Stephen Geisler, MD

Background and credentials

Dr. Edelman is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Eligible in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry residency training at the Medical College of Georgia and SUNY Downstate, followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate. Throughout her career, Dr. Edelman has practiced in various clinical environments, including inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric units, academic outpatient treatment clinics for adults and children, emergency psychiatric settings, and community psychiatry. She has over seven years of experience.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Edelman utilizes a collaborative, supportive, and patient-centered approach, combining pharmacotherapy with therapeutic modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy, and interpersonal therapies. She treats a wide variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, learning disorders, substance use disorders, PTSD, and schizophrenia. Her goal is to partner closely with patients to meet their specific needs, achieve their personal goals, and enhance their overall quality of life.

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What you can expect in a first visit

Patients can expect their initial visit with Dr. Edelman to include a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, during which she takes the time to understand each patient's individual concerns, goals, and history. She emphasizes collaborative planning of treatment, carefully integrating medications and tailored therapeutic interventions. Patients will experience a compassionate and supportive atmosphere designed to set clear expectations and foster progress toward their personal mental health goals.

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Why Talkiatry?

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

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Michael McNeill, LCSW, is an accomplished and creative therapist with a reputation for achieving positive outcomes. He has experience working with adults, children, families, and couples across the lifespan, from early childhood through end of life. Licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, he is trained in EMDR and trauma care, and blends CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based approaches to support healing, strengthen relationships, and build resilience.

Michael provides a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space where clients can feel heard and understood. He collaborates with clients to reframe challenges and focuses not on what is “wrong,” but on building skills and achieving meaningful goals that enhance daily life and overall well-being.

Michael begins by helping clients identify their goals and desired outcomes, then works together with them to create a clear path toward achieving those objectives. He honors each person’s perspective as the true expert of their own life, ensuring that therapy is guided by their unique experiences, values, and needs.

With over two decades in the counseling field, Greta Hicks-Brooks, LPC, is a seasoned and devoted professional at Talkiatry. Earned her most recent licensure credential, and the one recognized in California is Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). Her background includes roles as a Special Education Teacher, Psychology Instructor, Executive Director, Lead Therapist at an outpatient drug treatment facility, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Disability Services Counselor.

Greta holds a BA in Psychology from Tuskegee University, an MS in Counseling & Human Development from Troy University, and an MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University. She is licensed in Texas, Colorado, California, and Arizona, and is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).

Highly structured yet comical, Greta creates a nonjudgmental environment where patients feel comfortable being themselves. Each month, she helps patients set three short-term goals, reflect on accomplishments, and note things they are grateful for—supporting growth, self-awareness, and emotional balance.

During the first session, Greta discusses the reasons for seeking therapy, preferred treatment approaches, and session frequency. She provides homework and clear follow-up focus points, drawing from Client-Centered, Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavior, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused, and Trauma-Focused therapies. Greta meets clients where they are, fully committed to guiding those ready to make meaningful, lasting change.

Dr. Mendez-Maldonado is double board-certified in general psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She then moved to New York to complete her residency training at Mount Sinai Beth Israel where she stayed to complete her fellowship in geriatric psychiatry. After her fellowship, she proceeded to work at Woodhull Hospital where she worked as an attending before becoming unit chief and running their Special Pathogens Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. She focuses on medication management and offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, a focus on nutritional psychiatry, and 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Mendez-Maldonado focuses on integrating nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness techniques alongside pharmacotherapy to achieve a well-rounded approach to mental health.‍

Dr. Dennis Valerstain is a board-certified Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Emory University, he attended medical school at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at University of Miami/Jackson Health System and further sub-specialized at University of Miami/Jackson Health System with a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Valerstain has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including children, adolescents, the severely mentally ill, veterans, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valerstain has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units, emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient clinics via telemedicine and face to face interactions. Dr. Valerstain has experience working with patients of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tic disorders, substance use disorders, and more. Dr. Valerstain's practice focuses on medication management and also 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 (and their families) to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.

Dr. Kerstin Asquith is a board-certified psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She has extensive experience working with a wide range of diagnoses and patient populations, with particular interest in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD. She also has additional training in college mental health. Dr. Asquith believes in the importance of getting to know each of her patients and the unique issues that bring them into treatment. Her approach involves collaborating with patients to create personalized treatment plans and considering both medication and non-medication methods.

Dr. Asquith is from California and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis. She obtained her medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine and then trained at Stanford University's Adult Psychiatry Residency Program. She subsequently completed a fellowship in student mental health at Stanford University. Most recently, Dr. Asquith worked as an outpatient psychiatrist at The Permanente Medical Group. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with friends and family.