Compassionate therapists in Tampa, Sarasota & St. Petersburg
Counseling for individuals, couples, and families.
Licensed & Specialized Therapists for: Individuals, Couples, Children & Families
We’ve Helped Thousands Heal Through Therapy
Quality Mental Health Counseling in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota Dedicated to Your Healing
First of all, congratulations on making it this far. Seeking out options for managing mental health challenges is often the hardest step in the journey to improving your mental health.
Clients come to us with questions like:
How do I get my life under control?
Will I ever not feel this way?
How long will it take until I feel like I used to?
Life can be hard. It Begins Within Healing Center (IBWHC) exists to help you heal from a painful past, cope with a difficult present, and instill hope for the future.
You don’t need to wait until your life is falling apart to receive help. Everyone needs therapy at any given season of their life. Seeking outside help does not mean you’re weak. In fact, it proves your courage and commitment to living life to the fullest. Begin your journey with emotional healing therapy at one of our convenient locations across Central & Southwest Florida.
“It Begins Within is on a mission to provide quality mental health counseling services for individuals, couples, and families in need to heal from the past, transform the present, and instill hope for the future.”
We are here to help
Different points of life can present unique challenges for you, your relationships, or your family. We encourage you to schedule a free consultation to talk about your source of distress, understand your needs, and get you scheduled with one of our Tampa therapists.
We're here for YOU
IBWHC works with individuals, families, couples, children, and adolescents in the Tampa Bay & St. Petersburg area who are struggling with anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, life transitions, grief, trauma, and infidelity.
Licensed Therapists in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota Supporting Individuals, Couples, and Families
Our clients often come to us with broad, overall unhappiness and disruption in their lives from either past experiences that they are still holding onto or current circumstances that are impacting their daily functioning, or a combination of both. Through research-based therapeutic approaches, we help our clients understand themselves, reach an acceptance of past life circumstances, and instill growth from the experience.
Through research-based therapeutic approaches, we help our clients understand themselves, accept what has happened, and grow from the experience.
Our Tampa therapists have specialized training in working with trauma. Trauma affects all individuals, couples included (especially when infidelity is a source of the trauma). An individual’s past trauma can also affect the couple when brought into the relationship. Our approach encourages consistent, uninterrupted therapy sessions that pave the way for healing from trauma-induced experiences.
Meet Our Licensed Mental Health Therapists
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![Headshot of Dr. Mary Perleoni, LMHC, NCC, Trauma & Marriage Therapist in Tampa & St. Petersburg]()
Dr. Mary Perleoni, LMHC
About: Founder of IBWHC, Dr. Perleoni is a tampa therapist specializing in trauma and marriage counseling. Mary is trained in the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy and Trauma‑Focused CBT. View full profile.
Population focus: High achieving individuals & parents, high-conflict relationships, infidelity and affair recovery, and IVF therapy.
Location: Tampa & St. Petersburg
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![Melissa Zentner, dedicated Tampa therapist offering family therapy and child counseling in Tampa FL]()
Melissa Zentner, MS, LMHC
About: Melissa is a licensed St. Petersburg therapist with over 12 years of experience providing therapy services for adolescents and adults. She specializes in anxiety, impulse control, and stress management. Melissa is also certified in TF-CBT and trained in: the Neurosequential Model, Gottman Method for couples therapy and sex therapy. She provides in-home services, school-based therapy, trauma assessments for court. View full profile.
Population Focus: Court involved family therapy, couples sex therapy, sports performance therapy, and childhood trauma
Location: St. Petersburg
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![Kelly Morrissey, qualified Tampa therapist specializing in couples therapy and addiction counseling in Tampa FL]()
Kelly Morrissey, MA, LMHC, LMFT
About: Kelly is a licensed Tampa marriage therapist and provides therapy for individuals, couples, and families in Tampa Bay. She uses client-centered and collaborative approaches like CBT and Lifespan Integration Therapy for trauma processing, coping strategies, communication, and connection. View full profile.
