Come as you are, tell me what you really think & we’ll figure out what works together.
Works With:
- Children, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, Families
Specialites:
- Anxiety, Trauma, PTSD, Depression & Mood Disorders, ADHD, Neurodivergence, Emotional Regulation, Self-Esteem, Child & Adolescent Behavioral Concerns, Relational Trauma, Domestic Violence, Abuse & Neglect, Family Therapy, Parenting Support, Addiction & Co-Occurring Disorders
Modalities:
- EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Family Systems, Play Therapy, and Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
APPOINTMENT TIMES
FLEXIBLE THERAPY OPTIONS
INSURANCE ACCEPTED
Hi, thanks for landing here! I’m Heather.
A little about me:
I’m a Florida native. Born in Gainesville and have lived in Florida my entire life.
Also an only child from two pretty small families, so the family I’ve built around me has always been especially important.
My house is basically a small collection of wonderfully imperfect animals. I have two dogs and two cats, including a three-legged orange cat and another cat with a crooked tail. Between all four of them, there is never a shortage of personality at home.
My nickname has been “Peeps” for as long as I can remember because of my last name. Somewhere along the way, that also turned Easter into one of my favorite holidays and gave me a completely reasonable excuse to appreciate Peeps marshmallow candy.
Music is a big part of how I recharge. I love EDM and have been to quite a few festivals and concerts over the years. I’m also creative and really enjoy arts and crafts. Pink and purple are my favorite colors, although anything iridescent, rainbow, sparkly, or shiny has a pretty good chance of getting my attention.
I have a serious love for pickles, sweets, and finding good food. Mexican, Italian, and Chinese are longtime favorites. Cooking, however, is not one of my hidden talents. I may not be the person you want preparing dinner, but I probably have a good restaurant recommendation.
I’m also firmly on the indoor-activities side of life. Reality TV, comedies, psychological thrillers, superhero movies, and an unreasonable number of animal videos are much more my speed than pretending I want to spend the weekend hiking or camping.
I’m neurodivergent, and my own experience with ADHD, along with a history of navigating periods of depression and increased anxiety, has definitely shaped the way I think about therapy. Those experiences do not mean I assume I know exactly what someone else is going through, but they have helped enhance my appreciation for flexibility, authenticity, and self-compassion. Our brains process information, emotions, structure, and change differently. I try to create a space where clients do not have to force themselves into a particular mold just because that is how therapy is “supposed” to look.
Lastly, one rule I take pretty seriously is this: I won’t ask you to do something in therapy that I wouldn’t be willing to try myself. I fully understand that attending a therapy session as the client is very different from sitting in the therapist’s chair. So, if we’re practicing a new skill, doing something creative, or trying an activity that feels awkward, I’m perfectly willing to do it alongside you.
How clients experience me.
Clients often tell me they feel seen, heard, validated, and authentically accepted in our sessions. They describe me as warm, friendly, relatable, easy to talk to, and nonjudgmental.
Many tell me they appreciate that therapy with me doesn’t feel overly formal or rigid. We can have a plan, but if something important happened that week and suddenly needs our attention, we can shift gears. Therapy should respond to what you need, not force you into a predetermined agenda. I tend to have a lot of ideas, resources, activities, tools, and different ways of approaching a concern, and I’m always willing to adjust when something does not feel like the right fit.
Clients often say they feel like they can be honest with me, even when we disagree or when the conversation is difficult. I want you to feel comfortable telling me what you actually think, not what you think a therapist wants to hear. I’m told that clients appreciate my balance of support and honesty. I will validate what you’re experiencing, but I’m also willing to gently challenge you, point out patterns, or say something you may need to hear when I believe it can help you move forward.
Across clients ranging from children to older adults, some of the feedback that means the most to me is simply hearing that someone feels open to being themselves in our sessions and feels like I genuinely care about what happens to them. And they’re right about that part. I truly do.
The clients I work best with.
I work best with people who are:
Willing to be honest, even when the honest answer is “I don’t know,” “I don’t want to talk about that today,” or “I hated that activity.” I don’t need you to come into therapy perfectly motivated, completely comfortable, or already knowing what you want to change. I can work with unsure. I can work with skeptical. I can work with “my mom made me come” or “someone suggested I try therapy.” What helps is eventually being willing to let me know what is actually going on.
Open to trying something at least once. You do not have to love everything we try. In fact, you probably won’t. Therapy is partly about figuring out what works for you, and sometimes discovering what absolutely does not help is useful information too.
Comfortable having a voice in their own therapy. I want to know your preferences. Tell me whether you want more structure or less. Tell me whether you need practical skills today or whether you just need space to process. Tell me when you want me to challenge you and when you need me to slow down.
Looking for support without wanting to be handled with kid gloves. Validation and accountability can exist in the same room. I can understand why something happened while still helping you look at what needs to change next.
Someone who has felt different, misunderstood, “too much,” or difficult to fit into a box. My background includes working with people across different ages, diagnoses, family situations, neurotypes, levels of functioning, and life experiences. Complicated does not scare me.
If you want therapy where you can be honest enough to say, “This isn’t working for me,” and know we’ll talk about it rather than take it personally, we’ll probably work well together.
My Qualifications & Approaches
Degrees & Credentials:
Clinical Psychology, Psy.D. Program - Albizu University
Master of Science, Clinical Psychology - Nova Southeastern University
Master of Science, Criminal Justice - Nova Southeastern University
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology - University of Central Florida
Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern
EMDR Trained (EMDRIA Approved)
Modalities & Approaches:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Motivational Interviewing
Person-Centered Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
Family Systems Therapy
Play Therapy & Developmentally Appropriate Play-Based Interventions
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Strength-Based Therapy
Collaborative & Client-Centered Approaches
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