We feel that certain characteristics are indispensable in our staff.  The most important of these is that the professional performs this work because she or he truly cares about people.  A good medical doctor or therapist must have the ability to truly empathize with the problems of each patient, must be willing to go the extra mile when necessary, and must demonstrate the same degree of concern for each patient the doctor or therapist would like to receive were she or he the one seeking help.  Our staff does not view their work as just a business, but have their hearts in it and derive their satisfaction from helping people.
       
The second important characteristic that our staff members must possess is that of being well-trained and knowledgeable in their particular subspecialty.  We expect each staff member to be on the cutting edge of advances in this rapidly growing field.  Continued self-education is essential.  Our ability to use treatment techniques must be equal to the best that the mental health field has to offer.

The third characteristic that you will find in each staff member is conscientiousness.  Attention to details, investigation of all diagnostic and treatment possibilities, and responsible follow-up to meet the needs of a patient promptly are key components of being “conscientious”.
 
To be able to provide a treatment plan that can address the individual complexities, the Center assembled a comprehensive range of medical doctors, therapists, and services.  Each staff member not only has an excellent general knowledge of the mental health field and the work of other practitioners at the Center, but each doctor and therapist also has a subspecialty area in which she or he is unusually expert.  This allows a patient to be treated by a doctor or therapist with an in depth knowledge in a particular type of therapy or problem and a range of experience dealing with that problem that usually cannot be equaled by a general practitioner.  We therefore try to match you with an expert in the field.  Since some individuals may have several types of problems or benefit from several different approaches, at times several staff members may be working together on a case. 

We have an appreciation for the importance of team work and the ingredients that make it successful, such as a mutual respect for each team member’s strengths and frequent communication among the staff.    

To learn more about some of our staff members, please continue reading or contact our office to learn more about our services.
  
Psychiatrists

Alvaro Guzman, M.D. 
Dr. Alvaro Guzman is a compassionate and effective psychiatrist highly skilled in treating mental health patients. He is knowledgeable and capable in the psychopharmacology and psychotherapy of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. His interpersonal and communication skills are a plus. These assets allow him to work efficiently and empathetically with his patients. He continually adds to his knowledge base by staying on top of established and evolving biological, psychological and social sciences, and the application of this knowledge to patient care. Dr. Guzman has demonstrated a commitment to carrying out his professional responsibilities. His reliability, ethical principals, sensitivity and curious mind make him a warm and caring therapist.
 
Dr. Guzman’s rich and varied clinical experience goes well beyond his formal Psychiatry training at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C. His interest in research began at the NIH and continues now at the School of Medicine at the University of Maryland. His commitment to clinical work with minorities and his studies in social issues has helped him to gain a better and deeper understanding of the human condition.
 
Currently, Dr. Guzman is the Deputy Director of Andromeda Transcultural Mental Health Clinic, a multicultural center that focuses on an under-served population in Washington D.C. Also, he is Clinical Assistant Professor of the Psychiatry Program at University of Maryland in Baltimore.
 
Dr. Guzman is a Board eligible diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is fluent in English and Spanish.  

Teodor T. Postolache, M.D.
Teodor Postolache is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Maryland in Baltimore and on the clinical faculty of Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.  For two years, Dr. Postolache has led the Psychopharmacology Consultation Services of the DC Department of Mental Health & St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC, consulting on very complex cases and teaching residents and medical students.  Dr. Postolache currently treats anxiety and mood disorders, complicated by abundant transmeridian travel, in employees from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and helps elite athletes achieve their full potential through non-pharmacological means, such as alignment of circadian perk performance with competitive demands.  A graduate of the Cluj-Napoca Medical School in Romania, Dr. Postolache completed postgraduate studies in Medicine at the Vienna General Hospital (Vienna, Austria) and Broussais Hospital (Paris, France) and his residency training in Psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center (New York, NY), the Manhattan Campus of Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  Dr. Postolache is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. 

For more information on Dr. Postolache visit his Web site at http://www.drpostolache.com/. 
 
Therapists

S. Nicole Burton, MA 
Nicole Burton, MA is a licensed therapist in Virginia with an application pending in D.C., who got her MA in Counseling Psychology at Argosy University in Virginia. In addition to providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for patients at The National Center in DC, she has done counseling at The Women’s Center in Vienna, Virginia, as well as at Fairfax City’s Woodburn Center for Community and Mental Health. Her experience includes providing individuals and couples counseling. She is skilled at working with adolescents and adults who have mood disorders, anxiety disorders, emotional, behavioral, self-esteem and relationship issues. She has a contagious enthusiasm about her work, she is highly skilled and very caring. 
 
Bonnie Zucker, Psy.D
Bonnie Zucker, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, where she minored in child/adolescent psychology, and her Masters degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Baltimore. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Provena Saint Therese Medical Center in Illinois. Dr. Zucker completed her postdoctoral training at William Stixrud, Ph.D., and Associates in Maryland, where she acquired extensive experience administering neuropsychological tests and conducting psycho-educational evaluations. Dr. Zucker conducts psychotherapy at the National Center, utilizing a cognitive-behavioral (CBT) approach to the treatment of generalized and social anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, and depression. In addition to CBT, she integrates analytic work into therapy in order to facilitate a greater understanding of the client's presenting concerns. Her previous experience includes conducting individual, family, and group therapy with children, adolescents, and adults with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, emotional and behavioral problems, self-esteem and relationship issues, eating disorders, and traumatic histories in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Kathleen K. Wellington, M.Ed., L.C.S.W.
Kathleen K. Wellington has a M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from George Mason University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in VA and DC.  She is Director of Clinical Services at Community Residences, a non-profit organization that provides services to individuals with chronic mental illness, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, and homeless individuals with mental health and substance abuse problems.  She also works as a behavioral/cognitive therapist at the National Center for the Treatment of Phobias, Anxiety and Depression.  She has provided numerous trainings and presentations on behavioral-cognitive therapy, counseling skills, clinical documentation, and horticulture therapy in the media and at local hospitals and various agencies and providers in the region.  She is currently working towards certification as a Horticultural therapist.

Staff Information