Top 11 Best Psychiatrists and Psychiatric NP’s in Maryland
Who are the best psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners in Maryland? At Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness, we pride ourselves in offering evidence based psychiatric care from some of the best psychiatric prescribers in Maryland.
Here is our list of the top 10 psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners in Maryland.
Best Psychiatrists in Maryland
Dr. Xian Zhang, MD, PhD, FAPA:
Dr. Xian Zhang (she/her) is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness. She specializes in treating kids with multiple mental health problems like ADHD, anxiety, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, oppositional behaviors, mood disorders, and psychosis. She made our list of Best Psychiatrists in Maryland because of her dedication to her patients. “I enjoy working with children and adolescents. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness their growth and progress,” says Dr. Zhang. “Early intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s development, offering a chance for long-term well-being and potentially being life-changing. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I also have the opportunity to work with families, gathering collateral information, including family history, the chronology of their child’s symptoms, as well as social factors from both school and home. This information is crucial for making an accurate diagnosis and formulating a holistic, biopsychosocial approach to the treatment plan.”
Dr. Zhang values an integrated approach to psychiatry that includes biomedical, psychological, and social components. She was honored as a fellow in the American Psychiatric Association, reflecting her dedication and extensive contributions to the field of psychiatry. She holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin, and she completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. Before coming to Gladstone, she served as chief resident at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC, and as chief fellow during her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship training at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
Dr. Helen Bellete, MD, MPH
Dr. Helen Bellete (she/her) is one of the best psychiatrists in Maryland. She works in Gladstone’s Columbia office, and specializes in treating adults ages 18 and older. She graduated from Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School in 2005, and then earned a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins. Dr. Bellete completed her first residency at Johns Hopkins as well, concentrating in general preventive medicine and public health. Her second residency in psychiatry was at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. When she is not working, Dr. Bellete loves to travel, learn about new cultures, and listen to music from around the world. She also enjoys the theater and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Julia Merti, MD
Dr. Julia Merti (she/her), one of the best psychiatrists in Maryland, works in Gladstone’s Columbia office and treats adults ages 18 and up. She grew up in Kensington, Maryland. After studying English Literature at Georgetown University and receiving her B.A., she went on to complete her M.D. at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. After medical school, Dr. Merti completed her residency in general psychiatry at the University of Maryland / Sheppard Pratt Residency Program. She also completed a fellowship in addiction psychiatry at the University of Maryland Medical Center and is board certified in both general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry.
Dr. Deborah Brooks, MD
Dr. Deborah Brooks (she/her) works in Gladstone’s Columbia office, treating both kids and adults. She made our list of the best psychiatric providers in Maryland because she is double board-certified in both general adult and child and adolescent psychiatry. She received both her undergraduate degree and her MD from Brown University in Rhode Island and completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Maryland. She recently joined Gladstone’s psychiatry team after spending the last 7 years in academia at the University of Maryland, training future psychiatrists. Dr. Brooks is delighted to now be working with patients full-time.
Coleen Schrepfer, MD, FAPA
Coleen Schrepfer, MD, (she/her) is Gladstone’s Senior Medical Director and the Director of our Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program. She is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist who treats children, adolescents and young adults, though she is not taking new patients at this time.
Dr. Schrepfer has over 16 years of clinical experience in treating pediatric patients. Before becoming a physician, she worked as a physical therapist with infants and children in several critical care and rehabilitation settings. After completing her medical degree at Drexel College of Medicine, she attended Mt. Sinai, NYC and the University of Maryland for her residency and fellowship training.
Dr. Schrepfer has lived in Baltimore since 2014. She prescribes psychiatric medications using an evidence-based approach. She is always sure to incorporate attention to the benefits of therapy, good nutrition, healthy relationships, the identification and achievement of goals, restorative sleep, and regular exercise. Dr. Coleen values the long-standing therapeutic relationships with her patients and their families.
Brittany Varner, MD
Dr. Brittany Varner (she/her) grew up in Bowie, Maryland, and she is one of the best psychiatrists in Maryland. She attended the University of Miami, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She then went on to earn her M.D. from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans.
