Meet Our Therapists in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
View our team of top-rated therapists and explore by location and specialization
Amanda Farris, MS, LCSW-QS
St. Petersburg | Attachment-Focused EMDR & Couples Therapist [verify city]
ABOUT
Amanda Farris brings a relational, dynamic approach to therapy, helping individuals and couples break patterns that no longer serve them. A Registered Yoga Teacher in addition to her clinical training, she integrates mindfulness and body-centered work for clients drawn to a holistic path.
SPECIALTIES
Attachment-focused EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and somatic-informed care. Trauma, depression, anxiety, self-harm, intimacy, communication, and trust concerns. Specialized work with couples across all relationship structures. Adolescents, adults, and couples. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Dr. Mary Perleoni, PhD, LMHC, NCC
Founder & Clinical Director | Tampa | Couples & Trauma Therapist
ABOUT
Founder and clinical director of It Begins Within, Dr. Mary Perleoni brings doctoral-level expertise in counseling, clinical supervision, and trauma-informed care. She supports couples and individuals through infidelity recovery, infertility, discernment counseling, and the complex relational dynamics that define modern partnership.
SPECIALTIES
Couples therapy, infidelity recovery, discernment counseling, and trauma therapy. Trained in Gottman Method, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gestalt, and mindfulness. Specialized work in intensive couples workshops and breakthrough retreats. Adults and couples. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Kaitlyn Shelp, MA, LMHC-QS
Clinical Director | Tampa & St. Petersburg | Infidelity & Trauma Specialist
ABOUT
Clinical Director for the Tampa and St. Petersburg offices, Kaitlyn Shelp brings deep specialty expertise to couples and individuals seeking healing after disclosure of infidelity. Her trauma-informed, directive approach pairs systematic treatment with the steady warmth this most vulnerable clinical work requires.
SPECIALTIES
Infidelity recovery, betrayal trauma, and couples healing. One of two clinicians in Florida formally trained in Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy (SART). Also trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and Gottman Method. Couples and individuals. Tampa and St. Petersburg offices, with Florida telehealth.
Tyler MacDonald, MA, LMHC
St. Petersburg | Men's Therapy, Identity & Relationship Therapist
ABOUT
Tyler MacDonald brings a systemic, trauma-informed approach to his work with adults navigating identity, neurodivergence, anger, men's work, substance use, grief, and the search for meaning. His belief: counseling is not a process of creating something new, but of removing the barriers to what has always been.
SPECIALTIES
Motivational interviewing, person-centered therapy, Jungian and existential approaches, and trauma-informed care. Identity exploration, anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, self-esteem, men's work, substance use, anger, spirituality, and grief. Specialized experience with eating disorders and adolescent psychiatric care. Adults. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Melissa Zentner, MS, LMHC
St. Petersburg | PTSD, Anxiety & Family Trauma Specialist
ABOUT
With over ten years of clinical practice, Melissa Zentner offers integrative therapy for children, adolescents, and adults navigating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, impulse-control concerns, and depression. Her time-limited, evidence-based approach focuses on measurable symptom reduction without sacrificing depth in the therapeutic relationship.
SPECIALTIES
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, person-centered therapy, and Gottman Method Level 1. PTSD, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, generational trauma, premarital counseling, and sport psychology. Children, teens, adults, and couples. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Samantha Wilson, MA, LMHC
Sarasota | Trauma, EMDR & Child Therapist
ABOUT
Samantha offers trauma and relationship counseling for couples, adults, teens, and children at our Sarasota therapy office. Trained in EMDR and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with experience across school-based and community care settings, she helps clients move through complex trauma, PTSD, relational stress, and life transitions. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded, balancing genuine compassion with practical tools and honest conversation so that therapy feels both supportive and meaningful.
SPECIALTIES
EMDR, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and strengths-based, collaborative approaches. Complex trauma, PTSD, couples and relational stress, anxiety, stress, and life transitions. Specialized work with couples recovering from relational distress and clients carrying long-standing trauma who are ready to feel genuinely seen and understood. Couples, adults, teens, and children. Sarasota and statewide Florida telehealth.
