Zaccaheaus Adams, LMHC

Entisar Hamid, Ed.D., LPC, LCPC, LPCC, LMHC, NCC, is a dedicated psychotherapist and life coach committed to fostering change in the community. Licensed in Arizona, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana, she has over 13 years of experience supporting clients remotely and in person. She values holistic, culturally sensitive care and believes each client is the expert in their own story. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family and engaging with her community.

Entisar creates a safe, supportive space where clients can share their experiences openly. She emphasizes building rapport and mutual understanding, empowering clients to explore their strengths while navigating challenges such as stress, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, grief, and self-esteem concerns. Her approach is collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to each individual’s needs.

She combines evidence-based therapies including ACT, CBT, DBT, EFT, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Trauma-Informed approaches. Sessions focus on helping clients process emotions, develop coping skills, and achieve meaningful, lasting change. Her goal is to support clients in managing life challenges, improving mental wellness, and cultivating self-love and resilience.

Joseph Smith, LMHC, earned his Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Eastern Kentucky University in 2015 and has worked with patients in a clinical capacity for the past six years. While in graduate school, he was exposed to various clinical and research experiences, where he found his passion in examining the motivational factors of human behavior. Joseph's academic work strengthened his interest to work with individuals in a therapeutic capacity, which ultimately led to advanced experiential training in crisis interventions and the treatment of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Before relocating to New York City, he worked with individuals in under-served communities in the Appalachian region. Joseph subscribes to a humanistic, motivational enhancement, and cognitive behavioral framework. Understanding the benefit of therapeutic rapport, Joseph fosters an environment of self-acceptance and self-awareness while promoting intrinsic motivation for patients to act as their own catalyst of change. In addition, Joseph has a passion for working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQIA+ community, women with reproductive challenges, and victims of domestic violence.

Meet Alex Starmer, LMHC, your friendly mental health counselor here at Talkiatry. She's not just a counselor; she's your partner on your mental health journey. Alex earned her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Syracuse University in 2020 and has been in the field since January 2021, working closely with clients facing mental health and substance use challenges. Alex believes in the power of the mind-body connection, and she loves to share polyvagal exercises and mindfulness techniques to help you better understand yourself. She's always learning and growing, with ongoing training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Her go-to tools for therapy are Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). With her, you can expect a compassionate and comprehensive approach to your mental well-being. You're in good hands with Alex.‍

Cherie McCarthy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with experience working across a wide range of populations. Early in her career, she served as an addictions specialist in high schools, prisons, and intensive outpatient and residential settings. Cherie earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology from National University and completed her intern hours working with adolescents in foster care and adults with severe mental illness in community-based programs. Over the past four years, she has focused on mental and behavioral health in a telehealth setting, treating lower-acuity concerns such as anxiety, depression, panic, and adjustment disorders, along with trauma work using EMDR.

Cherie believes it is both a privilege and a responsibility to create a safe, supportive space where patients can clarify goals and develop aspirations. Her work emphasizes identifying barriers to success and examining unhelpful core beliefs, allowing patients to move toward meaningful and sustainable change.

Cherie spends the first one to two sessions gaining a clear understanding of where patients are coming from and where they would like to go. From there, she collaborates with patients to develop individualized goals, revisiting and refining them over time to support clarity, growth, and progress throughout therapy.

Tekisha Norwood, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over a decade of experience supporting adults navigating mental health challenges, chronic illness, trauma, life transitions, and aging-related concerns. She has an extensive background in inpatient, outpatient, and residential settings, including roles at the VA community outpatient program, skilled nursing homes, and as a crisis and behavioral health therapist in private practice. Tekisha earned her BSW (2010) and MSW (2012) from the University of Southern Mississippi and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She is passionate about empowering clients through individualized, compassionate care that meets each person’s unique needs.

Tekisha offers a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment centered on compassion, cultural awareness, and mutual respect. She ensures that every client feels seen, heard, and valued without judgment. Her therapeutic approach is collaborative and flexible, designed to align with each individual’s goals for growth and healing.

During the first session, Tekisha conducts a thorough psychosocial assessment to understand each person’s background, challenges, and goals. Together, she and the client create a personalized treatment plan that guides the therapy process. Follow-up sessions focus on working through the plan collaboratively, with ongoing support, reflection, and adjustments as progress unfolds.

Regina Smith is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults across outpatient, group, individual, and family therapy settings. Regina is passionate about supporting clients of all ages in improving their mental health and building the tools needed to navigate life’s challenges.

Regina values creating a supportive and welcoming environment where clients feel comfortable sharing openly and honestly. She understands that therapy is most effective when clients feel safe, respected, and empowered to explore their thoughts and experiences. Her approach is compassionate and collaborative, with a focus on ensuring that each session meets the client’s needs and goals.

Regina begins sessions by gaining an understanding of each client’s history and current concerns. Together, she and her clients establish weekly goals and create individualized treatment plans tailored to their specific struggles. Her process emphasizes collaboration, ongoing support, and practical strategies that can be applied both inside and outside of therapy to foster meaningful growth and resilience.