Jeffrey Lucero, PMHNP-BC
Jeffrey Lucero is the founder and owner of Thoughtful Psychiatry. He is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of experience providing mental health care. He has extensive experience treating patients with complex presentations including those with trauma, complex trauma, and personality disorders.
Darya Pokoevaya, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Darya provides psychotherapy and medication management for children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of stress-related conditions. As a therapist and prescriber, she believes that each individual enters treatment with a unique set of circumstances and that it is essential to treat the person rather than focusing on symptoms. While she is able to treat patients with a variety of mental health conditions, she has a great deal of experience in treating anxiety and trauma-related conditions.
Darya completed a fellowship in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis, is fully trained to practice Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Psychotherapy (EMDR), has completed Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1, and also has received training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). These therapies are often used to treat attachment trauma, and she sometimes incorporates them into the treatments of people she sees for therapy or medication management.
Darya is primarily accepting patients for medication management at this time and offers genomic testing. This testing helps specify which medications will be most effective in treating an individual’s mental health condition.
Gretchen Woodward, PMHNP-BC
Gretchen is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing compassionate and comprehensive psychotherapy and medication management for adolescents and adults. Her training in CBT, AEDP, ISTDP and GPM blended with her clinical experience, intuition, and attention to individual needs, allow her to provide personalized care. She treats a range of conditions including ADHD, stress related and mood related disorders. Gretchen currently has openings for medication management for those who are currently receiving therapy.
Hanna Yapikhina, PMHNP-BC, AGNP-BC
Hanna is a dual-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult and Geriatric Nurse Practitioner.
Hanna understands how difficult it can be to take the next step in getting help. She is committed, humbled, and extremely passionate in what she considers the privilege to be able to serve those with multiple medical comorbidities and mental health struggles.
Currently she is accepting new patients for therapy and medication management and happy to discuss how she can help you and your family to navigate through difficult times.
Alexandra Himel, PMHNP-BC
Alex has a Doctorate in Psychiatric Nursing Practice (DNP) from Boston College and is licensed as a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). Additionally, she holds a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University and started her career as a therapist before entering the field of nursing.
Alex blends her background in mental health counseling and psychiatry to provide an experience that is welcoming, therapeutic, and backed by evidence-based research. She works to create a safe space for clients to explore medication, therapy, and to feel empowered in taking charge of their lives. She specializes in anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-esteem issues, building confidence, major life changes, work related stress, relationships, imposter syndrome, and family systems.
Alex strives to make people feel heard, understood, and safe when it comes to medication management and psychotherapy. She works with teenagers and adults using a variety of therapeutic modalities including DBT, CBT, person centered, and mindfulness. Deciding to seek mental health care and medication takes courage, commitment, and a passion to make long lasting change. Alex feels honored to work with her clients as they blaze their path towards recovery.
Angelique Empleo-Sandberg, PMHNP-BC
Angelique is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing person-centered treatment across the lifespan. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McGill University.
Angelique believes that mental wellness is multi-faceted, and that each person has a unique story deserving of specialized care. She provides medication management for a range of conditions, with a special focus on depression and anxiety, as well as personality, interpersonal, and trauma-related disorders. Her approach is client-centred and trauma-informed. Apart from psychiatry, Angelique has a background in neuroscience and emergency medicine, and she holds certifications for ACLS, BLS, and TNCC.
Any reason for seeking mental health care is significant, no matter how big or small it may seem. Angelique appreciates how difficult it can be to seek help, and she commends anyone taking this first step. She hopes to provide a safe space for individuals of all backgrounds and experiences, and she looks forward to attending your wellness journey together.
Melissa Kaeli, PMHNP-BC
Melissa has a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Northeastern University and is licensed as a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). She joins the practice with over 10 years of experience in healthcare in a range of areas including addiction, trauma-informed care, and LGBTQIA+ competent care.
Melissa offers a holistic approach to care with a strong emphasis on creating a safe and supportive environment within which healing can begin. She approaches mental health through a comprehensive lens that considers the interconnectedness of mind and body.
Currently she is accepting new patients for therapy and medication management for older children, adolescents and adults and looks forward to discovering how best to help guide each individual client on their healing journey, fostering empowerment and mental well-being along the way.
