally aware, trauma informed, and client centered, and she will work closely with her clients to ensure that the treatment approach and plan is thoughtful and matches what the client may need. ‍Jessica has extended training in EMDR, TF-CBT, CBT, DBT, narrative therapy, motivational interviewing, developmental trauma, suicidality, and trauma informed care. Jessica will encourage you to increase your awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviors in the present and to increase your personal sense of freedom and well-being. Jessica hopes to work with you to empower you and help you recognize your own strengths, with compassion for both yourself and for others.

Iris Vanessa Guerrero Urena, MD

Education and training

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