Meet Our Therapists in Tampa, St. Petersburg & Sarasota
View our team of top-rated therapists and explore by location and specialization
Roberta Bruni, LCSW
St. Petersburg | Trauma, Addiction & Couples Therapist
ABOUT
Roberta is an empathetic, compassionate, and seasoned therapist with more than two decades of experience helping adults, couples, and families. She works most often with trauma, addiction, anxiety, and couples, and also brings specialized expertise to neurodivergent adults.
SPECIALTIES
Roberta specializes in trauma, PTSD, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and infidelity recovery. She holds her MCAP, is EMDR-trained, and certified at the Master Practitioner level in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, along with certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Level 2 training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. She works with adults, couples, and families.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Annie Mowbray, MA
Tampa | Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern | Chronic Illness & Disability
ABOUT
Annie is a trauma-informed clinician in Tampa offering virtual therapy across Florida and in-person sessions for adults and couples. She specializes in the inner world of high-functioning clients who look composed on the outside while privately carrying anxiety, perfectionism, OCD, or the long-term weight of relational trauma. With a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Sciences, Annie brings rare specialty depth to therapy for adults living with chronic illness or invisible disability, and to the partners and families navigating life alongside them.
SPECIALTIES
Annie draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Gestalt therapy, and a trauma-informed lens, adapting her approach to the person in the room rather than applying a single protocol. Her clients often carry high-functioning anxiety, OCD, or perfectionism alongside deeper layers of relational trauma, complex trauma, and PTSD, with depression, life transitions, adjustment disorders, or disordered eating frequently part of the picture. She brings particular depth to therapy for adults living with chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, neurodivergence, and the invisible disabilities the world tends to overlook. She works just as closely with the caregivers and families navigating a loved one's illness or disability, and with couples rebuilding emotional safety after infidelity or strained communication. Annie sees young adults and adults at the Tampa office and across Florida via secure telehealth.
Chelsea Walker, MA, LMFT
Sarasota | Couples, Women's & Older Adult Therapist
ABOUT
Chelsea Walker is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Sarasota who creates a compassionate, client-centered space for healing and growth. She works with couples, families, and individuals navigating relationship challenges, life transitions, grief, and the personal struggles that ask for deeper attention.
SPECIALTIES
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method. Couples communication, conflict, infidelity recovery, women's empowerment, life transitions, and grief in older adults. Couples, families, individuals, women, and older adults. Sarasota office and Florida telehealth.
Andreas Balasis, MSW, LCSW-QS, CHP
St. Petersburg | LCSW, CHP | ACT, Hypnotherapy & Performance Psychology
ABOUT
Andreas helps clients move toward meaningful, lasting change with a style that is warm, direct, and collaborative. His clinical home is the intersection of psychological flexibility, clinical hypnotherapy, and high performance, supporting teens, adults, and couples ready to break long-standing patterns.
SPECIALTIES
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), clinical hypnotherapy, somatic therapy, third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and performance psychology. Anxiety, depression, perfectionism, substance use and addictive behaviors, life transitions, and relationship concerns. Specialized work with teens, athletes, high performers, and professionals. St. Petersburg office and Florida telehealth.
Dr. Alex Castañeda, PhD, LMHC
Tampa | EMDR, Trauma & Addiction Therapist
ABOUT
Dr. Alex Castañeda helps adults and couples heal from trauma, process addiction, and emotional patterns that no longer fit the life they want. His doctoral work in psychology and theology lets him pair rigorous psychological science with a faith-aware approach for clients who want their values honored, while working just as readily with clients of any belief system or none. He sees clients at the Tampa office and through telehealth across Florida.
SPECIALTIES
Advanced training in EMDR, drawing additionally on Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Gottman Method, existential, and CBT and DBT informed approaches. Single-incident and complex trauma, pornography and process addiction, religious trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship repair. Deep doctoral focus on addiction and its impact on partners and relationships, paired with couples EMDR for trauma carried into the relationship. Adults and couples. Tampa office and Florida telehealth.