Kate Roddy, PMHNP-BC
Kate is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner dedicated to providing compassionate, patient-centered care to individuals of all ages. She joins the practice with several years of valuable experience working at McLean Hospital, where she cared for individuals on an inpatient short-term stabilization unit. Her clinical background is further enriched by years of research experience garnered from her work in the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Kate recognizes that seeking help can often feel daunting and commends you for being here. She strives to create a safe and supportive environment in which treatment is collaborative in nature and tailored to meet each individual’s needs.
Currently, Kate is accepting new clients of all ages for medication management and comprehensive therapy services.
Rachel Clapp, PMHNP-BC
Rachel is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Northeastern University. She joins the practice after working as a charge nurse on an inpatient psychiatric unit at McLean Hospital since 2018.
Rachel is passionate about providing psychotherapy and medication management to individuals with histories of complex trauma, anxiety, depression, and ADHD. She prioritizes a holistic, humanistic approach and employs various therapeutic modalities, including mindfulness practices, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and person-centered therapy. Rachel understands that compassion, collaboration, and acceptance are integral to healing and personal empowerment. She is committed to creating a therapeutic environment where patients can find their own path toward self-awareness and healing.
Rachel is currently accepting young adults, midlife, and older adults for psychotherapy and medication management.
Krystina Smith-Claros, PMHNP-BC
Krystina is a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) with a Master of Science in Nursing from Regis College. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College and worked for over 13 years as a registered nurse (RN) in various settings, including inpatient psychiatry and trauma/SICU environments. This extensive experience has endowed Krystina with knowledge in human anatomy and physiology, as well as the ability to think critically while working efficiently.
Krystina has a particular interest in mood, personality, and traumatic disorders. She believes promoting mental health involves a deeper process than simply treating or labeling a diagnosis; it rather includes considering an individual’s particular circumstances, needs, and goals in the therapy office and beyond. She is looking forward to applying her skills earned in various nursing settings to the environment of psychiatry for the betterment of patients’ minds and lives.
Stephanie Lucero, LICSW
Stephanie practices individual psychotherapy and care for adults of all ages. As a therapist, she practices Psychodynamic therapy, CBT and DBT, but she also incorporates mind-body therapies into her practice including MBSR and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. Stephanie believes in the importance of treating the body as well as the mind. She is also a practicing yoga instructor and has trained as a Pilates instructor and studied Reiki and nutrition.
Emma Worth, LICSW
Emma is a board-certified social worker, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, bringing to Thoughtful Psychiatry over a decade of experience serving diverse client populations in community, clinic and hospital settings.
Emma has been in private practice since 2017. Prior to that, she earned her MSW at Simmons School of Social Work, completed her social work training at Cambridge Health Alliance, and worked at the Guidance Center in Cambridge. Her experience includes the postgraduate fellowship with Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis, training at the Institute for Existential-Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
As a social worker, Emma approaches the therapy relationship as collaborative and empowering for the client, believing that each individual has innate wisdom necessary for healing and growth. She draws on psychodynamic, relational and experiential approaches, integrating mindfulness, self-compassion, family systems and other modalities. Emma treats many conditions including anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, life transitions, and grief. She looks forward to a fruitful interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing and social work.
Brianna Knight, LMHC
Brianna has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years, the last seven as a mental health counselor. She is passionate about working with adults with substance use disorders and trauma. She uses a person-centered therapeutic approach and employs Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and other therapies as appropriate.
Brianna received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies Spanish Language and Literature from Wellesley College, and her graduate degree in Professional Counseling from Lesley University. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, playing with her dog, traveling, geocaching, and hiking.
Jeni Rhodes, MSW Intern
Jeni is a Master of Social Work (MSW) intern specializing in Clinical Mental Health, set to graduate from Boston College in 2025. With a robust academic foundation that includes a Master of Arts in Teaching from Ithaca College and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish from James Madison University, Jeni brings a unique blend of clinical and educational expertise to their practice.
Fluent in Spanish, Jeni has a diverse professional background that spans clinical mental health, education, and bilingual case management. Her clinical experience includes working as an intern at La Casa Esperanza, where she co-led a structured outpatient addiction program and provided individual and group therapy in both Spanish and English. Additionally, Jeni has worked with the MaxLove Project, supporting families of children with cancer through psychoeducation, emotional support, and mindfulness training.
In prior roles, Jeni has managed the care of marginalized populations as a bilingual case manager and interpreter, advocating for migrant farmworkers in rural New York. Her educational experience as a Spanish teacher and coach further showcases her commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and personal development.
With a trauma-informed approach and a deep passion for supporting diverse communities, Jeni is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the field of mental health.