Puja Kumar, MD

Dr. Olivia Plante is a board-eligible psychiatrist with a focus on evidence-based medicine including psychopharmacology and nutritional psychiatry in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of psychiatric disorders.

She is originally from New York, having completed her undergraduate degree in psychology from The City College of New York, followed by a master’s degree in medical anthropology from Binghamton University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University at Buffalo. She completed psychiatric residency training at the Zucker School of Medicine/Northwell Health, with experience in medication management, psychotherapy, and collaborative multidisciplinary care of adults and adolescents in the outpatient, inpatient, partial hospital and emergency settings.

Initial evaluations will involve collecting history about social circumstances; past medical, psychiatric, substance use, and family conditions; as well as current lifestyle habits such as sleep, nutrition, supplement use, level of physical activity, and stress management skills.

Treatment sessions will explore the mind-body connection and individual lifestyle factors in combination with psychoeducation for a personalized wellness approach.

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Dr. Garrick Gaffney earned his medical degree from Kansas City University and completed his psychiatry residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. A combat veteran, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including a tour in Iraq, and was honored with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and a Certificate of Commendation for exemplary leadership.  During medical school, Dr. Gaffney pursued advanced training as an Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine fellow. As a resident, he served as Chief Academic Resident and earned accolades such as Intern of the Year and Outstanding Educator of the Year twice consecutively.  

Dr. Gaffney specializes in treating complex psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, and insomnia. He has presented case studies and quality improvement projects at national conferences, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, and Association for Academic Psychiatry.  

A proponent of holistic care, Dr. Gaffney integrates psychotherapy into medication management and emphasizes lifestyle modifications and evidence-based integrative medicine

New patients receive comprehensive evaluations to rule out medical causes of symptoms, followed by tailored treatment plans combining therapy, medication, and lifestyle adjustments. Follow-up visits focus on symptom management through supportive, brief dynamic, or cognitive behavioral therapy, with frequent appointments until stabilization is achieved.  

Dr. Gaffney is committed to collaborative, patient-centered care that addresses both mental and physical well-being

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Background and credentials    

Dr. Abernethy is a board-certified psychiatrist who received his medical  degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed  his internship at UT Southwestern in Dallas and earned a Master's of Public  Health in Epidemiology and Occupational and Environmental Health from Texas  A&M. He completed his psychiatry residency training at the University of  Oklahoma Health Science Center. Dr. Abernethy has over 12 years of experience  practicing psychiatry in various outpatient settings, including private  practice and community mental health centers in Texas and Oklahoma,  specifically reaching underserved communities. He has treated a broad  spectrum of mental health symptoms among diverse populations, addressing  issues ranging from mood and anxiety disorders to behavioral manifestations  of Autism and other developmental disorders.    

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Treatment approach    

Dr. Abernethy utilizes a collaborative and patient-centered approach to  psychiatry, focusing primarily on medication interventions that align with  each patient's unique treatment goals and clinical needs. He emphasizes  cooperation with patients to effectively treat and reduce mental  health-related symptoms. His practice centers around medication management,  supplemented by supportive treatments tailored to individual needs. Depending  on each patient’s circumstances, he may recommend additional support from  individual, family, or group counselors and therapists to achieve optimal outcomes.    

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What you can expect in a first visit

In an initial visit, patients can expect a thorough, collaborative  discussion focused on understanding their symptoms, goals, and clinical  needs. Dr. Abernethy will evaluate the patient's condition to determine  appropriate medication interventions and discuss personalized treatment  recommendations. Typical follow-up visits are approximately 20-30 minutes in  length. Depending on the severity and complexity of a patient's situation,  referrals to additional counseling or therapy may also be suggested.    

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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 speciualize in  medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits  your needs and comfort level.

Dr. Komarczyk is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who takes a special interest in developing a therapeutic alliance with each patient by providing an informative, encouraging, and holistic approach to mental health. At the heart of her practice is creating a warm, empathetic, and nonjudgmental space that allows her to work collaboratively with her patients to help them achieve their goals. Her treatment plans include evidence-based medication management, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy.

Dr. Alexandra Hamlyn is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. She completed her medical education at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and then completed her residency in adult psychiatry at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She then went on to complete her child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at NYU Langone and Bellevue Hospital. During this time, she also taught a course titled Love Actually at NYU School of Arts and Science. During training, Dr. Hamlyn gained extensive clinical experience in psychiatric inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings, allowing her the opportunity to treat patients of all ages and backgrounds in numerous busy hospitals in New York City. Dr. Hamlyn's primary focus is on medication management, though she also has experience working in four different outpatient clinics where she has gained expertise in multiple different therapy modalities. If appropriate, Dr. Hamlyn will refer you for psychotherapy and collaborate with your therapist to support your care. She appreciates the importance of fostering a meaningful therapeutic relationship, and her goal is to make every patient feel welcomed in a non-judgmental treatment environment. She also takes a holistic approach as she understands that good health creates a sense of overall well-being and improved mental health. She strongly emphasizes the importance of mindfulness, self-compassion, exercise, nutrition, and interpersonal relationships throughout treatment. She looks forward to meeting and working with you.

Dr. Sheena Dohar is a board certified general psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she practiced extensively in community mental health with adults of all ages in both outpatient and inpatient settings and as the medical director of several intensive outpatient and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) based programs. She has experience in private practice and in the dual diagnoses of mental health and substance abuse disorders. Dr. Dohar graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology and then completed medical school at West Virginia University School of Medicine. She trained during her residency at WVU, where she served as a chief resident and received the Brandon K. Fuller Award for Physician Empathy in 2017. Dr. Dohar's practice focuses on medication management. Her goals include helping people feel comfortable seeking treatment as well as promoting an understanding of the purpose and reasoning behind the use of various medications to treat psychiatric disorders. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. When Dr. Dohar may believe that additional therapy is also needed, she will ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Dohar appreciates and values working with therapists within the Talkiatry practice and in the community in a collaborative effort to promote wellness. She strives to build strong therapeutic relationships with the people that she sees in her practice. Her passions include working in the community at large to encourage a better understanding of mental health disorders and to promote suicide awareness and prevention. She has interests in pharmacogenomics as well as treatment resistant approaches to depression. Dr. Dohar appears in several professional publications.‍