Sumbal Akhter, DO

Laura Hendricks is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) with over 20 years of experience across a variety of clinical settings, including outpatient care, inpatient psychiatric facilities, private practice, consult-liaison psychiatry, and telepsychiatry. She has worked with individuals across the lifespan and brings a Family Systems perspective to her practice, helping patients develop greater awareness of their personal growth, attachment styles, and behavioral patterns to support more fulfilling lives.

Laura is also a long-time practitioner of Nonviolent Communication (Compassionate Communication), a method that fosters deeper empathy and connection with oneself and others. She integrates these principles into her clinical work to help individuals live more authentically and meaningfully.

Her approach is rooted in a whole-person perspective, guiding clients to recognize their strengths and utilize appropriate treatment tools. This begins with building a strong, respectful therapeutic relationship based on collaboration and shared decision-making. Laura practices evidence-based medication management and incorporates supportive counseling and psychoeducation into every session. She believes that empowering patients through education is essential to improving mental health outcomes.

Laura conducts thorough assessments to clarify diagnoses and treatment needs, with ongoing evaluation throughout the course of care. She works collaboratively with patients to refine treatment goals and strategies, always emphasizing a strengths-based and empowering approach.

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Dr. Jacqueline Hong is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who takes a genuine interest in her patients and values collaborative decision-making. Over the past 4 years of practicing, she has followed a holistic model of care that accounts for the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of the individual. She has a down-to-earth, patient, and warm personality, and prides herself on timeliness and professionalism. Though Dr. Hong focuses on medication management, she has a passion for supportive therapy with elements of CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and mindfulness. She may also recommend that a therapist be included in your care team if more specialized therapy is required. Dr. Hong graduated summa cum laude from Grove City College, and completed medical school at UTMB at Galveston. She finished her residency at Memorial Healthcare System in FL, where she held a leadership position in Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Hong has experience in treating a wide range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and addiction. She has worked with adolescent, geriatric, pregnant, and medically complex patients. Growing up in a Korean immigrant household and training in the ethnically diverse South Florida region has informed her of the unique struggles that immigrant populations face. Dr. Hong has a special interest in treating mood and anxiety disorders. Outside of the office, Dr. Hong enjoys art, cinema, and powerlifting.

Dr. Mousavi holds the position of attending psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She is Board certified in adult psychiatry and has been practicing for over 6 years. Dr. Mousavi's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, she offers this in conjunction with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow up visits. Dr. Mousavi may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. She has completed her residency at Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College. She has experience of working in private practice at the Institute for Family Therapy in Miami. She has also worked as an outpatient psychiatrist at Montefiore in NY and INOVA outpatient clinic in Virginia.

Dr. Cheryl Person is the National Director of Clinical Quality at Talkiatry. She is board certified in general adult psychiatry and has been in practice for 20 years. Dr. Person focuses on medication management but believes that is only part of successful treatment. She will spend her time providing motivational interviewing or supportive therapy, and believes it is often critical to have a therapist as part of the treatment team. Dr. Person received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatric residency at Johns Hopkins and a psychiatric epidemiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a focus on disaster mental health. After relocating to Texas in 2010, she worked as Director of Psychiatric Services of a large safety-net hospital in Houston. Prior to Talkiatry, she most recently was the executive director/chief physician of a large university student health center and campus pharmacy. In addition to adult psychiatry, Dr. Person has worked extensively with victims of acute trauma and her primary focus is on working with patients who have anxiety and mood disorders.

Christopher Zeoli, DNP, PMHNP, is a nationally board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of certification and more than 30 years of experience in the psychiatric and mental health field. He earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Stony Brook University and has worked with patients across the lifespan in clinics, outpatient programs, hospitals, and private practices.

Christopher’s approach combines thoughtful medication management with supportive therapy. He is not only focused on addressing immediate concerns but also on guiding patients toward long-term well-being. Patients can expect a collaborative, compassionate, and goal-oriented partnership in their care.

Christopher values patient feedback as an essential part of treatment. He conducts careful evaluations, listens to each individual’s concerns, and tailors care to align with personal goals. By working together, he helps patients develop treatment plans that support both current needs and future growth.

Xavier Diao, MD (he/him) is a board-certified psychiatrist. He earned his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland, where he also obtained his medical degree. Dr. Diao completed his psychiatry residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, received additional training in child and adolescent psychiatry at Columbia and Cornell, and finished a psychoanalytic fellowship at the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute. Prior to joining Talkiatry, he was an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, where he provided clinical care and teaching along the undergraduate-graduate medical education continuum.

Dr. Diao's therapeutic orientation is informed by psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and dialectical behavior modalities. He has expertise in the treatment of a diverse range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. Dr. Diao uses a developmentally informed and LGBTQ-affirmative approach in his practice, with the aim of enriching meaning and alleviating suffering in the domains of work, play, and love.

Dr. Diao begins each encounter with gentle curiosity, inviting patients to share their stories without fear of judgment. Together, he crafts an individualized treatment plan with the patient that may include medication, psychotherapy, and/or referrals to subspecialty care, always in close collaboration with other members on the treatment team.

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