Sameerah Akhtar, MD

Dr. Tony Tu is a board certified adult psychiatrist who emphasizes patient education and a psychodynamic approach to outpatient psychiatry. His passion for empowering patients with knowledge stems from his academic experience in psychiatry residency training. Dr. Tu's practice focuses on blending medication management together with psychotherapy. He also prioritizes collaboration with your therapist and encourages working together as a team. Dr. Tu is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine where he completed an MD and PhD combined program which helped develop his "doctors as teachers” style of practice. Dr. Tu completed his psychiatry residency training at Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois. Dr. Tu served as an Associate Program Director of Loyola's Psychiatry residency training program for two years, and now maintains an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Psychiatry role with Loyola. He continues to contribute to residency training, as well as mentorship of medical students and psychology externs. Over the years, Dr. Tu has received several awards that demonstrate his affinity for teaching, including the Educator of the Year Award in 2022 from the Loyola Psychiatry Residency Program. Areas of specialization include psychopharmacology, patient-centered medicine, and combination treatment of psychiatry and psychotherapy. Dr. Tu understands that medications are not the end-all-be-all of treatment, but just the beginning. For trauma and acute stress, he understands that the journey starts at the tip of the iceberg, with much to explore as you feel more ready.

Dr. Liss was born and raised in a neighborhood in the North Bronx. He attended Queens College, CUNY where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Hebrew. He completed Medical school at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, NY and thereafter was accepted to NUMC for psychiatry residency training. For his final year of residency training Dr. Liss was appointed to the position of Chief Resident for Academics & Research for the Psychiatry residency program at NUMC, Nassau University Medical Center. He received two awards during his residency training, including the Acute Mental Health Services Award and the Ambulatory Mental Health Services Award at the end of his 2nd and 3rd years of residency training, respectively. At NUMC, Dr. Liss underwent a rigorous training in a multitude of psychiatric settings and has experience with managing a wide array of psychiatric areas of treatment including mood/bipolar disorders, ADHD, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, as well as the intersection of medical disorders and psychiatric disorders. For his outpatient practice, Dr. Liss anticipates focusing on mood disorders, anxiety disorders, OCD, personality disorders, and family dynamics .Dr. Liss' practice focuses on a duality of treatment strategies: specifically psychotropic medication management in conjunction with non-pharmacologic treatment modalities including supportive psychotherapy, emotive supportive psychotherapy, as well as personalized variants of psychodynamic/interpersonal psychotherapy. Additionally, Dr. Liss has experience facilitating the coordination of psychosocial treatments in underserved populations.‍

Dr. Elaine Kwok is a board-certified Adult Psychiatrist who has been practicing for 9 years. She specializes in depression and anxiety and believes in a holistic approach to the wellness of both the mind and body. Dr. Kwok conducts a comprehensive and individualized assessment for each patient utilizing a combination of medication management, lifestyle changes, and coping skills, creating a safe and therapeutic environment to facilitate healing and growth .Dr. Kwok received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her medical degree from St. George's University. She then completed her residency training at Seton Hall University. After training, she worked in the inpatient and outpatient units at Capital Health Medical Center in Trenton, New Jersey. She was a voluntary faculty member and trained residents and medical students from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She has training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. She actively participates in her local community to provide education and training for mental health providers. Dr. Kwok strives to collaborate and address hindrances that may interfere with an individual's best self. She focuses on creating a strong therapeutic relationship to support and facilitate balance, lifestyle enhancement, and emotional well-being. She looks forward to getting to know you and embarking on this journey together.

Dr. Lauren McClairen is a psychiatrist board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. She completed her medical and psychiatric training at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN and a fellowship in Addiction Medicine at Baptist Memorial Hospital in collaboration with IAC (Integrated Addiction Care) in Memphis, TN. Dr. McClairen has clinical experience and practice working with other specialties and disciplines in treatment teams and integrated care models both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. She has held an academic appointment at Baptist Memorial Hospital where she enjoyed teaching and supervising medical residents and fellows in training. She most recently served as the Regional Behavioral Health Medical Director for a group of mental health clinics throughout Tennessee, and as the Chief of Psychiatric Services for a residential treatment facility in Mississippi that also had Partial Hospital and Intensive Outpatient Programming (PHP/IOP). She is experienced in treating patients with a variety of mental health diagnoses including but not limited to depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and those with a history of substance use disorders. Dr. McClairen works collaboratively with her patients to provide treatments tailored to each patient's individualized needs. She prioritizes building trusting relationships and fostering open communication. Patients can expect a compassionate approach often with utilization of supportive therapy, mindfulness, and at times cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic psychotherapy techniques to address their psychosocial stressors and unique needs.

Dr. Michael Padua is a graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry residency training at Loyola University Medical Center at Maywood, IL. He is trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating various psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and bipolar disorder with a focus on posttraumatic stress disorder, women's mental health, and cultural psychiatry. He combines his clinical expertise with a passion for working with underserved populations and the LGBTQIA+ population to address mental health needs across various communities. Dr. Padua has experience working in a variety of settings, which includes working as an outpatient psychiatrist at a federally qualified health center (FQHC), and as a correctional psychiatrist at the Washoe County Sherriff's Office in Reno, NV. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Padua has also participated in research and education, and has co-authored peer-reviewed articles in the fields of psychiatry and biology.

Dr. Sharon Kahler is Board Certified in Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and treats patients of all ages. She has over a decade of experience in both community mental health centers and private practice, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds. She earned her medical degree from New York Medical College, completed Adult Psychiatry Residency at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, and completed Child and Adolescent Fellowship training at NYU Langone and Bellevue Hospital. Her clinical interests include mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, and childhood psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Kahler is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality mental health care. She fosters a therapeutic, nonjudgmental environment where patients can openly share their concerns and values. Viewing treatment as a partnership, she encourages patients to play an active role in their care and takes a whole-person approach, considering lifestyle, environmental, and social factors that contribute to healing.

Dr. Kahler begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand each patient’s history, background, and treatment priorities. She develops individualized treatment plans using evidence-based approaches, supporting patients in navigating life’s challenges and finding a path to mental wellness.