LaTonya Washington, LCSW

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Chelsea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of experience in the field of mental health. Chelsea studied Sociology at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte North Carolina and obtained a master’s degree in social work at Norfolk State in Virginia. She has experience working with adolescents, adults, seniors, and families in various practice settings, such as psychiatric facilities, crisis stabilization/ substance abuse units, and outpatient agencies.

She specializes in working with individuals challenged with PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Self-defeating thoughts, Communication, Boundary setting, Coping Skills, Parenting, and Life transitions. Chelsea is passionate about providing holistic modalities of treatment to assist clients to manage mental health. She has experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered, Solution Focused, and Mindfulness Techniques, Person-Centered and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Chelsea's approach is empowering, direct, collaborative, and solution-focused, and she uses treatment modalities specific to the client's needs and goals. She believes in meeting clients where they are, advocating for clients’ needs, and creating a safe space for individual healing.

Chelsea is aware of the stigma created surrounding mental health in vulnerable communities. Chelsea believes that seeking therapy is a sign of strength and resiliency. Chelsea is honored to be able to support you on your journey toward healing and evolving.

Deborah Parker, LPC

Staff Therapist

Debbie is a licensed therapist specializing in trauma, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. With a background in mental health, Debbie helps clients understand the mind-body connection to achieve lasting healing. She has 20 years of experience working with healthcare providers and individuals seeking to overcome trauma, fatigue, emotional distress, and negative thought patterns.

Using a compassionate, evidence-based approach, Debbie integrates cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and trauma-informed care to guide clients toward self-awareness and resilience. She believes in tailoring treatment to each person’s needs, emphasizing sustainable lifestyle changes and self-compassion with the concept of developing healthy sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management patterns.

New clients can expect a collaborative, judgment-free space where they will explore thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while learning practical tools for healing. Debbie encourages active participation through journaling, self-reflection, and skill-building exercises. Her goal is to help clients reframe negative beliefs, build confidence, and create a balanced, fulfilling life.

Kristen Soukup, LCSW

Staff Therapist, Clinical Lead

Kristen Soukup, LCSW is a mental health therapist at Talkiatry. Kristen completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester where she studied Psychology and Brain & Cognitive Science. She then went on to pursue her Master's degree in Social Work at the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completing her Master's degree, Kristen began working at an outpatient cancer center where she provided care coordination and therapeutic support to patients and their families enduring cancer diagnoses, treatments, and end of life. She then worked to pursue her clinical license in working with adults with significant and persistent mental illness in an outpatient setting. Kristen functioned not only as a primary therapist but also as the crisis team leader, providing supervision to other clinicians and assisting clients both in the clinic and the community. Kristen believes in looking at the whole person in their environment when working with her patients. She comes from a nonjudgmental and empathetic standpoint and genuinely wants to put the patient's goals and values first. Kristen has experience in treating patients with anxiety, depression, OCD, Bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. Kristen is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and tends to utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques in treatment. She has knowledge and interest in human motivation and performance related issues, and utilizes Motivational Interviewing and mindfulness skills to assist her patients with these concerns. Kristen also has training in treating anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive disorders and uses exposure therapy to assist patients in overcoming these struggles.‍

Dominika Sekulska, LCSW

Staff Therapist

Dominika is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has been in the field for ~20 years performing individual, group, and family service. During her education, Dominika focused on various forms of treatment modalities including DBT, ACT, CBT, trauma informed, family systems, motivational interviewing, and substance abuse treatment. Dominika has been an active remote, mental health therapist for the past several years, and has experience with working with diverse populations providing services to adults and children in mixed settings.

Dominika has an extensive background working with survivors of trauma, depression/bipolar disorder, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, grief, PTSD, schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis, gender/sexual identity difficulties, eating disorders, substance abuse, domestic violence, life transitions, as well as combinations of multiple problems. Dominika is a firm believer meeting people at their own pace to accomplish their objectives at their own speed.

Dominika’s initial appointment is an assessment, gathering the client’s background information and reason for seeking treatment, focusing on the client's own specific goals/desires for therapy and helping ct envision what this would look like for them in order to establish a general roadmap on moving towards their aspirations. After the first session, Dominika concentrates on what complications exist to ct’s objectives and how ct can utilize supportive tools/resources to help overcome these barriers. Dominika then helps cts establish weekly, smaller goals that can lead cts to their larger scale aspirations.

Michelle Corley, LISW

Staff Therapist

Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Licensed Independent Social Worker with over 10 years of experience in the mental health field. Michelle has worked in a variety of settings including community mental health, crisis management, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, and the private practice setting. Michelle has experience working with patients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma symptoms. Michelle’s passion is working with women who are struggling with managing healthy coping mechanisms in the perinatal/postpartum period.

Michelle has received extensive training from the Postpartum Support International focusing on treating patients struggling with infertility, postpartum anxiety and depression, and pregnancy loss/grief. She utilizes a variety of treatment modalities ranging from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Mindfulness Based Therapy.

Michelle’s approach to therapy is compassionate, collaborative, and warm. She considers it an honor to walk alongside you during this difficult journey. Let’s talk to see how Michelle can best support you.

Rae Insalaco, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Rae Insalaco is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency in 2011 at the University of Rochester, where she served as the chief resident of ambulatory services. During this time, she also received the Richard Carl Albert Jaenike award for outstanding performance in clinical psychiatry. Dr. Insalaco uses the bio-psycho-social model as a blueprint to understanding her patients' challenges. Since residency, she has provided direct patient care in CPEP (Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program) and outpatient, ambulatory clinics, treating a wide range of psychiatric illnesses. She has also served as the collaborating psychiatrist for psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatry residents, care managers, social workers, and therapists at a community mental health center affiliated with the University of Rochester. Dr. Insalaco completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and continues to use the principles of osteopathic medicine in her care of patients. She believes that treating the whole person is important, and not simply treating your individual symptoms in isolation. Dr. Insalaco also examines how your habits of sleep, exercise, and nutrition can contribute to your overall wellness. She believes there are many paths that lead to healing, starting with hearing your story.

