I am a licensed clinical social worker, currently licensed in the states of Florida and Tennessee. I have over 15 years of experience working with a wide variety of clients with a varying concerns and needs. I have worked with clients affected by depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders. I have also worked with clients dealing with substance abuse problems, trauma issues, anger issues, relationships issues, legal problems, parenting concerns, and first responders. I have a strong background in crisis management. I am understanding, empathetic, and positive. I treat my clients with respect and compassion. My treatment approach combines client centered therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, solution focused techniques and a humanistic approach. I am not here to judge or label you, but only to help you move forward, support you, and help you to meet your treatment goals and needs. I commend you for taking this step toward empowerment and change. I look forward to helping you on your journey.

Welcome to a peek into my life. I am a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), in the beautiful sunshine state of Florida. I have been blessed to have many tassels on my hat of life. I began teaching Anatomy/Biology at the high school level over 36 years ago, then became an adjunct professor in the mental health program, where due to my background in Biology I was asked to teach Human Sexuality to the counseling students. I have practiced mental health counseling for 25years, and during that time have had the opportunity to develop a great bag of tools to help with my client's metamorphosis into a confident individual. As a mental health counselor, I mainly work with couples who are dealing with communication issues as well as intimacy issues. I am often called upon to assist people dealing with parenting dilemmas. During my year's teaching and counseling, I have been blessed to develop a common sense and eclectic style of therapy. I always tailor my mode of therapy to the client's best interest. I firmly believe the client must be the focus, therefore Client-Centered Therapy is always the foundation, as I believe respect, trust, and self-awareness is essential to the client-finding their answers to their concerns. I feel each person has all the answers or solutions to their concerns or stressors within, just where God has placed them. I want to assure you that there isn't too much under the sun that I haven't seen, heard, or experienced as a counselor. I also want to assure you that this road that we are about to embark upon is a journey that we will take together; Hand in hand, side by side. I am here to support and help you as you travel this amazing trail to self-awareness I am very aware of the courage and strength that one has in order to ask a stranger for help, in such major life's trials and tribulations. I admire you for taking these first difficult steps and am excited to embark on this healing process. I am excited to get started walking along beside you as we continue to once again find your place of peace.

Welcome! Starting as a peer mediator in 5th grade, the people around me saw something greater in me. I am now a licensed mental health counselor in Florida with over 7 years of experience working with client's from infants to late adulthood. I have worked with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and parenting problems. I have helped many people who have experienced trauma or emotional abuse, and am also adoption competent. Coupled with CBT, my approach tends to be person centered and solution focused. I am considered an eclectic counselor as I tend to use different techniques and modalities; play is one of my favorites. As standard a practice, I believe you can change as long as you're willing to put in the work! I meet you where you are, move at your pace, and help work to destigmatize you of any labels. Then, we can move in the direction of positive growth. Counseling only works if you do! It takes courage to seek more for yourself and to take steps towards change. It’s my pleasure to help you find your missing peace. I am here to support and empower you. I look forward to working with you!

Hello, in this post pandemic time, we want nothing more but to get back to normal. But in reality, everyone's life has been disrupted. Now there are good news! We have learned to trust this method of communication (virtual) and mostly we have opened up about ourselves and our relationships. We now know that physical health and mental health go together. Let me invite you in. First I want to tell you about myself, I've worked for more than 20 years with clients, ranging from young adults to senior citizens in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, health centers and private agencies. I received my masters degree from California State University, Fresno in 1993 and have an undergraduate major in Clinical psychology. I was educated since a very early age in both the Colombian culture in Spanish and the USA culture in English. This has been an advantage as I'm able to relate to people of various cultures openly. My final Master's degree as a Clinical Social Worker is the best way of using all my training, schooling and life experiences to assist you... in being the best version of yourself. I describe my therapy framework as client centered and goal oriented. I mainly use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Systems Theory, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and an overall Humanistic theoretical model. These modalities are hands-on and offer practical approaches to finding solutions focused on building a grounded well- being for you. They're tools that provide ways of regulating yourself and show you how to open new pathways toward a more fulfilling experience. CBT goals identify faulty or unhelpful ways of thinking/acting and offer effective ways of coping with life's stressors. I treat every client as a special individual, using validation, empathy, active listening and reflection, all in a non judge-mental setting. I encourage you to take a first step as it soon becomes a supportive and trustworthy path. Remember that I'm honored to work with you. Maria Clara Pretto, LCSW

I aim to work collaboratively with my clients to help them through the various roadblocks and difficulties that life presents. People frequently limit themselves based on old assumptions and expectations and it can be freeing to start to disentangle this. The emotional pain caused by these issues is often isolating and confusing and I believe that it can be healing to have somebody else there with you to explore and process. My approach to therapy is to use self understanding and awareness as a mechanism for change. While my style is primarily insight-oriented, I have experience incorporating behavioral therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into my approach.

I am licensed in Florida and Illinois with 35 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, relationships, family conflicts, trauma and abuse. 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!

I am a licensed therapist, in Florida, with over 15 years of experience helping adults, teens, and children work through life's challenges. I have experience in helping clients with symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, family conflicts, grief, and trauma. 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.

Hello! My name is Jan Ricks and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida and a Licensed Independent Social Worker in Ohio. I recently moved back to Florida from Northern Kentucky where I lived for 16 years. I taught at the University of Cincinnati in the School of Social Work and when I retired (as an Emeritus Professor) we moved back to Florida. I am now focused on living my dream of providing therapy. I have been a Professional Social Worker for over 30 years, and I also have over 10 years of professional therapy work experience. I have experience working with many different populations including individuals and families, to inclued teens and adults: the elderly the LGBTQ+ community including any gender variant person (Transgender, Intersex...). I have extensive experience helping people move forward in a productive way. I have worked with people experiencing life changes, grief and loss, women's issues, and many other life challenges. I have traveled to many places in the State of Ohio and Florida, conducting workshops for the employees of the State who required recertification. I have also conducted workshops and classes for private agencies providing education about Transgender, Gay, Lesbian and Intersex communities. I recently taught at the University of Central Florida as an Online instructor in the MSW program for the School of Social Work. After leaving the University of Central Florida I began working as a therapist at Better Help. I truly enjoy my work and have found online therapy to be very effective. It offers many opportunities that are not available in an office setting. Most important is I believe in the resilience of the human spirit and the power of change, and I also believe that people have many strengths that will help them overcome challenges they are facing. I utilize a variety of therapeutic methods including Cognitive-Behavior therapy to help create the change that people need. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of creating that change. I am here to support you in that process. I also want to say that a therapist must be a good fit and I understand that reaching out can be difficult. I encourage you to take the leap! I look forward to meeting you!

I am licensed in Florida with 4 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 believe that you are the expert of your story and that you have many strengths that will assist you in overcoming things that challenge you. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I am licensed in Florida with 13 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, career difficulties, & depression. 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!

I am licensed in Florida, Illinois and Washington with 20 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with family conflicts, parenting issues, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & coping with life changes. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. 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.

I am licensed in California and Florida with 16 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, confidence and executive coaching. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!

I am licensed in Florida with 4 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients impacted by autism, anxiety, depression, motivation, self-esteem, and confidence, career difficulties, & bipolar disorder. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. 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.

I am licensed in Florida with 3 years of professional counseling work experience. I am also an Autism Specialist and have 18 years of experience working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, relationship issues, & trauma and abuse. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialogue and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

I am licensed in Florida with 4 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with coping with grief and loss, coping with life changes, & compassion fatigue. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started!