Megan Tusken, MD

Dr. Cyndia Choi has been board certified in psychiatry since 1991. She has 30 years of experience treating a diverse population of cultures, LGBTQ issues, and different age groups from young adults to seniors. After attending Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for her bachelor's degree, Dr. Choi received her medical degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at Rutgers Medical School. She went on to complete a general medical internship at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia and then her Psychiatric residency at the University of Pennsylvania .Dr. Choi has treated patients who have had a broad spectrum of diagnoses including major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress, bipolar disorder, OCD, panic and anxiety, and addiction. Although the majority of her work has been in outpatient care, Dr. Choi has worked in emergency settings, inpatient units, and as a consultation-liaison to medical units. She has also enjoyed the honor of working with US military veterans. Dr. Choi's specialty is medication management, however, she believes that a therapeutic relationship is crucial to treatment. Dr. Choi values the privilege of getting to know each patient personally to develop a patient-centered plan of care.‍Typical follow-up appointments with Dr. Choi are 30 minutes in length to check on medication effects and for supportive therapy. If she believes that you may benefit from more in-depth therapy, she may recommend adding a therapist to your treatment team. Dr. Choi also believes in a holistic approach toward helping you achieve a healthy and fulfilling quality of life.

Dr. Richard Rise has created a successful career as a psychiatrist over the past 30 years. He has participated in a variety of treatment settings and has developed a wealth of experience at both prescribing medications, providing therapy, counseling, and even coaching. He takes an individual approach to treating others, recognizing individuals as unique and worthy of love, respect, and acceptance. He is compassionate, non-judgmental, and truly enjoys helping others. He tends to gravitate towards a combination of medication management (if indicated) and psychotherapy where he treats all facets of the individual. Dr. Rise believes that we are all unique and should be treated as such. He spent most of his career in private practice until deciding to retire in 2014. After this he spent the next 3 1/2 years, reading, studying, traveling, and spending time with his loved ones. In 2018 he was offered a position as a consultant overseeing Ketamine infusion therapy for treating treatment-resistant depression. When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, Dr. Rise was asked to assist a local psychiatric hospital deal with the unique and often deadly consequences of the virus. This proved to be a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and to improve the quality of life of many others. After working at the hospital for the 2 years, Dr. Rise joined Talkiatry to continue providing high-quality psychiatric care to others in a very loving, supportive, creative, and collaborative environment.

Dr. Vanessa Valdes is an adult psychiatrist specializing in medication management and psychotherapy, with a strong focus on nutrition, wellness, and mindfulness. She earned her combined MD/MPH degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System, one of the nation's leading public healthcare systems.‍During her residency, Dr. Valdes gained broad experience in diverse areas of psychiatry, including inpatient psychiatry, emergency psychiatry, outpatient care, psychotherapy, hypnosis, child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and addiction psychiatry.‍Dr. Valdes primarily provides supportive psychotherapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to help patients better understand and address their stressors. She takes a holistic approach to care, emphasizing the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of her patients. Her goal is to inspire meaningful, sustainable changes in patients' lives through compassionate, comprehensive treatment.

Dr. Megan Tusken is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical doctorate at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Tusken completed residency training in general psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Tusken provides evidence-based, patient-centered care and considers a trusting doctor-patient relationship integral to helping her patients achieve their treatment goals. During training, Dr. Tusken gained extensive experience in inpatient, consult, emergency room, and outpatient practice settings with culturally and socioeconomically diverse patient populations. She also elected to acquire additional experience with specific patient populations, including patients with treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorders, and sleep disorders, as well as LGBTQ+ individuals and older adults. Tusken's treatment approach is collaborative and holistic. She provides medication management for a variety of mental health conditions, with particular interest in mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to psychopharmacologic interventions, she firmly believes in the mind-body connection, and she incorporates psychotherapeutic techniques into her visits to provide the best, individualized care for each patient.

Dr Razik is a board-certified psychiatrist who has been practicing for over 20 years. Throughout her career she has helped thousands of patients overcome their mental health struggles through medication management and a combination of supportive and psychodynamic psychotherapy. She graduated from Ain Shams University School of Medicine in 1992 and went on to do her psychiatry residency training at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, after which she became board-certified as Dr. Razik has practiced psychiatry in various settings including private practice where she has experience managing patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD, panic disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Early on in her career she worked with veterans at the Dayton VA Medical Center as well as with the severely mentally ill patients in community mental health. Dr. Razik lives in Mason, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Abdali is a double board-certified psychiatrist in general adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Abdali has practiced for over 5 years in a variety of settings including outpatient clinics, inpatient hospitals, emergency rooms, and residential treatment centers.

Dr. Abdali has experience treating depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, bipolar disorders, PTSD,  substance use disorders and others. Most recently, Dr. Abdali worked in the VA system, treating veterans utilizing both medication management and psychotherapy.

Dr. Abdali prioritizes shared decision making with his patients in order to facilitate practical treatment plans. During clinical visits, Dr. Abdali combines medication management as well as various therapy modalities including supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing.

‍