LGBT therapists in Lakeland, FL

I have been in the mental health field for over 10 years and have been counseling for four years. I became a counselor because I genuinely care about what happens to others and I want to help them through tough times. I have a passion for working with the LGBT+, ENM/Polyamorous, minority, and Kink communities. I am proficient in helping with issues related to trauma. I especially love to help empower the oppressed and the people who are made to feel "less than."

Stephanie believes that everyone is deserving of a safe place to work through life’s difficulties so she strives to create a warm, welcoming environment that promotes one’s highest potential. Stephanie has walked alongside many young adults, mature adults, and couples through difficult periods of life, transitions, and choices. Stephanie understands that no single approach is the right one for every individual so is trained in a range of modalities.

I am Dr. De Jesus Rivera, medical director at Self Improvement Psychiatry. We specialize in top notch, personalized, psychiatric services through telemedicine. I do a in depth evaluation without you feeling rushed. Together, we come up with a treatment plan that you feel comfortable with. We also have a HIPAA compliant texting system for easy communication and timely responses should any problems arise in between appointments.

I am a licensed mental health counselor providing individual therapy in-person and virtually. I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Florida and completed my master’s degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida.

After completing my undergraduate degree, I worked at a domestic and sexual violence center for three years, providing crisis and individual support to survivors and their children. During graduate school, I gained experience providing counseling in medical clinics and worked alongside adolescent and pediatric physicians. I am passionate about working with teens (13+), young adults, college students, LGBTQ+, and survivors of intimate partner violence and childhood abuse.

Drawing from twenty years of experience in education and principal of therapeutic schools, I have developed the art of conflict resolution with reticent learners, with parents, with couples and individuals. I have the skillset to support people and transform their perceptions of self to cope with communication issues, anger, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and trauma. My empathetic approach offers people to find positive and creative techniques. I am highly gifted in working to establish and enhance relationships between parent and child/husband and wife using conflict resolution to create opportunities. As a clinician of almost ten years, I interact exceedingly well with individuals and couples to support positive communication and achieve personal growth whether it be in a marriage, parenting/school skills, or within oneself. My understanding, compassion, and acceptance of people when they enter therapy create a safe and trusting environment to unpack problems and develop strategies that enhance well-being, stability, and alternative perspectives on how to address struggles/conflicts.

I’m a cis-gender heterosexual female. My husband and I have a high school aged son. I’m originally from St. Louis, MO but I have lived in Florida for a combined 36 years because I love living in paradise. One of the things I enjoy about virtual work is seeing my clients’ pets too.

I was a non-traditional student and got my bachelor's degree at 29 and my master's degree at 32. The life skills I gained as I worked my way through school have been helpful throughout my career. For some people, the age of their therapist is important. I am 49 years old.

Some of my helpful qualities include being non-judgmental. I have talked to people of all kinds, many ages with all kinds of histories and all kinds of present lives. There really isn't a topic you can't discuss with me, I have never felt a client gave me "TMI" or too much information. You are guaranteed privacy and confidentiality. You can get judgment for free anywhere else. I believe everyone is doing the best they can with what they know.

I am often told after first sessions that I'm easy to talk to and those clients feel better just having gotten some things off their chest.

I have treated children and teens throughout my career beginning at my first job in foster care.since beginning in I graduated from my masters degree. I have also treated adults with depression, anxiety, grief and loss, PTSD, sexual dysfunction, porn addiction, people in the LGBTQ community & people in alternative lifestyles.

I also treated patients in hospice as well as other medical settings. I treat people with chronic illnesses and occasionally I treat people with life limiting illnesses.

Here at Headway I will treat anyone who is 10 or older because I believe they are best suited for virtual therapy. I'm open to appeals about this policy.