Dr. Katherine Pan, M.D.
Born in New York City, Dr. Pan spent her childhood and early teen years in Taiwan. She returned to the United States to attend high school in western New York state, and then onto SUNY University at Buffalo, where she earned an undergraduate degree and later M.D. from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “I chose psychiatry because it gives me the opportunity to listen to people’s stories and be there with them through difficult life events,” Dr. Pan says. To expand her horizons to see adults as well as children and adolescents, Dr. Pan completed her psychiatry fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. An anime fan, she believes her interests sometimes reflect those of children and teens, giving her a unique perspective. Dr. Pan treats anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, PTSD while encouraging therapy. “I am excited about the evidence supporting combined treatment of medication and therapy so that the emphasis isn’t only on medication,” she says. Noting the necessities that arose from the COVID-19 lockdowns, Dr. Pan is enthusiastic about working in telemedicine. “Since the pandemic, telemedicine has shown that it’s really easy to adapt to different situations. I see that increasing,” she says. “Telemedicine helps make it easier for patients to access care, and I think we will be seeing a continued increase in telemedicine going forward.” An avid traveler, Dr. Pan has made numerous trips to Japan and visited Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, and Hungary.Close
Dr. Sima Paul, M.D
Dr. Paul grew up in suburban Ohio and earned a degree in chemistry from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. After a year of graduate studies in organic chemistry, she decided to attend medical school, spending two years at Ross University and then two more in New York City, completing her clinical rotations in Brooklyn and Queens, followed by a psychiatric residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt affiliated with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Both her parents are physicians (a pathologist and orthopedic surgeon), and her older sister is a psychiatrist who recommended she focus on child and adolescent psychiatry after seeing how well (the future) Dr. Paul connected with her children. Dr. Paul believes Skypiatrist’s telemedicine model is a natural fit. “I have been practicing psychiatry for over 12 years and doing Tele-psychiatry for three. I enjoy it and believe patients just feel more comfortable talking from home.” Applying her expertise in ADHD, mood, and anxiety disorders, she will work with both younger patients and adults. Beyond her practice, Dr. Paul has a busy home life that includes books, gardening, exercise, and parenting. “My husband is a writer and I’m a big reader, especially of fiction, and I have two (pre-adolescent) kids. My family not only keeps me busy but gives me insight I use to connect with patients of all ages.”Close
Dr. Christina Persaud, M.D.
Dr. Christina Lakshmi Persaud is a true New Yorker born in Chelsea and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens. She graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior in 2006 and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree. She also earned a Masters in Biomedical Sciences degree at Tufts Medical University. Dr. Persaud received her Doctor of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and completed her psychiatry residency at Boston University Medical Center, where she was chief resident in her final year. She is realizing her dream of connecting helping her fellow New Yorkers as an attending psychiatrist. A provider of color and the first doctor in her family, Dr. Persaud covers a spectrum of psychiatric and psychological concerns, including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, mood disorders, PTSD, psychiatric effects of medical conditions (psychosomatic medicine), academic and professional stress, and navigating cultural dynamics. Additionally, she breaks down the internalized stigma often held by patients seeking mental health care for the first time. “Therapy should be part of primary care,” Dr. Persaud says. Like many during the pandemic, Dr. Persaud embraced telepsychiatry out of necessity. She was diagnosed with COVID in March 2020: “To keep working, I got into telemedicine. It’s been a godsend to me and the people I’ve been working with. I think telemedicine actually enhances the quality of care,” she says. As part of her COVID recovery, she is preparing to power walk the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.Close
Patricia Sage, LCSW-R
Patricia Sage-McLean, LCSW-R, hails from a small town in upstate New York. After receiving her BA from Binghamton University, she completed her MSW at the University at Albany School of Social Welfare. She received advanced training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy from Upstate Medical University at SUNY Syracuse. For the last four years, she has been part of a multi-disciplinary team at Lourdes Center for Pain and Wellness. Before that, Patricia worked for a substance abuse facility and an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Patricia strives to create a safe space where her patients feel welcome and validated. She takes a person-centered approach, allowing for self-exploration of past and current struggles to work on problem-solving and growth. She focuses on strength building and working on areas of life that they value most. Interested in the human being behind the story, she facilitates a therapeutic relationship that encourages patients to open up about their lived experience. Patricia has worked with patients online for two years and sees teletherapy as a solution to the transportation, scheduling, and accessibility issues commonly associated with in-office care. While she specializes in treating personality disorders, Patricia has extensive experience treating schizophrenia, chronic pain, substance abuse issues, stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, grief, and coping with life changes. In her free time, she enjoys working on her daughter’s farm and playing golf. She is also an avid nature photographer and animal lover.Close