Lillian Cole, MD

Akif A. Khawaja M.D. is a Clinical General Psychiatrist. He has worked in this field since graduating and obtaining his residency from the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Neurology and Behavioral Sciences in 1996. He has worked mostly with adults ranging from 18 to 90 years of age. He has served as a director of Intensive Outpatient Programs in the state of Mississippi. He currently focuses on medical management of patients above 50 years of age and has served as a director of Geriatric Psychiatric Units.

He has a particular interest in treating mood, anxiety, and cognitive disorders, including ADHD. Patients working with him can expect thorough and detailed appointments, as he places special emphasis on gathering comprehensive medical and psychiatric histories, including specific dates of past treatments. During initial visits, he carefully reviews previous medical interventions, particularly procedures such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

His approach prioritizes thorough evaluations to ensure accurate diagnoses. He strongly believes that honesty is essential for achieving the best possible treatment outcomes.

Ashley LaBanca provides medication management and supportive psychotherapy services. She has worked in mental health for over 12 years. A graduate of the University of North Dakota, she began her career in an outpatient setting, later transitioning into a lead nurse practitioner role before moving into telehealth services. Her goal is to reach individuals in need when in-person care is not feasible. Ashley lives in North Dakota with her family and enjoys traveling, reading, and spending quality time with them.

Ashley views medication as a tool rather than a cure. She incorporates alternative treatments by assessing physical health, exploring natural alternatives to medication, focusing on nutrition, and helping clients develop coping skills to manage daily stressors. Her guiding principle is the integration of therapy and medication management to support healing and growth. She encourages clients to be active participants in their treatment, fostering a collaborative, respectful, and open therapeutic relationship.

Ashley tailors her collaborative approach to each individual’s needs. She draws from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and other treatment modalities, combining them with evidence-based prescribing to create personalized care plans. She also considers the social dimensions of mental health, addressing relationships, self-esteem, and internal healing.

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Dr. Megan Freeman is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult Psychiatry. She completed her residency training at Vidant Medical Center at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina in 2021 where she was the chief resident. Since then, she has worked as an attending physician at an inpatient adult psychiatric unit in Burlington, North Carolina. As a resident and attending she has treated adults of all ages and in all areas of mental health. Dr. Freeman's talkiatry practice will mostly focus on medication management in conjunction with support or acceptance-based therapy during 30-minute follow-up visits. During this time, Dr. Freeman hopes to collaborate with her patients to help set treatment goals and ways to track progress in between appointments. Dr. Freeman is board certified in adult psychiatry. She enjoys seeing patients with a wide variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. She enjoys combining medication management with various therapy techniques.‍

Robynn Cavaliere, PMHNP-BC, is a nationally board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She earned her nursing practice degree from the University of San Diego (USD). Her passion for helping others began at the age of 16 when she became an EMT and volunteered with a local emergency unit. Inspired by a strong belief in service to country and a desire to follow in her brothers’ footsteps, she proudly served in the United States Marine Corps.

Robynn’s nursing journey began over two decades ago, driven by a deep calling to care for others. She started her career as an LVN on medical/surgical/telemetry floors, advanced to an RN in the emergency room, and eventually became a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Her extensive nursing experience spans a wide range of clinical settings and patient populations, shaping her approach to interviewing, assessment, and intervention. Robynn applies the Biopsychosocial Model in every patient encounter, believing that a comprehensive understanding of the whole person leads to more effective treatment recommendations, improved outcomes, and better prognoses.

She is deeply committed to making a positive impact in her patients’ lives and giving back to the nursing profession. Robynn precepts student nurse practitioners in her practice and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at USD, where she helps educate the next generation of healthcare providers.

Robynn emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessments, active listening, and building therapeutic alliances that foster trust and create a safe space for patients to share their thoughts and concerns. She collaborates closely with patients to ensure they feel heard, encourages active participation in their treatment, and provides education to enhance insight and promote behavioral change. Her approach includes supportive psychotherapy and incorporates techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy during medication management visits.

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Dr. Peppers works with patients to meet the goals that matter to them. She believes that feeling heard and being understood are key factors in a successful treatment relationship.

She has been working in telehealth since 2018. She has worked extensively with patients dealing with trauma from childhood abuse, assaults, combat, and accidents. She also has a lot of experience treating depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and personality disorders.

After completing her training, Dr. Peppers worked in private practice and in various roles for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She most enjoys working in the clinic because of the long term follow-up.        

Dr. Peppers enjoys her work and includes psychotherapy in her appointments. She offers medication options to treat symptoms but also works with patients to examine behaviors and defenses that may be contributing to their problems. For patients who would benefit from more extensive psychotherapy, she may refer patients to a therapist and work collaboratively with the therapist.

She starts off with a thorough evaluation to make a diagnosis. Then, she works with patients to determine what their treatment goals are and develops a treatment plan to meet those goals.

Dr. Pipalia is board-certified in both adult psychiatry and internal medicine. Since graduation from residency, he gained specialized experience in treating veterans with terminal illness, specifically Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease), at the VA Medical Center in Portland, OR. He combines both psychotherapy and medication treatment to provide holistic care that addresses not only your mental health but also the parts of your life that surround and are deeply intertwined with your mental health. When more intensive psychotherapy is warranted, he collaborates with an experienced psychotherapist to serve you better. With his experience of internal medicine, he is also comfortable with navigating complex medical issues that may interact with your mental health. Dr. Pipalia is a graduate of St. George's University School of Medicine. He completed a combined Psychiatry & Internal Medicine residency training program at East Carolina University. He went on to complete a fellowship in Clinical Informatics at Oregon Health & Science University, learning how to use modern digital technologies and patient data to improve patient care. His academic activities include a presentation he has given multiple times on Illness Identity, teaching other clinicians how having an illness can change how we perceive our place in the world and how to help patients manage their relationship with illness.