Nina Jaffarzad, MD

Dr. Esha Garg is a board-certified psychiatrist starting her post-graduate practice with Talkiatry. After completing an undergraduate degree in psychology at Johns Hopkins University, she completed her medical degree at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. She is a recent graduate from the Adult Psychiatry Residency at University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Garg's practice focuses on medication management but she believes in the importance of both therapy and medication management in treating mental illness. She offers medication management with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow up visits. She also utilizes referrals to therapists to enhance collaborative care and management of illness.

Dr. Garg believes in the importance of building a strong therapeutic relationship. She focuses on treating patients with depression and anxiety disorders. She believes in a holistic, patient-centered approach to care and encourages patient's to explore their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs in addition to their mental health.

Dr. Ramsey is board certified in general and child and adolescent psychiatry. His practice primarily focuses on medication management. He sees himself as a collaborator with therapists and counselors in caring for their shared patients and their families. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. He completed his residency at West Virginia University Hospitals and WVU School of Medicine and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, and Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven and Middletown, CT. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Memphis. Dr. Ramsey remained in CT for two additional years, working in the Department of Children and Families, serving the state's at-risk youth and adolescents at a psychiatric residential treatment facility. He then returned to West Virginia University as clinical faculty in its School of Medicine. During the 12-year academic appointment, he had active roles in educating, training, and supervising medical students, general psychiatry residents, child and adolescent psychiatry fellows, and trainees from various disciplines. He worked for many years with adolescent males at both the Dually Diagnosed and Specialized Residential Treatment Centers within West Virginia University Healthcare. He provided outpatient and acute inpatient care, as well as hospital-based consultation services. Within the community, he provided medication evaluation and management services to residential treatment facilities and university student health. He has been seeing patients and collaborating with providers through telemedicine since 2016. While Dr. Ramsey specializes in working with patients with anxiety, he does not prescribe benzodiazepines.‍

Dr. R. Neil Johnston grew up in a rural Appalachian county in Virginia and was the first physician in a family of teachers. Fascinated by both science and the arts, he attended William and Mary, where his interests flourished. A college hospital job inspired him to pursue medicine, and part-time work at a children’s psychiatric facility during medical school confirmed his passion for psychiatry. He has since treated diverse populations in inpatient, outpatient, and intensive programs, with special focus on addictions, anxiety, and mood disorders. Helping patients find joy and improved functioning is his calling.

Dr. Johnston’s highest goal is to help patients feel and function better, aiming for relief and ideally full remission. He carefully manages medications, particularly controlled substances, using monitoring and safety protocols to protect patient health. He prioritizes ethical standards, patient confidentiality, and tailored care, incorporating both medication and lifestyle strategies such as nutrition and physical activity. His approach emphasizes understanding each patient as a person, not just a diagnosis. This will include routine clinical checks and frequent follow-up visits meant to protect patient health and welfare.

He begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, including review of medical and psychiatric history, recent labs, and relevant records. Communication with other providers and, when appropriate, family members ensures coordinated care. Administrative needs, such as insurance, leave, or social security forms, are addressed during visits. His approach combines thorough assessment, collaboration, and careful follow-up to optimize mental and overall health.

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Dr. Ana Lilian Reyes is a board-certified psychiatrist that earned her M.D. from the University of Florida, where she served as a chief resident. She received multiple academic honors, including the Peter Regan, M.D. Award for academic excellence in psychiatry and the John E. Adams academic achievement award throughout her course of training. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology with a neuroscience focus from Harvard University.

Dr. Reyes is passionate about outpatient psychiatry and values the long-term, collaborative relationships formed in the clinic setting. She has a particular interest in women’s and reproductive mental health and has been involved in research and protocol development focused on perinatal depression. She also brings additional training in cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy to her work. Additionally, she has worked with underrepresented college-aged populations pursuing careers in STEM.

Her approach is rooted in blending psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. She emphasizes a full lifestyle approach and a therapeutic space wherein patients can engage in self-reflection and expression.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Dr. Reyes is dedicated to providing culturally responsive care that supports patients in achieving lasting emotional health.

Dr. Buonopane is Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She obtained her medical degree with Laude from the University of Rome, La Sapienza, and completed her residency in Psychiatry from Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Buonopane has extensive experience in psychopharmacology and offers state-of-the-art medication management with compassion and empathy. She practices a holistic approach, combining psychiatric medications with elements of psychotherapy and mindfulness. She offers individualized and comprehensive treatment plans which address the whole person, including lifestyle and social engagement, because the latest research findings show that both play an important role in mental and physical health. Education on mental illness and recommendations on diet and exercise are always discussed with the patients, according to the individuals' needs. Dr. Buonopane spends time listening to patients and makes plans based on clinical evidence without an authoritative approach, taking into consideration the patient's level of comfort and views because, in her experience, the best outcomes are always reached when patients fully understand and agree with the management of their conditions. Dr. Buonopane has been in practice for more than twenty years and has extensive experience in general Adult Psychiatry with a focus on mood disorder and anxiety. She has been leading clinical programs and teaching medical students, residents, and fellows in psychiatry and addiction in various clinical settings, such as private institutions and universities, including Yale School of Medicine. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr Buonopane had her own in-person clinical services for over ten years and telehealth services over the past four years, treating patients suffering mainly from depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. When working in private practice, Dr Buonopane received the Compassionate Doctor Recognition (Vitals) and the Patient's Choice Awards (Vitals), both based on patients' reviews.

Dr. Jennifer Ruch is a board-certified psychiatrist who strives to understand her patients' lived experiences and aspirations to develop supportive therapeutic relationships through empathetic listening, mutual trust, and respect. She collaboratively creates individualized care plans that align with personal treatment goals in a safe and judgment-free environment. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology with a focus in psychology from the University of California, Merced, she earned her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Ruch completed her General Psychiatry Residency at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in New York. Her clinical experience involves treating individuals of all age groups from diverse populations and socioeconomic backgrounds suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. She has provided care in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, emergency rooms, state facilities, and an inpatient chemical dependency center. She also performed pre-procedure psychological evaluations for bariatric and spinal cord surgeries, and psychiatric consult liaison services on medical units and has clinical training in inpatient and outpatient neurology. Her clinical experience incorporated treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and interventional psychiatry, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Spravato. Dr. Ruch integrates a wide array of psychotherapy as needed; however, her practice primarily focuses on medication management while utilizing referrals to therapists and providing collaborative care for optimal outcomes.