Mayra Cabrera Dean, MD

Dr. Zezetko completed her medical training at the University of Georgia/August University Medical Partnership. While in medical school, she received a Master of Business Administration at the University of Georgia. She then moved to North Carolina to complete her psychiatric residency training at the Brody School of Medicine/ECU Health Medical Center. During her training, she gained extensive clinical experience in working with adults and veterans in psychiatric inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings. She also served as a chief resident of the psychiatry program and published several case studies.

Dr. Zezetko relies on evidence-based treatments to guide pharmacotherapy decisions. In addition to medication management, she also incorporates supportive psychotherapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy techniques in her visits with her patients. When appropriate, Dr. Zezetko will refer patients for further psychotherapy and collaborate with therapists to provide more comprehensive care. Dr. Zezetko takes great pride in forming meaningful connections with her patients and listening to their concerns.

Dr. Zezetko will conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and take time to understand patients’ individual concerns, mental health goals, and history. Dr. Zezetko believes in building a strong therapeutic relationship that empowers patients to join in a collaborative discussion for optimizing their individual treatment plans and reaching their defined goals.

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Iesha Whitaker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that graduated in 2012 from Hunter College School of Social Work. She has been practicing since that time. Ms. Whitaker has worked with many populations including, Women, Men, adults aged 18 and up, homeless population, parents with children in foster care and parents in need support and learning communication skills with teens. Ms. Whitaker has knowledge of working with clients recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital setting as well as the.  hospital discharge planning process, and emergency room care. Her primary areas of focus are helping clients that suffer with Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, Stress, Trauma, Relationship issues, PTSD, Life transitions as well as Emotional Dysregulation. Ms. Whitaker enjoys working closely with clients that struggle with healthy lifestyles, poor decision making, suffering with substance use disorder and people dealing with chronic homelessness, Domestic violence and challenges of daily living. Ms. Whitaker uses treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Supportive Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and many other modalities. Ms. Whitaker has a passion for helping the are less fortunate and have challenges with routine daily activities, basic life needs such as food, housing, education, work stress and chronic medical conditions. Ms. Whitaker is very warm and open, very personable and allows her clients to work at their own pace. Ms. Whitaker enjoys helping clients to gain healthy insight to their conditions and allows clients to create the future they want for themselves.

Working with Ms. Whitaker will be an open, collaborative experience. Ms. Whitaker will help the client create the best version of themselves, while teaching the client to identify concrete obtainable goals.

Ms. Whitaker typical therapeutic process is a somewhat structured and flexible framework that provides empathy, rapport building and using evidence-based practices to provide mental health treatment. She uses a collaborative therapeutic relationship that warmly welcomes the client into therapy, discuss limits of confidentiality as it pertains to self harm or harm to others. She discuss the length of sessions and the frequency of meetings, invite questions from client and describe their role in the treatment process. Provides a safe space where a client can express themselves in an environment open to all cultures, gender identities while helping clients explore their strengths. Clinical assessments by use of standardized tools PHQ-9, GAD-7, and client interview and report. Clinician continues to monitor and track safety and implement Evidence based Interventions such as CBT, DBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic and Supportive Therapy to provide care. Over time Clinician continues to revisit progress, highlight growth and obtained goals, moving toward termination when appropriate, also providing aftercare and referrals.

Dr. Pressley Warrick is a double board-certified psychiatrist specializing in general psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Warrick currently practices full-time, offering comprehensive psychiatric care to children, adolescents, and adults. She previously established and led a Behavioral Health Clinic integrated within a Family Medicine Practice. Prior to this role, Dr. Warrick provided dedicated psychiatric care at a private psychiatry practice for over a decade.

Dr. Warrick earned her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, completed residency training at Baylor College of Medicine's Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and pursued additional specialization through a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at Palmetto Health/USC School of Medicine.

Known for a collaborative and holistic treatment approach, Dr. Warrick emphasizes individualized care and evidence-based practices to support patients’ mental wellness. Her professional excellence has earned recognition as Sumter’s Best Psychiatrist for consecutive years.

Dr. Warrick’s preferred treatment modalities include medication management, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and supportive psychotherapy. She specializes in treating depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, OCD, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Her typical approach for new patients involves taking a detailed patient history, establishing rapport, and setting clear treatment goals in partnership with her patients.

