Tulsie Patel, MD

Dr. Krista Alexander is a board-certified psychiatrist who loves equipping her fellow human beings to feel and function better. She studied medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and completed her residency at Duke University. She has worked in both private practice and integrated primary care/behavioral health care settings. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the North Carolina Psychiatric Association. Krista offers medication management and supportive psychotherapy for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, ADHD, substance use disorders, and other mental health issues. She strives to embody "relational prescribing” and believes that med management is most effective in the context of a relationship of mutual trust, emotional safety, and shared decision-making between provider and patient. She has trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy and various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, and tailors her approach to each patient's individual strengths and needs. Krista understands that the needs of the whole person must be addressed in order to facilitate growth and healing. She enjoys collaborating with fellow medical/mental health providers to address a patient's complex needs as an integrated team.

Angelica Luciano, PMHNP, has been dedicated to health care for over 22 years. Her journey began in 2003 when she enlisted in the Air Force as a medic and later served as a nurse in the Department of Defense. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Indiana State University, was commissioned as a Nurse Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service, and went on to complete her master’s at Gonzaga University. Inspired by her work as a psychiatric RN, Angelica pursued her calling in mental health and became board certified as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in 2017.

Angelica provides care through a warm, direct, and nonjudgmental style. She takes a biopsychosocial approach, recognizing the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in mental health. By combining psychopharmacology, patient education, and brief supportive therapy, she offers care that is accessible, collaborative, and authentic. Patients can expect to feel heard, respected, and actively involved in their treatment decisions.

Angelica begins with a comprehensive consultation to understand each patient’s history, concerns, and goals. This may take several appointments before finalizing a treatment plan. Plans may include lab work, collaboration with a patient’s broader health care team, and involvement of supportive family members if desired. Her goal is to create individualized care tailored to patient needs while ensuring comfort, advocacy, and trust. She emphasizes that patients are never defined by a diagnosis but valued as whole individuals.

Dr. Laura Obler is board-certified in adult psychiatry. She received her medical degree from David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, where she stayed to complete her psychiatry residency at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience. During residency she received specialized training in reproductive psychiatry (the treatment of women who are considering pregnancy or are pregnant or postpartum) and acted as Chief Resident of the Women's Life Center at UCLA. Dr. Obler has experience working with a diverse group of patients. She has previously worked in community clinics in the greater Los Angeles area and as a staff psychiatrist at UCLA. She prefers a holistic approach to psychiatric treatment and therefore uses a combination of medication management and talking therapies to treat patients. Techniques she may utilize include cognitive behavioral therapy, experiential psychodynamic therapy, mentalization based therapy, and medical hypnosis.

Dr. Daniel Azzopardi was born and raised in Malta where he attended medical school and worked in internal medicine for several years before moving to New York in 2017. He then completed a psychiatry residency at SUNY Downstate and stayed on for his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship, which he completed in June 2024. Dr. Azzopardi is a dedicated adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist who treats individuals of all ages and uses his strong foundation in internal medicine to handle complex cases requiring intricate medication management. This combination of skills allows for comprehensive care that addresses both mental and physical health challenges. Dr. Azzopardi's holistic approach ensures that each patient receives tailored treatment, fostering improved outcomes and overall well-being.

Dr. Earl De Guzman is a psychiatrist who values therapeutic partnership, working with patients to balance symptom relief with meaningful self-exploration. He earned his BS in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and his MD from Ross University School of Medicine. He completed his psychiatry residency at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center and a consultation-liaison psychiatry fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center. He is triple-board-certified in psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, and addiction medicine, and holds psychoanalytic psychotherapy training certification from the Psychoanalytic Center of California. Currently, he is a psychoanalyst-in-training at the New Center for Psychoanalysis. His expertise spans medication management, supportive therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.

Dr. De Guzman takes a collaborative, patient-centered approach, creating a warm and nonjudgmental environment. He listens deeply, asks thoughtful questions, and encourages honest exploration of symptoms and underlying patterns. He values authenticity, curiosity, and respect for each patient’s unique experiences. While symptom relief is important, his goal is to foster self-understanding and long-term growth. He works best with patients open to collaboration and motivated for change, whether through medication management, therapy, or both.

Dr. De Guzman begins with a consultation phase to ensure a good fit, listening carefully to understand each patient’s challenges and goals. Together, he and his patients build a working alliance by clarifying difficulties, identifying realistic changes, and exploring deeper patterns. When appropriate, he prescribes medication thoughtfully, aiming to support therapy rather than replace it. Each session integrates supportive and psychodynamic elements, combining medication review with therapeutic dialogue. Treatment plans are regularly revisited, allowing flexibility and growth, with the ultimate aim of empowering patients toward lasting change.

Dr. Hajer Ben Cheikh earned her medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she worked with refugee populations and participated in global health initiatives. She completed her psychiatry residency at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, serving as inpatient chief resident. Dr. Ben Cheikh has experience across the full continuum of psychiatric care, including higher levels of care, collaborative care, and outpatient settings. She has a particular interest in perinatal mental health.

Dr. Ben Cheikh values open communication, transparency, and collaboration, and takes a friendly, supportive approach to patient care. She practices evidence-based medicine with a thoughtful, minimalist approach to pharmacologic treatment, often favoring single agents that can address multiple concerns when clinically appropriate.

Her approach to care is holistic, integrating psychiatric diagnoses, comorbid conditions, social context, and lifestyle factors. Sessions include supportive psychotherapy, incorporating techniques from other modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic approaches as appropriate. Initial visits emphasize diagnostic clarity and collaborative goal-setting, while follow-up sessions focus on patient priorities, shared decision-making, and personalized strategies that support meaningful, sustainable progress.