Nina Jaffarzad, MD

Essence Jackson-Jones is a Professional Counselor and Art Therapist with extensive experience supporting teens, college students, and young adults navigating life transitions, anxiety, and mood-related concerns. She earned her Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has practiced in outpatient, intensive outpatient, and community-based settings. Essence integrates creative and evidence-based approaches to promote emotional well-being, self-awareness, and personal growth, combining her background in counseling and the arts to help individuals connect with their inner strengths and cultivate balance through insight, creativity, and intentional growth.

Essence believes that meaningful healing begins when clients feel heard, respected, and empowered. She creates a warm, collaborative, and authentic environment where clients can explore their experiences safely. Guided by compassion, curiosity, and cultural sensitivity, she tailors each session to meet clients where they are while encouraging resilience, self-expression, and the development of coping skills that foster long-term emotional well-being. Art making in session is encouraged as an invitation rather than an expectation.

Essence begins by learning each client’s unique story, background, and goals during the initial sessions. She collaborates with clients to develop individualized treatment plans that reflect their needs and strengths. Her therapeutic process integrates dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral strategies (CBT), and creative expression to deepen insight and emotional regulation. Essence’s person-centered, strengths-based approach helps clients move toward greater clarity, connection, and fulfillment.

Dr. Mattern is board certified in Adult psychiatry. Her approach to mental health is integrative, with the utilization of complementary and alternative treatments such as yoga, lifestyle changes, and nutritional interventions in addition to traditional medication management and therapy. Dr. Mattern prefers to focus on the overall health and well-being of an individual, rather than just treating symptoms.

Dr. Mattern’s practice focuses on medication management along with elements of therapy from different modalities, such as supportive and cognitive behavioral therapy that are patient-tailored.  Dr. Mattern understands the importance of psychotherapy and may ask to bring in a therapist into your treatment team to provide the best care and outcome. Her clinical interests include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, OCD, and ADHD.

After completing her undergraduate degree in Biology at Ohio Northern University, Dr. Mattern received her medical degree from Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. She went on to complete her residency in psychiatry at The Ohio State University Medical Center.  She also completed yoga teacher training and presented nationally at the APA in 2019 regarding the benefits of yoga for depression.  Dr. Mattern is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, Ohio Psychiatric Physician’s Association, and Psychiatry Society of Central Ohio.

Dr. Mattern is board certified in Adult psychiatry.  Her approach to mental health is integrative, with utilization of complementary and alternative treatments such as yoga, lifestyle changes, and nutritional interventions in addition to traditional medication management and therapy. Dr. Mattern prefers to focus on the overall health and well-being of an individual, rather than just treating symptoms.  Dr. Mattern’s practice focuses on medication management along with elements of therapy.

Amber Boyd, LPC, has experience working in inpatient, outpatient, and virtual therapy settings. She has provided care for individuals with depression, anxiety, PTSD, adjustment disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. Amber offers individual, group, family, and couples counseling, and is skilled in developing treatment plans, clinical documentation, and administering screenings such as the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and C-SSRS. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Jackson State University and her M.S. in Counseling from Mississippi College. Amber completed her supervision hours at Mississippi State Hospital and obtained her LPC in Mississippi in 2019 and in Oklahoma later that same year.

Amber values honesty, trust, courage, and integrity. She believes in building strong rapport through open communication and mutual respect. Her approach is compassionate, direct, and goal-oriented, using a collaborative style to help clients increase emotional resilience, develop self-awareness, and strengthen coping skills to manage life’s challenges.

Amber strives to create a calm, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel safe to share their background, expectations, and therapy goals. Together, she and her clients create individualized treatment plans that reflect each person’s unique needs and diagnosis. Each plan includes realistic short- and long-term goals designed to promote growth, self-understanding, and lasting emotional well-being.

Dr. Bardugon is a board-eligible psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of adults. He has experience in treating patients with various forms of depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, and substance use disorders. He seeks to provide a safe, non-judgmental, gender affirming space for patients as they strive to lead a happier, more contented life. After a pediatrics residency, Dr Bardugon worked for 13 years as a pediatric ER physician. His interest in psychiatry was piqued during this time as he witnessed the emergence of a child and adolescent mental health crisis. While ultimately deciding to focus his efforts on the treatment of adults, Dr Bardugon is keenly aware of the influence of child development and family systems on the behavioral health of adults. Dr Bardugon employs a holistic, multimodal treatment approach. Aiming to treat the whole person, he stresses the importance of nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Dr Bardugon believes an informed patient actively engaged in decision making surrounding treatment has the best chance of effecting lasting change. Believing in the synergistic effect of talk therapy and medication, he incorporates one or more talk therapy techniques including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and supportive and psychodynamic psychotherapies into most sessions. He often recommends formal participation in some form of talk therapy and is happy to collaborate with other providers.

Background and credentials

Dr. Jonathan Myrtil is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. He earned his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine and completed his residency in Adult Psychiatry at the University of Central Florida, affiliated with North Florida Regional Medical Center. After completing his training, he remained at North Florida Regional as an adult psychiatrist and supervising physician, gaining experience treating patients in inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient program (IOP) settings.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Myrtil takes a collaborative approach to psychiatric care, integrating medication management with supportive therapy to provide well-rounded treatment. His primary focus is on treating adults with mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, and ADHD. He prioritizes patient involvement in treatment decisions, ensuring that care plans align with individual needs and goals.

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What you can expect in a first visit

Patients meeting Dr. Myrtil for the first time can expect a thorough evaluation where he assesses their symptoms, treatment history, and personal goals. He fosters a supportive and collaborative environment, working closely with patients to create a personalized treatment plan that incorporates medication management and therapeutic interventions tailored to their specific needs.

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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. Peckover is a Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult Psychiatry. He has been practicing for three and a half years. Dr. Peckover provides patient-centered care with an emphasis on medication management, psychoeducational, and lifestyle adjustments. He typically provides supportive or integrative therapy along with medication management, but some cases will require the addition of a therapist to the treatment team. Dr. Peckover received a Bachelor's of Medical Science from the University of Western Ontario in Canada and received his Medical Degree from Ross University. He completed his residency at Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan, where he served as chief resident in his final year. He then worked as a psychiatrist in the outpatient department at Kings County hospital, where he also supervised residents from SUNY Downstate. As an outpatient psychiatrist, Dr. Peckover has an extensive history of treating patients of all ages with a wide variety of psychiatric disorders, with an emphasis on mood and anxiety disorders. He treated patients remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak, helping to manage the increase in stress that came with the pandemic.