Therapists in Florida

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with nearly 30 years of experience. I am located in Florida where I began my career in counseling in 1994 as a residential therapist in a psychiatric hospital, followed by the roles of an outpatient therapist, clinical supervisor and program director at a substance abuse treatment agency. In 2001, I relocated to Ohio, where I worked for the next 13 years as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor - Supervisor, program manager and program administrator for a mental and behavioral health nonprofit organization. In 2014, I relocated back to Florida where I began my online practice. If you have any reservations about online counseling, I encourage you to give it a try. It is a highly effective and convenient therapeutic modality that can be accessed from the the comfort and safety of your own home or wherever you are at any given time. I can attest to this with utmost confidence based on my clients' positive feedback after providing services here for over 8 years. My clinical philosophy is one of a humanistic nature, with emphasis on the therapeutic relationship as the most essential building block of the counseling process. My therapeutic style is warm, interactive, attentive and compassionate. I believe that genuineness, unconditional positive regard and empathy are critical to the helping process. As needed, I am also direct and structured in my approach and tend to assign therapeutic homework or tasks to enhance the progression and continuity of the process in between live sessions or message exchanges. I have the ability to tailor and pace treatment to your individual and unique needs, and I am sensitive to evolving the process at your pace and convenience while still promoting and prompting advancement toward your goals. Furthermore, I take a holistic approach to health and wellness, with emphasis on achieving balance in major life domains. I believe that when needs, desires or aspirations are unfulfilled in one significant realm, the others are affected as well and this creates imbalance in one's life, leading to stress, anxiety, inconsistency, overwhelmed feelings, lack of self-care, somatic symptoms, etc. Lastly, in terms of professional characteristics and standards of care, I operate with the highest degree. I was esteemed throughout my career for my level of professionalism, ethical conduct, organization, efficiency and grace. My educational background includes: a bachelor's degree in psychology from University of Miami, FL; a master's degree in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University of Fort Lauderdale, FL; and additional post-graduate coursework in career counseling, and the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of mental disorders at University of Dayton in Bexley, OH. I enjoy the ongoing pursuit of continued education, training and professional development through seminars in specialized areas, reading and self-study. I highly value knowledge, information and effective application of therapeutic theories, models, strategies, and techniques that may benefit the people I serve. My clinical experience includes working with various diverse populations and treatment modalities, and the full spectrum of issues and disorders ranging from the most simple to the most complex co-occurring conditions. I specialize in treating depression/anxiety/stress, substance abuse/addiction, emotional/physical/sexual abuse, trauma and grief/loss. I also have extensive experience with counseling issues in the following areas: LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting issues, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Compassion fatigue & Addictions in general. Depression, anxiety and stress are some of the most common challenges faced by people who seek counseling. In this realm, I have worked with children, adolescents and adults in residential/hospital, outpatient and community-based settings. I have provided individual, group and family services, and have facilitated psycho-educational counseling groups and workshops on coping skills, stress management/reduction, emotion regulation, self-esteem and assertive communication skills. My approach though eclectic, tends to be rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which per evidence-based research, is very effective in treating these issues. This active intervention is problem-focused and goal-directed in examining the relationships between thoughts, feelings and behaviors; and modifying unhelpful or negative patterns of thinking that lead to self-defeating beliefs and actions, to improve coping and overall wellness. I also take a mindfulness-based approach to CBT (MBCBT) by encouraging the use of mindfulness practice and self-compassion. These tools help to address and validate one's personal experience with distress, pain and suffering; and diminish associated negative symptoms by focusing attention on the present moment. Learning how to self-soothe and regulate emotions through effective relaxation, calming and grounding strategies are significant components of my clinical approach to addressing depression, anxiety and stress. For over two decades, I have treated teens and adults who struggle with substance abuse and dependency issues. In 1998, I was humbly honored to receive Florida Alcohol & Drug Abuse Association's Professional of the Year award. I have provided these services in various settings and levels of care from the least to the most restrictive. As an outpatient alcohol and drug counselor, I worked with self-referred individuals as well as those who had been mandated to receive evaluation and/or treatment as a condition of probation, parole, work, school or a family/community member. I provided these services in individual, group and family forums. As a clinical supervisor and administrator, I had the opportunity to develop and oversee programming and staff in the specialized area of addictions. In a training capacity, I facilitated seminars to educate clinical staff in the areas of assessing, diagnosing and treating alcohol and drug problems. I am very passionate about working with people who struggle with addictions in general, one day at a time, toward a healthy recovery and lifestyle. Maintaining a strong emphasis on healthy coping skills, positive support systems and relapse prevention planning are key to my treatment approach in this area. In the delicate area of treating the effects of abuse and trauma, I have worked with child and adult survivors of emotional/physical/sexual abuse and violence. I have extensive experience working with acute and post traumatic stress disorder and have developed and facilitated group curricula that focus on reducing isolation, guilt/shame and self-blame; building self-esteem, positive support systems and coping skills; and increasing a sense of mastery and personal empowerment. I am also well versed at teaching survivors how to implement effective relaxation, grounding and anchoring techniques to help diminish anxiety and maintain a balanced state of arousal and focus in the present moment. Encouraging self-forgiveness is also very important to me in helping survivors let go of illegitimate shame or guilt derived from any unwanted responses to, or effects from the abuse. Throughout the healing journey, I am sensitive to guiding the process at a pace that feels most comfortable and safe to each person, and promoting respite from focusing on difficult material if/when it becomes too emotionally burdensome. To help prevent any inadvertent re-traumatization from occurring during the counseling process, I am especially conscientious and attentive to providing trauma-informed care. Throughout my career, I have helped children, teens and families work through grief/loss challenges. In my professional opinion, there is no one particular formula for grieving. Though there are common elements or phases of grief, everyone grieves differently. It is a very personal experience and individual response to coping with significant loss of any kind - death, separation/divorce, relocation, retirement, job loss/change, etc. Grief occurs in stages, which may come like waves in the ocean, ascending and receding at any given time and in no particular order. I am skilled at helping people understand this phenomenon and learn how to navigate these treacherous waters. I have expertise in providing compassionate support and effective strategies to aid individuals through this vulnerable and difficult time toward a place of healing and acceptance. Working with LGBTQIA+ counseling issues is a point of passion for me. I respect, admire, embrace and promote diversity, individuality and authenticity in my personal and professional life. I am LGBTQIA+ informed/educated and have experience with bullying, coming out, internalized homophobia, gender identity affirmation and transgender support. Mental health problems are difficult enough in their own respect, let alone compounded by LGBTQ issues. I have worked with a broad spectrum of concerns in this realm ranging from depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, secrecy and confusion associated with sexual orientation/attraction and gender identity to homo/bi/transphobia and HOCD (homophobic obsessive compulsive disorder). Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ couples and families have unique issues when it comes to navigating the legal, emotional and financial aspects of raising and/or restructuring a non-traditional family. On behalf of this community, I firmly believe that more support, education and advocacy are greatly needed. With all the significant strides that have been made toward raised awareness and acceptance in our society, there is so much more that we can do to achieve full empowerment and equality for all. I want to be a part of this valuable movement and growth journey by helping one individual at a time. I genuinely admire your initiative and courage to reach out for support, and look forward to working together toward your goals. With patience and commitment and dedication to this process, this is the first step toward a happier and healthier or more evolved you.

