Shilpa Amara, MD

Dr. David Gomez is a board-certified psychiatrist who is bilingual and fluent in English and Spanish. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Florida International University and completed a residency in Psychiatry at the University of Miami / Jackson Memorial Hospital. During his training, he worked closely with a diverse array of patients, including minority and underserved communities, military veterans, trauma survivors, medically complex individuals with HIV and cancer, geriatric patients, and individuals with severe mental illness in both outpatient and inpatient settings. He received additional training through his participation in specialty clinics focused on mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions, and geriatric / memory disorders.

Dr. Gomez specializes in providing comprehensive mental health care to diverse patient populations. He combines psychotropic medications with supportive therapy using a psychodynamic listening approach to understand his patients and achieve their treatment goals.

He believes in tailoring treatment plans to meet individual needs, fostering a collaborative environment that empowers patients in their recovery. Known for his warm demeanor and attentive listening skills, Dr. Gomez creates a safe space for patients to express themselves safely. He emphasizes the importance of a strong therapeutic alliance and integrates psychodynamic principles, mindfulness techniques, and lifestyle modifications into his practice.

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Lauren is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) who earned her Masters of Science in Nursing from Kent State University in 2020. Lauren has experience treating patients with depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders, bipolar, ADHD, OCD, PTSD and substance abuse.

Lauren’s approach integrates both medication management and psychotherapy, creating a balanced treatment plan. She takes the time to listen to concerns, creating a safe space for open dialogue. Lauren utilizes supportive therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy in her sessions. Lauren knows that medication alone often isn't enough to fully address the root causes of distress. With a laid-back, non-judgmental, and empathetic approach, she collaborates with you to build a comprehensive treatment plan that may include talk therapy, lifestyle modifications, stress management, self-care, supplements, and social health. Every decision is rooted in evidence-based practices and patient-centered care, ensuring that your treatment is tailored to your unique needs and goals.

Lauren will conduct a thorough initial assessment, gathering detailed information about your mental and physical health history, lifestyle, symptoms, concerns, and goals. This information guides a potential diagnosis, which then serves as the foundation for creating a personalized treatment plan with regular follow-up appointments to track progress, make any necessary adjustments, and receive ongoing support.

Dr. Peckover is a Staff Psychiatrist at Talkiatry. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Adult Psychiatry. He has been practicing for three and a half years. Dr. Peckover provides patient-centered care with an emphasis on medication management, psychoeducational, and lifestyle adjustments. He typically provides supportive or integrative therapy along with medication management, but some cases will require the addition of a therapist to the treatment team. Dr. Peckover received a Bachelor's of Medical Science from the University of Western Ontario in Canada and received his Medical Degree from Ross University. He completed his residency at Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan, where he served as chief resident in his final year. He then worked as a psychiatrist in the outpatient department at Kings County hospital, where he also supervised residents from SUNY Downstate. As an outpatient psychiatrist, Dr. Peckover has an extensive history of treating patients of all ages with a wide variety of psychiatric disorders, with an emphasis on mood and anxiety disorders. He treated patients remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak, helping to manage the increase in stress that came with the pandemic.

Dr. Sujith Maracheril is a board-eligible psychiatrist who provides comprehensive patient care while building a physician-patient relationship centered on communication, empathy, and respect. His primary focus is medication management, and he also provides supportive psychotherapy to help patients work toward long-term improvements. While aligning treatment toward patient goals, he takes a practical approach to changes that can be made to empower patients in their lives. Dr. Maracheril is a graduate of the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program at the CUNY School of Medicine, a 7-year BS/MD program. He completed his residency training in psychiatry at the Zucker School of Medicine/Northwell Health at Mather Hospital. He has trained in many settings including inpatient psychiatric units, general and specialized outpatient clinics, and at a partial hospitalization program. Dr. Maracheril has experience treating a broad range of mental health conditions including depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and OCD. He understands that people may experience these conditions in different ways, and he aims to treat each patient in an individualized and holistic way.

Candace L. Gillespie is a therapist at Talkiatry. She has worked with clients in many settings including as a school counselor, a private practice therapist, and for major virtual therapy platforms as well. Candace received her Master's of Education degree in School Counseling with Community Counseling hours from Delta State University. She has an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, an Educational Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership, and a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management. She is multi-state licensed in Mississippi, Tennessee, & and Georgia as a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is licensed in Idaho as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Candace is also a National Certified Counselor and National Certified School Counselor by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Treatment modalities include Client Centered therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Motivational interviewing, & and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.

Dr. Ahmed Valdes is a board certified adult psychiatrist and burgeoning Geriatric Psychiatrist. After completing his undergraduate education at Florida State University, he attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where he graduated with a combined M.D./M.S. in Genomic Medicine. He subsequently completed psychiatry residency at Jackson Health System/University of Miami and further subspecialized with a fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry. Dr. Valdes has had the opportunity of working with a diverse array of patients including veterans, inmates, the severely mentally ill, geriatric, and cancer patients across three distinct hospital systems. Dr. Valdes has had varied clinical experiences in specialty inpatient psychiatry units (detox, geriatric, mood disorder), emergency psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, psycho-oncology, and outpatient specialty clinics (HIV, dementia, integrative and collaborative care) via telemedicine and face to face interactions .Dr. Valdes has experience working with adults of all ages, particularly those with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, PTSD, and more. Dr. Valdes employs empathic listening, supportive psychotherapy techniques, and a comprehensive and methodological approach to his visits. Given his broad and diverse training experiences, he enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with patients to navigate their complex issues and jointly focusing on simple solutions to work towards improving their mental health.