Family therapy and counseling in Fernandina Beach, FL

I am Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Lifespan Development and a minor in Child and Family Development from Georgia Southern University, and went on to complete my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of North Florida.

My background includes working with children, teens, and families in both educational and therapeutic settings, as well as most recently supporting individuals and groups in addiction and recovery programs. I am certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) through Florida Atlantic University and integrate evidence-based approaches including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness practices, and strengths-based strategies. My clinical interests include supporting clients through persistent depression and anxiety, grief and loss, life transitions, and identity exploration. I also welcome partners and families into therapy, believing that healing and growth often take shape within our most important relationships.

Great to meet you!Hi! I’m Dr. Jessica Torres, and I’m so glad you’re here. Taking the step to seek support can feel vulnerable, and I want you to know that reaching out is courageous. I have 18 years of counseling experience and over 30 years in education, supporting women, adolescents, and couples through major life transitions. I specialize in helping women find their voice, rebuild self-esteem, and move forward with grace after divorce, abuse, infertility, career changes, and identity shifts. I also work with adolescents (middle and high school, girls and boys) navigating anxiety, depression, anger, grief, self-esteem challenges, identity exploration, LGBTQ+ concerns, and eating or behavioral issues. Additionally, I support couples navigating relationship transitions, communication struggles, and family-building stressors.

I’m not your typical therapist—and I don’t try to be. I’m warm, honest, and believe a little humor belongs in therapy when it fits. I specialize in helping adults navigate trauma, anxiety, ADHD, relationship challenges, and identity, especially when old patterns leave you feeling stuck or disconnected from yourself. My goal is to create a space that feels less clinical and more like a grounded, genuine conversation where you can reconnect with yourself, heal, and make room for more joy and ease.

When you've spent so much time taking care of everyone else, it's easy to lose sight of your own needs. Anxiety, depression, constant stress, trauma, or relationship challenges can leave you feeling emotionally exhausted, disconnected, and unsure how to move forward. You deserve a space where you don't have to carry everything alone and where healing feels possible. I partner with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, stress management, trauma, and PTSD so they can strengthen their relationships, build emotional resilience, and reconnect with the version of themselves they've been missing. Working with adolescents, adults, couples, and families in both English and Spanish, I strive to create a welcoming, affirming environment where every client feels respected, understood, and empowered to create meaningful, lasting change.

Natasha Vernon, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

Natasha Vernon is the owner of Sunshine Behavioral & Mental Health Center, LLC. She is a dually certified family nurse practitioner and psychiatric nurse practitioner. She earned her master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2016 and post master’s life span psychiatric nurse practitioner certification from Washburn University in 2020. She has over 10 years of nursing experience in various specialties within the medical field. Throughout her career, she has treated a variety of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other psychiatric disorders. She is truly passionate about providing care for people suffering with mental illness.

At Sunshine Behavioral & Mental Health Center, LLC, our goal is to provide compassionate, kind, and empathetic care to all of our patients and eliminate all stigmas associated with people diagnosed with mental illness. Our services include initial psychiatric evaluations and follow-up appointments for intervention with medication management. We thank you for choosing us to be your mental health provider. We are honored to help you. We are committed to making you feel better mentally and in all aspects of life!

As a therapist, I aim to make the client think and explore options and solutions to the spectrum of issues that might be impacting their life. My approach is warm and empathic while direct and challenging at times because I want clients to feel supported while making changes that can help them live the life they want to live, use their voice, and modify behaviors. My expertise is in trauma; therefore, I aim to help clients feel safe in sessions and within themselves in their lives.

I am a LCSW that is trauma informed. I have experience working with women that have had pregnancy complications, loss, and women that may be experiencing post partum depression. I work with parents on attachment and challenges that parenting may bring to the family.

If you're an adolescent or adult carrying anxiety, depression, trauma, or the kind of exhaustion that comes from navigating life on your own for too long, therapy with me is meant to feel calm, unhurried, and genuinely supportive. I work with teens and adults facing relationship struggles, self-esteem challenges, life transitions, emotional dysregulation, and stress that's hard to shake. I also support parents of children and young adults with ADHD or autism-related needs, and I have experience working with individuals and families facing complex mental health and substance use challenges. My background spans community mental health, crisis stabilization, outpatient care, and hospital settings, so I've sat with a wide range of what people go through.