Find a psychiatrist in Louisiana

Virtual mental health care covered by insurance.

Start our short assessment
Shilpa Amara, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management, LGBTQ+

Dr. Amara (She/Her) is an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology certified psychiatrist. She earned her Bachelor's degree from University of Albany in Psychology and Arts. She then graduated from St. Matthews University school of medicine in Grand Cayman Islands. After completing her residency at LSUHSC- Ochsner program in 2016 she worked at Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans for 7 years. Her roles there included working with patients in the field of Consultation Liaison psychiatry. In addition, she was the Medical Director of the Behavioral Medical Unit IOP and lead in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation clinic. Dr. Amara has been very involved in academics and won the Faculty Member of the year, Adult Psychiatry Program, LSU-Ochsner 2021, Teaching Excellence Award in Psychiatry University of Queensland 2019 and Roger Hatchette Award of Excellence in Emergency Psychiatry 2016.  She then served in her community at Crescent Care FQHC clinic in 2023.

Her interests include providing care for various behavioral health concerns including Adjustment disorder, Mood disorders including Treatment resistant depression, Anxiety disorders, PTSD, Neurodegenerative illnesses, Somatic disorders, Gender Dysphoria and LGBTQIA2S+ community inclusive care.

Dr. Amara's practice is focused on the functionality of a person in their life including relationships, career, physical wellness and living a robust life. She provides primarily medication management but also includes Supportive therapy, Action Oriented therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational interviewing when appropriate. Her style is very approachable, inclusive and always grounded in humanistic values.

Read more ›
Mikayel Currim, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Mikayel Currim is a Staff Psychiatrist for Talkiatry. Previously, he was the Medical Director and Attending Psychiatrist for the 509th Medical Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, where he was an Active-Duty Medical Corps officer and separated at the rank of Major. Prior to that, Dr. Currim completed medical school and residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Stanford University.


Dr. Currim has a passion for treating a variety of mental health disorders in varied populations, including PTSD, ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Gender Dysphoria, among many others. He has a friendly, nonjudgmental, casual style, and utilizes a combination of medication management, motivational interviewing, supportive therapy, and a psychodynamic approach to patient conceptualization.

Read more ›
Nina Jaffarzad, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Persian/Farsi
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Jaffarzad is a board eligible adult psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate training at the University of Texas at Austin and earned her medical degree at the American University of the Caribbean. She completed her psychiatry residency at Louisiana State University Our Lady of the Lake Psychiatry Residency Program.

After completing residency, she worked in an outpatient setting and provided consultation liaison services at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. Moreover, she held volunteer academic positions supervising and instructing residents and medical students. She has experience treating culturally diverse patient populations with a variety of mental health conditions.

Dr. Jaffarzad offers primarily medication management in conjunction with supportive therapy during follow up visits. She values the importance of open communication and a strong doctor-patient therapeutic alliance.

Read more ›
Lindsay Legnon, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Lindsay Legnon is board-certified in Psychiatry and has 15 years of experience in outpatient clinical psychiatry. Her focus is primarily on medication management, but she does incorporate brief cognitive behavioral therapy and supportive therapy when appropriate. If more extensive psychotherapy is felt to be beneficial, she will recommend a therapist and collaborate with them for optimal care.

She completed her medical degree at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and her residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, where she served as Chief Resident. After completing her residency, she worked primarily in outpatient clinics treating a wide range of mental health disorders.

She has extensive experience treating major depressive disorder, a variety of anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, among others. Medication is felt to be an important tool for many in achieving wellness and, in addition, she encourages a holistic approach to improve outcomes. Her hope is to provide relief and help people achieve their goals in their journey back to wellness.

Read more ›
Blanca Osorio Candelaria, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Spanish
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Blanca Osorio-Candelaria is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and has been practicing for over 16 years. Her practice focuses on medication management, which she typically combines with supportive therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. If Dr. Osorio-Candelaria feels you would benefit from working with a therapist in conjunction to medication management, she welcomes collaboration with your therapist to make for the best outcome.  


