Arif Patel, DO

Robynn Cavaliere, DNP, PMHNP-BC is a Nationally Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and received a Doctorate in Nursing Practice Degree from University of San Diego (USD).  Cavaliere's passion for helping others started at the age of 16 when she became an EMT and volunteered to ride on an ambulance for a local emergency unit. Her strong belief in Service to Country and her eagerness to follow in her brothers' footsteps gave rise to her proudly serving in the United States Marine Corps. Cavaliere's nursing journey started over two decades ago when the calling to help others in need was too strong to ignore. Her career started as an LVN working on medical/surgical/telemetry floors to becoming an RN working in the ER to progressing to being an NP in psychiatry.

Cavaliere's vast amount of nursing experience in a wide range of settings, involving many different disease pathways, and treating patients across the lifespan has significantly influenced the framework for her interviewing, assessment, and interventions. She believes in applying the Biopsychosocial Model formulation approach in every patient encounter since truly understanding the person as a whole will lead to better treatment recommendations, outcomes, and prognosis. Cavaliere genuinely appreciates the opportunity to facilitate positive changes in the lives of her patients and giving back the field of nursing by precepting student NPs in her practice and teaching student NPs as a Clinical Assistant Professor at USD.

Cavaliere believes it is imperative to her practice to perform comprehensive assessments; actively listen to help facilitate the most appropriate questions and responses; establish a therapeutic alliance that fosters trust and helps patients feel they are in a safe space to share their thoughts, questions, and concerns; collaborate with patients to ensure patients feel like they are heard, encourage patients to take an active role in their treatment, provide education to assist in improving behaviors and increasing insight, and providing supportive psychotherapy. She incorporates Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy techniques into medication management visits.

Dr Elizabeth Tiffany is a compassionate psychiatrist who is boarded in psychiatry, addiction, and addiction medicine. She completed her residency in Psychiatry and Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. Since completing fellowship in 2016, she has held several positions with the Department of Veterans' Affairs treating veterans with addictions and other mental health conditions. She has also worked for the University of Cincinnati providing psychiatric and addictions treatment to those admitted to the hospital for other medical concerns. She is passionate about education and was the addiction psychiatry fellowship director at both Oregon Health and Science University and University of Cincinnati, assisted in training general psychiatrists at both programs, and has given talks to physicians in various specialties to promote treatment of mental health concerns. While considered a well-rounded psychiatrist who enjoys working with patients from a variety of backgrounds and situations, she has extensive experience working with patients who have experienced trauma and those who have psychiatric concerns and may be using more alcohol or cannabis than they would prefer. Dr Tiffany is a personable, nonjudgmental psychiatrist who will collaborate with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that combines medication management with psychotherapeutic tools for a more whole person approach to your recovery.

Dr. Diane Papke holds the position of staff psychiatrist at Talkiatry. After graduating from medical school, she completed internship year in Internal Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, followed by two years of neurology residency at Barrow Neurological Institute before completing Psychiatric residency at Maricopa Medical Center in 2005. She then spent the majority of her time caring for SMI/seriously mentally ill patients with a mantra "propelling people forward to wellness.” Working on the supportive level of care for this population honed her skills to care for the highest level of outpatient care through ACT/assertive community treatment. She has a genuine interest in treating psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and most specifically bipolar. She has experience treating medical comorbidities including neurologic disorders. In 2023, she extended her expertise and skills to the general population to include telehealth management of her patients. With a nonsense approach, she prides herself on collaborating with patients to attain their goals of optimum psychiatric health, believing that the cornerstone of a healthy partnership with any patient is a holistic approach. Listening with an open mind and heart while collaborating with her patients to provide the correct medication management and supportive care has always been the key for her. She is looking forward to meeting you!

Background and credentials

Dr. Lisa Ekeanyanwu is a board-eligible psychiatrist who completed her psychiatry residency training at Stanford University. She has gained experience in a wide range of clinical environments, including inpatient and outpatient care, community mental health settings, emergency rooms, telehealth services, and international clinical fieldwork.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Ekeanyanwu’s practice is centered on pharmacotherapy, which she integrates with supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic therapy to provide comprehensive psychiatric care. She takes a collaborative and individualized approach, tailoring treatment to meet each patient’s unique goals and improve their overall quality of life. She has a special interest in cultural and micro-cultural influences on mental health and strives to provide culturally competent care that respects each patient’s life experiences and values. When she believes additional therapy may be beneficial, she may recommend incorporating a therapist into the care team.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a thorough evaluation where Dr. Ekeanyanwu carefully assesses their symptoms, medical history, and personal treatment goals. She fosters a collaborative and patient-centered environment, ensuring that each treatment plan aligns with the patient’s individual needs. She provides medication management along with therapeutic support and, when appropriate, may recommend additional therapy to optimize outcomes. Her approach prioritizes safe, effective, and culturally sensitive care that evolves to support patients throughout different stages of their lives.

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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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*THIS PROVIDER CANNOT PRESCRIBE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES FOR NH PATIENTS* Dr. Peter Truong is a board-certified psychiatrist trained in Adult Psychiatry. He received his medical degree from FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida, and completed his residency training at Cambridge Health Alliance – Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Truong treats each patient with a holistic, evidence-based approach that incorporates psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic best practices. His priority is to build a safe and trusting working relationship with each patient, keeping in mind their unique biological, psychological, social, and spiritual contexts.

Dr. Truong has extensive experience treating depression, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma-related disorders. He incorporates therapy modalities such as supportive, psychodynamic, CBT, and EFT. Other professional interests include LGBTQIA and college mental health, mindfulness, and interventional psychiatry. He has worked with individuals with diverse backgrounds from all walks of life.

Dr. Ahmed Valdes is a board certified adult psychiatrist and burgeoning Geriatric Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Florida State University, he attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he graduated with a combined M.D./M.S. in Genomic Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at Jackson Health System/University of Miami and further subspecialized with a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry. Dr. Valdes has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including veterans, inmates, the severely mentally ill, geriatric, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valdes has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units (detox, geriatric, mood disorder), emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient specialty clinics (HIV, dementia, integrative and collaborative care) via telemedicine and face to face interactions .Dr. Valdes has experience working with adults of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, PTSD, and more. Dr. Valdes employs empathic listening, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and a comprehensive and methodological approach to his visits. Given his broad and diverse training experiences, he enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with patients to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.