CEO and Clinical Director

Do you feel like you are being held back because of a depressed mood, anxious feelings, or past trauma? Are you uncomfortable with being vulnerable, and trusting others? Are you struggling with shame or guilt? Imagine having meaningful relationships, feeling confident, and having more control over your life. What would that look like?

Clients can expect to feel heard, understood, and empowered as well as walk away with skills to manage negative emotions and impulses. I enjoy helping my clients solve their problems by educating them on methods or skills that will help to stop worry, calm anxiety, improve mood, and end patterns of negative thinking. I am certified in Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) which is typically utilized with persons with a trauma history, PTSD, or depression. I am certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) which has great efficacy with personality disorders. I am also a certified mindfulness practitioner which has great outcomes with anxiety and stress and am a certified life coach for individuals who are not seeking psychotherapy. Emotional Freedom Techniques otherwise known as EFT or Tapping are also utilized for phobias, anxiety, cravings and addiction, and complex trauma whereby clients learn to tap on meridian points to illicit emotional de-escalation. Lastly, I specialize in offering psychological assessments for immigration cases including asylum seekers, hardship waivers, VAWA, 601(A), U-Visas, and T-Visas. I am a Florida Board Qualified Supervisor for registered interns seeking licensure as a Clinical Social Worker.

I am glad you found my page and would love to connect with you. I am not here to judge you! My job is to create a safe, non-judgmental space to guide and support you as you work on creating the path you want to take.

Experience

I graduated with my Bachelors in Social Work in 2015 and my Masters in Clinical Social Work in 2016 from Florida State University. I started working as an Area Coordinator for the American Cancer Society's Look Good Feel Better program for women receiving treatment for cancer. I later worked at an emergency services shelter for persons experiencing houselessness as a case manager and then with the Juvenile Civil Citation Program as a substance abuse counselor in both group and individual settings. Later I moved to London and had a placement at an HIV clinic in East London working as an HIV counselor with newly diagnosed persons and facilitated individual and group therapy with African women seeking refugee or asylum status. I have also worked as an emergency response child abuse investigator and as an in house therapist for foster children. After that, I returned to substance use counseling at a methadone clinic while also offering psychotherapy services to forensic clients with the Department of Juvenile Justice. Later I began managing community mental health centers and then began supervising at a hospital. Staff supervised included clinicians completing involuntary psychiatric hospitalization assessments for Baker Act and Marchman Act within a large hospital system. I now manage my own private practice in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where I specialize in Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behvaioral Therapy (TFCBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT/Tapping), and immigration psychological evaluations.

Specialties:

• Trauma

• Anxiety, Worry, and Stress

• Depression

• PTSD

• Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (Personality Disorders)

• Immigration Psychological Evaluations

• Substance Use

• Qualified Supervision of Registered Interns Seeking licensure as a Clinical Social Worker

Issues

• Substance Use

• Behavioral Issues

• Chronic Illness

• Coping Skills

• Dual Diagnosis

• Stress

• Trauma and PTSD

• Cultural and Social Issues that affect mental health

• Women's and Gender Related Issues

• Self Esteem

• Qualified Supervision of Registered Interns

Sexuality

• LGBTQIAA

Accepted Insurances

• Aetna

• All Savers

• AvMed

• Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Bind

• Carelon

• Cigna and Cigna EAP

• Evernorth

• Golden Rule

• Humana

• Medicare

• Optum and Optum EAP

• OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions

• Oscar

• Oxford

• Quest

• United Medical Resources (UMR)

• United Healthcare and United Healthcare EAP

• United Healthcare Life Insurance

• United Healthcare Student Resources

Associate Clinicians

Do you currently feel overwhelmed by life? Are you feeling depressed, anxious, or misunderstood? Do you feel as if you have nobody to confide in? Are you battling with feeling shame or guilt? One of the bravest things you can do is face what is troubling you. At times in life, it may feel as if you are the only one in a difficult situation with no solutions. Visualize yourself having the appropriate support during these times. It can look like learning new coping skills or having different techniques to battle anxiety and  depression. What if we find what works best for you when trying to overcome PSTD or trauma?

As a therapist, my goal is to make sure you feel supported, validated, and heard during your sessions. I want to partner with you as you work through challenges. Our work is directed by your journey and the goals that you set for yourself. I would be honored to help you heal along the way providing you with needed support. I specialize in working with individuals navigating behavioral issues, substance abuse, dual diagnosis (mental health and substance use), stress, trauma and PTSD, intimate partner violence, and self-esteem concerns. Techniques utilized include Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) which is typically utilized with persons with a trauma history, PTSD, or depression. Clients can expect to learn mindfulness techniques to assist in managing anxiety, depression, or trauma as well. Emotional Freedom Techniques otherwise known as EFT or Tapping are also utilized for phobias, anxiety, cravings, addiction, and complex trauma whereby clients learn to tap on meridian points to illicit emotional de-escalation. I also utilize Dialectical Behavioral Therapy techniques to skill build and to manage personality disorders. Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques are used for substance use counseling.

 I graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology with a minor in Sociology in 2018 and my Masters in Clinical Social Work in 2021 from University of Central Florida. I started working as an Early Headstart Home Visitor in a program that serves infants and toddlers under the age of 3. This program provides intensive comprehensive child development and family support services to low income children and their families. I have also worked for the Help Now of Osceola, providing advocacy for any victim or survivor of intimate partner violence and their children in the community in both individual and group therapy capacities. I have worked as a psychotherapist at an inpatient psychiatric hospital for mental health and substance abuse offering individual therapy and group counseling to clients. Currently, I work in a hospital setting as a care coordinator social worker and I see clients for individual psychotherapy in private practice.

Modalities:

• Trauma Focussed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Motivational Interviewing

• Mindfulness

• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT/Tapping)

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Accepted Insurances:

• Optum

• United Health

• United Medical Resources

• Blue Cross Blue Shield and Florida Blue

We all want to feel connection and a sense of belonging. Need someone to confide in? Need an unbiased ear? Want to have better control over your feelings? Build your confidence and self-esteem? Tired of being emotionally drained? Let’s fill your cup together. Therapy is a partnership, and I can’t wait to walk through your healing journey with you. My goal is to provide a safe space for you to feel seen, heard, and supported. I want to educate you on ways to cope, reframe, and navigate your emotional wellbeing. I want to help you get through surviving and into thriving!

I graduated with my Bachelors in Psychology while minoring in Criminology in 2013. I went on to get my Masters in Clinical Social Work in 2017 from Florida State University. I completed the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence and Domestic Violence Advocacy training in 2012. I volunteered as a rape crisis responder, outreach educator, and in the domestic violence shelters for 2 years. I went on to become a dependency case manager and worked in child welfare. While in child welfare, I worked as an intake/placement coordinator, behavioral health coordinator, outpatient trauma therapist, and adoptions therapist.

I specialize in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Attachment Therapy. I utilize play therapy techniques, holding therapy techniques, emotional regulation, communication skills, reframing, mindfulness, relaxation, guided imagery and self-esteem building activities. I completed two graduate level field placements in an intensive outpatient program for chemical dependency and mental health and at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in the PICU/CVICU as a medical social worker. I currently work in a hospital setting as a care coordinator providing post discharge support, counseling, and case management. I help connect patients with appropriate medical, mental health, and social service agencies to meet their needs. I also see clients for individual psychotherapy through private practice.

Modalities:

• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

• Attachment Therapy

• Mindfulness

• Motivational Interviewing

Accepted Insurances:

• Optum

• United Health

• United Medical Resources

• Blue Cross Blue Shield and Florida Blue