Dr. Osorio-Candelaria is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan, PR. She completed her residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her years of experience started as a medical officer for the Army, including a deployment to Iraq. Her working experience after her military service includes working as a medical director of a community health center, a medical director of a community hospital, a medical director of an inpatient unit, and working for an Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT) specializing in the Serious Mentally Ill population.


Dr. Osorio-Candelaria specializes in psychopharmacology, especially tailoring individualized treatment to serve the needs of patients with a variety of conditions. She has a lot of experience in treating patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, Insomnia and ADHD. She also has experience in treating patients with medical comorbidities.

Read more ›
Lawrence Stansberry IV, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management, Geriatric

Dr. Stansberry holds the position of staff psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is board-certified in Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Dr. Stansberry’s practice focuses on medication management and also incorporates supportive therapy techniques, typically in 30-minute follow-up visits. In some cases, Dr. Stansberry may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team.

Dr. Stansberry received his medical degree from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He completed his residency training through the Louisiana State University/Ochsner Health Foundation Psychiatry Residency program. He has experience working in inpatient, emergency, and consult-liaison psychiatry but particularly enjoys the opportunity to work longitudinally with patients in the outpatient setting.

Read more ›
Paula Wilt, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Wilt is board certified in adult psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University in New Orleans where she also completed her four-year residency in psychiatry.

Dr. Wilt takes a biopsychosocial approach to mental health and has over 13 years of experience with an array of mental health diagnoses including Depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and sleep disorders. Dr. Wilt enjoys spending time getting to know her patients and working hand in hand with them to accurately diagnose and treat the symptoms they are experiencing.

Dr. Wilt employs a holistic approach to mental health with a focus on incorporating medication management and supportive therapy to improve her patient’s quality of life.

Read more ›
Amanda Wright, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management, LGBTQ+

Dr. Amanda Wright is a board certified adult Psychiatrist who has been in practice for ten years. Her practice offers in-depth evaluations for new patients, personalized medication management, and supportive and motivational therapy within 30-minute follow up visits. Dr. Wright’s professional interest is in mind- body wellness; she believes in psychotropic medication management as one of the tenants of overall wellness and also recognizes that non-medicinal interventions such as psychotherapy can enhance patients’ ability to reach their full potential. To that end, if Dr. Wright feels you would benefit from working with a therapist in conjunction to medication management, she welcomes collaboration with your therapy provider.

Dr. Wright is a graduate of The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio where she also completed her Psychiatric Internship and Residency training in 2013. From 2013 through 2022 she practiced Psychiatry in Louisiana. While practicing with Ochsner Health System, Dr. Wright was recognized locally (within her practice region) as “Provider of the Month” and later, “Provider of the Quarter” for the larger system of Ochsner. These awards were based primarily on patient feedback and highlight her warm and open approach as well as her genuine care for each patient’s best long term outcomes.

In 2022, Dr. Wright and her family moved back to her home state of Texas where she has been practicing both in- and outpatient Psychiatry within a hospital system in the Rio Grande Valley.  The broad scope of her professional experience lends itself to working with a variety of Psychiatric issues ranging from mood to anxiety spectrum disorders. Dr. Wright looks forward to returning her focus to outpatient Psychiatry and providing compassionate, individualized care for those seeking treatment.

Read more ›
Maxine Zhou, MD
Staff Psychiatrist
Languages
English
Specialties
Medication Management

Dr. Zhou is a board-certified psychiatrist who has more than 4 years of experience practicing in various clinical settings with an emphasis on mental health care in outpatient settings. She practices a holistic approach to developing an individualized plan to work toward a patient's goals. Dr. Zhou is experienced in treating depression, bipolar spectrum disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder generalized anxiety, and other related psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Zhou received her medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and completed her adult psychiatry residency training at LSU Health Shreveport.