Population Focus: Individuals, couples, families, addiction, career burnout, relationship issues, self-esteem, life transitions, and perfectionism
Location: Tampa
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![Ciana Nguyen, licensed Tampa therapist offering family therapy and trauma counseling in Tampa & Sarasota, FL]()
Ciana Nguyen, MS, LCSW
About: Ciana is a licensed therapist specializing in mental health counseling for children, teens, adults, and families in Tampa & Sarasota. She supports clients coping with anxiety disorders, chronic pain, PTSD, adjustment disorders, complex trauma, and relational difficulties. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP), Motivational Interviewing, Pain Neuroscience Education, and play therapy. View full profile.
Population Focus: Children, teens, adults, families, military families/Veterans, anxiety disorders, depression therapy in Tampa, PTSD/complex trauma, grief, chronic pain
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![Jessica Klein, compassionate Tampa therapist for couples therapy and child counseling in Tampa FL]()
Jessica Klein, MA, LMHC
About: Jessica is a licensed therapist providing mental health counseling for couples, and adults in St. Petersburg FL. She is trained in: CBT, narrative therapy, inner-child work, attachment-based approaches, and the Gottman Method. Jessica helps clients address life transitions, interpersonal challenges, and gain self-understanding. Her strength-based philosophy creates safe spaces for growth in private and community settings. View full profile.
Population Focus: Couples, adults, life transitions, interpersonal challenges, self-understanding
Location: St. Petersburg
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![Kaitlyn Shelp, skilled Tampa therapist providing couples therapy and infidelity counseling in Tampa FL]()
Kaitlyn Shelp, MA, LMHC-QS
About: Kaitlyn is a licensed Tampa therapist and clinical director at IBW, offering specialized therapy for trauma and relationship counseling. With a passion for healing after infidelity, she tailors treatments using Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy (SART), and Gottman Method to provide relief and lasting change. Kaitlyn has over a decade of experience and her trauma-informed, strength-based approach makes her ideal for couples therapy in Tampa FL . View full profile.
Population Focus: Infidelity recovery, marriage therapy
Location: Tampa & St. Petersburg
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![Licensed Tampa therapist Tyler MacDonald specializing in anxiety and men’s counseling]()
Tyler MacDonald, MA, LMHC
About: Tyler is a licensed mental health therapist and performance-focused therapist specializing in men’s mental health and professional burnout. Serving clients in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and the Tampa Bay area, Tyler works with individuals navigating high-pressure careers, relationship challenges, anxiety, and life transitions. His approach blends evidence-based methods and solution-focused coaching. Tyler focuses on working work with executives, physicians, and entrepreneurs, helping them improve focus and build meaningful relationships. View full profile.
Population Focus: Mens Therapy, Couples
Location: St. Petersburg & Tampa
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![Amanda Farris, dynamic Tampa therapist offering trauma and couples therapy in Tampa FL]()
Amanda Farris, MS, LCSW
About: Amanda is a licensed St. Petersburg therapist and qualified supervisor providing therapy services for adolescents, adults, and families. Using relational, dynamic approaches like attachment-focused EMDR, ACT, DBT, and mindfulness/yoga, she addresses trauma, grief, anxiety, self-harm, and risky behaviors. Amanda is passionate about couples therapy for communication, intimacy, boundaries, and trust in all relationship structures. Her evidence-based methods promote growth through life stages and break patterns.View full profile.
Population Focus: Adolescents, adults, families, trauma, depression, anxiety, couples intensive therapy
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
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![Lauren Pankuch, expert Tampa therapist in child therapy and family counseling in Tampa FL]()
Lauren Pankuch, MA, LMHC
About: Lauren provides Tampa therapy in a non-judgmental, client-centered approach for children, adolescents, parents, and individuals. She is passionate about child therapy, and uses strength-based, trauma-informed methods like Play Therapy, Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), and TF-CBT to promote emotional growth. View full profile.
Population Focus: Children, adolescents, parents, childhood trauma, behavioral issues, neurodivergence
Location: Tampa
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![Emma Groskind, trauma-informed Tampa therapist offering depression and anxiety therapy in Tampa FL]()
Emma Groskind, MS, LCSW
About: Emma is a licensed Tampa therapist specializing in mental health therapy services for trauma, grief counseling, depression therapy in Tampa, and anxiety. She is certified in TF-CBT, trained in CBT, EMDR, and creates a safe, non-judgmental space for her clients. Her strengths-based approach helps clients identify strengths to overcome life transitions, self-esteem challenges, and interpersonal issues. Experience includes residential, outpatient, and community mental health. View full profile.