Ellie Smith, Mental Performance Student Intern
St. Petersburg | Mental Performance Intern | Sport & Performance
ABOUT
Ellie supports athletes and performers at our St. Petersburg & Tampa offices, focusing on the mental side of sport and performance. A former athlete and dancer who navigated her own recovery from bilateral ACL injuries, she brings lived understanding to the confidence, focus, and identity challenges that come with high-level performance. Currently pursuing a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology and working toward the Certified Mental Performance Consultant credential, Ellie helps clients build practical mental skills that translate directly into training, competition, and life.
SPECIALTIES
Mental performance skills, confidence building, focus and resilience training, and goal-oriented performance consulting. Performance anxiety, burnout, consistency under pressure, injury recovery, return-to-play, and athletic identity. Specialized work with athletes and performers navigating setbacks, rebuilding trust in their bodies, and developing a balanced sense of self beyond sport. Individuals, couples, and families.
Christine Pickering, Ph.D., BCBA, NCSP
Tampa, St. Pete & Sarasota | Psychological Testing & Evaluations
ABOUT
Dr. Pickering provides psychological testing and evaluations for children, teens, and adults across our Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota offices. With 17+ years of experience and triple credentialing as a Licensed Psychologist, BCBA, and Nationally Certified School Psychologist, she specializes in ADHD, autism, learning disability, and gifted assessment.
SPECIALTIES
Evidence-based standardized assessment, integrated cognitive and behavioral testing, and ABA-informed evaluation. ADHD, autism, learning disability, gifted, and psychoeducational evaluations, plus 504/IEP and accommodation documentation. Children, teens, college students, and adults.
Rylie Simmons, MSW, Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern
St. Petersburg | Child, Teen & Trauma Therapist
ABOUT
Rylie offers counseling for children, teens, and young adults at our St. Petersburg therapy office. Trained in EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT with nearly two years of community trauma therapy experience, she helps young clients move through trauma, anxiety, depression, and life transitions while building practical coping skills for daily life.
SPECIALTIES
EMDR, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and strengths-based approaches. Trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions, school stress, and self-confidence. Children, teens, families, and young adults
Lee Watters, MS, LMHC, NCC
Tampa & St. Petersburg | Executive, Couples & Life Transitions Therapist
ABOUT
Lee offers therapy for executives, entrepreneurs, creatives, and couples at our Tampa and St. Petersburg offices. With more than thirty years in corporate America and Hollywood before becoming a therapist, he brings rare lived experience to clients navigating career transitions, burnout, retirement, illness, and long-term partnership change.
SPECIALTIES
Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based practice, and Narrative Therapy. Career transitions, executive burnout, retirement, illness adjustment, mid-life recalibration, and long-term relationship change. Executives, entrepreneurs, creatives, individuals, and couples.
Julia Schwartz, MSW, Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern
St. Petersburg | Young Adult, Couples & Family Therapist
ABOUT
Julia offers therapy for young adults, couples, and families at our St. Pete office. She works collaboratively with clients navigating anxiety, depression, and life transitions, helping them build coping skills and stronger relationships through evidence-based, compassionate care.
SPECIALTIES
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based approaches. Anxiety, depression, life transitions, emotional regulation, and relationship challenges. Young adults, couples, and families.
Angela Holmes-Cruz, MS, LMHC
Tampa | EMDR & Trauma Therapist
ABOUT
Angela meets clients exactly where they are, tailoring her approach so therapy feels both safe and deeply collaborative. She works alongside adults moving through trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem concerns, addiction recovery, and the slow work of healing old wounds.
SPECIALTIES
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) including emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Trauma, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and addiction recovery. Adults and groups. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Lauren Pankuch, MA, LMHC
Tampa | Child, Teen & Play Therapist
ABOUT
Lauren Pankuch brings a strengths-based, trauma-informed presence to her work with children, adolescents, parents, and individuals. Her client-centered approach pulls from the modalities that best serve each person, with a particular passion for the developmental and emotional world of younger clients.
