Grief counselors and therapists in Sanford, FL

Carmen Arrufat Ives is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who brings both heart and expertise to her work. She’s passionate about trauma-informed, developmentally thoughtful care—blending psychotherapy, medication management, and holistic strategies to help patients heal, grow, and truly thrive.

She completed advanced clinical training with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where she specialized in treating PTSD, military sexual trauma, and complex psychiatric conditions. Carmen is also a graduate of The REACH Institute’s Evidence-Based Treatment for Pediatric Primary Care program, giving her specialized expertise in working with children and adolescents navigating anxiety, ADHD, mood, and behavioral challenges.

With advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-focused CBT, and EMDR, Carmen integrates neuroscience, preventive mental health, and whole-person care to support individuals and families across every stage of life.

Outside of work, Carmen enjoys spending quality time with her family, friends, and her beloved “furry family,” recharging through connection, laughter, and everyday moments that matter most.

Hi there! I am dedicated to meeting each client exactly where they are, inviting them to "come matter here." I view the therapeutic relationship as a powerful partnership, where safety, support, and respect come together to inspire meaningful change. I believe in the power of laughter and often weave humor into my sessions to create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more, we are here to support you. Seeking help and opening up to someone new can be intimidating, but it's a brave step towards healing. I understand the importance of a supportive and personalized approach, which enables me to offer effective treatment plans tailored to your unique circumstances. I treat a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, ADHD, sleep disorders, postpartum depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, panic attacks, OCD, among others. My extensive experience in a variety of mental health settings has equipped me to address both common and complex mental health needs with compassion and expertise.

I am a warm approachable therapist that recognizes how daily life can impact our mental health. I focus on how our past and present collide to at time cause disruptions and how to heal to live a brighter future.

Born and raised in Central Florida, I attended UCF and Rollins College. I have spent time in youth ministry and have extensive experience in health care administration, business management and sales.

I'm married with 3 young kids and love outdoor activities, golf, coaching little league and spending time with friends and family.

I work with clients dealing with low self-worth or self-esteem, depression, anxiety, compulsive & addictive behaviors, unwanted sexual behaviors, social isolation & disconnection, spiritual & existential issues, couples & relational issues, and much more.

I’ve spent the past 18 years helping people work through the parts of life that can feel complicated, overwhelming, or simply stuck. My style as a counselor is conversational, practical, and down to earth. I want counseling to be a place where you can be yourself, talk honestly about what’s going on, and leave with a clearer idea of how to move forward.

I work with adults, couples, and teens dealing with marriage and relationship concerns, ADHD, anxiety, depression, life transitions, men’s issues, spirituality, medical trauma, and disability. I especially enjoy helping people recognize patterns that may be keeping them stuck and find realistic ways to make meaningful changes.

My own experiences shape the way I approach counseling. I’m a husband, father, business owner, and someone who has had to adapt to significant life changes. Losing my sight as an adult gave me a personal understanding of what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan and how those changes can affect relationships, family, independence, career, and confidence.

I don’t believe counseling needs to feel overly clinical. Sometimes you need a place to say what you’re really thinking, work through frustration, gain a different perspective, and figure out what comes next.

My approach includes Cognitive Behavioral, Solution-Focused, and Narrative Therapy. For clients who want faith to be part of counseling, I can also incorporate a Christian perspective.

I earned my Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Central Florida in 2008 after completing my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at UCF in 2005. I have worked in private practice since 2008 and am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida.

I have more than 25 years of experience assessing and treating adolescents, adults, and families. While I appreciate numerous approaches, my patients have stated that I provide a melding of both direct and indirect styles. In other words, my standard of care is challenging and supportive. More often than not, you won’t leave a session wondering what’s next.

I use a four- fold approach to treating beyond traditional psychotherapy to help you on your journey. I have PhD in Clinical psychology, two master's degree (one in community counseling, one in community psychology). I also have a degree in Addictions and one in business management. Having worked every level of care from an inpatient hospital setting, residential long-term care, in a jail, a prison, out-patient levels for intensive three times per week to one time per week and taught in two universities. I am working my favorite level of care on an out-patient setting. Training has been in addictions, mental health, couples and family systems. I have other specialties with chronic pain and nutrition/bariatrics and obesity and available to provide medical and court evaluations with limited testing. I see children from 12 and up and adults/geriatrics.

Life can be full of different stressors, which is where I can help. I will provide a warm, non-judgmental, safe, and interactive environment where we take on complex subjects, deep-seated traumas, or for you to say the things you've never told anyone before. I understand these are difficult subjects to speak about, and I will build a therapeutic relationship with you so that you feel strong enough to share. By doing this, we can form realistic and attainable goals to establish growth and promote healing. Remember that healing is not linear. The best gift you can give yourself is to master the chaos & find a way around it.