Dr. Zhou’s background and experiences have broadened her understanding of cultural stigmas and the relationship it plays in psychiatric care. She incorporates a multitude of treatment modalities such as supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness practices as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. Dr. Zhou recognizes the value of a multifaceted approach to wellbeing and may recommend treatment modalities that are complementary to medication management.

Read more ›

How it works

Woman on laptop computer, taking the Talkiatry assessmentTip #1
Online assessment
Tell us how you've been feeling. It only takes about 10 minutes.
Female waiving to psychiatrist on a cell phone- online meetingTip #2
Meet your psychiatrist
Have your first visit in days with a psychiatrist that fits your needs.
Female smiling, walkingTip #3
Treatment plan
Treatment typically includes medication and supportive therapy.
Start our short assessment

Insurance accepted

The majority of our visits cost patients $30 or less after insurance.*

+ more
*Includes all types of patient costs: copayment, deductible, coinsurance, and $0 payments. Excludes no-shows. Your medical visit costs can vary depending on insurance coverage. Learn more.

Care by the numbers

1,000

,000+

visits completed

300

+

expert psychiatrists

175

,000+

people matched with a psychiatrist

Mental health care that cares

Our team of psychiatrists are vetted for experience, expertise, and empathy and adhere to the highest standards of care.
Start our short assessment

Frequently asked questions

What is a psychiatrist?

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions through medication management and supportive therapy. Think of a psychiatrist as a doctor for your mind. If you’re struggling with your mental health and aren’t sure where to start, a psychiatrist can help.

Take our 10-minute assessment to see if Talkiatry is right for you and get matched with a psychiatrist in

Louisiana

who meets your needs.

Is it better to see a psychiatrist or psychologist?

You may not need to choose between a psychologist and a psychiatrist—although there are differences in the types of treatment and expertise mental health professionals can provide, they often collaborate on your care.

That said, here’s a quick guide to help you decide if a psychologist or psychiatrist is the best starting place.

See a psychiatrist if:

  • You’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition that are making it hard to go about your day-to-day life.
  • You’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition and/or have a family history of mental health issues.
  • You’re interested in exploring psychiatric medications, such as antidepressants, for mental health treatment.

See a psychologist if:

  • You’re looking for a psychotherapy outlet to help address behavioral or emotional challenges.
  • The concern you’re hoping to address is specific to relationship challenges, stress, grieving, or a life transition.  

Not sure if your symptoms are severe enough to warrant medication? We always recommend consulting with a psychiatrist first to discuss your options. Also, keep in mind that if you’re looking for virtual care, you need to be sure your doctor or psychologist is registered to practice in

Louisiana

(or, for non-

Louisiana

residents, the state where you live).

What is a psychiatrist vs therapist?

The term “therapist” can apply to a range of professionals including social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychoanalysts. Working with a therapist generally involves regular talk therapy sessions where you discuss your feelings, problem-solving strategies, and coping mechanisms to help with your condition.

Psychiatrists are doctors who have specialized training in diagnosing and treating complex mental health conditions through medication management. If you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or similar, a psychiatrist may be a good place to start. Other signs that you should see a psychiatrist include:

  • Your primary care doctor or another doctor thinks you may benefit from the services of a psychiatrist and provides a referral
  • You are interested in taking medication to treat a mental health condition
  • Your symptoms are severe enough to regularly interfere with your everyday life

While both therapy and psychiatry are both available online, you’ll still need to be sure that the therapist or clinician is licensed to practice in

Louisiana

(or, for non-

Louisiana

residents, the state where you live).

What to expect from your first psychiatrist visit?

It’s ok to be a little nervous about your first visit with your psychiatrist. But remember, they’re there to help you feel better. Psychiatrists have years of experience working with new patients and will help you feel comfortable during your sessions.

