Svetlana Schwartz, PMHNP

Dr. Chelsea Karson is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her residency training at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where she was Chief Resident of her program. Dr. Karson is passionate about patient care, believing in caring for the whole person. While completing her residency training, she led an interprofessional team to bring miniature-therapy horses to the inpatient psychiatry unit and thereby forge a relationship between the organization and all of Advocate Aurora Healthcare. Dr. Karson partnered with a mental health counselor to create a virtual therapy program of resources, the Bridge Project, to close the gap between inpatient and outpatient care that is now used throughout the Advocate Aurora network. At graduation Dr. Karson received the 2024 Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Ruggie Humanitarian Award. The Ruggie Award selects and honors a graduating resident or fellow who displays academic excellence, commitment to the education of others, professional bearing, and a concern for the patient within the light of Human Ecology. Dr. Karson attended undergraduate at Elmhurst University, a biology major with minors in chemistry and medical humanities. She went to medical school at Rosalind Franklin University and was chosen to join the Gold Humanism Honor Society for her dedication to compassionate patient care.

Dr. Elizabeth Cox is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience providing compassionate, evidence-based care to adults. She believes healing begins with being heard and strives to create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where patients feel comfortable sharing their experiences and working toward meaningful change.

Dr. Cox takes a collaborative approach to mental health, considering biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. She values empathy, curiosity, and respect, and partners with patients to explore treatment options that align with their goals, including therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Your first visits with Dr. Cox will focus on understanding your history, challenges, and treatment goals. Together, you will develop a personalized plan that is manageable, supportive, and grounded in trust. She ensures each patient feels safe, respected, and truly heard throughout the care process.

Dr. Yolan Shaw earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX and completed her psychiatry residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. She has experience in both outpatient and inpatient care through her work at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX, where she served veterans and caregivers. As a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine, she also taught and supervised medical students and residents.

Dr. Shaw creates a warm, supportive environment where patients feel heard, understood, and respected. She values open communication and believes in working collaboratively with patients to establish clear, achievable treatment goals that reflect their individual needs and preferences.

Dr. Shaw begins the treatment process by thoroughly understanding each patient's history, concerns, and goals during the initial session. From there, she develops an individualized treatment plan designed to align with those goals and support meaningful progress over time.

Ashley is an ANCC board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of experience in Psychiatry. She has worked in inpatient and outpatient settings, crisis centers, and psychiatric emergency rooms. Ashley is deeply committed to working collaboratively with individuals to enhance their well-being, creating a personalized care plan tailored to each person’s unique needs.

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Her approach integrates medication management, supportive psychotherapy, and lifestyle interventions. As a prescriber specializing in psychopharmacology, Ashley provides comprehensive medication management while utilizing a shared decision-making model. She actively involves clients in their treatment planning, discussing various options to determine the most effective path forward.

During the initial session, Ashley prioritizes establishing a comfortable, open environment where clients feel at ease. She will review medical and psychiatric history, discuss treatment goals, and explore different therapeutic options based on individual preferences. Ashley encourages questions throughout the process to ensure a collaborative and supportive treatment experience.

Dr. Michele Wiener is a psychiatrist with over 35 years of experience treating patients with mental health issues. Dr. Wiener's practice has historically focused on treating patients with varying mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder, often complicated by substance use disorders. Dr. Wiener enjoys working with patients of all ages. She is skilled in both psychotherapy and medication management. While the emphasis will generally be on medication management, Dr Wiener will utilize insight-oriented, cognitive behavioral, and supportive psychotherapy skills to help her patients reach their treatment goals. She completed her internship at Bronx Lebanon Hospital, her residency at Montefiore Medical Center and a two-year fellowship in biological psychiatry, psychopharmacology and geriatric psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She served for over 20 years as Chief of Psychiatric Services for Behavioral Health Services at St John's Riverside Hospital Park Care Pavilion formerly Yonkers General Hospital. Here she was also able to enjoy teaching medical students from The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in their psychiatric rotation. She has been Assistant Medical Director for Arms Acres, in Carmel, NY for over five years.

Amy Gonzalez is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner as well as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has been practicing in the field of nursing since 1996. Amy has been a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner since 2007, and she started to focus on substance abuse treatment in 2010. She found that many people with substance use disorder also struggle with their mental health and went on to get her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner degree completing it in 2017. Her past experience includes working in both outpatient and inpatient psychiatry, 24-hour crisis care, substance use treatment, mental health court, and both adult and geriatric psychiatry. Amy has expertise in treating depression, bipolar spectrum disorder, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, substance use disorders and thought disorders.

Amy believes in providing a safe and supportive environment where she really gets to know her patients as individuals and works collaboratively with them to develop a treatment plan. She is concerned with a patient's overall wellness, emphasizing nutrition, movement, hobbies, social connection, and mindfulness. She takes a holistic approach to treatment which focuses on evidence-based treatments including conventional medications, supplements, and alternative and complementary treatments.

Amy focuses on medication management as well as providing supportive therapy, psychoeducation, and motivational interviewing to her patients in 30-minute follow up appointments. Sometimes Amy may recommend more intense therapy and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome.