Wadzanai Lee, PMHNP

Background and credentials

Dr. James is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with 32 years of clinical experience. She earned her medical degree from Tufts University, Boston’s affiliated program and completed her residency training at Steward St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Boston, where she initiated the residency program and received the Resident Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. Throughout her career, she has served in various leadership roles, including as Chief of Psychiatry at Pro Medica Healthcare Company.

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Treatment approach

Dr. James specializes in community adult psychiatry and is deeply invested in providing comprehensive care for individuals and families. She has extensive experience working in outpatient, inpatient, consult-liaison, and emergency room settings, allowing her to tailor treatment to diverse patient needs. Her approach prioritizes holistic, patient-centered care, ensuring that each treatment plan aligns with a patient’s specific challenges and goals.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a thorough psychiatric evaluation where Dr. James carefully reviews their symptoms, medical history, and treatment objectives. She fosters a compassionate and collaborative environment, ensuring that patients feel supported in their journey toward better mental health. Her extensive experience allows her to provide personalized treatment strategies, which may include medication management and therapeutic interventions tailored to each individual’s needs.

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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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Dr. Sumbal Akhter graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas Psychiatry residency program. She has a wide range of experience, having worked at the VA, consult liaison psychiatry, and multiple inpatient/outpatient settings. She provides supportive psychotherapy and takes an integrative approach to her practice.

Ashley LaBanca provides medication management and supportive psychotherapy services. She has worked in mental health for over 12 years. A graduate of the University of North Dakota, she began her career in an outpatient setting, later transitioning into a lead nurse practitioner role before moving into telehealth services. Her goal is to reach individuals in need when in-person care is not feasible. Ashley lives in North Dakota with her family and enjoys traveling, reading, and spending quality time with them.

Ashley views medication as a tool rather than a cure. She incorporates alternative treatments by assessing physical health, exploring natural alternatives to medication, focusing on nutrition, and helping clients develop coping skills to manage daily stressors. Her guiding principle is the integration of therapy and medication management to support healing and growth. She encourages clients to be active participants in their treatment, fostering a collaborative, respectful, and open therapeutic relationship.

Ashley tailors her collaborative approach to each individual’s needs. She draws from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and other treatment modalities, combining them with evidence-based prescribing to create personalized care plans. She also considers the social dimensions of mental health, addressing relationships, self-esteem, and internal healing.

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Jessica Fairchilds is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with over 8 years of experience in many psychiatric settings and populations. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and is passionate about providing high quality, comprehensive mental health services. Jessica prides herself in her patient-centered approach by fostering strong provider-patient relationships to achieve optimal treatment outcomes. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband and young daughters, traveling the globe, or getting lost in a historical fiction novel.

Jessica is highly focused on building a strong therapeutic relationship with her clients while making them feel heard and validated. She strives to provide the highest level of care while exploring different treatment options to find what works best for each individual.

Jessica will focus on learning about the client as an individual and learning the concerns of the client while working to develop an individualized treatment plan. She uses her extensive knowledge of medications and therapy techniques to guide treatment options for the best outcomes.

Dr. John Lundeen earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and completed his psychiatry residency at TriStar Centennial Medical Center. He has worked with adults of all ages in both outpatient and inpatient settings, bringing a wide range of experience to his practice.

Dr. Lundeen approaches every patient with respect, empathy, and a genuine desire to understand their unique experience. He recognizes that seeking treatment can be intimidating and strives to create a welcoming, non-judgmental environment where patients feel safe and heard.

Dr. Lundeen believes in a collaborative treatment process, prioritizing each patient’s goals, values, and input. He emphasizes mental health education as a core component of care, empowering patients to better understand their treatment options and take an active role in their well-being.

Dr. Lauren Morris is a board-certified psychiatrist and a graduate of the Duke Psychiatry residency program. She is originally from NC - she studied Neuroscience at NCSU, and attended medical school at ECU. Dr. Morris's practice focuses on medication management, and incorporates insight-oriented therapy during visits. Dr. Morris takes a patient-centered evidenced based approach to psychiatry. Dr. Morris is joining the Talkiatry team after working as a staff psychiatrist at the Durham VA, where she also served as a consulting professor for the Duke psychiatry residency program. In her free time, Dr. Morris enjoys hiking and traveling.