Cheryl Thomas, LPCC

Dr. Rayal Gorrepati is double board certified in both adult and geriatric psychiatry. He has been practicing for over 12 years. Dr. Gorrepati's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive psychotherapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. However, occasionally Dr. Gorrepati may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best possible outcome. He received his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. His general psychiatry residency was completed at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey. He then completed a Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Hawaii. After completing training, he returned to his hometown of Chicago and began working at a Federally Qualified Health Center providing care to an underserved low-income population for nearly 12 years. While at the clinic, he treated a wide range of diagnoses, the most common ones being depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc. His primary clinical focus is treating adults with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Paulina Bollat Orbea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida and Colorado. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Florida International University and has worked in a variety of clinical settings including outpatient clinic, psychiatric hospital, correctional facility, community mental health, university counseling and research and private practice environments.

Paulina has experience working with individuals who experience depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, family conflict, LGBTQ+ related concerns, substance use disorders and other mental health concerns. Paulina has worked with people of diverse ethnicities, cultures and identities. As a Guatemalan native, she is also able to offer therapy in Spanish.

Paulina’s therapeutic approach is dependent on the patient’s needs. She largely follows a Cognitive Behavioral approach, while also implementing psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems, Person-Centered and Solution-Focused orientations. Her treatment style prioritizes evidence-based practice and a therapeutic alliance built through empathy, collaboration and cultivating a safe, judgement-free space for the patient.

Jessica Vassallo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in the area of mental health. She has worked with patients of various demographics including World Trade Center responders, college students, patients with severe and persistent mental illness, dually diagnosed patients, patients who have or have had cancer, and patients with impoverished backgrounds. She received her Master's Degree at Adelphi University in 2003, became certified that year and received her license in clinical social work in 2008. Jessica has been practicing in social work for 20 years, focusing on anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She uses an eclectic approach in therapy with a foundation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness therapy, and supportive psychotherapy. She develops an individualized treatment plan for all patients to focus on their goals. She believes that the person is impacted by all the larger systems they are in (family, workplace, community, larger society) and is committed to providing a non-judgmental, warm, and empathetic space to help clients feel understood and comfortable exploring the roots of their issues.

Dr. Buonopane is Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She obtained her medical degree with Laude from the University of Rome, La Sapienza, and completed her residency in Psychiatry from Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Buonopane has extensive experience in psychopharmacology and offers state-of-the-art medication management with compassion and empathy. She practices a holistic approach, combining psychiatric medications with elements of psychotherapy and mindfulness. She offers individualized and comprehensive treatment plans which address the whole person, including lifestyle and social engagement, because the latest research findings show that both play an important role in mental and physical health. Education on mental illness and recommendations on diet and exercise are always discussed with the patients, according to the individuals' needs. Dr. Buonopane spends time listening to patients and makes plans based on clinical evidence without an authoritative approach, taking into consideration the patient's level of comfort and views because, in her experience, the best outcomes are always reached when patients fully understand and agree with the management of their conditions. Dr. Buonopane has been in practice for more than twenty years and has extensive experience in general Adult Psychiatry with a focus on mood disorder and anxiety. She has been leading clinical programs and teaching medical students, residents, and fellows in psychiatry and addiction in various clinical settings, such as private institutions and universities, including Yale School of Medicine. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr Buonopane had her own in-person clinical services for over ten years and telehealth services over the past four years, treating patients suffering mainly from depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. When working in private practice, Dr Buonopane received the Compassionate Doctor Recognition (Vitals) and the Patient's Choice Awards (Vitals), both based on patients' reviews.

Dr. Karina Fatova is a board certified psychiatrist who hails from New York City but has made New Orleans her home for the past ten years. She is a graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and she did her adult psychiatry residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. She was proud to have her first position post-residency at the River Oaks Hospital Trauma Unit in New Orleans, LA where she treated patients with Complex PTSD and eating disorders. The Trauma Unit was one of a few of its kind nationally because it provided very specialized treatment that was affordable to many. Dr. Fatova then went on to work at the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Hospital for the last five years in its ambulatory outpatient mental health clinic. Though her passion is Complex Trauma/PTSD, she also regularly saw veteran patients who have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and adjustment disorder. During her five years at the New Orleans VA, she received three special commendations from the director of the VA for feedback from her patients about her effective integrative approach to supportive psychotherapy and medication management. She believes that her rapport with her patients, and their therapeutic work together, is just as important as the medication she prescribes to heal or alleviate their symptoms. Dr Fatova employs psychodynamic therapy techniques, at times, to help those patients who would like to explore childhood experiences that may continue to impact them in their adult lives. With respect to medication management she regularly helps patients target symptoms such as sleep issues, nightmares, persistent worry, emotional dysregulation, frequent mood changes, impulsivity, and "toning down the nervous system," among others. She strongly believes that treatment decisions are best approached as a collaboration between patient and doctor. She sees young adults who are just starting their journey into adulthood, as well as adults who have been navigating life with challenges, which may include untreated, or poorly treated, mental health symptoms. Often, by the time Dr. Fatova sees a patient, they may have lost a significant amount of faith in their mental health doctors, and she is particularly attuned to helping individuals with this type of experience.

Dr. Victoria Mustovic is a board-certified psychiatrist trained in general adult psychiatry who specializes in perinatal, postpartum, and LGBTQIA+ behavioral health. Clinical practice focuses on managing a variety of mental health conditions with particular interests in treating ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and mood disorders. A collaborative care approach is utilized to actively engage patients in treatment decisions and planning. Medication management is integrated with therapy to support a more comprehensive clinical approach. Therapy treatment focuses mainly on supportive therapy with use of additional therapy modalities based on patient needs. An evidence-based approach is combined with consideration of individual factors in order to work with patients to create a holistic, patient-centered treatment plan. Dr. Mustovic completed an undergraduate education at Allegheny College with a bachelor's degree in biology and double minor in psychology and chemistry. Dr. Mustovic went on to pursue a Medical Doctorate at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, graduated Summa Cum Laude, and was inducted into Alpha Omega AlphaHonor Society for academic achievement. After medical school, Dr. Mustovic completed psychiatry residency at Allegheny Health Network. Additional experience includes both co-authoring a book chapter on women's behavioral health and presenting posters on several different topics in mental health for the Pittsburgh Psychiatric Society, including a presentation on the identification and management of complex trauma in victims of sex trafficking. Dr. Mustovic has 2 years training in outpatient perinatal and postpartum behavioral health and 6 months experience working as co-facilitator in a perinatal and postpartum intensive outpatient treatment program both through the Alexis Joy D'Achille Foundation for Postpartum Depression at West Penn Hospital. Work as a co-facilitator included assisting patient groups in understanding and developing coping skills for a variety of therapy modalities including mindfulness, behavioral activation, interpersonal, cognitive behavioral (CBT), and dialectical behavioral (DBT) therapies. Dr. Mustovic is also dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community with experience in LGBTQIA+ patient care over 4 years at Allegheny Health Network in a variety of clinical settings including inpatient, outpatient, and intensive outpatient programs. Dr. Mustovic is passionate about providing a supportive treatment environment to help improve equal access to care and support patients in advocating for their needs and concerns in health care settings.