Dr. Varner is a dedicated clinician who sees children and adolescents in Gladstone’s Columbia office. She completed both her adult psychiatry residency and child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt hospital systems. She is board certified in both adult and child/adolescent psychiatry. She particularly enjoys treating mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and ADHD in children and adolescents.
Best Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners in Maryland
Kathleen Swanson
Kathleen (Kate) Swanson (she/her) is one of the best psychiatric nurse practitioners in Maryland. She treats adults ages 18 and up in Gladstone’s Hunt Valley location. Kate earned a BS in Psychology at Brown University and a BSN at the University of Maryland. After college, she worked as a nurse in an adult inpatient psychiatry unit, and then returned to school to earn her Master’s in the University of Maryland psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program. She is now board-certified.
“I truly enjoy working with patients toward their best quality of life,” says Kate. She believes in personalized care, shared decision-making, and open communication, and says that is the path to the best treatment outcomes. She has worked with adult patients in outpatient, long-term care, medical rehabilitation, and group home settings.
Brittany Ullman
Brittany Ullman (she/her) is a board certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She made our list of the best nurse practitioners in Maryland because of her extensive experience working with children, adolescents and their families. “I pursued a career in mental health because I love talking to people and helping to navigate significant challenges in others lives,” says Brittany.
She has made it her mission to help and advocate for patients who struggle to be heard and understood, and she manages their mental health care with empathy and compassion. In addition to her practical experience, Brittany has a unique ability to connect with individuals, a capacity to understand them, and the empathy to meet them where they are. Before coming to Gladstone, Brittany worked in diverse roles in numerous care settings including as an RN and an integrative health care director. She is now one of the medical directors at Gladstone Psychiatry and Wellness, where she treats children, adolescents, and adults. She also sees patients in our Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program.
Kristy Garcia, PMHNP-BC
Kristy Garcia (she/her) is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with over 14 years of experience in healthcare. She is nationally certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She has worked with children, adolescents, and adults across the lifespan in hospital, community, and outpatient settings. Now, she treats kids and adults in Gladstone’s Hunt Valley office. She also sees TMS patients.
Kristy is one of the best nurse practitioners in Maryland because of her compassionate, patient-centered approach to treatment.
Erin McAndrew, PMHNP, RNC-OB
Erin McAndrew (she/her) is a psychiatric Nurse Practitioner who treats adults in Gladstone’s Baltimore (Mt. Washington) office. She specializes in LGBTQ+ populations and women’s mental health. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Erin worked as an RN in the Pediatric Intensive Care, Postpartum, and Labor and Delivery units in various hospitals around the United States.
Erin made our list of Best Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners in Maryland because of her dedication to her patients. “As a NP, I believe that my patients and I are a team that is built on a foundation of mutual respect,” says Erin. She uses a holistic approach to mental health care with the goal of minimizing undesirable symptoms and maximizing the patient’s ability to live a healthy, full life.
Vonetta Davis-Royster, MSN, CRNP-PMH
Vonetta Davis-Royster (she/her) is one of the top psychiatric nurse practitioners in Maryland, and Gladstone is lucky to have her to serve our adult patients in our Baltimore (Mt. Washington) location. She earned a BS in Nursing from Coppin State University and an MS in Advanced Practice Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Adult-focused from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Before coming to Gladstone, Vonetta worked at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Towson, MD, as lead/charge nurse, then advanced to the nurse management role of the co-occurring (addictions) disorders unit. She has also worked as a psychiatric NP in outpatient settings, including at the esteemed Kolmac Outpatient Recovery Center in Towson, MD.
Vonetta comes from a Caribbean-native family full of nursing professionals, so she feels like she has always known that she wanted to be a nurse. She says that the best piece of advice she’s ever received is, “If it’s not about relationship, it’s not about anything.” This is the driving motivation behind her desire to form and cultivate strong therapeutic relationships with her patients as well as interpersonal professional relationships with colleagues.
Edirin Uwayzor CRNP-PMH
Edirin Uwayzor (she/her) is an ANCC Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Gladstone is proud to have her treating our adult patients in our Bethesda, Maryland office. She made our list of the top psychiatric nurse practitioners in Maryland because of her non-judgmental and holistic approach to mental health and wellness. She believes in allowing her clients to explore, grow, and reach their personal goals. Her vision is to help her clients reach full potential in every aspect of their lives.