Rania Elkhatib, MD

Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Arabic
Conditions Treated
ADHD
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Medication Management
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
PTSD/Trauma

Education and training

  • University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Doctor of Medicine (MD)
  • The University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston (Residency)

Get to know

Rania Elkhatib, MD

Dr. Rania Elkhatib is a board-certified general psychiatrist with extensive experience in clinical care, teaching, and research. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and completed her psychiatry residency at UTHealth Science Center in Houston, where she later served as an Assistant Clinical Professor. During that appointment, Dr. Elkhatib was heavily involved in medical education and has developed courses in cultural psychiatry and psychiatry boot camps for medical students.


Dr. Elkhatib specializes in treating a wide range of psychiatric conditions, including Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, OCD, ADHD, and PTSD. Dr. Elkhatib focuses on evidence-based medication management but will also incorporate supportive therapy and cognitive-behavioral techniques to optimize treatment management and patient’s wellness. She is fluent in Arabic and English and has a strong interest in working with diverse patient populations.


Dr. Elkhatib has a holistic approach with focus on medication management while incorporating supportive therapy and cognitive-behavioral techniques to optimize patient wellness.

Get matched with a clinician like this one

Ready to book your first appointment? Take our 10-minute assessment. We’ll match you with a clinician who meets your needs, has availability, and takes your insurance.

Get started
More Clinicians

Gihan Abdel Razik, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr Razik is a board-certified psychiatrist who has been practicing for over 20 years. Throughout her career she has helped thousands of patients overcome their mental health struggles through medication management and a combination of supportive and psychodynamic psychotherapy. She graduated from Ain Shams University School of Medicine in 1992 and went on to do her psychiatry residency training at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, after which she became board-certified as Dr. Razik has practiced psychiatry in various settings including private practice where she has experience managing patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD, panic disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Early on in her career she worked with veterans at the Dayton VA Medical Center as well as with the severely mentally ill patients in community mental health. Dr. Razik lives in Mason, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Khandie Graham, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Khandie Graham is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her medical training at UCLA/Drew Medical Education and her psychiatry training at University of California, San Francisco/Fresno in 2013. She has served as a psychiatrist in the United States Air Force and prior to joining Talkiatry, was an inpatient psychiatrist. Dr. Graham's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Graham may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. Dr. Graham treats all adults and specializes in depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and life changes. She prides herself in partnering with patients to create individualized treatment plans. Dr. Graham is a great listener and spends time with her patients.

Kelvin McMorris, LISW

Staff Therapist

Kelvin is an experienced Licensed Independent Social Worker who has worked in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings. Kelvin's years of experience include work as a case manager, mental health therapist, substance use and mental health group facilitator, a lead clinician for a school-based services program and coordinator for adventure-based programming. This experience has allowed Kelvin to serve in a variety of settings, including: schools, homes, hospitals, and outpatient clinics, as well as working with individuals from nearly every age range; anywhere from kindergarten-aged school children to adults in a nursing home and almost everywhere in between. ‍Kelvin places great importance on making treatment a unique experience for every individual, strongly believing that there is no single uniform answer to an individual's problems and solutions should be tailored to that person's specific life circumstances. Kelvin has a foundation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but utilizes practices as appropriate from a variety of treatment styles, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care, Behavioral Activation, Play Therapy and many more.

