America Calderon, LMHC

Rachel Jones, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience across inpatient, outpatient, community mental health, private practice, and telehealth settings. Her work has included serving as a substance abuse counselor in a county juvenile jail and DWI diversion program, conducting assessments and providing testimony for guardianship hearings, and offering therapeutic support within academic settings from elementary through college levels. She has also developed safety protocols, written IEPs, and taught college courses on workforce and career skills. Rachel earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Missouri Western State University and her Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Central Missouri. She has been a licensed professional counselor since 2005.

Rachel is a client-centered therapist who helps guide individuals in exploring their experiences and discovering their own strengths and resources. She fosters a supportive and nonjudgmental environment where clients can develop practical skills to navigate life challenges, strengthen relationships, and promote personal growth.

During the first session, Rachel focuses on listening and understanding each client’s story. Through gentle guidance, she helps clarify what brings them to therapy and collaborates to identify meaningful goals. Together, they create a personalized treatment plan that serves as a roadmap for ongoing sessions, building skills and insights that support lasting change.

Tara Merchant is a person-centered, nonjudgmental, relationship-based LMHC (licensed mental health counselor) who recognizes the intrinsic value of all people and holds positive regard for all her clients. Tara views counseling as a collaborative effort that provides psychoeducation and coping skills for the obstacles with which clients may be struggling, and clients provide insights as experts on themselves. She believes that all thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and have valid underlying factors. Tara seeks to help clients connect the dots, from both past and present, to have a greater understanding of themselves and their environments. She also fosters a safe space for clients to identify and embrace their feelings toward emotional catharsis. Tara received her Bachelor's Degree from Purchase College, State University of NY, and her Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Long Island University. She has an eclectic style that utilizes Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and psychodynamic modality. Tara aims to uphold cultural humility for ongoing learning and awareness that supports racial and social equity. She is experienced in working with relationship issues, anxiety, depression, and child development. Tara is a big proponent of self-care and encourages you to find whatever it is that fills your cup. She, for example, loves to watch TV and sing in her spare time.

Dr. David Guggenheim is an experienced clinical psychologist and health care administrator. He has worked with patients at different stages of life, including children, adolescents, and adults, and he has treated patients living with a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Dr. Guggenheim has specific training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and foundational training in dialectical behavioral therapy. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Guggenheim served as the Chief Behavioral Health Officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City, specializing in LGBTQ+ health care. In that role, he oversaw teams of providers including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, who collectively provided care to thousands of patients in the New York metropolitan area. While at Callen-Lorde, he also served as co-chair for the behavioral health subcommittee of the Community Health Center Association of New York State; worked as an Adjunct Professor at Post University; and performed volunteer clinical work at the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights. Before joining Callen-Lorde, Dr. Guggenheim worked as Associate Chief Behavioral Health Officer at Community Health Center, Inc., a federally qualified health center in Connecticut. A recognized expert, Dr. Guggenheim has delivered lectures to audiences ranging from medical schools to corporate executives, and he has been quoted in national media including The Advocate, Yahoo Finance, and Teen Vogue. Dr. Guggenheim has also been honored with an Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association in 2016. Dr. Guggenheim received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut in 2002 and his Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University/Washington, DC in 2009.

Kenny Londono is a Staff Psychotherapist at Talkiatry and been practicing in the mental health field since 2008. Kenny studied psychology at the University of Central Florida and received his master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. Kenny has worked directly with adults adjusting to life transitions related to medical issues, relationships, work, becoming a parent, and other life cycle changes. Kenny's services address stress management, relational health, effective communication, and conflict resolution.

Kenny fully embraces whole-person care and is passionate about understanding and supporting a client's lifestyle by exploring the six pillars associated with a client's well-being: healthy eating habits, physical activity, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, restorative sleep, and social connection. This passion for lifestyle medicine stems from his personal story of living with a chronic medical condition and overcoming many challenging obstacles.

Over the years, Kenny has enjoyed seeing clients grow in confidence, experience new levels of peace, and start to flourish in their relationships and careers. Kenny is Gottman Level One and Two trained and is a certified relationship educator. Other modalities that Kenny uses includes solution focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness coaching.

Kenny's mission is to be a source of hope for his clients, while walking with them and exploring the roads that illuminate their life story.

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Tamara McKlveen is a licensed mental health counselor and national certified counselor who has worked in the mental health field for the past seven years. Tamara is a compassionate mental health advocate who focuses on client-centered, strength-based techniques to support positive life changes. She has an eclectic style driven by client interest. She received her MA in Mental Health Counseling from South University in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has worked as a counselor, Social Service Coordinator and Social Service Manager for a Florida non-profit agency servicing adolescents and their families, helping to overcome barriers to communication, education and future success. Tamara has focused her work on clients struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, and mood disorder. She has also worked with teens struggling with eating disorders and issues specific to the LBGTQ population. She has a special interest in families coping with Autism and other special needs. ‍

Valene, pronounced (Val-leen), is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has worked in the mental health field for 7 years. During this time, she has worked with clients from various backgrounds and cultures with a variety of mental health conditions. Valene's experience ranges from an inpatient psychiatric facility to private practice to telehealth. Valene attended the University of South Florida for her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Florida International University for her graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling.‍Valene believes each therapeutic interaction should be individualized and client-centered, thus she uses an eclectic therapy approach. An eclectic approach means assisting clients by drawing from various therapeutic approaches and techniques, thus tailoring treatment to each client's needs. Valene considers the therapeutic relationship to be extremely important and strives to be a collaborative, empathetic, non-judgmental, person-centered therapist. Valene's professional interests include working with young adults, Caribbean Americans, and the BIPOC community. Within mental health she enjoys working with anxiety, depression, women's issues, adjustment disorders, and relationship issues, just to name a few.