Joy James, MD

Dr. Sheena Dohar is a board certified general psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she practiced extensively in community mental health with adults of all ages in both outpatient and inpatient settings and as the medical director of several intensive outpatient and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) based programs. She has experience in private practice and in the dual diagnoses of mental health and substance abuse disorders. Dr. Dohar graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology and then completed medical school at West Virginia University School of Medicine. She trained during her residency at WVU, where she served as a chief resident and received the Brandon K. Fuller Award for Physician Empathy in 2017. Dr. Dohar's practice focuses on medication management. Her goals include helping people feel comfortable seeking treatment as well as promoting an understanding of the purpose and reasoning behind the use of various medications to treat psychiatric disorders. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. When Dr. Dohar may believe that additional therapy is also needed, she will ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Dohar appreciates and values working with therapists within the Talkiatry practice and in the community in a collaborative effort to promote wellness. She strives to build strong therapeutic relationships with the people that she sees in her practice. Her passions include working in the community at large to encourage a better understanding of mental health disorders and to promote suicide awareness and prevention. She has interests in pharmacogenomics as well as treatment resistant approaches to depression. Dr. Dohar appears in several professional publications.‍

Deora Johnson, PMHNP, is a board-certified adult psychiatric nurse practitioner with 24 years of experience. He is passionate about providing clients with a holistic approach to mental health care, incorporating both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Deora works with adult and senior populations, focusing on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. He collaborates closely with clients to guide them through understanding and selecting the most effective interventions and medication management options for their needs. Supportive therapy, solution-focused therapy, and motivational interviewing are integral components of his medication management sessions.

Deora earned his Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed a nursing practice degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He has experience treating patients in a variety of outpatient and inpatient settings.

His areas of specialty include the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, and insomnia. His research focused on non-pharmacologic interventions for insomnia in individuals with depression.

Deora also has experience working with military veterans. At the VA Outpatient Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland, he treated veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as those from the Vietnam and Korean War eras. His clinical work focused on PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and bipolar disorder.

Deora believes the therapeutic relationship offers a unique opportunity to work collaboratively through life’s challenges. He views medication management as an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan that also includes therapy.

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Dr. Swetha Mummini earned her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center and completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt. She has worked across various clinical settings, including inpatient units, residential treatment centers, and substance use disorder clinics. Her clinical interests include mood disorders, OCD, women’s mental health, and eating disorders.

Dr. Mummini takes a holistic approach to mental health, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. She thoughtfully integrates medication when appropriate, alongside lifestyle changes, sleep, and stress management. She prioritizes strong therapeutic relationships and uses 30-minute follow-up visits that often include elements of psychotherapy.

In the first appointment, Dr. Mummini gathers a thorough psychiatric history, explores current symptoms, and learns about the patient’s goals. She works collaboratively to develop personalized, evidence-based treatment plans, blending integrative psychiatry with ongoing support for long-term well-being.

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**

Dr. Sallie Jo Hadley holds the position of Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She is board-certified in psychiatry and pediatrics and is board-eligible in child and adolescent psychiatry. She has been practicing for 22 years. Dr. Hadley's practice is focused on medication management with supportive therapy in follow-up sessions of 15 or 30 minutes. Dr. Hadley is experienced with collaborative treatment and encourages adding a therapist to your care team in those situations where additional therapy might be helpful. Dr. Hadley is a graduate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's triple-board program (psychiatry, pediatrics, and child and adolescent psychiatry). She completed post-doctoral research fellowships at Mount Sinai's Seaver Center for Autism Research/Compulsive-Impulsive Anxiety Disorders and at Columbia University's New York State Psychiatric Institute, the latter focusing on metabolic and weight issues in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Dr. Hadley had an early background as a nurse, receiving her B.S. in Nursing from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her experience in neonatal, psychiatric, and hospice nursing led her to pursue her degree in medicine. Dr. Hadley has worked in pharmacologic research in both academic and industry settings. Prior to joining Talkiatry, she practiced in a multi-specialty clinic for individuals and families dealing with autism or intellectual disabilities and complex medical co-morbidities. Dr. Hadley enjoys working with motivated individuals of all ages who are seeking to better their life or better cope with life circumstances. She has particular expertise in working with individuals and their families suffering from anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Dr. Kevin DiCesare is a board-certified psychiatrist, treating adults. He received his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, his medical degree at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and then went on to train at Maine Medical Center for his psychiatric residency. He has 22 years of expertise in diagnosing and treating psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, Bipolar spectrum disorders, adjustment problems, ADHD and other disorders. He is well versed in psychopharmacological interventions, but is a proponent of patients also being active in psychotherapy whenever appropriate. He prides himself in collaboratively arriving at treatment decisions with his patients, and taking the time to listen to their concerns and answer their questions.

Dr. DiCesare has worked in various settings, including community mental health centers and large hospital systems, with experience in inpatient, outpatient, and consultative roles. Prior to joining Talkiatry, he most recently served as an attending psychiatrist on the staff of Southern New Hampshire Health System, where he provided consultative care to referrals made from primary care providers and various specialists.