Nilsa De Jesus Rosario, MD

Dr. Kristina Kurtz is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. She completed a Transitional Internship at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland in Pontiac, Michigan, and Psychiatry Residency training at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan. During her residency training, she held multiple professional leadership positions, including ethics committee consultant, associate chief resident, and chief resident. She has experience developing residency curriculum, and teaching psychiatry residents and medical students. Prior to relocating to Colorado Springs, Dr. Kurtz served as the Adult Inpatient Service Chief at Henry Ford Kingswood Hospital. She joined Talkiatry after serving as the Medical Director of Behavioral Health at UCHealth Memorial Hospital as well as Regional Medical Director for Colorado for Lifestance Health. Dr. Kurtz is passionate about providing holistic, evidence-based care to both adults and geriatric patients. She believes in providing a well-rounded approach to care which includes both medication management as well as psychodynamic psychotherapy and supportive therapy for a wide variety of disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, substance use disorders, and bipolar disorder. She believes that medication management is most effective when an environment of shared decision-making exists between the prescriber and the patient and tailors her approach to meet each individual patient's needs.

Dr. Steven Wilkening is a board-certified adult psychiatrist.He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Cornell University followed by a neuroscience researchfocused Masters degree at the University of Mississippi. He then attended medical school at theUniversity of Mississippi School of Medicine, graduating with his MD degree as a Medical StudentResearch Scholar and member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed adultpsychiatry residency training at the University of Cincinnati and has since been working primarily intelepsychiatry.He has experience treating a wide variety of psychiatric conditions and also recognizes that lifestylefactors such as sleep, physical activity and stress-reduction are foundations of good mental health.Alongside medication management, he provides brief supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation, aswell as elements of cognitive behavioral and solution-focused therapies to assist patients in meetingtheir goals. He often encourages patients to see a therapist in addition to a psychiatrist.

Dr. Dennis Valerstain is a board-certified Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Emory University, he attended medical school at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at University of Miami/Jackson Health System and further sub-specialized at University of Miami/Jackson Health System with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Valerstain has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including children, adolescents, the severely mentally ill, veterans, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valerstain has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units, emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient clinics via telemedicine and face to face interactions. Dr. Valerstain has experience working with patients of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tic disorders, substance use disorders, and more. Dr. Valerstain's practice focuses on medication management and also employs empathic listening, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and a comprehensive and methodological approach to his visits. Given his broad and diverse training experiences, he enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with patients (and their families) to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.

Dr. Stoddard earned his medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson and completed his residency at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. He is board-certified in psychiatry and provides care for adult patient populations. Prior to his career in medicine, he proudly served in the U.S. Air Force.

Although Dr. Stoddard specializes in medication management of psychiatric conditions, supportive psychotherapy is often incorporated into his visits, as he believes a combined approach leads to a more robust treatment response. Additionally, he aims to enhance wellness through discussion of lifestyle modifications that emphasize quality sleep, a healthy diet, and regular exercise.

Initial appointments consist of a psychiatric evaluation and discussion of evidence-based treatment options. If telehealth is deemed to be an appropriate modality and pharmacotherapy is recommended, discussion will consist of selecting a suitable medication to address target symptoms while minimizing adverse effects. Follow-up visits focus on assessing treatment response and adjusting regimens to optimize outcomes.

Dr. Roxanne McClung is completing her General Psychiatry Residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, where she serves as Chief Resident. She earned her MD from the American University of the Caribbean and holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at Tyler and a BA in Psychology from Southern Methodist University. With over 20 years of experience in mental health, she has worked as a case manager, psychotherapist, and program/clinical director.

Dr. McClung is passionate about helping people through life’s challenges. She creates a non-judgmental, patient-centered environment that fosters open communication and collaboration. She emphasizes individualized care and integrates lifestyle medicine and psychotherapy, primarily using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy.

Dr. McClung begins with a thorough assessment to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. She works collaboratively to create a personalized treatment plan that may include medication and evidence-based therapy. Her approach ensures clarity, respect, and patient involvement throughout the process.

Steven Warren, PMHNP, has over 25 years of psychiatric nursing experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He has provided extensive individual and group psychotherapy and education, and since 2017, has offered medication management and brief therapy in a collaborative community mental health setting. Steven earned his Bachelor of Nursing in 2011 and Master of Nursing in 2017 from Indiana University, and is ANCC board-certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Steven values open and honest communication, working directly with patients to set clear, achievable treatment goals. He is dedicated to ensuring each person he works with feels heard, respected, and supported throughout their mental health journey. His approach emphasizes collaboration, empathy, and trust.

During the first session, Steven takes time to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. He develops individualized treatment plans that reflect patient values, adapting them as needs evolve. Through a strong therapeutic relationship, he provides guidance and support to help patients achieve meaningful and lasting progress.