Vandana Kethini, MD

Dr. Raafay Deen is a board eligible adult psychiatrist. At the heart of Dr. Deen's clinical approach is a strong emphasis on establishing trust and building a therapeutic relationship to help patients achieve their goals. Dr. Deen's practice focuses on medication management. Typically, he offers this in conjunction with supportive or emotionally focused therapy in 30-minute follow-up visits. Occasionally, Dr. Deen may believe that additional therapy is also needed and ask that you bring a therapist into your care team to provide the best outcome .Dr. Deen received his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and went on to complete his residency in psychiatry at Westchester Medical Center. He has practiced in various settings over his career, including inpatient psychiatric units, outpatient clinics, emergency rooms, and inpatient substance abuse rehab/detox programs where he treated patients with a variety of psychiatric illnesses. The philosophy of his practice is to collaborate with patients to meet their specific needs and make an impact in various stages of their lives.‍

Joel Witherspoon is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with over 20 years of clinical experience working in various mental health settings, working directly with clients from diverse backgrounds living with a broad range of mental health conditions. Joel earned his Undergraduate degree at California State University Long Beach, Graduate School at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, and completed his internship in Raleigh, NC. Joel has been practicing for 19 years as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, focusing on mood disorders, trauma, situational adjustment disorders, and any life challenge that interferes with a client's happiness. Working with Joel, treatment is specific to the individual with the focus on modalities that are specific to each person's challenges. Joel uses an eclectic approach with a foundation in person-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and trauma therapy combined with somatic interventions such as mindfulness.

Avedon is an LPC with vast experience working in the mental health counseling field. Avedon has experience working with people of various backgrounds, which she believes is essential in a world of diverse communities with diverse cultures. She has 13 years of experience working with adults learning how to navigate and manage various behavioral health issues. Avedon received an undergraduate degree at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA; and her master's degree at Hodges University in Ft. Myers, FL. Avedon has been practicing for 8 years as a licensed clinical mental health counselor, and is a firm believer in the person-centered therapy philosophy of "meeting the client where they are at.” She believes in creating a safe environment for all of her clients in order for them to feel secure in expressing their present conflicts, while at the same time gaining and learning coping skills to improve their overall daily functioning. Avedon's preferred theoretical approach with her clients is Humanistic. She believes in being a resource of support for her clients while they are navigating through interruptions that have induced disorder in their daily lives. Avedon uses an integrative therapy approach tailored to each individual's concerns with the basis of CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and a variety of supportive psychotherapy techniques to aid in creating a therapeutic alliance, which leads to the client building skills to help manage emotional distress.

Dr. Sumbal Akhter graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas Psychiatry residency program. She has a wide range of experience, having worked at the VA, consult liaison psychiatry, and multiple inpatient/outpatient settings. She provides supportive psychotherapy and takes an integrative approach to her practice.

Dr. Tobias Murphy is a psychiatrist with Talkiatry who is licensed to provide care in the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. He completed medical school and psychiatry residency at Marshall University's School of Medicine. He has additional training in neuropsychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. During his training, Dr. Murphy was actively involved in teaching medical students and residents. His most frequent lectures included LGBT and transgender mental health. He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. He was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and given awards for Inclusion and Advocacy as well as Honors in Community Service during training. He has published papers, presented at conferences, and served as an ad-hoc reviewer for medical journals. Dr. Murphy approaches medication management through the lens of compassionate listening and psychotherapy, seeking to reduce the stigma of mental illness and put patients at ease during their visits. He has experience treating a variety of conditions, including bipolar disorder, depression, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, and anxiety. He enjoys working with a diverse population of patients providing culturally informed care. Follow-up patient visits will include both supportive therapy and medication management during 30-minute encounters.

Dr. Irene Pastis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in adult psychiatry.  She completed residency training at East Carolina University in both internal medicine and psychiatry.  After residency, she pursued her passion in psychiatry and stayed on as a clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at East Carolina University.  In this role she specialized in treating adults with mental illness in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.  She has spent a considerable amount of time teaching residents and medical students and has published several papers focusing on the neuroscience pathways of mental health conditions.  In her daily practice, Dr. Pastis focuses on evidence-based treatments utilizing the latest clinical guidelines and current approved treatments.  In addition to medication management, she also incorporates psychotherapy in the treatment of mental health conditions.  Dr. Pastis is passionate about taking a collaborative approach with her patients to help them reach their potential.