Sarita Sharma, MD

Dr. Illise Perlmutter is the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Talkiatry. She is double board-certified in child and adolescent psychiatry and adult psychiatry. Before joining Talkiatry, Dr. Perlmutter was the Chair of Behavioral Health and Addiction Services at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. Prior to Bergen New Bridge, she was the Director of Inpatient Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center-Wakefield, in New York. Over 35 years, Dr. Perlmutter has held numerous leadership roles with some of the largest hospital systems in the New York Metro Area. Dr. Perlmutter is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has received awards for her contributions both locally and nationally. Dr. Perlmutter was included in Castle Connolly's "America's Top Doctors” list from 2006-2011 and 2017, as well as "Best Doctors in America” from 2009- 2012. Dr. Perlmutter received her MD from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. After an internship in pediatrics, she completed a residency in Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Medical Center followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Perlmutter has held leadership roles in several academic institutions and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Dr. Perlmutter has authored numerous publications and research articles and has lectured and presented extensively on clinical, epidemiologic, and psychopharmacologic issues in child and adolescent psychiatry. She has made frequent media appearances addressing topical issues in disaster psychiatry during the course of her work in disaster psychiatry outreach.

Dr. Nelson is a board-certified psychiatrist who attended the University of Iowa Medical School and completed her psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  She has extensive experience treating active-duty service members, family members of active duty and the veteran population.  She feels comfortable working with a wide range of age groups and enjoys treating challenges with anxiety, mood, sleep, and concentration.

Dr. Nelson believes that the key to success in mental health care is being able to establish a trusting and open relationship between psychiatrist and patient.

While initial sessions include the need to gather background information about the patient overall as well as the symptoms of concern, subsequent sessions are focused on learning the impact of the treatment.

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Robynn Cavaliere, PMHNP-BC, is a nationally board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She earned her nursing practice degree from the University of San Diego (USD). Her passion for helping others began at the age of 16 when she became an EMT and volunteered with a local emergency unit. Inspired by a strong belief in service to country and a desire to follow in her brothers’ footsteps, she proudly served in the United States Marine Corps.

Robynn’s nursing journey began over two decades ago, driven by a deep calling to care for others. She started her career as an LVN on medical/surgical/telemetry floors, advanced to an RN in the emergency room, and eventually became a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Her extensive nursing experience spans a wide range of clinical settings and patient populations, shaping her approach to interviewing, assessment, and intervention. Robynn applies the Biopsychosocial Model in every patient encounter, believing that a comprehensive understanding of the whole person leads to more effective treatment recommendations, improved outcomes, and better prognoses.

She is deeply committed to making a positive impact in her patients’ lives and giving back to the nursing profession. Robynn precepts student nurse practitioners in her practice and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at USD, where she helps educate the next generation of healthcare providers.

Robynn emphasizes the importance of comprehensive assessments, active listening, and building therapeutic alliances that foster trust and create a safe space for patients to share their thoughts and concerns. She collaborates closely with patients to ensure they feel heard, encourages active participation in their treatment, and provides education to enhance insight and promote behavioral change. Her approach includes supportive psychotherapy and incorporates techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy during medication management visits.

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Dr. Cecilia Fitz-Gerald is a board-certified psychiatrist trained in adult psychiatry and consultation-liaison psychiatry, formerly known as psychosomatic medicine. She has been practicing for over five years and has extensive experience working in a variety of clinical settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and emergency psychiatry. In addition, she specializes in working with patients with acute and chronic medical conditions that may be affecting their mental health, such as cancer, stroke, or a heart condition. She provides patient-centered care utilizing a collaborative approach to help her patients reach their goals. She is a native of Louisiana and a graduate of the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. She was elected to the prestigious medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha, during her fourth year of medical school and was awarded the John W. Bick Excellence in Psychiatry award. She completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where she served as Chief Resident and was a PRITE Fellow. Afterwards, she completed a fellowship in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Dr. Fitz-Gerald has multiple scholarly publications, particularly in the fields of emergency psychiatry and hospital delirium and has presented at the annual conference for the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. She is passionate about academic medicine and enjoys teaching medical students and residents. Her other areas of clinical interest include ICU delirium and cardiac psychiatry.

Dr. Panchal is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who works with motivated adults to navigate and discover the root of their mental health struggles. Since working in private practice, Dr. Panchal knows that discovering the root of difficulties allows clients to find healthy perceptions of themselves and strengthen their relationships so they can know themselves as a whole. She is trained in multiple therapeutic modalities as well as medication management, implementing individually tailored treatment. Her educational background includes training in psychodynamic psychotherapy with the Psychoanalytic Association of New York. She has completed her psychiatry training at Delaware Psychiatry Residency Program in New Castle, Delaware.

Dr. Stephen Byrd is a clinical psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is board-certified in both psychiatry and addiction medicine. He has been practicing for over 31 years in a wide variety of settings, including working with inpatients and outpatients in private practice, community mental health, geriatric, VA, and community hospital/medical center settings. Dr. Byrd's practice focuses on evidence-based medication management, usually provided in conjunction with 30-minute supportive psychotherapy, which is informed by cognitive behavior therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and motivational enhancement. When more intensive therapy is needed, Dr Byrd may ask you to include a therapist as part of your care team. He received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio and completed his residency training in psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland. Throughout his career, he has treated patients with a wide variety of conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Additionally, He has served as director of inpatient geropsychiatry at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, program manager of the substance abuse treatment program at the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, and medical director of outpatient behavioral health at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. Throughout his career, Dr. Byrd has been active in training medical students and psychiatry residents, and he has held clinical teaching appointments at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, University of Washington School of Medicine, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.�.