SPECIALTIES
Play Therapy, Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Polyvagal-informed nervous system regulation. Working toward credentialing as a Registered Play Therapist (RPT). Trauma, behavioral concerns, neurodivergence, LGBTQIA-affirming care, and foster youth support. Children, adolescents, and parents. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Paris McDonald, MS, LMHC
Tampa | Veterans, First Responders & Trauma Therapy
ABOUT
A U.S. Army Veteran, Paris brings rare insight into the lived experience of first responders, military personnel, veterans, and their families. Her empowering, collaborative style helps clients across the lifespan tap internal strengths and build the resilience that holistic healing requires.
SPECIALTIES
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for adolescents. Complex trauma, anxiety, depression, anger, grief, personality concerns, infidelity, trust, and intimacy. Adults, and couples. Serving residents of Florida virtually.
Emma Groskind, MS, LCSW
Tampa | EMDR Certified Couples Trauma Therapist
ABOUT
Emma Groskind is a trauma-informed, strengths-based clinician committed to authentic, compassionate therapeutic relationships. She supports children, adolescents, and adults healing from trauma, depression, and anxiety, tailoring her approach to each client and meeting them in the work that matters most.
SPECIALTIES
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Trauma, grief, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, self-esteem, identity, and interpersonal relationships. Significant work with foster youth and adults navigating life transitions. Children, adolescents, and adults. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Kelly Morrissey, MA, LMFT, LMHC-QS, CAP
Tampa | Lifespan Integration & Family Systems Therapist
ABOUT
With more than fourteen years of clinical experience, Kelly Morrissey offers a thoughtful, candid, collaborative space for individuals, couples, and families. She is one of only two therapists in Florida providing Lifespan Integration Therapy, a neuroscience-based modality offering gentle and rapid healing.
SPECIALTIES
Lifespan Integration Therapy, attachment-focused work, and family systems therapy. Trauma, codependency, addiction in family systems, burnout, perfectionism, life transitions, and self-esteem building. Florida-Qualified Supervisor for Registered Mental Health and Marriage and Family Therapy interns. Individuals, couples, and families. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Megan Midura, MA, LMHC
St. Petersburg | Child & Family Therapist
ABOUT
Megan Midura specializes in the inner world of children and families, helping young clients learn to name big feelings, advocate for themselves, and build resilience. Her relationship-centered approach prioritizes caregiver involvement so families heal as a system, not in isolation.
SPECIALTIES
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Trauma-Focused Play Therapy. ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depression. Children, families, and young adults. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Jessica Klein, MA, LMHC
St. Petersburg | CBT, Gottman & EMDR Therapist
ABOUT
Jessica Klein is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in St. Petersburg, who helps adults and couples heal relationships, recover from trauma, and reconnect with themselves. Gottman trained and EMDR trained, she pairs structured, research backed couples work with attachment based and inner child approaches that reach the roots of old emotional pain.
SPECIALTIES
Gottman Method Level 1, EMDR (EMDRIA-trained), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, inner-child work, and attachment-based approaches. Couples conflict, life transitions, depression, grief, childhood wounds, and interpersonal challenges. Adults and couples. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Ashley Canto, MS, LCSW
St. Petersburg | Child Trauma & Play Therapist [verify city]
ABOUT
Ashley Canto is a trauma-informed therapist with a strong focus on child therapy and family healing. Her warm, collaborative presence supports children, adolescents, teens, and adults as they navigate the effects of trauma, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and life transitions.
SPECIALTIES
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Parent Management Technique (PMT), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping, Motivational Interviewing, and Play Therapy. Trauma, emotional regulation, family dynamics, and behavioral concerns across the lifespan. Children, adolescents, teens, and adults. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Samantha Kindler, MA
Tampa | Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern | EFT & CBT
ABOUT
Samantha Kindler is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern who brings a relational, strengths-based presence to individuals, couples, and families. Her collaborative style empowers clients to gain clarity, rebuild connection, and move forward with greater confidence at every stage of their work together.
SPECIALTIES
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Anxiety, depression, trauma, betrayal, and complex relationship challenges. Experience working with clients ages eleven through sixty-five in private practice. Individuals and couples. Tampa and St. Petersburg offices, with Florida telehealth.