Hello. I am Cathy Heaps. I have worked educating, training, counseling, and supporting people all my life. I graduated from Argosy University – Sarasota with a Master’s degree and have been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for ajmost 30 years. I have also been certified by Grief Recovery as a Grief Recovery Specialist. I have worked with a range of individuals, from people who are struggling with a terminal illness to people who have faced loss or many other barriers in their life. I believe most difficulties in life become apparent when there is a significant loss or major change in lifestyle. I am passionate about my profession! I employ a variety of approaches including Gestalt Techniques, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and Relaxation. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we discover positive ways to reconstruct negative thoughts. I teach Mindfulness and Relaxation to help recognize behaviors that are initiated by thoughts or emotions. I assist in identifying and restructuring those barriers and cognitive errors that are preventing you from moving forward. I am a Rogerian Therapist, and it is my nature to be person-centered, empathic, non-directive, supportive, and compassionate. I have unconditional positive regard for my clients. I do not have the answers to your problems – YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS! I provide reflective listening and give you the freedom to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe, non-judgmental arena. I ask questions, often difficult ones, and regardless of how difficult those questions and answers may be, I will be by your side. Throughout your journey with me I provide a safe, comfortable environment, allowing you to be become confident as you explore the barriers to happiness in your life. I will support you in making your decisions. In this journey, I am at your side every step of the way.

I was born to be a social worker, or more accurately, I was born a social worker. I've been seeking to solve the problems of others since elementary school, mediating conflicts, seeking avenues of assistance for everyone from homeless teens to hungry neighbors. I learned early on not only the intrinsic rewards of helping those in need, but understanding the failings of society and the resulting social ills that made such responsibility necessary. I am an enthusiastic social worker/therapist with over 10 years experience providing therapeutic support to clients from diverse backgrounds managing various conditions. I have worked with clients to help them overcome feelings of depression, stress and anxiety. My goal is to equip you with real life strategies to help you develop healthy coping skills and a productive and satisfying life. You may be experiencing depression, anxiety or feeling that your life is not going in a direction you would like. It would be my honor to support you and help you work through these challenges. I utilize a variety of techniques to achieve this including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, stress management, anxiety reduction, mood management, empowerment and work/life balance strategies. My approach is interactive, warm and accepting. I work with adults and adolescents. Let's work on getting you to living your best life!

