About Brianna
Brianna Garcia is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor helping children, teens, and families navigate big emotions, behavioral challenges, and changing family dynamics. Her approach is calm, supportive, and rooted in creating emotional safety for young people and their caregivers. With extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and DBT-informed approaches, Brianna helps clients build emotional regulation skills, strengthen communication, and develop practical coping strategies. She creates a warm, grounded space where children feel understood, teens feel empowered, and parents receive actionable tools to support their child's wellbeing.
Credentials & Education
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) — Florida | License #MH26589
M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College
Training in play therapy and mindfulness-based interventions
Advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Who Brianna Supports
Brianna works with:
Children navigating big emotions — addressing emotional regulation, behavioral challenges, and difficulty managing feelings at home or school
Teens and preteens facing anxiety and stress — processing worry, academic pressure, confidence issues, identity questions, and motivation challenges
Parents seeking support and tools — learning strategies to help their child manage emotions, behavior, and wellbeing with confidence and clarity
Families strengthening communication and connection — improving routines, reducing conflict, and building healthier family dynamics during transitions
Children and teens experiencing school-related challenges — navigating academic stress, peer difficulties, social anxiety, bullying, or school transitions
Tampa families value Brianna's developmentally appropriate, family-centered approach and her ability to help children and teens build resilience, emotional insight, and practical life skills.
Brianna’s Approach to Therapy
Brianna integrates evidence-based interventions with a relational, developmentally informed approach. Her sessions are structured, supportive, and designed to foster emotional safety, skill-building, and confidence.
She focuses on:
Teaching practical coping strategies and healthy emotional regulation skills tailored to each child's developmental stage
Applying Solution-Focused Therapy to emphasize strengths, build momentum, and create immediate progress
Incorporating DBT-informed techniques to support emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
Using play-based interventions with younger children to help them express emotions in developmentally appropriate ways
Providing parents with actionable, real-world tools to support their child's growth and manage challenges at home
Brianna draws from research-based models while honoring the unique developmental needs and family dynamics of each client she serves.
Challenges Brianna Helps Clients Address
Brianna supports Tampa children, teens, and families experiencing:
Behavioral concerns at home or school
Difficulty regulating emotions or managing big feelings
Academic pressure and school transitions
Low confidence and self-esteem issues
Family changes (divorce, co-parenting, blended families, relocation)
Peer difficulties, social stress, and bullying
Parent-child communication challenges
Tantrums and emotional outbursts in young children
Brianna’s Background and Training
Brianna earned her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College. She completed her undergraduate studies at Florida State University, where she double majored in Psychology (BA) and Family and Child Sciences (BS), laying a strong foundation in child development, family systems, and mental health.
Her professional experience includes:
Providing individualized therapy to children ages 5–14 in public school settings
Collaborating closely with parents, caregivers, teachers, and school staff to support emotional, behavioral, and academic needs
Delivering wraparound, school-based mental health services focused on early intervention and skill-building
Supporting children, teens, adults, families, and couples in private practice settings
Working with clients across a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, mood disorders, self-esteem, neurodivergence, social skills, and family conflict
Utilizing developmentally appropriate interventions tailored to each client’s unique needs and strengths
A Message From Brianna
“Childhood and adolescence bring big emotions, rapid change, and moments that can feel overwhelming—for both kids and the people who love them. Families often experience these waves together. My role is to help your child better understand their inner world, support you as a parent with clarity and confidence, and create a space where healing, growth, and connection feel possible. You don’t have to navigate this season alone.”
Ready to work with Brianna?
We invite you to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION with us to begin your healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Brianna use play therapy?
Yes. Brianna incorporates play-based therapy techniques when working with younger children, using developmentally appropriate activities to help them express emotions, build coping skills, and feel more comfortable in therapy. Play therapy allows children to communicate in ways that feel natural to them—especially when they don’t yet have the words to describe big feelings.
How do I know if my child might benefit from behavioral therapy?
Behavioral therapy can be helpful if your child is experiencing frequent meltdowns, difficulty following directions, impulsive behavior, emotional outbursts, or challenges at school or home that don’t seem to improve with typical parenting strategies. Many parents seek support when behavior begins to affect family relationships, learning, or a child’s self-confidence. Early support can make a meaningful difference.
How can therapy help with tantrums in a 4-year-old?
Tantrums are common in young children, but therapy can help when they become intense, frequent, or hard to manage. Brianna works with both children and parents to understand what’s driving tantrums—such as emotional overwhelm, frustration, or difficulty communicating needs. Therapy focuses on building emotional regulation skills in children while helping parents respond in ways that reduce escalation and strengthen connection.
How does child therapy with Brianna support hyperactive children or kids with ADHD?
Brianna supports children with hyperactivity or ADHD by focusing on emotional regulation, impulse control, attention skills, and confidence-building. Therapy often includes structured activities, coping strategies, and parent guidance to help children manage big energy and emotions in healthy ways. Parents also receive practical tools to support consistency at home and school, helping children feel more successful and understood.
Locations Served
Brianna offers in-person sessions in Tampa, conveniently located for families across:
Tampa
South Tampa
Hyde Park
Carrollwood
Westchase
Town ’n’ Country
Brandon
Riverview
Temple Terrace
Lutz