Meet Our Therapists in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
View our team of top-rated therapists and explore by location and specialization
Jennifer Appelbaum, RCSWI (Registered Social Worker Intern)
Tampa | RCSWI | OCD, Anxiety & Life Transitions for Adults & Children
ABOUT
Jennifer works with women navigating the reproductive lifespan, adults living with anxiety and OCD, and adolescents working out who they are becoming. Her practice centers on a collaborative, person centered approach in which the shape of treatment is built around each client rather than applied to them, and she brings art into the therapy room for clients who find expression easier through their hands than their words.
SPECIALTIES
Jennifer utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy, and person centered, collaborative treatment planning. She works with anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, life transitions, relationship distress, and the full range of women's mental health concerns including infertility, pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and menopause. Specialized work with couples focused on strengthening communication, repairing relationship injuries, and rebuilding emotional connection after rupture, and with adolescents navigating academic pressure, social difficulty, and identity development.
Meghan Hargaden, LMHC
Tampa | LMHC | Trauma, Addiction & Couples Therapist
ABOUT
Meghan specializes in supporting compulsive behavior, trauma, and the relationship conflict that so often grows out of both, and she works with partners at every stage, from premarital preparation to couples caught in long-standing gridlock. Trained in EMDR and DBT she helps clients move from compulsion and reactivity toward freedom, regulation, and genuine connection.
SPECIALTIES
Meghan works with adolescents, adults, and couples, and her clinical focus is in trauma. Trained in EMDR, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing, she treats PTSD, complex PTSD, anxiety, and the emotional dysregulation that trauma tends to leave behind. She has particular strength in men's issues, including anger management and compulsive behaviors such as substance use, pornography, and gambling, approached through harm reduction that meets people where they actually are. Her couples work spans premarital preparation, communication breakdown, and partnerships strained by addiction or unresolved trauma. Tampa 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.
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.
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.
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.
Ciana Nguyen, MS, LCSW
Sarasota | Child, Family & Veteran-Connected Care Therapist
ABOUT
Ciana Nguyen is a trauma-informed, developmentally-sensitive clinician who supports children, adolescents, adults, and families. Her warm, collaborative space is shaped by years of work with military families, veterans, and the unique demands of healing across complex systems.
SPECIALTIES
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP), Motivational Interviewing, Pain Neuroscience Education, supportive therapy, play therapy, and mindfulness-based strategies. Anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, complex trauma, adjustment disorders, grief, and military and veteran care. Children, adolescents, adults, and families. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Brianna Garcia, MA, LMHC
Tampa | Child, Teen & Family Therapist
ABOUT
A Tampa native, Brianna Garcia brings deep care to the community she calls home. Her trusting, safe space invites children, teens, families, and adults to learn, heal, and express themselves freely as they take meaningful steps toward growth and self-understanding.
SPECIALTIES
Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Family Systems approaches, trauma-informed care, and play therapy. Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, neurodivergence, identity development, and family conflict. Children ages five and up, teens, adults, and families. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.
Lauren Pages, MSW, Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern
Tampa | Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern | Child, Teen & Young Adult Therapist
ABOUT
Lauren Pages is a Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern specializing in children, teens, young adults, and families. She is passionate about the moment when a child's struggle becomes the family's healing, working collaboratively with parents to create meaningful and sustainable change. With older teens and young adults, Lauren creates space to explore identity, navigate major life transitions, and build a life rooted in personal values.
SPECIALTIES
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care, integrating mindfulness, movement, art, music, and play. Anxiety, depression, school-related stress, emotional regulation, ADHD, mood disorders, family conflict, self-harm, life transitions, and identity work. Children five and up, teens, young adults, and families. Tampa office and Florida telehealth
Stanton Hugger, MSN, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP
Tampa | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Medication Management
ABOUT
Stanton Hugger is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner offering psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management for children, teens, and adults. His holistic, patient-centered approach pairs medical expertise with the collaborative spirit of a clinician who treats each person's story as their own.
SPECIALTIES
Comprehensive psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology, and integration of medical and psychological care. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, mood regulation, autism spectrum support, and substance use disorders. Advanced Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN-AP). Children, teens, adults, and families. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.