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Board Certified Sex Therapist and a Clinical Sexologist. I take a wholistic approach to healing, mind body and spirit. I incorporate Spirituality in healing because this permeates different areas in a person's life. There will be times when I will refer to a Psychiatrist or a Urologist when the issues are beyond my scope of practice. I use different interventions in the healing processes. Some interventions I use are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Dialectal Therapy, EFT and the Gottman Method. There are times when the trauma is complex or beyond the person's awareness and I will use Brainspotting, Hypnotherapy or Somatic Experiencing. However, the intervention (s) are tailored specifically to the clients needs. The goal for each client is to help them to function at an optimum level. I am committed to changing lives, one person and one family at a time. It will be an honor and a privilege to work with you to achieve your goals.

I’m Martina Hines, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and I would be honored to walk with you on your journey. I have prior experience working with individuals struggling with overcoming addictions through my work at an intensive outpatient clinic. Having also been a Dependency Case Manager, I have first hand experience working with children and families under the supervision of DCF. I have also utilized my prior experience in the legal system as a domestic violence Victim Advocate to support those individuals facing these challenges. Throughout my time working as a Mental Health Counselor, I have worked with my clients in overcoming depression, anxiety, grief & loss, trauma, phase of life adjustments, and other co-occurring disorders. Education/Credentials Masters degree from Rollins College Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Florida MH18707 Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board of Certified Counselors

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Central Florida. I specialize in the assessment and treatment of serious mental illness and substance use disorders. I have experience working within the conceptual framework of the recovery model in addition to experience working with individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. I am trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CBT-P, and Chronic Disease Self-Management.

Hello, I’m Linda Milewski, a Licensed Clinical Therapist and addiction specialist of 18 years. I hold a Masters in Social Work (MSW) and am trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, Non Violent Communication (NVC), Trauma-informed Care and Awareness, Tibetan Sound Bowl Healing, as well as Mindfulness practices. Additionally, I hold international certifications in addiction, employee assistance, and coaching. After nearly two decades in inpatient psychiatric units, recovery facilities, mental health agencies, and wellness centers, I have helped stabilize many clients suffering from crisis, addiction, trauma, mood disorders and stress responses to various types of trauma. I developed a keen interest in various types of symptoms that create behaviors most would consider detrimental to their lives. As I travelled extensively internationally, delving deeper into the causes of suffering, I began to understand more deeply what (in the Buddhist context), “suffering” means and how we can heal from it. I began looking at the client as a “whole organism” by exploring how the body and its nervous system becomes severely compromised over time stemming from chronic stress. I have learned that when the body is relaxed through certain techniques, there is no room for stress or trauma to be held. Through regulating the body and nervous system, we create a safe and calm therapeutic space from which to find creative and authentic solutions to our daily challenges. I believe that once the body feels safe, we are supported to make deep and life-changing shifts. Non Violent Communication (NVC) is important to me. This modality supports us to speak authentically from the heart, tying in beautifully with mindfulness practices, trauma awareness and the regulation of emotions through somatic work. This method also supports us to set boundaries in ways that are compassionate for ourselves and others, enabling us to foster deeper, more authentic connection. My approach with each client is to provide support, accountability, and structure that honors and helps clients to step out into post traumatic growth. Through use of a range of techniques, tools and therapeutic approaches, I see transformations in my clients as they experience a strong feeling of overall safety and well being. I look forward to hearing from you and going on this journey of healing and self discovery with you!

I am licensed in Florida with more than 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with depression, stress and anxiety, LGBTQIA-related issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.

Hi, I'm so happy you're here! I am a licensed counselor in Florida with 5 years of professional experience working with children, families, and individuals in various settings. I find great joy in helping others achieve their unique personal wellness goals. My counseling approach is grounded in holistic wellness, producing a warm, direct, interactive, and relatable counseling environment. I specialize in evidence-based Motivational Interviewing, which is a goal-oriented counseling approach that aims to strengthen your motivation and commitment to making lasting change. I also use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) when necessary. I am happily accepting new clients who are ready to achieve personal goals and initiate lasting life changes. To get started, please use my calendar to schedule a brief 30-minute consultation. This will be a time to review your motivation and expectations, as we determine if the partnership is a good fit for your treatment goals. It takes courage and self-awareness to take the initial steps toward creating change in your life. If you are ready to take action to achieve your desired life, I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you soon!

I am licensed in Florida with 27 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, family conflicts, parenting issues, & motivation, self esteem, and confidence. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!