Mu Xu, MD

Dr. Jaffarzad is a board eligible adult psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate training at the University of Texas at Austin and earned her medical degree at the American University of the Caribbean. She completed her psychiatry residency at Louisiana State University Our Lady of the Lake Psychiatry Residency Program. After completing residency, she worked in an outpatient setting and provided consultation liaison services at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. Moreover, she held volunteer academic positions supervising and instructing residents and medical students. She has experience treating culturally diverse patient populations with a variety of mental health conditions. Dr. Jaffarzad primarily offers medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy during follow-up visits. She values the importance of open communication and a strong doctor-patient therapeutic alliance.

Dr. Allison Holt is an experienced, board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who has worked in mental health care in a variety of settings, including health care administration, academia, inpatient psychiatry, private practice outpatient care, forensic and disability evaluations, correctional psychiatry, eating disorder care, and ECT. Dr. Holt is dedicated to providing patients with a relaxed, trusting environment that encourages dialogue and instills the freedom to pursue healing and growth. With empathy, patience and an approachable style, she helps patients see their future with fresh eyes � and develop a plan that will accomplish their goals for change. While medical expertise forms the foundation of Dr. Holt's treatment, her warmth and a sense of compassion are often key motivating factors for patient change and success. Dr. Holt treats a wide variety of needs and illnesses in children, adolescents, and adults, including depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders, attention disorders, trauma related disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Through a patient-centered mix of evidence-based treatments, including medication, psychotherapy, and patient education, she helps her patients understand their options and create appropriate treatment plans that empower them to move toward positive change. Dr. Holt received her medical degree from Ohio State University. She completed a General Psychiatry Residency Program (with extra emphasis in addiction and forensic psychiatry), and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, at the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Holt was the Physician Chief of the Mental Health and Addiction Service Line at M Health Fairview, the largest provider of mental health care in Minnesota. At the same time she was the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs at the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Holt has been awarded "Top Doctor" by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine every year from 2014 to 2022. She was president of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society 2020-2021, and was also the co-editor of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society's newsletter, Ideas of Reference, from 2010-2019.

Dr. Akhtar is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in compassionate and comprehensive mental health care. She focuses on medication management for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, providing supportive therapy to help individuals navigate life's challenges and enhance their overall well-being, while emphasizing lifestyle changes and the development of coping skills. Dr. Akhtar completed her medical degree at the American University of Antigua, gaining a profound understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of mental health. Following her residency at Bergen, Newbridge Medical Center, where she was appointed Chief Resident in her fourth year, she worked for several years in both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings. Committed to holistic wellness, Dr. Akhtar believes in empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives and offers guidance on nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques. She is dedicated to fostering a therapeutic alliance built on trust, empathy, and collaboration. Her approach is rooted in evidence-based practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual under her care.

Background and credentials

Dr. Edelman is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Eligible in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry residency training at the Medical College of Georgia and SUNY Downstate, followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate. Throughout her career, Dr. Edelman has practiced in various clinical environments, including inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric units, academic outpatient treatment clinics for adults and children, emergency psychiatric settings, and community psychiatry. She has over seven years of experience.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Edelman utilizes a collaborative, supportive, and patient-centered approach, combining pharmacotherapy with therapeutic modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy, and interpersonal therapies. She treats a wide variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, learning disorders, substance use disorders, PTSD, and schizophrenia. Her goal is to partner closely with patients to meet their specific needs, achieve their personal goals, and enhance their overall quality of life.

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What you can expect in a first visit

Patients can expect their initial visit with Dr. Edelman to include a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, during which she takes the time to understand each patient's individual concerns, goals, and history. She emphasizes collaborative planning of treatment, carefully integrating medications and tailored therapeutic interventions. Patients will experience a compassionate and supportive atmosphere designed to set clear expectations and foster progress toward their personal mental health goals.

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Why Talkiatry?

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

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Dr. Beck completed medical school at The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed psychiatry residency at The University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine. She has a particular interest in perinatal/reproductive psychiatry and is pursuing additional training and certification in this subspecialty. Throughout her training, Dr. Beck has been involved in advocating for patients both at the state level as well as through her involvement with the American Medical Association.

Dr. Beck tends to have a relaxed but professional manner with patients. She prioritizes understanding patient concerns and providing education. Dr. Beck aims to use her medical expertise to advise you as you work together to create a strategy that will empower you to take charge of your mental health.

New patients should expect a thorough review of their history and symptoms as they are establishing care with Dr. Beck. One of the most important steps to helping you get better is to make sure the diagnosis is correct. From there Dr. Beck will work with patients to find appropriate medication strategies, as well as other evidence-backed interventions like therapy and lifestyle changes that fit your unique situation.

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.‍