Kimberly Ford, MD

Dr. Alexis Kropf is a board-certified adult psychiatrist beginning her practice at Talkiatry after four years of clinical experience in residency. Dr. Kropf primarily focuses on providing medication management during 30-minute follow-up visits, weaving in elements of supportive therapy according to the needs of her clients. When additional therapy is indicated to promote recovery, Dr. Kropf may recommend that her clients work with a therapist as part of the treatment team. Dr. Kropf credits her undergraduate education at Southwestern University, a small liberal arts college, for strengthening her curiosity about and dedication to serving others. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, where she also completed her psychiatry residency training. During residency, she was involved in medical student education and resident leadership, serving as a chief resident during her final year of training. She also utilized her fluency in Spanish and medical Spanish interpreter training to serve Spanish-speaking patients and to lead Spanish-language group therapy sessions. In addition to psychopharmacology, Dr. Kropf studied psychotherapeutic interventions, including psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies. She has experience working with clients experiencing many different mental health challenges, with a primary clinical focus including the treatment of anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Dr. Lauren Broderick is a Harvard trained, board certified psychiatrist. She completed her medical degree at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University. She then completed her adult psychiatry residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital, both teaching hospitals at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Broderick has held clinical appointments at Harvard Medical School and Duke University Medical School. At both institutions, she has been recognized for clinical excellence, receiving awards for outstanding patient care and clinical teaching. Dr. Broderick's practice uses a collaborative, evidence-based approach to understand and treat a person's psychiatric symptoms. Her sessions are usually 30 minutes. In addition to focusing on medication management, Dr. Broderick's practice also prioritizes a whole person approach, incorporating aspects of nutrition, lifestyle, mindfulness, and supportive or brief cognitive behavioral therapy into the treatment plan. Occasionally, Dr. Broderick may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you see a separate therapist to provide the best outcome. She has clinical expertise in the treatment of anxiety disorders and mood disorders, specifically focusing on the clinical treatment of young adults going through early life transitions. Dr. Broderick strongly believes in providing high quality, equitable care and empowers her patients to be active players in their treatment plans to facilitate the best care possible.

Gisela Ayub, DNP, PMHNP-BC is a Nationally Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who received her first master's in nursing from Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) and her second Masters of Nursing with emphasis in Psychiatry from Gonzaga University. Gisela also completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice Degree from PLNU. Gisela’s passion for helping those most in need started when she was just a young girl with a dream of becoming a physician someday. Life did not work the way it was planned for Gisela and she decided to become a nurse. Gisela worked as a registered nurse for over 13 years in different areas of nursing before focusing solely in the area of psychiatry. She has experience working in the areas of medical surgical, medical rehab, cardiac, oncology, labor and delivery and kidney dialysis. But her inspiration to help psychiatric patients was born from seeing the unmet needs of those patients, and the desire to be able to provide more compassionate care. Gisela's desire to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner grew stronger with time, with the only idea in her mind to provide better care for those patients.

During the 1990’s, Gisela served her country proudly and spent 4yrs in the Navy. While attending her first master's in nursing at PLNU, she volunteered at the PLNU city clinic for the uninsured and under-privileged, providing mental health assessments and therapy. After graduating PLNU, Gisela continued providing free therapy to patients at the clinic. In addition, due to her strong background in nursing, Gisela has been able to identify other medical issues that correlate to patients' mental health, and through the use of an extensive questionnaire and ongoing assessment of presenting problems, she has been able to refer patients for additional care. Gisela has also worked as a preceptor, helping other new nurse practitioners understand how to provide the best care possible and communicate with patients.

Gisela believes that it is very important to help the patient feel they are in a safe space, establish a therapeutic environment that builds trust and openness, she listens fully, and uses a comprehensive questionnaire to obtain as much information as possible from the patient, in order to make an accurate diagnosis and select the correct treatment plan. Gisela always works with the collaboration of the patient, as this is the most important part of the treatment plan. Educating patients is also one of her strong suits. Gisela wants to make sure all of her patients are aware of the type of medications they are taking, explore options if needed, and the pros and cons of medications.

Amber Gordon, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner committed to delivering personalized mental health care. She holds a B.S. in Healthcare Administration from the University of Memphis, a B.S. in Nursing from Union University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

With over a decade of clinical experience, Dr. Gordon has practiced in diverse environments, including psychiatry, intensive care, and dialysis. Her psychiatry experience spans various settings, from inpatient and outpatient care to residential and correctional facilities. She has served diverse populations in mental health, addressing various mental health conditions, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, trauma and stressor-related disorders, and perinatal psychiatric conditions.

Dr. Gordon's approach to mental health focuses on the intricate connections between mental and physical well-being, lifestyle choices, and environmental influences. She aims to harmonize conventional medicine with alternative therapies, recognizing the value of medication while also advocating for therapy, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications. This integrative philosophy reflects her belief in the uniqueness of each patient and their individual journey to mental wellness. She describes her therapeutic style as warm, empathetic, and empowering, and she prioritizes the establishment of a trusting and connected therapeutic environment.

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Dr. Albert Fernandez is a board-certified physician who specializes in adult psychiatry. He has expertise in medication management and psychotherapy. His practice emphasizes a holistic approach to treatment and his style is empathic, insight-oriented, and flexible. He has particular interests in helping individuals struggling with depression, difficulty functioning at work or school, life transitions, bipolar spectrum disorders, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders, relationship struggles, anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, and more. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Princeton University with a certificate in neuroscience. He earned his M.D. from Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and completed his residency training in psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Morningside and West Hospitals. He has supervised junior residents and medical students. He also worked as a staff psychiatrist at Fordham University and published a review article on the effects of residential relocation on mental health. He is currently a Post-Doctoral Candidate in the Adult Analytic Training Program at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Dr. Jeffrey Seley is board certified in adult psychiatry. He has been in practice for over 21 years. Dr. Seley's practice focuses on medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy and psychoeducation in 20-30 minute follow-up visits. At times, Dr. Seley may recommend additional therapy and ask that you bring another therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Seley graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. degree in psychology. He received his medical degree from the University of South Florida and completed his residency at New York University and its affiliated hospitals, including Tisch and Lenox Hill, where he served as chief resident. He has worked for over twenty years in private practice and at a large community hospital in Pennsylvania. His extensive hospital experience kept him sharply focused on the connection between medical issues and mental health presentations. Dr. Seley brings to his patients over twenty years of experience in general adult psychiatry treating a wide variety of conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, addiction, and geriatric issues. His treatment philosophy stresses the importance of being responsive, compassionate, and kind. He sees his work as the enhancement of hope.