Prit Patel, MD

Dr. Debbarma is double board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Debbarma is also certified in mindfulness therapy. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Debbarma worked as an attending psychiatrist and teaching faculty member in an academic hospital. She has experience of managing diverse patients ranging from chronic severe mental illness, dual diagnosis patients, crisis management, and a high functioning outpatients population. Dr. Debbarma is an International medical graduate from India with postgraduate training in Psychiatry and Family Medicine. To better understand public health and preventive care in the USA, Dr. Debbarma pursued an advanced degree in Master of Public Health from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. Due to interest in global health, Dr. Debbarma worked as a post-doctoral fellow in Global Health at Rutgers University. Dr. Debbarma completed psychiatry residency from Cooper University Hospital and served as a chief resident. Dr. Debbarma has diverse experiences in health care. Prior to moving to the USA, she worked as a medical officer in the government hospital system. Dr. Debbarma has years of experience in treating patients from different cultural and religious backgrounds. As an individual, Dr. Debbarma is intrigued by the human mind and behavior, and that's why she chose to specialize in psychiatry. She focuses on "wholeness" by understanding the whole person not just their symptoms. Her treatment approach includes a bio-psycho-sociocultural model and patient-centered care. She offers medication management and supportive therapy. Based on clinical needs, Dr. Debbarma also incorporates CBT, mindfulness, and MI. Dr. Debbarma has a special interest in women's mental health and cultural psychiatry.

Dr. Alexandra ("Sasha”) Blaes is a board-certified psychiatrist. Before joining Talkiatry, she practiced consult-liaison psychiatry, seeing medically ill patients with psychiatric problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she also treated veterans in nursing homes. Dr. Blaes graduated from New York University with a B.A. in philosophy and photography and worked in nonprofit marketing in New York before deciding she wanted to pursue a life in medicine. Following a post-baccalaureate, pre-medical program at Columbia University, Dr. Blaes completed medical school at The University of Maryland, followed by a psychiatry residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. While at Johns Hopkins, she mastered clinical assessment and treatment of general psychiatric problems. She also received specialized training in eating disorders, addiction, reproductive psychiatry, chronic pain, and geriatric psychiatry, an interest she pursued further with a fellowship at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In fellowship and in her subsequent experience at the VA, she developed expertise in caring for the difficulties that can accompany aging, including depression, anxiety, and memory loss, as well as the stress of medical illness. Dr. Blaes' practice focuses on medication management. She works to foster a safe and collaborative space in which patients can address psychiatric illness and other barriers holding them back from the lives they want to lead. Typically, she offers appointments for medication management coupled with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute sessions. When Dr. Blaes feels that additional therapy is needed, she will suggest inviting a therapist to join the team for additional support and guidance. She welcomes collaborations with other clinicians, be they therapists or other physicians caring for her patients. She strives to build strong therapeutic relationships that help patients grow and meet their goals - whatever their situation, challenge, or life stage. Dr. Blaes welcomes patients from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds and is LGBTQ+ friendly. In addition to her background in geriatrics, she has experience working with peripartum women and enjoys working with patients navigating major life changes.

Lauren Mingle is an outpatient therapist at Talkiatry. She is dually licensed in Colorado as a LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) and LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist). Lauren earned her master's degree in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling/Therapy from the University of Northern Colorado. Before joining Talkiatry, Lauren held roles in a diverse array of settings including community mental health, crisis services, and outpatient therapy. Her previous specialty focuses included youth, adolescents, adults, and couples. Lauren uses a variety of evidence-based approaches including, but not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing to meet people where they are at and work with them to best reach their personalized therapy goals.

Nicole Estevez is a licensed mental health counselor in New York and an out-of-state telehealth provider in Florida. She received her Master of Mental Health Counseling from Alliance Graduate School of Counseling (now Alliance University). Nicole has 9 years of experience providing client-centered individual and family therapy services to a wide variety of clients. Nicole has worked in a variety of settings including an outpatient community clinic, in-home family therapy, treating undocumented minors with trauma history, and telehealth. Nicole has experience working with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, grief, post traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health concerns. Over the years in the mental health field, she believes that the best approach to therapy is a collaborative process with the client to assist in achieving their goals. Nicole has experience with modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, motivational interviewing, and dialectical behavioral therapy.

Dr. Samuel Russell is a psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is board certified in Addiction Psychiatry and Adult Psychiatry. His particular clinical focus is on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and behavior addictions, as well as trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders. Dr. Russell's practice focuses on evidence-based treatments for psychiatric illness that utilizes a combination of medications and psychotherapy modalities best suited for an individual patient and their needs. He offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Weekly hour-long psychotherapy may be available if indicated. However, occasionally, Dr. Russell may believe that different therapies are also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome. He received his medical education at the University of Washington in Seattle after completing undergraduate studies in psychology and later a post-baccalaureate at Boston University. After residency at the University of Chicago where he specialized in addiction psychiatry and psychotherapy, he completed an Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Background and credentials

Dr. Munoz is a board-eligible adult psychiatrist. He earned his medical degree from Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School and completed his psychiatric residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Throughout his training, he gained experience in a variety of clinical settings, including outpatient and inpatient care, as well as psychiatric emergency services.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Munoz provides compassionate psychiatric care through a combination of pharmacotherapy and supportive therapy. He specializes in treating depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and psychotic disorders. He has extensive experience working with LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking communities. His treatment philosophy is holistic, viewing patients as whole individuals and addressing their specific needs at different stages of life. He also emphasizes the importance of exercise, relationships, and overall well-being in his approach to mental health care.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a comprehensive and patient-centered evaluation. Dr. Munoz takes the time to understand each patient’s symptoms, background, and personal goals. He collaborates with patients to develop an individualized treatment plan that may include medication management, supportive therapy, and lifestyle modifications to support their overall well-being.

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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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