Candice Charles, LCSW

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.

Jannise McKamey-Bruell began her career working in the field of education after she completed both a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and a Master of Liberal Arts at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with an emphasis on Psychology, Women's Studies, and Child and Family Studies. After relocating to Georgia, Ms. McKamey-Bruell attended Argosy University where she completed an additional Master of Arts Degree, with honors, in Community Counseling in addition to receiving a Marriage and Family Therapy Certification. Ms. McKamey-Bruell is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Distance Certified Counselor (DCC), a Board Certified Tele-Mental Health Provider (BC-TMH), and holds a Crisis Worker Certification from the American Association of Suicidology. Ms. McKamey-Bruell is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Cobb County Juvenile Court. Prior to private practice, her clinical experience included working as a therapist at the YWCA, providing domestic violence and sexual assault counseling, facilitating domestic violence support and therapy groups, working with children and families at several community mental health agencies, and working at a mental health crisis line. In addition to her private practice, Ms. McKamey-Bruell also provides online therapy to clients through a secure website and texting platform. Ms. McKamey-Bruell believes in helping others to help themselves. She provides therapy to individuals with an emphasis on crisis intervention, skill-building, self-esteem, attachment issues, relationship problems, and communication repair. She creates a close, supportive relationship in the counseling setting to assist each person in moving forward through open discussion, developing personal insight, and offering workable suggestions. Her specialties include working with those who are experiencing anxiety or depression. When not working, Ms. McKamey-Bruell regularly participates in professional training, enjoys volunteering and participating in community and sorority events, collecting Disney paraphernalia, traveling, sewing, attending sci-fi conventions, and spoiling her nieces and nephews.

Dr. Marla Richard is a Stanford-trained board-certified psychiatrist and is board-eligible for geriatric psychiatry from UCSD. She has been practicing in a variety of settings for the last 30 years. Dr. Richard uses an integrated health paradigm with general and geriatric patients using traditional psychopharmacology, interpersonal neurobiology practices, and personality assessments to look at root motivations for behaviors to address core issues and with medication management as needed. Dr. Marla believes that you need to take a whole-person approach to both mental and physical health. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and then attended medical school at Stanford Medical School to complete her MD. With visions of becoming a general surgeon, she went to the University Hospitals of Cleveland and completed two years of general surgery training before seeing the light and transferring to psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry training at Stanford University and geriatric training many years later at UCSD. Her focus includes an integrated approach to the consideration of mental and physical health while incorporating mindfulness tools to teach skills of stress and anxiety management in everyday life. In conjunction with medication management, she uses interpersonal neurobiology to help clients understand triggers as well as methods to calm overactive stress responses and reactivity.

Background and credentials

Dr. Joyln Ferrell is a board-certified psychiatrist with specialized training in treating depression and anxiety disorders. She earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and also holds a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Georgia. She completed her residency training in psychiatry at VA Boston/Harvard Medical School and gained significant clinical experience at McLean Hospital. Additionally, she completed a fellowship in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research.

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Treatment approach

Dr. Ferrell focuses on providing patient-centered care, emphasizing improving quality of life and helping patients reach their specific treatment goals. Her approach integrates medication management with supportive therapy. She believes in a collaborative treatment process and may recommend additional therapy support when necessary to optimize outcomes. She takes a cautious and limited approach to the use of controlled medications, ensuring responsible medication management.

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What you can expect in a first visit

During the first visit, patients can expect a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals. Dr. Ferrell takes a thoughtful and individualized approach to care, working with patients to develop a treatment plan that incorporates medication management and supportive therapy. Follow-up visits typically last 20-30 minutes and focus on monitoring progress and adjusting treatment as needed. In some cases, she may recommend involving an additional therapist to further enhance the effectiveness of the treatment plan.

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Why Talkiatry?

We’re a virtual mental health practice that makes it easy to find great care. We combine quality and convenience to help you thrive—faster. Our providers, like this one, are highly trained experts who specialize in medication management and collaborate with you on a treatment plan that fits your needs and comfort level.

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Dr. Candice Hacker is a board-certified Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. She completed her Psychiatry residency and a fellowship in Consultation Liaison Psychiatry at Mount Sinai/St. Luke's Hospital. She is passionate about a holistic approach to patient care, trained in psychosomatic medicine, and she has a deep appreciation for the intricate connection between the mind and body. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Hacker has facilitated excellent outcomes in the treatment of various mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and trauma-related conditions. Dr. Hacker believes in creating a safe, nurturing and non-judgmental environment where patients can openly explore their emotions and experiences. By integrating evidence-based psycho-pharmacological modalities with mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques, she empowers her patients to challenge a negative mindset and reach their goals. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Hacker is deeply committed to community mental health advocacy and the destigmatization of mental illness.

Dr. O’Mara is a board-certified geriatric and general adult psychiatrist. She is originally from Ohio where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and psychology from Wright State University and attended medical school at Ohio University. She completed her psychiatry residency and geriatric psychiatry fellowship through Michigan State University at Pine Rest in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has provided psychiatric care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She was a faculty member and Associate Program Director for Trinity Health Livonia’s psychiatry residency. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and hiking.

Dr. O’Mara eagerly treats a wide range of age groups and conditions and is passionate about patients coping with chronic medical conditions and caregivers. She also has experience with perinatal mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and PTSD. She strives to deliver evidence-based treatment tailored to her patient’s individual needs.

In addition to medication management, she incorporates brief therapy modalities into her appointments including supportive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy skills. She will work with you to determine if more comprehensive therapy may be needed. She also can provide practical and realistic behavioral strategies to caregivers and patients with memory changes. Dr. O’Mara prefers to meet patients where they are in a supportive, safe, and non-judgmental environment.