Kevin DiCesare, MD

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**

Amanda Rivera, PMHNP, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner through the lifespan, certified by the ANCC in 2020. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a biology minor from Clarkson University, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from St. John Fisher College. Amanda has over 15 years of experience in mental health, beginning in 2010 as a Therapy Aide at Rochester Psychiatric Center. She has practiced across inpatient hospitals, state psychiatric facilities, outpatient community clinics, correctional settings, group homes, and telehealth/private practice. She works with patients ages 16 and older and is highly experienced in trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, autism, psychotic and personality disorders, substance use, and parenting challenges. She values working with families to strengthen the family unit.

Amanda values open communication and collaborates with patients to establish clear, meaningful treatment goals. She provides a warm, supportive environment where patients feel heard, respected, and empowered to take ownership of their mental wellness. Treatment is individualized, with medication decisions guided by a careful balance of safety and symptom relief. Appointments are conversational in nature, allowing care to be more personalized as patients share openly.

Amanda begins each visit by ensuring privacy and safety, then explores the concerns prompting care before gathering a biopsychosocial history through collaborative discussion. She provides education throughout sessions to help patients understand diagnoses and lived experiences. Medication options are discussed based on comfort level and clinical need. Follow-ups are scheduled at the end of each visit, with frequency adjusted as stability is achieved.

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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.

Dr. Hill is a recent graduate of the psychiatry residency program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. During her residency, she sought out additional training in psychodynamic therapy and EMDR. She participated in the Psych Scholars track, which provided in-depth education and supervision around therapy and psychoanalytic theory. This allows her to better understand the role of both medication and therapy, to utilize, when to couple them, and what limitations they may have. She has additional interests in trauma work; women's mental health, specifically in the peripartum period; and in working with individuals facing progressive diseases or terminal diagnoses.‍

Dr. Reaghan Hicks is a double board-certified psychiatrist in General and Addiction Psychiatry. She completed her undergraduate training at The College of Charleston followed by medical school at The University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Hicks completed Residency in General Psychiatry at The University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville followed by Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at The Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Hicks is an experienced clinician that specializes in treating individuals with a variety of diagnoses including adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and substance use disorders.‍She has an approachable style and values building rapport with her patients. She believes it is a privilege to be a part of someone's journey towards recovery and wellness. Dr. Hicks aims to meet each patient where they are while maintaining a nonjudgemental, patient-centered, and evidenced-based treatment approach. Dr. Hicks provides supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral skills, and utilizes motivational interviewing to meet the needs of her patients. She believes effective utilization of therapy skills in conjunction with medication management can help patients meet their individualized treatment goals.

Dr. Lauren Morris is a board-certified psychiatrist and a graduate of the Duke Psychiatry residency program. She is originally from NC - she studied Neuroscience at NCSU, and attended medical school at ECU. Dr. Morris's practice focuses on medication management, and incorporates insight-oriented therapy during visits. Dr. Morris takes a patient-centered evidenced based approach to psychiatry. Dr. Morris is joining the Talkiatry team after working as a staff psychiatrist at the Durham VA, where she also served as a consulting professor for the Duke psychiatry residency program. In her free time, Dr. Morris enjoys hiking and traveling.