Sara Mateo, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Sara Mateo holds the position of staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She is a board-eligible adult Psychiatrist. Dr. Mateo completed her Medical degree at the University of Benghazi- Faculty of Medicine and finished General Psychiatry Residency training at Tower Health/DrexelPhoenixville Hospital. Throughout her career, Dr. Mateo has actively contributed to various leadership roles and committees, demonstrating her commitment to advancing medical education and promoting diversity in the field. During her training, she generously shared her knowledge through educational presentations and lectures, fostering the growth of fellow trainees and medical students. Dr. Mateo is dedicated to creating a therapeutic environment characterized by warmth, empathy, and nonjudgmental support. Her approach involves collaborating with patients to develop individualized treatment plans that consider cultural, biological, psychological, and social factors. With a primary focus on medication management, Dr. Mateo's keen interest in psychotherapy is evident, as she often integrates supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy during 30-minute follow-up visits to optimize wellness and recovery. Dr. Mateo brings a wealth of experience in caring for individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds, adeptly addressing a wide spectrum of conditions. Her expertise extends to treating depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma and stress related disorders, ADHD, OCD, Insomnia, psychotic disorders; she also has experience treating individuals with medical comorbidities.

Valene Gifford, LMHC

Staff Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Valene, pronounced (Val-leen), is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has worked in the mental health field for 7 years. During this time, she has worked with clients from various backgrounds and cultures with a variety of mental health conditions. Valene's experience ranges from an inpatient psychiatric facility to private practice to telehealth. Valene attended the University of South Florida for her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Florida International University for her graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling.‍Valene believes each therapeutic interaction should be individualized and client-centered, thus she uses an eclectic therapy approach. An eclectic approach means assisting clients by drawing from various therapeutic approaches and techniques, thus tailoring treatment to each client's needs. Valene considers the therapeutic relationship to be extremely important and strives to be a collaborative, empathetic, non-judgmental, person-centered therapist. Valene's professional interests include working with young adults, Caribbean Americans, and the BIPOC community. Within mental health she enjoys working with anxiety, depression, women's issues, adjustment disorders, and relationship issues, just to name a few.

Joseph Smith, LMHC

Staff Therapist, Clinical Lead

Joseph Smith, LMHC, earned his Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Eastern Kentucky University in 2015 and has worked with patients in a clinical capacity for the past six years. While in graduate school, he was exposed to various clinical and research experiences, where he found his passion in examining the motivational factors of human behavior. Joseph's academic work strengthened his interest to work with individuals in a therapeutic capacity, which ultimately led to advanced experiential training in crisis interventions and the treatment of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Before relocating to New York City, he worked with individuals in under-served communities in the Appalachian region. Joseph subscribes to a humanistic, motivational enhancement, and cognitive behavioral framework. Understanding the benefit of therapeutic rapport, Joseph fosters an environment of self-acceptance and self-awareness while promoting intrinsic motivation for patients to act as their own catalyst of change. In addition, Joseph has a passion for working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQIA+ community, women with reproductive challenges, and victims of domestic violence.

Absar Tahir, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Absar Tahir is an adult psychiatrist double-boarded in psychiatry and internal medicine who specializes in evidence-based, holistic, and individualized care. He graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees. Dr. Tahir completed sequential residency training in both internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, followed by psychiatry at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Tahir integrates his knowledge of psychiatry and internal medicine to address the complex interplay between mental and physical health, ensuring a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to diagnosis and treatment. Throughout his career, he has helped patients from all walks of life, from diverse backgrounds, with a compassionate and empathetic treatment style. He strives to ensure his patients feel their voice is heard while working collaboratively towards achieving their treatment goals. As a psychiatrist, he specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He is also highly experienced in treating psychiatric problems in patients with medical comorbidities.

Rae Insalaco, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Rae Insalaco is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency in 2011 at the University of Rochester, where she served as the chief resident of ambulatory services. During this time, she also received the Richard Carl Albert Jaenike award for outstanding performance in clinical psychiatry. Dr. Insalaco uses the bio-psycho-social model as a blueprint to understanding her patients' challenges. Since residency, she has provided direct patient care in CPEP (Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program) and outpatient, ambulatory clinics, treating a wide range of psychiatric illnesses. She has also served as the collaborating psychiatrist for psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatry residents, care managers, social workers, and therapists at a community mental health center affiliated with the University of Rochester. Dr. Insalaco completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and continues to use the principles of osteopathic medicine in her care of patients. She believes that treating the whole person is important, and not simply treating your individual symptoms in isolation. Dr. Insalaco also examines how your habits of sleep, exercise, and nutrition can contribute to your overall wellness. She believes there are many paths that lead to healing, starting with hearing your story.

