Zeshen Wu, MD

Dr. Upton Thomas is a board-certified psychiatrist who takes a warm, collaborative, and evidence-based approach to care. With a focus on treating mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, and substance use, he integrates psychopharmacology and psychotherapy to support patients in achieving meaningful change. He brings curiosity, creativity, and a deep respect for each individual’s story to his clinical work.

Patients often find Dr. Thomas easy to talk to and appreciate his calm, thoughtful demeanor. He emphasizes shared decision-making and believes that treatment works best when the patient’s values and voice are at the center. Dr. Thomas aims to create a safe space for honest dialogue and ongoing reflection as treatment evolves.

Dr. Thomas begins with a comprehensive evaluation to understand each patient’s mental health history, current concerns, and goals. He then develops an individualized treatment plan that may include medication, therapy, or both. He prefers to use the lowest effective dose of medications and often integrates psychotherapeutic strategies such as CBT, DBT, or insight-oriented work into his sessions.

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Dr. Jessica Marz is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and earned her medical degree from the Florida State University College of Medicine. She went on to complete her psychiatry residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville. Dr. Marz treats adults experiencing a variety of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and adjustment-related challenges.

Dr. Marz is a compassionate and thoughtful psychiatrist committed to holistic, patient-centered, evidence-based care. She approaches each individual with warmth and without judgment, fostering a therapeutic environment built on open communication and trust. She believes that strong rapport is essential to achieving meaningful progress in treatment.

Dr. Marz combines medication management with supportive psychotherapy, incorporating cognitive-behavioral techniques and motivational interviewing. She customizes each treatment plan to align with the patient’s personal goals and evolving needs, recognizing that healing is a highly individualized journey.

Dr. Jennifer Ruch is a board-certified psychiatrist who strives to understand her patients' lived experiences and aspirations to develop supportive therapeutic relationships through empathetic listening, mutual trust, and respect. She collaboratively creates individualized care plans that align with personal treatment goals in a safe and judgment-free environment. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology with a focus in psychology from the University of California, Merced, she earned her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Ruch completed her General Psychiatry Residency at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in New York. Her clinical experience involves treating individuals of all age groups from diverse populations and socioeconomic backgrounds suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. She has provided care in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, emergency rooms, state facilities, and an inpatient chemical dependency center. She also performed pre-procedure psychological evaluations for bariatric and spinal cord surgeries, and psychiatric consult liaison services on medical units and has clinical training in inpatient and outpatient neurology. Her clinical experience incorporated treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and interventional psychiatry, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Spravato. Dr. Ruch integrates a wide array of psychotherapy as needed; however, her practice primarily focuses on medication management while utilizing referrals to therapists and providing collaborative care for optimal outcomes.

Edmund Clark, MD, serves as Chief Psychiatrist at Talkiatry with over 17 years of board-certified experience, including more than 5 years delivering tele-psychiatric care to underserved areas. His career spans 23 years in public service, including leadership roles as Chief of the VA Mental Health Clinics in Jacksonville, FL, and program manager for the University of Florida’s Psychiatry Residency Training Program. A former U.S. Navy psychiatrist, he deployed multiple times, including to Iraq in support of an Army Combat Stress Control clinic, gaining expertise in evidence-based PTSD treatments. Dr. Clark earned his medical degree from the University of Florida and completed his psychiatry residency at the National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed, serving as chief resident for over 50 military trainees. Before medicine, he served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Kenya.

Dr. Clark values a collaborative approach built on honesty, rapport, and ensuring patients feel heard. He helps patients identify and address multiple factors influencing their mental health, aiming for positive, lasting changes that improve function across life domains. He encourages evidence-based therapies and, when needed, involves other providers to support comprehensive care.

Dr. Clark uses measurement-based tools to assess medication efficacy and guide treatment decisions. He integrates supportive psychotherapy to strengthen coping skills and reduce negative thinking, while incorporating motivational interviewing techniques to promote recovery and self-improvement.

Dr. Mendez obtained his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He subsequently completed his Psychiatry residency training at the same institution, UT Medical School in Houston. Dr. Mendez has extensive training in the field and is board certified in Adult Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. After professional training, Dr. Mendez has had vast experience of 15 years primarily in the outpatient setting including ample experience with telemedicine services to patients. He has extensive experience in diagnosing and treating adult patients dealing with attention deficit disorders and a wide spectrum of adjustment and anxiety disorders. Dr. Mendez has a special interest in the treatment of mood disorders from Major Depression to Bipolar spectrum disorders. Dr. Mendez prioritizes the development of great communication, mutual understanding and trust with his patients as he finds these elements to be key to a successful treatment. He establishes his treatment plans upon evidence-based guidelines and encourages a holistic approach for optimal well-being. Through effective medication management and supportive psychotherapy, Dr. Mendez leads his patients to optimal mental health. He encourages patients to strive to develop fulfillment and optimal functionality in their life's roles.

Dr. Julie Rodriguez is an ABPN boarded adult psychiatrist with over 15 years of clinical experience. Dr. Rodriguez's practice focuses on medication management, which is offered in conjunction with supportive therapy. Dr. Rodriguez obtained her medical degree from the Universidad Cat�lica Madre y Maestra Dominican Republic. She then completed her residency in adult psychiatry at the University of Florida, in Gainesville. After completing training, Dr. Rodriguez became a Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Florida Department of Psychiatry. In this role she served students at UF Student Mental Health at the Counseling and Wellness Center. She also provided treatment to adults in inpatient services and other settings. While doctor Dr. Rodriguez treats a variety of age ranges and diagnoses, she is most passionate about college student mental health with a clinical expertise in the area of mood and anxiety disorders.