Joel Witherspoon, LCMHC

Staff Therapist

Joel Witherspoon is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with over 20 years of clinical experience working in various mental health settings, working directly with clients from diverse backgrounds living with a broad range of mental health conditions. Joel earned his Undergraduate degree at California State University Long Beach, Graduate School at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, and completed his internship in Raleigh, NC. Joel has been practicing for 19 years as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, focusing on mood disorders, trauma, situational adjustment disorders, and any life challenge that interferes with a client's happiness. Working with Joel, treatment is specific to the individual with the focus on modalities that are specific to each person's challenges. Joel uses an eclectic approach with a foundation in person-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and trauma therapy combined with somatic interventions such as mindfulness.

Menachem Liss, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Liss was born and raised in a neighborhood in the North Bronx. He attended Queens College, CUNY where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Hebrew. He completed Medical school at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, NY and thereafter was accepted to NUMC for psychiatry residency training. For his final year of residency training Dr. Liss was appointed to the position of Chief Resident for Academics & Research for the Psychiatry residency program at NUMC, Nassau University Medical Center. He received two awards during his residency training, including the Acute Mental Health Services Award and the Ambulatory Mental Health Services Award at the end of his 2nd and 3rd years of residency training, respectively. At NUMC, Dr. Liss underwent a rigorous training in a multitude of psychiatric settings and has experience with managing a wide array of psychiatric areas of treatment including mood/bipolar disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, as well as the intersection of medical disorders and psychiatric disorders. For his outpatient practice, Dr. Liss anticipates focusing on mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, personality disorders, and family dynamics .Dr. Liss' practice focuses on a duality of treatment strategies: specifically psychotropic medication management in conjunction with non-pharmacologic treatment modalities including supportive psychotherapy, emotive supportive psychotherapy, as well as personalized variants of psychodynamic/interpersonal psychotherapy. Additionally, Dr. Liss has experience facilitating the coordination of psychosocial treatments in underserved populations.‍

Nakia Roberson, LPC

Staff Therapist

Nakia is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Certified Sex Therapist with a Master of Education in Counseling and Development from Sam Houston State University. With extensive experience in education and private practice, she has helped individuals and couples navigate life's challenges and create meaningful change. Her expertise includes issues related to sexual health, intimacy, relationships, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, life transitions, and grief and loss. Specializing in working with individuals and couples, Nakia creates a warm and supportive environment where others feel heard and empowered. She guides them in making choices to change hindering situations and gain clarity through clinical tools to interpret and respond differently to life's challenges. Her approach is collaborative and tailored, ensuring therapy meets the unique needs of each person while celebrating progress. Nakia uses a holistic approach that integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy. She is also trained in Gottman Levels 1 and 2, providing evidence-based techniques to strengthen relationships and improve intimacy and communication. She believes change happens when individuals are honest with themselves and willing to do the work. As Carl Rogers said, "One must accept themselves as they are before change can occur.” Nakia considers it a privilege to support others as they heal, grow, and embrace life's possibilities.

Adeeb Yacoub, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Yacoub received his medical degree from Alexandria University and completed his psychiatry residency at Stony Brook University Hospital. He is double board certified in both general adult psychiatry and consultation & liaison psychiatry with over 20 years of clinical experience. After serving as chief resident, he joined Stony Brook University and became Associate Professor in clinical psychiatry. During his tenure at Stony Brook, Dr. Yacoub was director of the ECT service treating many patients with complex psychiatric disorders, which include treatment-resistant depression, severe bipolar disorders, psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. He also served as director of the medical student psychiatry clerkship where he received numerous teaching awards like Alpha Omega Alpha and Aesculapius Award for Excellence in Medical Education. Dr. Yacoub is an excellent diagnostician with expertise in complex mood disorders, psychotic disorders, interventional psychiatry, and advanced psychopharmacology. He has multiple publications and abstracts presented. Dr. Yacoub focuses on the interconnectivity of the mind, body, and soul. His care is only exceeded by his vast medical knowledge. In addition to medication management, he is proficient in supportive and interpersonal psychotherapy. He has treated adults, geriatric patients, and diverse populations including but not limited to LGBTQ+ and veterans. He is dedicated and empathetic to all his patients.

Hasan Bakhtier, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Bakhtier is certified in Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology. Dr. Bakhtier has been practicing for over 15 years and has been working in the field of Telemedicine for over 10 years. Dr. Bakhtier has been working to make easy access to mental health treatment for everyone and believes that Telemedicine is a great option for more access to mental health treatment. After completing residency training and a master’s in public health, Dr. Bakhtier started practicing as a staff Psychiatrist and later promoted to the medical director position. He had the privilege of working as the Chief Resident during his residency training and worked with a diverse population, treating many people with different types of mental illness at Lincoln medical and mental Health Center in affiliation with Downtown Bronx Medical Associates P.C. and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Although he is focused on medication management, he is also very interested in therapies like Motivational interview, Supportive therapy to include in the treatment plan. He is very grounded in humanistic values. He likes to work very closely with his patients to build a treatment plan, and he believes in listening to patients and believing that the best outcomes are possible only by working together with patients. He will make decisions after consultation with you and with your approval first regarding adding or changing medication.

Dr. Bakhtier will spend at least 60 minutes on the initial visit and then 30mintues for follow-up appointments where he will develop a treatment plan with you and will be very open to listening to your preferences regarding medication management.

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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**

LaTonya Washington, LCSW

Education and training

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