Trusted for Mental Health Treatment since 1983
Our Medical Practice
Our practice is balanced with psychiatrists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to address medical problems influencing your behavior, along with licensed therapists who can address your emotional and relationship difficulties.
Renowned Team of Providers
Experienced psychiatrists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family counselors, and certified substance use counselors provide a one-practice multidisciplinary care team to address your issues with your input.
Our Treatment Focus
You may benefit from medication management, individual or couples therapy, or participation in one of our ongoing group therapy sessions. Our care team will work with you to determine the right combination to provide the best treatment possible.
Our Patient Promise
You have many choices for treatment in the Tidewater area. We respect that you chose us. We do not judge; we do not preach. We listen and want to work with your unique strengths and abilities to stop the pain and help you enjoy your life.
Meet Our Team
Our psychiatrists are board-certified and fully licensed. All of our licensed clinical social workers and counselors have over 20 years of experience in the field. Our intensive outpatient program dealing with substance abuse and opioid disorders was one of the first programs of this kind in the area. Directed by a therapist with over 30 years of experience along with a physician experienced in medication-assisted treatment, our program is reviewed annually by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and continues to receive high marks.
Stephen G. Cunningham, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Yongbing "Larry" Pu, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Louise Friedman, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Paul Rosenberg, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Hannah Maxey, CSAC Supervisee
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
Jolie Hinnenkamp
Physician Assistant
Masaru Nishiaoki, MD
Board Certified Physician
Georgia Phillips
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Meghan Vaughn
Psychiatric Physician Assistant
Stephanie Mancini
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Marina Gozha
Psychiatric Physician Assistant
Lori Lutes
Practice Manager
Melanie Daniel
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Gretchen Sapone
Physician Assistant
Stephen G. Cunningham, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist
I completed both medical school and psychiatry residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, VA. I obtained my undergraduate and graduate degrees in experimental psychology from Old Dominion University (ODU). I am a board-certified in General Adult Psychiatry and treat individuals experiencing mood disorders (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder), psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder), addiction, and attention deficit disorder. I previously served as an associate medical director and President of the Medical Staff at Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center. I served as the 2020-2011 President of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia (PSV).
“I am proud to serve the psychiatric needs of patients at Tidewater Psychotherapy Services. I am happy to continue the long history at TPS of providing quality psychiatric and psychotherapeutic treatment. Our goal is to use both psychotherapy and psychiatric medications to relieve human suffering, in conjunction with all available treatment options. We strive to educate our patients about the necessity of proper sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, and meditation in order to achieve the greatest amount of emotional balance and stability.”
Yongbing "Larry" Pu, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist
I am a board-certified general psychiatrist. I mainly treat adults with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD, psychotic disorder, ADHD, and other common psychiatric conditions. I graduated from Peking Union Medical College in 1993. I have successful prior experiences in internal medicine/endocrinology in China and in urology research in the United States. I completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, Tennessee in 2011. I was in charge of a psychiatry screening and crisis center in New Jersey from 2011 to 2013. During the same time, I also provided psychiatric consultation-liaison services to several local hospitals. I began work at Tidewater Psychotherapy Services in 2013. In addition to outpatient work at Tidewater Psychotherapy Services, I am also affiliated with Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center. I also worked with a leading national telepsychiatry service provider company to provide telepsychiatry service to underserved regions and facilities.
Louise Friedman, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
My interest in social work as a career began when I was an undergraduate at the University of Tennessee and I had the opportunity to work on some federally funded community projects in Appalachia. After receiving a Master’s degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, I worked with the Virginia Beach Department of Social Services, where I participated in developing an emergency response to reports of child abuse or domestic violence. My work with Family Services of Tidewater gave me opportunities to develop clinical skills in working with individuals, couples and families. Through my years at Tidewater Psychotherapy Services, my clinical interests have grown to include a focus on treating depression, anxiety, and panic disorders as well as continuing interest in couples’ relationships and parenting.
Paul Rosenberg, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I attended the University of Virginia and Norfolk State University. I have over 36 years of experience working with children aged 5 and over, adolescents, and adults. I will work with children younger than 5 in a family therapy setting. I can provide individual, marital/couples, and family therapy for ADHD, Anxiety, Behavior/Conduct Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Depression, Grief, Physical Abuse/Victim, Sexual Abuse/Victim, Parenting, PTSD, OCD in children, Social Skills, and School Issues.
Hannah Maxey, CSAC Supervisee
Certified Substance Abuse Counselor
I have experience working in a variety of settings for adults including psychosocial day treatment, inpatient psychiatric care, and inpatient chemical dependency/detox treatment.
Strengths and areas of special interest include group work, psychoeducation, neurophysiology of addictions, codependency, and personality development.
I Employ a range of therapeutic approaches to build rapport and believes in treating the individual holistically
Experience: multiple settings treating adults. They include psychosocial day treatment, inpatient psychiatric care, and inpatient chemical dependency/detox treatment.
Expertise: group work, psycho-education, neuro-physiology of addictions, traumas, codependency, and personality development.
What I value: building rapport and understanding with patients; treating each patient with comprehensive care.
