Alaina Ables, LMHC

Dr. Cheryl Person is the National Director of Clinical Quality at Talkiatry. She is board certified in general adult psychiatry and has been in practice for 20 years. Dr. Person focuses on medication management but believes that is only part of successful treatment. She will spend her time providing motivational interviewing or supportive therapy, and believes it is often critical to have a therapist as part of the treatment team. Dr. Person received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatric residency at Johns Hopkins and a psychiatric epidemiology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a focus on disaster mental health. After relocating to Texas in 2010, she worked as Director of Psychiatric Services of a large safety-net hospital in Houston. Prior to Talkiatry, she most recently was the executive director/chief physician of a large university student health center and campus pharmacy. In addition to adult psychiatry, Dr. Person has worked extensively with victims of acute trauma and her primary focus is on working with patients who have anxiety and mood disorders.

Dr. Niles (he/him) holds the position of Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He has four years of experience in outpatient psychiatry and is board-certified for adult psychiatry. He has received training in the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive therapy, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy skills. He uses his training in therapy in tandem with medicine management to provide holistic, person-centered care. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh, while completing his pre-medical classes, he also pursued certification in the history and philosophy of medicine. Additionally, he studied the effect of culture and ethics on healthcare. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. He attended medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. His psychiatry residency training was completed at Charleston Area Medical Center. While in residency, he worked to improve cultural awareness in the outpatient setting. Dr. Niles is interested in treating patients with a wide variety of diagnoses. He treats mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, personality disorders, OCD, comorbid addiction, mild eating disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, and more. He also strives to provide care that affirms LGBTQIA+ identities and underwent additional training in transgender mental healthcare.

Scott Tuckman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who arrives with a robust set of backgrounds across several fields of interest, with immersion among numerous cultures and diverse ways of life. He has worked in multiple capacities in a variety of settings around the U.S., ranging from correctional to educational to inner-city community-based to corporate. With an eye on what influences the ever-present connections between body and mind and emotional states, Scott works well with those struggling with mood disorders, depression, a range of anxiety disorders, relationship problems, esteem issues, adjustment concerns, emotional dysregulation, and more. While Scott is psychodynamically oriented, he blends attachment theory application, mindfulness, selections from CBT and DBT modalities, or other treatment mechanisms tailored to meet each client's needs and complement any assigned psychopharmacological undertaking. Considering it an honor to join someone on their journey, he takes a direct yet compassionate approach so as to establish a comfortable co-owned therapeutic relationship. Ultimately, he strives to help clients gain a more comprehensive understanding of how they can move themselves forward and collaboratively develop the readiness to step towards it. When goals have been met and it's time to finally part ways, Scott hopes each client's tool belt is fortified with newly acquired techniques to overcome the inevitable obstacles on the road ahead.

Dr. Steven Wilkening is a board-certified adult psychiatrist.He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Cornell University followed by a neuroscience researchfocused Masters degree at the University of Mississippi. He then attended medical school at theUniversity of Mississippi School of Medicine, graduating with his MD degree as a Medical StudentResearch Scholar and member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed adultpsychiatry residency training at the University of Cincinnati and has since been working primarily intelepsychiatry.He has experience treating a wide variety of psychiatric conditions and also recognizes that lifestylefactors such as sleep, physical activity and stress-reduction are foundations of good mental health.Alongside medication management, he provides brief supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation, aswell as elements of cognitive behavioral and solution-focused therapies to assist patients in meetingtheir goals. He often encourages patients to see a therapist in addition to a psychiatrist.

Nakia is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor and Certified Sex Therapist with a Master of Education in Counseling and Development from Sam Houston State University. With extensive experience in education and private practice, she has helped individuals and couples navigate life's challenges and create meaningful change. Her expertise includes issues related to sexual health, intimacy, relationships, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, life transitions, and grief and loss. Specializing in working with individuals and couples, Nakia creates a warm and supportive environment where others feel heard and empowered. She guides them in making choices to change hindering situations and gain clarity through clinical tools to interpret and respond differently to life's challenges. Her approach is collaborative and tailored, ensuring therapy meets the unique needs of each person while celebrating progress. Nakia uses a holistic approach that integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy. She is also trained in Gottman Levels 1 and 2, providing evidence-based techniques to strengthen relationships and improve intimacy and communication. She believes change happens when individuals are honest with themselves and willing to do the work. As Carl Rogers said, "One must accept themselves as they are before change can occur.” Nakia considers it a privilege to support others as they heal, grow, and embrace life's possibilities.

Shivani M. Borhara is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who has been providing therapy to individuals and couples for the past 10 years. Shivani has a background in trauma and has worked with a diverse population of clients with a variety of issues and mental health struggles. Shivani attended Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY to obtain her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and Queens College in Flushing, NY for her Master's in Psychology, where she taught as an adjunct professor for undergraduate students. Shivani has also spent time bringing mental health resources and trainings to the NYC public school system. She is very passionate about mental health and helping individuals through the tough times in life. Shivani's approach is collaborative and she tends to focus on Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Focused Interventions. She explores childhood traumas and whether they are related to current issues. Shivani believes that there is no one size fits all model, and meets individuals where they are in their journey. Shivani focuses on normalizing anxiety and stress, while allowing one to move forward in life.