Tami Ditkoff, LMHC

More Clinicians

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.

KaShunda Davis, LPC

Staff Licensed Professional Counselor

KaShunda "Shun” Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. She received her Master of Science in Counseling at Amberton University and postgraduate studies in Professional Counseling and Development at Lamar University. Shun has worked in various settings in the mental health field including community-based counseling centers, private practice, and large group practices providing counseling services to adults, couples, and adolescents. Her professional experience has focused on mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, persistent affective disorder), anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, self-esteem and confidence, gender identity and LGBTQIA+ concerns; relationship concerns, and life transitions. Shun's integrative therapeutic style provides an emotionally safe space that supports self-exploration, empowerment, and authenticity. Specializing in cognitive behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, trauma-focused therapy, narrative therapy, and mindfulness; she tailors her approach to meet the unique needs of each individual. She is dedicated and passionate about assisting individuals to work through barriers to create the lives and relationships that they desire and to develop a sense of personal strength and self-acceptance. She celebrates and welcomes the diversity of all clients and strives to create an affirming, inclusive, and non-judgmental space to explore individual needs and therapeutic goals.

Allison Holt, MD

National Medical Director

Dr. Allison Holt is an experienced, board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist who has worked in mental health care in a variety of settings, including health care administration, academia, inpatient psychiatry, private practice outpatient care, forensic and disability evaluations, correctional psychiatry, eating disorder care, and ECT. Dr. Holt is dedicated to providing patients with a relaxed, trusting environment that encourages dialogue and instills the freedom to pursue healing and growth. With empathy, patience and an approachable style, she helps patients see their future with fresh eyes � and develop a plan that will accomplish their goals for change. While medical expertise forms the foundation of Dr. Holt's treatment, her warmth and a sense of compassion are often key motivating factors for patient change and success. Dr. Holt treats a wide variety of needs and illnesses in children, adolescents, and adults, including depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders, attention disorders, trauma related disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Through a patient-centered mix of evidence-based treatments, including medication, psychotherapy, and patient education, she helps her patients understand their options and create appropriate treatment plans that empower them to move toward positive change. Dr. Holt received her medical degree from Ohio State University. She completed a General Psychiatry Residency Program (with extra emphasis in addiction and forensic psychiatry), and a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, at the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Holt was the Physician Chief of the Mental Health and Addiction Service Line at M Health Fairview, the largest provider of mental health care in Minnesota. At the same time she was the Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs at the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Holt has been awarded "Top Doctor" by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine every year from 2014 to 2022. She was president of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society 2020-2021, and was also the co-editor of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society's newsletter, Ideas of Reference, from 2010-2019.

Rachel Sherhart, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Rachel Sherhart is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who has been in practice for over 4 years. She specializes in medication management with 30-minute follow-up visits. This may be accompanied by elements of supportive therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy. If more in-depth work is needed, she may refer patients to a collaborating psychotherapist. ‍Dr. Sherhart received her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. She has served as faculty at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, providing education and supervision for psychiatry residents and medical students. ‍She has experience treating adult patients from many walks of life with a broad range of diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and trauma-related disorders. Dr. Sherhart has a passion for providing excellent patient care and education. Her goal is for patients to feel heard and find a safe place to discuss their concerns. She is motivated to work collaboratively with patients to find a solution that best fits their treatment goals and improves their overall quality of life.‍

Samantha Iannuzzi, LMHC

Staff Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Samantha Iannuzzi is a licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in grief and bereavement. Samantha specialized in trauma and loss in her graduate program at Pace University. It was there, where she learned the importance of talking about the inevitable and the uniqueness of each bereaved individual's experience. Before joining Talkiatry, she was both an intern and Bereavement Counselor at Calvary Hospital, where she provided both individual and group support to bereaved members of New York's five boroughs. Samantha is experienced working with both adults and young adults. Samantha provides a safe space for all her clients where they can be heard, validated, and supported in their individual process. Samantha also provides psychoeducation and coping strategies and explores ways to navigate life changes. In addition to her clinical work, Samantha has presented to many community organizations, engaged in outreach for crisis intervention and lectured for informative clinical courses. Samantha's experience and expertise with death, cumulative loss and trauma responses due to loss helps provide clients with effective treatment and a space where their experience will never be disenfranchised.

Gregory Miller, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Gregory Miller, DO, is an adult psychiatrist who prioritizes understanding his patients by first listening to their stories. He collaborates with them to develop both pharmacological and non-pharmacological solutions aimed at improving their functionality. Dr. Miller emphasizes that functioning better often leads to feeling better. Whenever possible, he approaches treatment within the context of the family system surrounding the individual. Raised in South Carolina, and now residents of Florida, Dr. Miller and his wife of 31 years have six children. He enjoys outdoor activities and team sports and is an avid fan of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He at times incorporates analogies from their works into therapy if appropriate.

Lee Dockery, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Lee Dockery is a general psychiatry provider who joined Talkiatry in August 2022. He is board-eligible with expected certification in fall 2022, with further addiction psychiatry board-certification expected in 2023. He has been training and practicing psychiatry since 2018. Dr. Dockery's practice emphasizes medication management within a therapy-informed framework, utilizing skills from Acceptance and Commitment therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, motivation interviewing, and supportive therapy. He typically offers 60-minute new visits and 30-minute follow-up visits. Dr. Dockery received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 2014. He then moved to Nashville, TN to complete his general psychiatry residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he served as chief resident of inpatient services. He expects to complete the addiction psychiatry fellowship in spring 2023 .Dr. Dockery has experience treating most general adult psychiatry complaints, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders. He has a particular focus in the treatment of young adults, and co-occurring mood disorders and substance use disorders.‍

Catherine Sheahan, PMHNP

Staff Nurse Practitioner

Cate Sheahan, nurse practitioner, is dual certified in psychiatry and family medicine. She completed her masters in nursing education at East Carolina University, her post graduate training in family medicine at Duke University and her post graduate training in psychiatry at the University of St. Joseph. Cate has practiced in a variety of settings including clinics, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, hospitals and community outreach. She appreciates how her years of varied experience have enriched her practice and compassion for others. She enjoys teaching and assisting others to build on their unique experiences and strengths.

Cate believes we are each unique in our experiences and our expression of those experiences. Using a collaborative approach, she seeks to discover, along with you, her patient, what is going on in your life and deciding together what treatment is best suited for you. Cate believes medication can be a solid foundation or a transitional step toward improved mental health. She also believes in 'less is more' when it comes to medications.

During each 30-minute session, Cate will employ supportive, motivational and reframing among other therapeutic techniques to foster confidence, insight and healing as you navigate your mental health journey. She believes the mind, body and spirit are an integrated whole and therefore encourages holistic self-care such as healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, regular exercise and mindfulness practices as part of your treatment. If more intensive therapy is needed, Cate will work with your therapist or make appropriate referrals as needed.

Deborah Edelman, DO

Staff Psychiatrist

Background and credentials

Dr. Edelman is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Eligible in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry residency training at the Medical College of Georgia and SUNY Downstate, followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate. Throughout her career, Dr. Edelman has practiced in various clinical environments, including inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric units, academic outpatient treatment clinics for adults and children, emergency psychiatric settings, and community psychiatry. She has over seven years of experience.

‍

Treatment approach

Dr. Edelman utilizes a collaborative, supportive, and patient-centered approach, combining pharmacotherapy with therapeutic modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy, and interpersonal therapies. She treats a wide variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, learning disorders, substance use disorders, PTSD, and schizophrenia. Her goal is to partner closely with patients to meet their specific needs, achieve their personal goals, and enhance their overall quality of life.

‍

What you can expect in a first visit

Patients can expect their initial visit with Dr. Edelman to include a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, during which she takes the time to understand each patient's individual concerns, goals, and history. She emphasizes collaborative planning of treatment, carefully integrating medications and tailored therapeutic interventions. Patients will experience a compassionate and supportive atmosphere designed to set clear expectations and foster progress toward their personal mental health goals.

‍

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.

‍

Megan Tusken, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr. Megan Tusken is a board-certified adult psychiatrist. She received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her medical doctorate at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Prior to joining Talkiatry, Dr. Tusken completed residency training in general psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Tusken provides evidence-based, patient-centered care and considers a trusting doctor-patient relationship integral to helping her patients achieve their treatment goals. During training, Dr. Tusken gained extensive experience in inpatient, consult, emergency room, and outpatient practice settings with culturally and socioeconomically diverse patient populations. She also elected to acquire additional experience with specific patient populations, including patients with treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorders, and sleep disorders, as well as LGBTQ+ individuals and older adults. Tusken's treatment approach is collaborative and holistic. She provides medication management for a variety of mental health conditions, with particular interest in mood and anxiety disorders. In addition to psychopharmacologic interventions, she firmly believes in the mind-body connection, and she incorporates psychotherapeutic techniques into her visits to provide the best, individualized care for each patient.

Steven Wilkening, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

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.

Hector Cardiel-Sam, MD

Staff Psychiatrist

Dr Cardiel- Sam is Board Certified in both General Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He completed undergraduate training at the University of Miami followed by medical school at St. George's University. He has completed a residency in psychiatry at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and a fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry at Penn State University. ‍His training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has given him a unique perspective on mental illness. He has found that these conditions rarely start in adulthood, but rather, are a product of multiple factors and years of lived experience. For this reason, Dr Cardiel-Sam approaches his patients through a trauma-informed lens; an acknowledgement of the unique story and challenges that each individual has faced. He is comfortable treating a wide variety of psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and many more. ‍Working with Dr Cardiel- Sam, you can expect holistic and collaborative psychiatric treatment. He believes that medication along with therapeutic treatment should fit seamlessly into a patient's life, with minimal inconvenience. He strives to empower patients in shared medical decision making, making time to explain risks/benefits and alternatives for treatment.

Tami Ditkoff, LMHC

Education and training

Get to know