Ruben Mendez, MD

Dr. Arif Patel is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. He obtained his medical degree from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency training at Authority Health, an affiliate of Michigan State University. In addition, he has completed a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Fellowship from the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute. He has 4 years of clinical experience. Dr. Patel's practice focuses primarily on medication management. Follow-up appointments typically last 30 minutes and incorporate elements of supportive psychotherapy, CBT, and motivational interviewing. Dr. Patel utilizes a collaborative approach to treatment, ensuring that treatment plans align with patients' goals and values. Dr. Patel has extensive clinical experience in various psychiatric settings including inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings. He has treated patients of various ages and of diverse cultural and spiritual backgrounds. He has extensive training in the community mental health system, where he has treated patients with severe mental illness and substance use disorders. Dr. Patel practices general adult psychiatry. His practice focuses on medication management in conjunction with supportive psychotherapy. Dr. Patel has experience in treating a wide array of psychiatric disorders including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, and ADHD.

Jennifer Young-Cott is a dedicated Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who brings compassion, warmth, and a strong commitment to patient well-being into her work. With a deep respect for each individual’s story, she values creating a safe, supportive, and healing environment. Outside of clinical practice, Jennifer enjoys learning Spanish and spending time hiking with her dog, Mavis—interests that help her maintain balance and bring a holistic perspective to care.

Jennifer approaches care through a collaborative, patient-centered lens. She believes trust, confidentiality, and open communication are essential to effective treatment. With extensive experience in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatry, she brings expertise in trauma, mood disorders, anxiety, and thought disorders while remaining attentive to each patient’s unique needs and goals.

Jennifer begins by listening carefully and gathering a thorough history to understand each patient’s challenges and strengths. She partners with patients to develop individualized treatment plans using current, evidence-based interventions. Her process emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and ongoing support to promote long-term mental health and overall well-being.

Xavier Diao, MD (he/him) is a board-certified psychiatrist. He earned his undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland, where he also obtained his medical degree. Dr. Diao completed his psychiatry residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, received additional training in child and adolescent psychiatry at Columbia and Cornell, and finished a psychoanalytic fellowship at the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute. Prior to joining Talkiatry, he was an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, where he provided clinical care and teaching along the undergraduate-graduate medical education continuum.

Dr. Diao's therapeutic orientation is informed by psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and dialectical behavior modalities. He has expertise in the treatment of a diverse range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. Dr. Diao uses a developmentally informed and LGBTQ-affirmative approach in his practice, with the aim of enriching meaning and alleviating suffering in the domains of work, play, and love.

Dr. Diao begins each encounter with gentle curiosity, inviting patients to share their stories without fear of judgment. Together, he crafts an individualized treatment plan with the patient that may include medication, psychotherapy, and/or referrals to subspecialty care, always in close collaboration with other members on the treatment team.

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Dr. Lanier Summerall attended Yale University, where she studied philosophy in the Great Books Program. She later studied Molecular Biology at the University of Colorado, where she and her husband moved after getting married. She received her medical degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Program, and completed her residency at Dartmouth Medical School. She also trained at Massachusetts General Hospital with Dr. Theodore Stern in his area of expertise (Consult Psychiatry) and learned from his immense skill at building strong rapport with all patients.

Dr. Summerall has experience in inpatient, and outpatient settings, along with teaching and research. She has worked in hospital administration, government entities, most importantly the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Dr. Summerall values transparent communication and will work with you to create the change. She treats patients as unique individuals and treatment is put into place with individualized plans in mind. Her approach to patients, which emphasizes holistic, patient centered, strength based treatment built on a foundation of strong doctor-patient alliance and evidence based medical knowledge.

Your appointment with Dr. Summerall will be a conversation. She is there to work towards goals together and is a good translator of "medical-ese". She enjoys working with patients on all aspects of their health and caters treatment plans to you.

Dr. Connie Hsiao is a double board-certified Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist. She earned her medical degree from Texas A&M College of Medicine, completed her Adult Psychiatry Residency at UT Health San Antonio, and pursued Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Hsiao has extensive experience treating diverse patient populations across various clinical settings.

Dr. Hsiao values open communication, collaboration, and building a safe, supportive environment where patients feel heard and respected. She treats a wide range of mental health concerns—including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and life transitions—in children, adolescents, and adults. She emphasizes trust and mutual understanding in the therapeutic relationship.

In the initial visit, Dr. Hsiao conducts a comprehensive evaluation to understand each patient’s unique history, concerns, and goals. She utilizes evidence-based medication management alongside therapeutic strategies to create personalized treatment plans that reflect and support her patients’ needs and aspirations.

Dr. Jiang is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. His practice focuses on medication management and supportive therapy. His major goal is for treatment to be patient centered, with a focus on high quality, evidence-based care in the safest and most meaningful way. Dr. Jiang completed an undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his medical degree from Oakland University William Beaumont, School of Medicine. He then completed his psychiatry residency at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. Jiang's areas of interest include depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.‍