Longing for the days when your child was free from distress and enjoyed life?

Does your child seem to be withdrawing, not acting like themselves, or exhibiting challenging behaviors?

Are they undergoing major life changes, having difficulties with academics, or struggling while socializing with peers?

Children will often feel misunderstood or alone in their feelings when they are only trying to convey their needs.

This is coupled with changes in behavior which are concerning to parents. Whether it’s a display of temper tantrums, refusal to follow simple tasks, or pushing others away, these behaviors pose a tremendous task for parents to tackle as they support their loved child.

In therapy, I will help you understand your child and better cope with the inevitable changes they’ll have throughout their development.

I approach each child as an expert of their own lives. I will work to learn more about your child’s lifestyle, including their interests, aspirations, and desires through active listening, insightful questions, and compassionate support and understanding.

Working together, you, your child, your family, and I will make an individualized plan with measurable and specific goals to target areas you and your child wish to address in therapy.

While in therapy, I use an integrative approach, which allows me to combine elements of different psychotherapies to fit the specific needs of your child. Creative modalities, such as Play therapy, art therapy, and Sandplay therapy may be employed to help your child express themselves in a manner which is less intimidating and more natural to them.

Cognitive behavioral techniques will also be employed to help you and your child gain a greater understanding of the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and how to identify and modify problematic thinking. Interpersonally, I will create reparative experiences for your child to be able to apply and generalize in their daily lives.

I will provide a safe and understanding environment that reinforces strengths, encourages independence, and empowers self-discovery.

Children and teens will be encouraged to identify their strengths and utilize them daily. They will be challenged to utilize their strengths and combat misperceptions about their abilities.

I will help your child gain awareness and insight into their own thoughts, behaviors, and feelings to feel capable of understanding and appreciating themselves.

Together, we will establish a cooperative environment in which your child can feel like an agent for change in their own lives.

Growing up with a sibling on the Autism spectrum, I understood the impact the disorder had on our family system, on my self-view, and on my sibling from an early age.

My personal experiences with mental health allowed me to empathize with individuals and their families, to understand the unique obstacles and stigmatization families face due to societal perception of mental health, and to consider the distinctive needs of the individual beyond the label.

I dreamt about helping individuals grow comfortable with themselves and have a voice against the stigma of mental health. This dream fueled a passion that carried me through to graduate school and still stands today!

When I’m not in the office… in my spare time, I enjoy taking in some rays at the beach, scrapbooking, spending time with my family and friends, and enjoying the company of my three fur-babies (a Rat-terrier, a cat, and a Bull Mastiff).

• Child and Adolescent psychotherapy
• Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• School-based mental health
• Disabilities

• Play therapy
• Art therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral techniques
• Parent management training

• B.A. in Psychology from University of Miami
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, in Tampa, Florida
• Bilingual Clinical Psychology Internship at Citrus Health Network in Hialeah, Florida
• Bilingual Clinical Psychology Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Citrus Health Network in Hialeah, Florida
• Clinical Coordinator at the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit (CCSU) at Citrus Health Network, a Baker Act and Juvenile Addictions Receiving Facility
• Site supervisor for psychology post-doctoral residents acquiring hours toward licensure at the CCSU in Citrus Health Network, an APA-Approved Residency site
• Member American Psychological Association (APA)
• Member of National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA)

If you are looking to support your child through their challenges, increase your understanding of your child’s feelings, and learn how to tailor your parenting style to fit your child’s needs, you are ready to start your and your child’s therapy journey.

To get started, please feel free to reach out to me at (305) 662-2686 to discuss how I can be the guide through your child’s journey of self-discovery and healing.