Cardiologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Chiropractor providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dentist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dermatologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Family Physician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
OB-GYN providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Ophthalmologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Orthopedic Surgeon providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Pediatrician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Physical Therapist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Podiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Psychiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Specialties: Anxiety • Trauma • Emotional Regulation • Family & School Challenges • Culturally Responsive Counseling
Karleen Fernandez is a mental health counselor (MHC) with over 12 years of experience supporting students and families. With a strong background in educational and clinical settings, she helps individuals navigate emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges with warmth and compassion.
Karleen specializes in working with clients facing anxiety, trauma, and family conflict, offering a strengths-based, culturally responsive approach to therapy. She provides a supportive and safe space where clients can build self-awareness, resilience, and connection—empowering them to create meaningful, lasting change.
Her goal is to guide individuals through life transitions, relationship difficulties, and personal growth by developing coping strategies that align with their values and strengths. Whether it's managing school stress, family dynamics, or emotional overwhelm, Karleen is dedicated to helping clients find clarity and healing.
A fun fact about Karleen: her work is rooted in the belief that healing doesn’t just benefit the individual—it creates a ripple effect of growth and connection that touches families and communities as well.
“Dr. Patel is an accommodating, curious, and smart provider who cares about his patients as people. He also provides occasional teaching on mental health practices and research relevant to my life!”
In a world where emotional wellbeing is of immense importance, I stand as a psychiatrist dedicated to my craft, committed to fostering mental health and empowering individuals on their goals.
A Midwesterner at heart, I completed my undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University, then went on to complete my medical degree at the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine before finishing my residency at Loyola University Medical Center where a sizable portion of training was spent at the Edward Hines VA Hospital. During my residency, I cultivated a deep understanding of psychiatric nuances and treatment modalities. I am proud to mention that I have received training in cultural sensitivity, enhancing my ability to provide inclusive and personalized care to individuals from various backgrounds. Additionally, I am trained in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), further expanding my repertoire of therapeutic interventions. My memberships include the American Psychiatric Association, American Osteopathic Association, and the Illinois Psychiatric Society.
Throughout my career, I have traversed differing landscapes from rural to urban, gaining a myriad of experiences that helped shape my comprehensive approach to mental health. It is important to me to stay on top of the latest advancements in psychiatry and use evidence- based medicine to offer my patients pertinent, personalized care for them. I am enthusiastic about working with a range of populations. Areas of interest include mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD/complex trauma, bipolar disorder, insomnia, and substance use.
My therapeutic style is characterized by empathy, active listening, and collaborative relationships with patients, fostering a safe space for healing. I offer a combination of medication management and psychotherapy. As a clinician, I aim to empower my patients and help them achieve resilience to navigate life’s challenges. My practice is founded on compassion, respect, and the firm belief an individual has inherent potential for transformative growth.
Murali Rao, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist at Mindful TMS Neurocare Centers, providing high-quality mental health care to people in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, Crystal Lake, Hinsdale, and Wheaton, Illinois.
Dr. Rao studied at Mysore Medical College and Research Institute in Karnataka, India, earning degrees in medicine and surgery. After graduation, he moved to the United States and completed a psychiatry residency at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
Before joining Mindful TMS Neurocare Centers, Dr. Rao received formal training in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at two of the top TMS centers in the world –– the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Dr. Rao diagnoses and treats various psychiatric issues, but he has a special interest in behavioral neurosciences, geriatric psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, and treatment-resistant depressive mood disorders.
Dr. Rao is caring and compassionate. He enjoys getting to know his patients and takes a goal-driven treatment approach.
Outside the office, Dr. Rao teaches psychiatry students and contributes to psychiatric research. He currently serves as an affiliate professor of psychiatry at Loyola University Chicago and chairs the psychiatry department. Dr. Rao is also involved in the study of ketamine infusion therapy and esketamine, an FDA-approved nasal spray for the treatment of depression.
Dr. Rao is a member of the American College of Psychiatry, a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and a fellow of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine.
Dr. Rao’s knowledge and extensive clinical experience let him drive innovation and excellence in mental health. He welcomes anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, or other mental health or behavioral disorders to schedule an appointment at Mindful TMS Neurocare Centers.
We are excited to help individuals explore their mental wellness, and find the best modality to improve their quality of life! My background includes a Bachelor's of Science in Exercise Physiology, a Master's of Science in Nursing, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in both Psychiatric Mental Health and Adult-Geriatric Primary Care. My training in psychiatry included the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic mental health conditions, along with crisis management. My psychiatric training took place at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago Medicine and the inpatient psychiatric unit at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center. I am currently a board certified Nurse Practitioner by the ANCC in both Psychiatric Mental Health and Adult-Geriatric Primary Care.
I have been an accomplished psychiatrist for 30+ years, specialized in general adult psychiatry, hospital based consultation psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, Addiction psychiatry -with extensive experience in clinical care with expertise in psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, addiction and geriatric psychiatry.
Affiliate Professor at Loyola University Chicago.
I am fortunate that I was formally trained in novel treatments for the betterments of treatment resistant patients, TMS at two of the top TMS centres in the world; Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at the hands of Prof Ziad Nahas and Prof Mark George who was the first psychiatrist to use TMS to treat depression in the early 90s; and at Duke University under Prof Sarah Lisanby, now the Director of Translational Research at the NIH.
Excited to to be starting Ketamine Infusion Therapy soon to have all the available treatment modalities to provide the best possible and novel modalities as indicated.
