Sameerah Akhtar, MD

Dr. Albert Fernandez is a board-certified physician who specializes in adult psychiatry. He has expertise in medication management and psychotherapy. His practice emphasizes a holistic approach to treatment and his style is empathic, insight-oriented, and flexible. He has particular interests in helping individuals struggling with depression, difficulty functioning at work or school, life transitions, bipolar spectrum disorders, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders, relationship struggles, anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, and more. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from Princeton University with a certificate in neuroscience. He earned his M.D. from Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and completed his residency training in psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Morningside and West Hospitals. He has supervised junior residents and medical students. He also worked as a staff psychiatrist at Fordham University and published a review article on the effects of residential relocation on mental health. He is currently a Post-Doctoral Candidate in the Adult Analytic Training Program at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Dr. Samuel Russell is a psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is board certified in Addiction Psychiatry and Adult Psychiatry. His particular clinical focus is on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and behavior addictions, as well as trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders. Dr. Russell's practice focuses on evidence-based treatments for psychiatric illness that utilizes a combination of medications and psychotherapy modalities best suited for an individual patient and their needs. He offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Weekly hour-long psychotherapy may be available if indicated. However, occasionally, Dr. Russell may believe that different therapies are also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. He received his medical education at the University of Washington in Seattle after completing undergraduate studies in psychology and later a post-baccalaureate at Boston University. After residency at the University of Chicago where he specialized in addiction psychiatry and psychotherapy, he completed an Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Arballo is board-certified psychiatrist who completed medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He received residency training at University of Texas Health - San Antonio where in addition to clinical training was appointed resident chair of the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee.

Since graduation he has been a staff psychiatrist and the military unit director at Cumberland Hall Hospital providing comprehensive care to child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.

Dr. Arballo provides evidence-based medication management and psychotherapy to address mental health conditions. He is a strong advocate for patient autonomy, quality improvement and psychoeducation.

* THIS PROVIDER CANNOT PRESCRIBE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES FOR MN PATIENTS * Dr. Dung ("Young”) Truong is board-certified in both psychiatry and family medicine. Prior to joining Talkiatry, he worked in a busy Minneapolis emergency room for 20 years. He cared for patients presenting in mental health crisis, treating their acute presentation and helping find solutions to their concerns, ranging from starting and adjusting medications to identifying and addressing contributing factors such as medical illness, substance use, and life stressors. Dr. Truong has extensive experience and can comfortably manage a wide range of illnesses and problems. He sees patients of all ages and ethnicities, including LGBTQ+ populations. He has interests in mood disorders during and after pregnancy, and immigrant and refugee mental health. Dr. Truong's approach is to help you ultimately feel better and move forward with a hopeful plan involving medication management, education about your illness, and therapy to manage your emotional and environmental stressors. He is known for his calm demeanor and his excellent instincts. He strives to meet your expectations. Recognizing the challenges and complexities of the mental health condition, he also encourages input from your established care provider, therapist, and loved ones who want to be involved in your care. He feels such collaboration provides optimal treatment .Dr. Truong has also worked as a psychiatrist in an integrated primary care clinic. He has taught and supervised medical students, psychiatric residents/fellows and family medicine residents. He has collaborated extensively with social workers, therapists, and other health care providers to achieve the best outcomes for his patients. He works on staying current with the latest evidence-based care and mental health treatments.

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.

Dr. Jason Chin earned his Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and his M.D., along with completing his psychiatry residency, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He is board-certified in psychiatry and brings extensive experience from both outpatient and inpatient settings. He also specializes in interventional treatments, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

Dr. Chin values patient autonomy and strives to provide the knowledge needed for patients to make informed decisions. He prioritizes building a strong therapeutic alliance and integrating evidence-based medicine to guide care.

Dr. Chin begins by listening to the patient’s full story to understand them as a whole. He explores their past, present, and future to create a comprehensive treatment plan designed to empower patients to move forward and improve their mental health.