Raul Corredor, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Corredor is a bilingual psychiatrist, fluent in English and Spanish. He is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Corredor provides medication management services in combination with some forms of psychotherapy during 30-minute follow-up visits.

Dr. Corredor received his medical degree from Del Rosario University School of Medicine in Bogota, Colombia, where he also completed residency training in Neurology. Dr Corredor obtained his PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Miami investigating mechanisms for neuronal plasticity and survival. He completed his psychiatry internship at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY., and completed his Adult Psychiatry residency training at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital program in Miami, FL.  

Dr. Corredor is a clinician-researcher that has been practicing for more than 30 years in the inpatient and the outpatient setting. He is also faculty at the Florida International University (FIU). His clinical focus has been in treating adults with depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, neurocognitive disorder, sleep disorder and ADHD.

Dr Corredor works with his patients to determine the best medication and treatment strategies based on the biological processes underlying psychological illness, trying to promote long term recovery, not just symptom relief. Treatment pursues the promotion of behavioral changes that contribute to better physical and mental wellbeing.

Alicia Brigham, LPC

Staff Therapist

Alicia Brigham holds the position of therapist at Talkiatry. Alicia is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas and Oklahoma with over 10 years of experience. Alicia currently resides in Dallas, TX and graduated from Dallas Baptist University with her Masters in Counseling. Alicia has worked in an inpatient hospital, a nonprofit outpatient clinic, and in private practice settings providing therapy to a variety of populations. Alicia also has experience in advocating for clients to receive care based on medical necessity and treatment efficacy.

A new patient should know to come as they are, without fear of judgment. Their vulnerability will be safe with in the hands of Alicia. Alicia has a direct, yet calming and compassionate approach that creates comfort and ease for the client. Her goal is to create a warm, open, and interactive environment.

Alicia approaches each patient with respect, sensitivity, and eagerness to learn. The goal is to learn as much as possible about the patient and collaborate with the patient on a plan of action for the most effective care.

Avedon Elliott, LPC

Staff Therapist

Avedon is an LPC with vast experience working in the mental health counseling field. Avedon has experience working with people of various backgrounds, which she believes is essential in a world of diverse communities with diverse cultures. She has 13 years of experience working with adults learning how to navigate and manage various behavioral health issues. Avedon received an undergraduate degree at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA; and her master's degree at Hodges University in Ft. Myers, FL. Avedon has been practicing for 8 years as a licensed clinical mental health counselor, and is a firm believer in the person-centered therapy philosophy of "meeting the client where they are at.” She believes in creating a safe environment for all of her clients in order for them to feel secure in expressing their present conflicts, while at the same time gaining and learning coping skills to improve their overall daily functioning. Avedon's preferred theoretical approach with her clients is Humanistic. She believes in being a resource of support for her clients while they are navigating through interruptions that have induced disorder in their daily lives. Avedon uses an integrative therapy approach tailored to each individual's concerns with the basis of CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and a variety of supportive psychotherapy techniques to aid in creating a therapeutic alliance, which leads to the client building skills to help manage emotional distress.

Ahmed Valdes, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Ahmed Valdes is a board certified adult psychiatrist and burgeoning Geriatric Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Florida State University, he attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he graduated with a combined M.D./M.S. in Genomic Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at Jackson Health System/University of Miami and further subspecialized with a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry. Dr. Valdes has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including veterans, inmates, the severely mentally ill, geriatric, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valdes has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units (detox, geriatric, mood disorder), emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient specialty clinics (HIV, dementia, integrative and collaborative care) via telemedicine and face to face interactions .Dr. Valdes has experience working with adults of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, PTSD, and more. Dr. Valdes 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 to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.

Ready to get matched?

Start our short assessment