Here’s what to expect in your first visit at Talkiatry:

Evaluation: During your first visit with a Talkiatry psychiatrist, you’ll get to meet each other and answer questions about your current symptoms, personal history, medical history, and mental health goals.

Diagnosis: Based on the information you’ve shared, your psychiatrist will be able to provide a diagnosis of your condition, if you have one. Getting a diagnosis can feel scary, but it can also feel validating to finally put a name to what you've been experiencing. Your psychiatrist will help you navigate any emotions that come up and work with you on a path to move forward.

Treatment plan: You’ll collaborate with your psychiatrist on the best way to manage your symptoms. If medication is appropriate, you’ll discuss your options, including the benefits and potential side effects of each medication. Your psychiatrist will provide supportive therapy throughout your session and may also recommend working with one of our therapists. Our therapists partner with our psychiatrists in a collaborative model to provide holistic care.

To get started, take our free online assessment, to see if Talkiatry is right for you and get matched with a psychiatrist.

Will I need medication?

Medication can be an effective part of your treatment plan but medication is not right for everyone. Your psychiatrist will work with you to determine if medication is right for you.  

Ready to talk with a psychiatrist? Take our 10-minute online assessment

to see if Talkiatry is right for you and get matched with a psychiatrist who serves in

Louisiana

.

Also note that prescribing laws can vary from state to state. During your first visit, your doctor will be able to talk you through how it works in

Louisiana

(or, for non-

Louisiana

residents, the state where you live).

What is the cost of a psychiatrist visit in
Louisiana

The main factor that determines the cost of your visit is your insurance coverage. The majority of our patients pay $25 or less per visit.* If you have a deductible plan and haven’t met your deductible yet, the average cost is between $325 and $414. The best way to get an estimate of your total cost is to contact your insurance company and ask about their coverage for outpatient psychiatric services.

*Includes all types of patient costs: copayment, deductible, and coinsurance. Excludes no-shows and includes $0 payments.

What treatments are available for mental disorders?

Medication and talk therapy (also called psychotherapy) are the gold standard for treating mental health conditions but treatment is highly personalized. A treatment that works for you may not work for someone else. Luckily, psychiatrists are experts in treating mental health conditions and can guide you through different treatment options and help you find one that’s right for you.

At Talkiatry, we make it easy to find a psychiatrist in

Louisiana

who matches your needs. Take our 10-minute online assessment to see if Talkiatry is right for you.

What can’t Talkiatry treat?

Our goal is to help you find the best treatment option for your needs and there may be some cases where virtual care isn't the right fit. If this is the case, your psychiatrist will be able to recommend other treatment options within your first visit. Our 10-minute online assessment will also help you determine whether or not Talkiatry is the right fit for your care.

What we can’t treat: Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders: This is a complex condition that responds best to treatments that aren’t safe to provide in an online-only setting. Since we’re a virtual practice, we aren’t able to treat patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders.

Certain personality disorders, like borderline personality disorder: Generally, borderline personality disorder doesn’t respond well to medication. As a psychiatry practice, one of our main focuses is medication management. One of the most effective treatments for borderline personality disorder is dialectical behavioral therapy, which is something our clinicians aren’t specialized in.

Patients who have been hospitalized or required to stay overnight in a clinic or in-patient setting for a mental health condition in the last 6 months: Our goal is to provide safe, effective care. For patients who have been required to stay overnight for a condition, a virtual practice can’t provide the right level of care.

Patients looking for therapy only: Our psychiatrists specialize in medication management. While we do have some therapists on staff to support patients who’d benefit from both medication and dedicated therapy, we don’t treat patients looking for talk therapy only.

We have excellent clinicians serving in

43

states, including

Louisiana

. Want to find a psychiatrist in

Louisiana

? We’ll match you with one through our online assessment. It just takes 10 minutes.

Style guide (hidden) -Do not remove
Arrows and pagination
Specialties chips

Ready to take the first step?

Start our short assessmentTalkiatry logo, saffron