Population Focus: Children, adolescents, adults, trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, life transitions, self-esteem, identity, interpersonal relationships
Location: Tampa
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![Ashley Canto, trauma-focused St. Petersburg therapist for child therapy and family counseling in Tampa FL]()
Ashley Canto, MS, LCSW
About: Ashley provides therapy in St. Petersburg for children, adolescents, and teens. She specializes in trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, emotional dysregulation, and life transitions. Ashley uses warm, collaborative, evidence-based practices like TF-CBT, CPT, PMT, EFT, Motivational Interviewing, and Play Therapy. Ashley's experience includes foster care case management, school/community programs, and supporting caregivers in parenting skills for family therapy in Tampa. View full profile.
Population Focus: Children, adolescents, teens, adults, trauma, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, life transitions, family dynamics, behavioral concerns
Location: Saint Petersburg, Fl
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![Megan Midura, child-focused Tampa therapist for family therapy and trauma counseling in Tampa FL]()
Megan Midura, MA, RMHCI
About: Megan is a registered intern and St. Petersburg therapist specializing in mental health counseling services for children and families. She uses relationship-centered, collaborative approaches like TF-CBT, DBT, PCIT, and Trauma-Focused Play Therapy for crisis stabilization, addressing risky behaviors & school concerns, as well as parent coaching. Megan emphasizes caregiver involvement and continuing education for diagnoses like ADHD, ODD, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. View full profile.
Population Focus: Children, families, early childhood to young adulthood, crisis stabilization, risky behaviors, parenting
Location: St. Petersburg & Clearwater
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![Annie Mowbray, caring Tampa therapist intern specializing in trauma and life transition counseling in Tampa FL]()
Annie Mowbray, BA
About: Annie is a pre-licensed clinician offering compassionate mental health therapy services in Tampa for individuals navigating life transitions, seeking trauma therapy, and supporting relationship trauma. She utilizes a person-centered approach and creates a safe, non-judgmental space tailored to clients’ unique experiences and goals. View full profile.
Population Focus: Individuals, trauma therapy, life transitions, depression therapy Tampa, anxiety, chronic illness
Location: Tampa
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![Samantha Kindler, skilled Tampa therapist specializing in couples therapy and trauma counseling in Tampa FL]()
Samantha Kindler, MA, RMHCI
About: Samantha is a compassionate Tampa therapist providing counseling services for individuals, couples, and families. She utilizes a relational, strengths-based approach paired with Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Sam helps clients navigate anxiety, trauma therapy, betrayal, and relationship counseling in Tampa. View full profile.
Population Focus: Individuals, couples, families, anxiety, trauma therapy, betrayal, relational conflict
Location: Tampa Bay
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![Smiling woman with long blond hair standing in front of a white brick wall, wearing a navy blue t-shirt, layered necklaces, and has tattoos of butterflies on her arm.]()
Genevieve Savage, MSW, RCSWI
About: Genevieve provides counseling for children, teens, young adults, families, and LGBTQ+ individuals across Tampa & St. Petersburg. She uses a supportive, strengths-based approach, and helps clients navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and family stressors. Genevieve is passionate about using art-based activities like drawing, painting, and games to create a safe, non-judgmental space where clients feel understood and empowered to grow.
Population Focus: Children, teens, young adults, families, LGBTQ+, anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, autism.
Location: St. Petersburg
Expert Therapy & Counseling in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
It Begins Within offers competent, research-based therapy for individuals seeking relief from mental health challenges. Our trauma-informed therapistsare trained in many psychotherapy approaches that facilitate healing.
The MISSION of our practice
To provide support and therapeutic mental health care for our clients: a seamless process where clients feel like their needs are being met from the very beginning of their therapeutic journey.
For this reason, we do not work with insurance companies, who often limit the amount and type of treatment for mental health therapy. By not accepting insurance we are able to keep our caseload small so that our current patients get the attention and care they need.
Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
Healthy relationships take work—and sometimes, extra support. At It Begins Within, our licensed couples therapists in Tampa, St. Pete, and Sarasota provide evidence-based care to help partners rebuild trust, deepen connection, and navigate challenges together.
