Ruben Mendez, MD

Dr. Chelsea Karson is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency training at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where she was Chief Resident of her program. Dr. Karson is passionate about patient care, believing in caring for the whole person. While completing her residency training, she led an interprofessional team to bring miniature-therapy horses to the inpatient psychiatry unit and thereby forge a relationship between the organization and all of Advocate Aurora Healthcare. Dr. Karson partnered with a mental health counselor to create a virtual therapy program of resources, the Bridge Project, to close the gap between inpatient and outpatient care that is now used throughout the Advocate Aurora network. At graduation Dr. Karson received the 2024 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Ruggie Humanitarian Award. The Ruggie Award selects and honors a graduating resident or fellow who displays academic excellence, commitment to the education of others, professional bearing, and a concern for the patient within the light of Human Ecology. Dr. Karson attended undergraduate at Elmhurst University, a biology major with minors in chemistry and medical humanities. She went to medical school at Rosalind Franklin University and was chosen to join the Gold Humanism Honor Society for her dedication to compassionate patient care.

Dr. Sabish Balan is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist with subspecialty certifications in Geriatric Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. He completed his medical education in India at Government Medical College, Kozhikode, followed by psychiatry training at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. After relocating to the United States, he pursued residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center and advanced fellowships at The Zucker Hillside Hospital and St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center. With over 17 years of psychiatry experience in the U.S., he has held leadership roles at NYC Health + Hospitals – Harlem and currently provides care at Northwell Health Phelps Hospital Addiction Treatment Services and the BeHealth Program. Fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu, and Malayalam, Dr. Balan brings a global perspective to patient care.

Dr. Balan strives to meet patients where they are, offering a warm and supportive environment that values the whole person. He integrates a bio-psycho-social approach to care, ensuring that patients feel heard, respected, and understood throughout their treatment journey.

In initial sessions, Dr. Balan takes a detailed history to understand each patient’s concerns, background, and goals. From there, he collaborates with patients to develop individualized treatment plans that align with their personal values and objectives, fostering partnership and long-term wellness.

Dr. Albert Luong is a Board Certified adult psychiatrist who integrates a friendly and collaborative approach to treating psychiatric conditions. For him, building strong therapeutic relationships is key to helping patients achieve their goals. In line with holistic treatment, Dr. Luong utilizes psychotherapy and medication management to implement a safe, empathic, and individualistic framework that allows for healing and wellness. Dr. Luong works primarily with patients dealing with depression, anxiety, stress management, and lack of fulfillment, among other life challenges. Dr. Luong completed undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in biological sciences and graduating with the highest distinction. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine and completed an adult psychiatry residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As part of his training, he was the Chief Resident of the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Department, supervising trainees and treating patients with various psychiatric illnesses.

Dr. Ioana Horotan-Enescu is a board-certified Psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she was an Active-Duty staff psychiatrist at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY. Her military service also included roles such as Medical Director of Behavioral Health and Interim Clinic Chief for Embedded Behavioral Health Clinic. She completed her internship and residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and earned her Doctor of Osteopathy Degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her clinical experience spanned from the inpatient to the outpatient setting and afforded her the opportunity to develop comprehensive skills in the treatment of PTSD, mood disorders, thought disorders, addiction and perinatal mood disorders. Her teaching experience spanned multiple institutions, where she has served as a preceptor and mentor for medical students, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students. In addition to medication management, she augments her practice by implementing mindfulness, psychodynamic and supportive therapy techniques in her everyday practice to enhance treatment and improve treatment response. Dr. Horotan-Enescu holds several certifications, including in Cognitive Behavioral Health Therapy for Suicide Prevention, Motivational Interviewing and Battlefield Acupuncture. She has delivered presentations at national and international conferences on various topics, reinforcing her commitment to advancing the field of psychiatry.

Mary Poupon is an experienced board certified psychiatric APRN/psychiatric nurse practitioner with over 30 years' experience in her field. She completed her graduate work at Columbia University and is published in her field. Her practice sites have included inpatient hospital treatment, partial hospital programs, in-home programs, outpatient clinics and alternative therapy including equine assisted therapy.  She was the program director and clinician with the Ryan White Mental Health Program in New York providing innovative mental health treatment for adolescents and adults living with HIV/AIDS in the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.  In 2013 she became certified as an equine assisted psychotherapist and served as the Director of Mental Health at Embrace Hope in Sandy Hook, CT. She was appointed as the Executive Director of Embrace Hope in 2017. Embrace Hope provided treatment to children, adolescents and adults who were victims of trauma related to the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. She presented a TED x talk in 2018 regarding her work with victims of trauma. She has provided treatment in the outpatient setting for children, teens, and adults. She has provided treatment to young adults at the Covenant House New York shelter program for homeless young adults.

Mary believes the human spirit is resilient. There are many challenges in the lifespan and self-care is paramount to success.

Mary provides psychiatric consultation and assessment and provides a pathway to change. Treatment may include medication management, therapy, and coping skills to assist with life challenges. Mary believes treatment is a partnership and believes in establishing mutually agreed upon goals.

Mary's process for working with patients begins with active listening. The assessment begins with the patient describing why they are seeking engagement in behavioral health treatment at this time. She will complete a psychiatric assessment and evaluation and establish mutually agreed upon goals for treatment. She offers medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Mary believes therapy and medication management if indicated together provides the best treatment outcomes.

Dr. Velda Pugh-Kinsey is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist with over three decades of experience in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She earned her medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency at University Hospital. She has previously served as Chief of Mental Health at a VA Hospital and has maintained a successful private practice focused on medication management and supportive therapy.

Dr. Pugh-Kinsey values open communication and believes in building a warm, respectful environment where patients feel heard. She works collaboratively with patients to set clear treatment goals and tailors her approach to meet each person’s unique needs. Her practice emphasizes both medication management and supportive therapy to promote long-term well-being.

During initial sessions, Dr. Pugh-Kinsey takes time to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. She uses a team-based approach, partnering with patients in treatment planning and decision-making to ensure care is both effective and aligned with their values.