Puja Kumar, MD

Dr Cardiel- Sam is Board Certified in both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed undergraduate training at the University of Miami followed by medical school at St. George's University. He has completed a residency in psychiatry at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and a fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry at Penn State University. ‍His training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has given him a unique perspective on mental illness. He has found that these conditions rarely start in adulthood, but rather, are a product of multiple factors and years of lived experience. For this reason, Dr Cardiel-Sam approaches his patients through a trauma-informed lens; an acknowledgement of the unique story and challenges that each individual has faced. He is comfortable treating a wide variety of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and many more. ‍Working with Dr Cardiel- Sam, you can expect holistic and collaborative psychiatric treatment. He believes that medication along with therapeutic treatment should fit seamlessly into a patient's life, with minimal inconvenience. He strives to empower patients in shared medical decision making, making time to explain risks/benefits and alternatives for treatment.

Dr. Irene Pastis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in adult psychiatry.  She completed residency training at East Carolina University in both internal medicine and psychiatry.  After residency, she pursued her passion in psychiatry and stayed on as a clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at East Carolina University.  In this role she specialized in treating adults with mental illness in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.  She has spent a considerable amount of time teaching residents and medical students and has published several papers focusing on the neuroscience pathways of mental health conditions.  In her daily practice, Dr. Pastis focuses on evidence-based treatments utilizing the latest clinical guidelines and current approved treatments.  In addition to medication management, she also incorporates psychotherapy in the treatment of mental health conditions.  Dr. Pastis is passionate about taking a collaborative approach with her patients to help them reach their potential.

Background and credentials

Dr. Moni Baidya is double board-certified in adult and geriatric psychiatry with over nine years of experience. She earned her medical degree from Manipal College of Medical Sciences and completed her psychiatry residency and geriatric fellowship training at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Her background includes work in nursing homes, acute rehabilitation centers, inpatient psychiatric units, and outpatient settings, providing care for diverse patient populations.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Baidya strongly believes that developing a good therapeutic rapport is essential for successful treatment. Her practice primarily focuses on medication management, often combined with supportive, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral (CBT), and couple’s therapy in 20–30 minute follow-up visits. She takes a holistic approach, particularly for patients with complex medical conditions that impact emotional health, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams and family members when appropriate. In addition to general adult psychiatry, she specializes in geriatric psychiatry and women’s mental health, with a primary focus on treating women with mood and anxiety disorders and geriatric patients with newly diagnosed psychiatric conditions.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a comprehensive evaluation where Dr. Baidya takes the time to assess their symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals. She fosters a collaborative and supportive environment, ensuring that treatment plans are tailored to individual needs. Follow-up visits typically last 20–30 minutes, with a focus on medication adjustments and therapeutic support. If additional therapy is necessary, she may recommend integrating a therapist into the patient’s care team for the best possible outcome.

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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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Background and credentials

Dr. Shama Milon is a triple-board eligible physician in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She earned her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She completed her combined training in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, where she served as chief resident during her final year of training.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Milon specializes in treating mood disorders, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, and patients with co-occurring psychiatric and medical conditions. She is dedicated to outpatient care, focusing on long-term relationships with her patients. Her treatment approach is comprehensive, integrating medication management with psychotherapy, including psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), play therapy, dyadic therapy, and family therapy. She emphasizes creating an empathetic, judgment-free space where patients and families feel supported and understood. If she believes additional therapy is necessary, she may recommend adding a therapist to the care team.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, where Dr. Milon carefully assesses physical, emotional, and psychological needs. She takes a holistic and patient-centered approach, ensuring that treatment plans are tailored to each individual’s unique circumstances. She prioritizes open communication and collaboration with both patients and families to create a structured, effective treatment plan that may include medication management and therapy interventions.

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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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Background and credentials

Dr. Lisa Ekeanyanwu is a board-eligible psychiatrist who completed her psychiatry residency training at Stanford University. She has gained experience in a wide range of clinical environments, including inpatient and outpatient care, community mental health settings, emergency rooms, telehealth services, and international clinical fieldwork.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Ekeanyanwu’s practice is centered on pharmacotherapy, which she integrates with supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic therapy to provide comprehensive psychiatric care. She takes a collaborative and individualized approach, tailoring treatment to meet each patient’s unique goals and improve their overall quality of life. She has a special interest in cultural and micro-cultural influences on mental health and strives to provide culturally competent care that respects each patient’s life experiences and values. When she believes additional therapy may be beneficial, she may recommend incorporating a therapist into the care team.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a thorough evaluation where Dr. Ekeanyanwu carefully assesses their symptoms, medical history, and personal treatment goals. She fosters a collaborative and patient-centered environment, ensuring that each treatment plan aligns with the patient’s individual needs. She provides medication management along with therapeutic support and, when appropriate, may recommend additional therapy to optimize outcomes. Her approach prioritizes safe, effective, and culturally sensitive care that evolves to support patients throughout different stages of their lives.

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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. Faizan Syed is a board-certified attending psychiatrist who graduated from St. George's University School of Medicine in 2012. He completed his residency in adult psychiatry at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, an affiliate of Columbia University, in June 2016 .Dr. Syed was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and has lived transnationally in the United States, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East throughout his life. He is currently based in Queens, NY, and alongside his professional development in his career as a psychiatrist, he has also worked to develop himself personally through writing. As a poet, essayist, and author, he has been published numerous times, and he maintains connections with his community through his participation in a group known as the Queens Poetic Alchemy Collective. He has spoken out publicly against the cultural stigma against mental health that has become a barrier to seeking and finding help. He has also been featured on Humans of New York. Dr. Syed believes strongly in the power and importance of psychotherapy as part of the therapeutic process. As such, he integrates individualized psychotherapy for each patient he sees and tailors various techniques to suit each patient's needs. He believes in an integrative, holistic approach that borrows from and blends various schools of psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience, including mindfulness, existentialism, cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical therapy, psychodynamics, genetics, and psychopharmacology. In addition, he is a great believer in the therapeutic power of the arts, whether it is visual arts, music, bibliotherapy, or expressive writing. Dr. Syed focuses on exploring the role of meaning in every patient's life so they can define and fulfill their potential in many areas of life. He has experience working with patients of all ages who have struggled with trauma, relationship or attachment issues, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, psychosis, and personality disorders.