Jolie Hinnenkamp
Physician Assistant
I attended Saint Cloud State University for my undergraduate education, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, with an emphasis on human biology and psychology. I relocated to the Hampton Roads area to attend Eastern Virginia Medical School for my master’s degree. As a Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C), I am able to obtain a full medical history, evaluate, examine and treat a wide variety of psychiatric conditions. I gladly treat adults with common psychiatric symptoms and conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar disorders, and many others. I also treat a variety of substance use disorders and am a licensed suboxone provider. I believe in improving the quality of life by addressing all aspects of care, such as lifestyle factors, in addition to medication management. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Masaru Nishiaoki, MD
Board Certified Physician
Dr. Masaru Nishiaoki is a board-certified and fellowship-trained addiction medicine physician with specialized training in the treatment of substance use and mental health disorders. Originally from the NYC metro, Dr. Nishiaoki received his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He relocated to Hampton Roads to complete a primary care residency program at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he is now an assistant professor (community faculty). In response to the stigmatization and insufficient care given to his patients with substance use disorders, Dr. Nishiaoki pursued an addiction medicine fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University to sub-specialize in the field. He is the medical director of the Center for Dual Treatment at Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center and a staff physician at the Farley Center at Williamsburg Place, a nationally respected residential treatment center specializing in the care of impaired professionals.
Dr. Nishiaoki is active on the state addiction treatment stage as an elected officer in the Virginia Society of Addiction Medicine. In recognition of his community efforts and scholarly pursuits, Dr. Nishiaoki was named a 2021 Ruth Fox Scholar by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Dr. Nishiaoki’s clinical interests in addiction medicine include the treatment of co-occurring mental health disorders, hospital-based addiction treatment services, and medical education. He seeks to expand evidence-based, compassionate addiction treatment in the region, all while empowering medical professionals in all specialties to better care for patients with substance use disorders.
Georgia Phillips
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I graduated from Pennsylvania State University – Main Campus with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare and from Norfolk State University with a Master’s Degree in Social Work. I have over 35 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and seniors in a variety of settings. I am committed to providing a safe space for you to begin your healing journey. I am also very committed to providing therapy that is evidence based and effective. I am certified in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), ADHD treatment, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). My primary treatment modality is ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) which has a strong evidence base. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma/PTSD (complex and single incident), anger management issues, grief, relationship issues and other struggles we face as part of the human experience. Currently, I am focused on working with individuals from age 16 years and up.
Meghan Vaughn
Psychiatric Physician Assistant
Megan completed her undergraduate education at Capital University. She graduated from Radford University Carilion Physician Assistant Program in 2016. Her passion has always been within the mental health field, treating a range of conditions to include anxiety, depression, bipolar and substance abuse.
Stephanie Mancini
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I am an LCSW and have experience working with every age group. I have a client centered approach , meeting people where they are , providing a judgement free zone that facilitates the changes that you want to make. My hope is to create an atmosphere of a partnership where you feel supported and accompanied through life’s challenges. To reach our therapeutic goals I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and Internal Family Systems. I also have experience with trauma work as well as working with children/teens and their families.
Marina Gozha
Psychiatric Physician Assistant
Nationally certified Physician Assistant specializing in Psychiatry. I was born and raised in Western Ukraine where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Landscape Architecture and Design at International University of Ukraine. I lived in a few different countries, speak Russian, Ukrainian, and Greek, and I love working with different categories of people. I moved to USA in 2011 and earned my Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School. My goal and passion match: helping my patients to have a better-quality life and find joy in it.
Lori Lutes
Practice Manager
I have been working in the medical field for the past 41 years. My career started in Urology, and I have also worked in the ENT, Plastic Surgery and Neurology fields. In 2001 my career goals led me to the administrative side of the house serving as the Office and Billing manager for many practices. I just recently joined Tidewater Psychotherapy Services in 2021 and I understand the front office of any practice is your first introduction any medical team, so it is my goal that we greet you with a kind smile, answer all your questions and arrange appointments with our terrific group of Clinicians. My front office and billing team is here to assist you with all your Tidewater Psychotherapy Services needs.
Melanie Daniel
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Melanie is a Family Nurse Practitioner with a special interest in psychiatric illnesses.
Melanie started her career in the medical field as a Registered Nurse. She then obtained a bachelors of Science in Nursing from Chamberlin University in Arlington, VA before obtaining a Masters degree is nursing from Walden University.
Melanie is a member of ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) and has a special interest in those struggling with substance use disorders and is a licensed suboxone provider.
She happily assesses and treats teens and adults with psychiatric illnesses such as ADHD, Bipolar, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD and others. She has experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
As part of a multidisciplinary team, she works in collaboration with other treatment providers to provide holistic care.
Melanie looks forward to meeting and working with you for your psychiatric care needs.
Gretchen Sapone
physician assistant
I graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA with my master of physician assistant degree. I have worked in VA Beach for over 20 yrs as a family practice/internal medicine PA until starting with Tidewater Psychotherapy in January 2023. I have always had an interest in caring for patients with psychiatric illnesses and substance use disorders. My years in general practice allowed me to see how a person’s mental health and physical health are closely affected by one another. I look forward to being able to focus on treating various psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders.
Start Your Journey Today
Our appointment desk opens for scheduling new and existing patients from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Virginia Beach, VA
Contact Info
Phone: (757) 497-3670
Fax: (757) 499-1947
Office Hours
Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
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