Lorraine Wharton-Mohammed, MD

Sherra St. Clair is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of experience supporting individuals with a wide range of mental health concerns. Her areas of expertise include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, and trauma-related conditions.

She completed her advanced nursing degree at the University of Wyoming, where she was recognized for her compassionate and welcoming approach to patient care. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Sherra was inspired to pursue further education while working as part of an inpatient treatment team that included psychiatrists, psychologists, patients, and their families. Witnessing the profound improvements patients experienced after a crisis motivated her to transition toward outpatient and preventative care.

Prior to her nursing career, Sherra worked as a medical illustrator and animator, having studied at the University of Michigan’s medical school. She enjoyed creating educational materials for patients, physicians, and attorneys.

Sherra is passionate about working with individuals of all genders and socioeconomic backgrounds. She uses a collaborative, strengths-based approach that incorporates evidence-based medication management, psychotherapy, and patient education. She believes each person is the expert in their own life and strives to empower individuals to build on their self-worth, progress, and potential.

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Raquel Weinum is a licensed clinical social worker. Her career in the field has spanned over 20 years and includes work with adults, adolescents, and children from diverse populations and experiences. She has treated a wide range of symptoms and challenges, including but not limited to, depression and other mood disorders, anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, difficulty with relationships, family conflicts, and loss. ‍Her style is warm and engaging. She considers the role of the therapist to be collaborative. As a therapist she aims to create a safe non-judgmental space for self-exploration, discovery, and healing. The goals in the therapeutic process may involve developing new skills to cope with emotional pain, learning to set new boundaries in relationships, or finding more meaning in life. She utilizes a wide range of approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, relational and psychodynamic approaches, and mindfulness and embodiment work. Regardless of the modality, her work is always trauma informed and strength-based. ‍Ms. Weinum received her Master's degree in Social Work from Fordham University and her BS in psychology from Brooklyn College. She has worked in varied settings including hospitals, community mental health/substance abuse clinics, and home-based crisis intervention services. She has provided individual and group psychotherapy, and has served in supervisory/administrative roles throughout her career.‍

Dr. Kathryn Hu is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She majored in biology and neuroscience at Brandeis University, attended medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and completed residency training at Stony Brook University Hospital. ‍Dr. Hu practices a patient-centered approach to mental health care. She works collaboratively on goals of treatment, with a focus on medication management while incorporating supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness. ‍Dr. Hu treats a variety of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and ADHD.

Dr. Alexandra ("Sasha”) Blaes is a board-certified psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she practiced consult-liaison psychiatry, seeing medically ill patients with psychiatric problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she also treated veterans in nursing homes. Dr. Blaes graduated from New York University with a B.A. in philosophy and photography and worked in nonprofit marketing in New York before deciding she wanted to pursue a life in medicine. Following a post-baccalaureate, pre-medical program at Columbia University, Dr. Blaes completed medical school at The University of Maryland, followed by a psychiatry residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. While at Johns Hopkins, she mastered clinical assessment and treatment of general psychiatric problems. She also received specialized training in eating disorders, addiction, reproductive psychiatry, chronic pain, and geriatric psychiatry, an interest she pursued further with a fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In fellowship and in her subsequent experience at the VA, she developed expertise in caring for the difficulties that can accompany aging, including depression, anxiety, and memory loss, as well as the stress of medical illness. Dr. Blaes' practice focuses on medication management. She works to foster a safe and collaborative space in which patients can address psychiatric illness and other barriers holding them back from the lives they want to lead. Typically, she offers appointments for medication management coupled with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute sessions. When Dr. Blaes feels that additional therapy is needed, she will suggest inviting a therapist to join the team for additional support and guidance. She welcomes collaborations with other clinicians, be they therapists or other physicians caring for her patients. She strives to build strong therapeutic relationships that help patients grow and meet their goals - whatever their situation, challenge, or life stage. Dr. Blaes welcomes patients from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds and is LGBTQ+ friendly. In addition to her background in geriatrics, she has experience working with peripartum women and enjoys working with patients navigating major life changes.

Dr. Juliet Nichols has been a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 2002 and has been practicing psychiatry for over 25 years. While an expert in psychopharmacology, Dr. Nichols has an integrative approach to treatment and she often incorporates psychotherapeutic techniques when appropriate, tailoring every treatment to each patient's individual needs. She completed her Psychiatry residency at Stony Brook-SUNY and Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Over the last two decades, Dr. Nichols served as an attending psychiatrist at JT Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson, NY, where she became proficient in delivering stellar psychiatric care in a variety of settings. She specializes in treating adult and geriatric mental illnesses, including: Depression, Anxiety Disorders (eg, OCD, Panic Disorder, GAD, PTSD), ADHD, and Cognitive Disorders in the elderly. Dr. Nichols strives to help her patients gain insights into their inner conflicts, unveil their strengths, accept their limitations, and build their coping skills. Her approach is dynamic, straightforward, and empathic so patients always feel safe, understood, and at ease. She engages the patient to be an active participant in treatment decision-making, creating a strong therapeutic alliance.‍

Dr. Mark Varela is a board-certified psychiatrist joining Talkiatry directly out of residency. He focuses primarily on medication management, often accompanied by brief cognitive, motivational, or supportive therapy. He may request that you also meet with a therapist regularly for your benefit. Dr. Varela received his medical degree and general psychiatric residency training both from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in West Texas. He treats young adults and adults with a wide variety of mental health concerns, including ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD.