About Us
Sulcata Psychiatry
Stoni Johnston founded Sulcata Psychiatry to provide a personalized and connected experience for patients with mental health needs. Several years later, she joined up with co-owner Amanda Rogers, LCSW to provide more comprehensive care from a team approach. Stoni & Amanda believe that treatment should be approached as a nurturing relationship between provider and patient, and so they have sought to create an environment that removes traditional barriers that get in the way of communication and forming a relationship with your provider on a personal level, while still maintaining professional boundaries and standards of care.
Our providers create personalized treatment plans for ages 6+ that may include alternative, holistic, and conventional treatments for diagnoses such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bipolar disorders. We believe in combining the medical and therapeutic specialties to create a well-rounded integrated system of care, offering both medication management services as well as therapy services. When all providers are communicating regularly, it creates an environment of collaboration between our different specialties, and ultimately better outcomes and support for our patients.
All Sulcata Psychiatry providers believe in the research-backed notion that people respond better when they feel like their provider truly cares, listens, and makes them a partner in their mental health care plan. We get to know each patient as a whole person, not just a list of reported symptoms, so that we can celebrate every little victory with you along the way. Our entire team aims to always be responsive, accessible, kind, and understanding, so that we can meet you wherever you are in your mental health journey.
Stoni Johnston
APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Stoni offers comprehensive and individualized care for children, teens, and adults at her office in Houston, Texas. She primarily specializes in treating children, teens, and young adults with executive functioning, mood, and anxiety disorders.
Just as she strives to make a genuine connection with every patient, Stoni wants her patients to feel connected with her as a person as well. Her favorite food is queso, which she firmly believes can be put on top of anything. She is married with two children, a cat named Lenny, a service-dog-in-training named Reyna, and two Sulcata tortoises who spend their days plotting escape from her yard. Turtles are her favorite animal, and her hobbies include reading nightly, refinishing furniture, crafts, and scrapbooking.
Born and raised in the Houston area, Stoni considers herself a lifetime Longhorn at heart since completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Texas in Austin in 2013. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and started working as a pediatric nurse. This experience continues to influence the care she provides, as she loves working with children and adolescents. Stoni finished her Master’s in Nursing with a specialization in psychiatry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee in 2016.
Ashley Thomas-Graham
APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Ashley offers comprehensive and individualized care for children, teens, and adults at our main office in Tomball.
Ashley graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at UTMB Galveston in 2016. Since then, Ashley has worked as a Registered Nurse advocating fiercely for those she cares for, with experience in critical care, med-surge, and inpatient psychiatric settings. Although Ashley is originally from Port Arthur, she obtained her Masters of Science in Psychiatric Nursing from Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky, and came to Houston to pursue her passion for nursing. She is passionate about caring for all individuals no matter their circumstance and believes that medication is only one part of truly treating an individual. As an advocate of the LGBTQ+ population, Ashley strives to work with people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, and races to provide inclusive, empathetic, holistic, and comprehensive care plans for all of her patients.
Ashley currently lives with her 80lb Boxer named Ziggy. In her free time, she enjoys metaphysical practices such as yoga, guided meditations, and sound baths. Ashley likes to journal, garden, and spend time with her close group of friends.
Payal Patel
APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Payal offers comprehensive and individualized care through diagnostic and medication management services both remotely and at our Tomball location. Payal strives to provide consistent education and holistic evaluation to all of her patients, regardless of where they are in their mental health journey. Her desire is to connect with communities and individuals alike to reduce stigma and barriers associated with mental health care.
Payal graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Nursing from the University of Delaware in 2014. She began her career as a registered nurse working in an inpatient behavioral health unit assisting with both pediatric units and geriatric care. She obtained her Master's in Nursing from DeSales University in 2018, and has been performing both outpatient psychiatric care and post-acute care psychiatric consults in physical rehabilitation centers since then. She brings extensive experience in psychiatric care and stabilization for all ages.
Allyson Mercer
APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified mental health nurse practitioner, Allyson offers comprehensive individualized care for children, teens, and adults. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southern Nazarene University. Throughout her nursing career, she primarily worked as a pediatric travel nurse, which allowed her to gain a wide range of experiences. It was during this time that she developed a passion for mental health. She then became board certified and licensed as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Walden University.
Allyson is known for her compassion and empathy toward each patient under her care. In her free time, Allyson enjoys spending quality time with her family, friends, and French Bulldog. She also loves to travel, workout, and spend time in nature.
Ruth Branson
APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC
As a board-certified mental health nurse practitioner, Ruth offers comprehensive individualized care for children, teens, and adults. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Central Florida and her Master of Science in Nursing from Eastern Kentucky University. Throughout her nursing career, Ruth has gained valuable experience working in inpatient psychiatric settings, where she developed a deep passion for mental health and supporting individuals through some of life’s most challenging moments.
Ruth is passionate about meeting each person where they are in their mental health journey, providing compassionate, individualized care, and empowering others to take that first step toward self-care and healing. She believes everyone deserves to feel heard, supported, and empowered to become the best version of themselves.
In her free time, Ruth enjoys spending quality time with her husband and four fur babies, exploring the outdoors, traveling, and enjoying the simple things in life.
Amanda Rogers, LSCW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Supervisor
For more than a decade, Amanda has worked in the field of mental health and wellness, specializing in the treatment of depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, grief, and women’s mental health. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Life Sciences from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2006 and went on to receive her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Louisiana State University in 2008, and has since worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings providing individual, family, and group therapy. Drawing from her training in multiple therapy modalities - such as EMDR, CBT, Jungian, person-centered, humanistic, strengths-based, and mind-body approaches – Amanda is truly able to individualize therapy to suit each person’s needs. As the co-owner of Sulcata Psychiatry, she works closely with our other providers to coordinate care between therapy and medication management, if indicated.
Hailey Graham, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Hailey has practiced individual, family and group psychotherapy in a variety of clinical settings in North Carolina and Texas. She is dedicated to creating a safe, trusting, and comfortable space where clients can be open and vulnerable. She emphasizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship and believes that meeting people where they are in their journey is critical to truly understanding and supporting them. Hailey graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She then went on to complete her Master of Social Work degree from the same university.
Hailey brings diverse experiences that expand to multiple issues and ages. She has specialized training and experience in the utilization of various treatment modalities such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, and other trauma focused approaches. Hailey enjoys working with children, teens, and adults who experience a variety of life’s issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship complications, domestic violence, trauma/grief, and personality disorders.
Jessica Howell, LMSW
LMSW
Jessica recently completed her final year of graduate coursework for LMSW licensure through the Graduate College of Social Work at The University of Houston. She is currently working towards obtaining her hours for full LCSW licensure. She offers therapy services for adolescents and adults under the guidance and supervision of Amanda Rogers, LCSW-S.
Jessica's clinical interests are providing psychotherapy to adolescents and adults experiencing mood disorders, anxiety, relationship conflict and upheaval, and difficulty adapting to life changes or stressors.
Angela Calkins, M.Ed
Diagnostician & Master Certified Life Coach
Angela is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University as a Masters Prepared TEA Certified Special Education Diagnostician and Registered Behavioral Technician with over 5 years of experience in the public school system performing educational evaluations, psychological testing, creating 504/IEP benefit plans, and implementing behavioral interventions for the school district. She performs Academic & Achievement Evaluations for ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, learning disabilities, and IQ for ages 6-60 to assist providers with formulating diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Angela has experience as a life coach creating and implementing specific interventions for problem behaviors and developing life improvement skills to achieve mental health goals. She also offers consults with patients or parents to help with obtaining or interpreting accommodations in the school or workplace, preparing for ARD meetings, or advocating for your family member to get specific support.
Madison Harrell
Office Manager
Madison is Sulcata Psychiatry's amazing Office Manager and one of the helpful voices on the phone when you call. She is available to assist with patient coordination, scheduling, and billing at Sulcata Psychiatry. Madison also supervises our Spravato program and works on getting all our patient medications approved through insurance.
Madison has a degree in Healthcare Business Administration and has several years of experience coordinating medical care for patients. Madison is always warm, kind, and willing to help. She frequently goes out of her way to get our patients the help or answers they need and is just as passionate about your mental health progress as our providers are. She embodies the high-quality empathetic care that we aim to provide all of our patients from the moment they contact the clinic.
Beathny Leal-Nelson
Medical Receptionist
Beathny is one of Sulcata Psychiatry's helpful medical receptionists. She assists with all patient coordination, scheduling, and billing at Sulcata Psychiatry.
Beathny has a degree in Healthcare Business Administration and brings over 10 years of experience in the mental health field. Beathny is responsive, efficient, and works diligently to provide the caring support for each patient that Sulcata Psychiatry is known for.
Brittney Wilson
Medical Receptionist
As a clinical medical receptionist, Brittney assists with all patient coordination, scheduling, billing and assisting our providers with clinical procedures.
Brittney has over 7 years experience in psychiatry and mental health, working in direct patient care positions as well as patient advocacy. Brittny is consistently calm, responsive, and empathetic.
Reyna
Therapy Dog
Reyna is our Therapy animal that works with Stoni's patients with neurodivergence and anxiety. Reyna is a Shepsky (German Shepherd - Husky mix) who loves snuggles and provides comfort and deep pressure therapy during moments of distress. Reyna has passed her GCG and CGCA training exams, and you may see her continuing her training or working around the office!