Whether you’re seeking marriage counseling, infidelity recovery, premarital counseling, sex therapy, or relationship counseling, our team meets you where you are and gives you tools that work in real life.
Struggling with trust after betrayal? Our infidelity therapy near me helps couples rebuild after infidelity, address betrayal trauma, and restore emotional intimacy at a pace that feels safe for both partners.
Take the first step toward healing and discover how couples therapy can help your relationship thrive.
We are a team of skilled psychotherapists and mental health professionals in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
What Should I Expect in Therapy Services at IBW?
It Begins Within Healing Center provides consistent mental health treatment where a highly qualified therapist is committed to your healing.
Dr. Mary Perleoni is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and owner of IBWHC. Mary and our team of skilled therapists work with individuals, couples, families, children, and teens who are struggling with mental health or relational issues. Learn more about our counseling in Tampa, FL.
The goal of IBWHC is to help people heal from past traumas, navigate through presenting struggles, and feel hope for their future by providing research-based mental health counseling services.
Our aim is for each of our clients to feel empowered to obtain happiness and inner peace.
Specialized & Holistic In-Person Therapy Near Me
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Manage and reduce anxiety symptoms through our targeted anxiety therapy in Tampa, tailored to your unique needs for a calmer, more balanced life.
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Navigate the complexities of loss with our supportive grief counseling at our mental health facilities in Tampa. Get the help you deserve with counseling in Tampa.
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Improve focus and manage symptoms with our specialized ADHD therapy in Tampa, offering treatment tailored for both children and adults. Also now offering ADHD treatment in St. Petersburg.
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Address obsessive-compulsive behaviors with mental health services and our OCD therapy in Tampa.
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Strengthen your relationship with our Tampa couples therapy, designed to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and deepen your connection.
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Rebuild trust and heal your relationship after infidelity with our dedicated infidelity counseling in Tampa, supporting couples toward recovery.
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Our premarital counseling helps teach Tampa & St. Petersburg couples the foundational elements of a strong and lasting relationship, including communication, conflict resolution, and shared goals.
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Our Tampa & St. Petersburg child therapists utilize play as a therapeutic tool in order to help children express emotions and resolve psychological challenges and trauma.
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Strengthen your relationship with marriage therapy in Tampa, designed to improve communication, rebuild trust, and deepen connection.
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Support your child's emotional and behavioral development with our specialized child therapists in Tampa. Our skilled clinicians are trained in leading approaches including play therapy, parent child interaction therapy, and behavioral therapy.
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Our compassionate Tampa & St. Petersburg therapists specialize in self-esteem therapy, using personalized approaches to help you challenge negative beliefs, build self-compassion, and rediscover your worth.
Finding the right balance of therapy and medication can make a powerful difference in your mental health journey. At It Begins Within, our licensed psychiatric providers offer compassionate, evidence-based medication management for adults, teens, and children.
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, or mood disorders, our team provides:
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations to understand your unique needs
Personalized treatment plans that may include medication alongside therapy
Ongoing monitoring and adjustments to ensure safety and effectiveness
Collaborative care with your therapist for whole-person healing
Our psychiatric specialists in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota work closely with you to find the right path forward — restoring balance, improving daily functioning, and helping you move toward the future you want.
Call today to schedule a medication management consultation.
Therapy Offices Near Me in Florida
Therapist in st. petersburg, fl
Our St. Petersburg office proudly serves individuals and couples across Pinellas County, including Clearwater, Largo, Gulfport, Seminole, Feather Sound, and Treasure Island.
Licensed Tampa Therapist for Anxiety, Trauma & More
Tampa therapy services located near Westshore and South Tampa. Our licensed Tampa therapists support couples, individuals, children and families across Hillsborough County—including South Tampa, Hyde Park, Carrollwood, Brandon, Riverview, and Apollo Beach.
Expert Sarasota Therapist Serving Lakewood Ranch & Beyond
Our Sarasota location welcomes couples from across the Suncoast region, including Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Venice, Siesta Key, and Palmer Ranch. Schedule a free consultation with a Lakewood Ranch & Sarasota therapist.
Get the help you deserve today
If your seeking the best therapist in Tampa, St. Petersburg or Sarasota, we invite you to contact us or call to set up a free consultation.