Dr. Ruiz is a compassionate psychiatrist specializing in adult and maternal mental health. She develops personalized treatment plans to address anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, PMDD, and perinatal conditions. Her goal is to help patients reconnect with their values and live balanced, fulfilled, and meaningful lives.

Her passion for medicine began in childhood, inspired by curiosity about the mind and body. She earned an Honors Chemistry degree with  magna cum laude and completed her medical training and psychiatry residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. With a strong scientific foundation, Dr. Ruiz understands the role of medications, and embraces holistic healing through connection, gratitude, and spirituality.

Dr. Ruiz has experience in diverse clinical settings and has received national awards including the AWP International Fellowship and ADMSEP Innovations Award. She is dedicated to advancing maternal mental health screening and treatment through clinical care and education.

Dr. Ruiz combines pharmacotherapy (medication) with psychotherapy to create individualized treatment plans. Therapy provides powerful tools to manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that support balanced brain chemistry. Research shows that medication helps restore this balance more quickly and effectively, especially in moderate to severe cases.  

Dr. Ruiz likens medication for the brain to fertilizer for a garden. Imagine your mental health as a vibrant garden—when well-nourished, it can thrive with resilience, beauty, and balance. But when symptoms like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or mood instability take hold, they act like invasive weeds, crowding out healthy growth and making it hard to enjoy the space. Medication acts like fertilizer, strengthening the garden’s natural systems so the healthy parts can reclaim their place and flourish. Just as some gardens need only seasonal care while others require more consistent tending, medication plans are personalized to support each person’s long-term mental wellness. When the garden is healthy, there's more room to grow, connect, and fully enjoy life.

With a strong background in chemistry and pharmacology, Dr. Ruiz prioritizes educating her patients about how medications work and why they can be helpful. She believes patients should take an active role in understanding their diagnosis and treatment. Her approach emphasizes diagnostic clarity, medication management, patient education, and brief psychotherapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Your first appointment is a supportive, in-depth conversation to share your story, challenges, and goals. Dr. Ruiz will review your medical and psychiatric history and assess symptoms using a whole-person approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors.

Together, you’ll develop a personalized plan that may include lab work, medication, and therapy. Initial visits last 60 minutes for thorough evaluation; follow-ups typically last 20–30 minutes, focusing on medication management and brief therapy. If needed, Dr. Ruiz can refer you to in-house or community therapists for add-on therapy support.  

Throughout your care, Dr. Ruiz prioritizes shared decision making to ensure you feel informed, empowered, and supported.

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Dr. Mayra Valdivia Carlisle is a bilingual Spanish and English-speaking board-certified Adult Psychiatrist and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. She earned her master's degree in public health and her medical degree from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences. She went on to complete her residency training in Adult Psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and subsequently completed her fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She was awarded the Excellence in Public Health Award by the U.S. Public Health Service and Surgeon General for her work addressing health disparities in healthcare. Dr. Carlisle has extensive experience in outpatient and community mental health settings.

Dr. Carlisle provides patient-centered and compassionate psychiatric care combining medication management, psychotherapeutic methods, and lifestyle modifications to create a unique treatment plan. She recognizes that each person benefits from a personalized and holistic approach to healing. Dr. Carlisle specializes in treating diverse psychiatric conditions including ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in children, adolescents, and adults.

During an initial visit one can expect a comprehensive evaluation aimed at understanding individual mental health history, specific concerns, and overall treatment goals. Dr. Carlisle practices a holistic approach to treating mental disorders. This is done through an individualized plan for each patient with careful consideration to medication management, therapy techniques, and lifestyle modifications. Patients can expect an empathetic and collaborative environment focused on their personal experiences and goals.

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Dr. Kotadia is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his psychiatry residency training program at Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, NY. After completing training, he has been practicing outpatient psychiatry and specializes in the evaluation and management of major psychiatric disorders, including depression, and anxiety. He uniquely combines his education, training, and practical experiences into specialized treatment plans. Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Kotadia may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. A story that Dr. Kotadia came across years back still inspires him each day. A man was taking a morning walk at the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide, came hundreds of starfish. When the tide receded, the starfish were left behind and would die in the morning sun. While the tide was fresh, and the starfish were alive, the man took a few steps, picked one up and threw it into the water and continued throwing starfish back into the ocean. Behind him was a stranger who couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?” The man did not reply, rather he took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one.”With this story as his motivation and ultimate objective, it has always been Dr. Kotadia's goal, with each patient, to provide superior services.