DOCTORS & THERAPISTS

Alessana Fordin, MS, LMHC, MFT is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in treating individuals, couples and groups. She maintains a group practice, LOTUS COUNSELING CENTER in Miami, as well as, Aventura and Boca Raton in Florida.

Alessana works either in a more traditional 'psychodynamic' and/or 'self-psychology' orientation (helping clients to link the unconscious to the conscious and identify those behaviors that are not working for them) or in a more 'solution-focused' perspective--getting results and moving sessions along quickly. No matter which orientation--'I give feedback and am warm, clear and supportive.'
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Qualified Supervisor

(English / Español)

Olga Capriata, LCSW, is a dynamic, results-oriented, bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years experience in treating children, adolescents, adults and couples. Olga has dedicated herself to assisting individuals, couples and families to achieve their greatest emotional well-being by using their inner strengths and capabilities. Her approach is collaborative and goal-oriented utilizing strategies from family systems, Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic and play therapy.

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Tara Kellogg, LMFT, CTP, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified telehealth practitioner, with over 25 years of clinical experience. . She specializes in individual and family counseling and has dedicated her career to family preservation and trauma-related stressors disorders. Tara is a nationally certified therapist for Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), as well as a Qualified Florida State Supervisor for MH and MFT interns. Tara has worked for 23 years as a supervisor at one of the leading providers in community mental health in the state of Florida, Chrysalis Health. Tara also works at a group practice, Lotus Counseling Center specializing in trauma treatment and runs her own consulting business.

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Life can bring a number of challenges that can cause us to feel out of balance, through therapy, you can begin to make positive and lasting changes, leading you to a greater sense of fulfillment. My job is to help you to understand yourself and what you need, utilize your strengths, learn new tools and/or how to effectively use tools you have, work through your problems, and ultimately find balance and fulfillment. I have a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, and 12 years of therapy practice and assessment experience. Every year, I become more certain that I could not have chosen a more suitable path. It is my mission in life to help others fulfill their life’s purpose. More often than not, this requires mental and emotional healing and behavioral change. The passion that I have stems from my first-hand knowledge of the astounding ability people have to transcend extreme difficulties. I believe that most are capable of working through emotional pain and interpersonal conflict.

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I am a Psychotherapist specializing in individual and couples therapy. I received my BA from the State University of New York at Binghamton, and my Masters in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work in New York. In addition to my education, training, and professional background, I bring a substantial breadth of life experience to my practice. This has enhanced my ability to help others address a wide range of issues.

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Jonathan Closner is a clinical and therapeutic mental health counselor who has been serving his community for over 15 years.  As a therapist, he uses clinical interventions and techniques that are personalized for each individual client.  He has extensive training and experience in evidenced based treatments such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).  He is also skilled in the use of Brief Therapy techniques such as Solution Focused Therapy and Narrative Therapy.  In addition to individual therapy techniques, Jonathan is also trained in Clinical Systems Counseling; approaches he uses with couples and families.

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(English/Spanish)

Dr. Beda Bjorn, MS, LMHC, has been in practice for six years in the clinical field. She has received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida, Master's of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University. Dr. Bjorn specializes in treating trauma-PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders by integrating trauma-focused treatment, cognitive-behavioral models,  dialectical behavioral techniques, motivational interviewing, and client-centered humanistic approaches to therapy. 

There are times when we may feel 'stuck,' which can be a struggling experience. Her passion is to support clients to develop healthier and satisfying lifestyles by using strategies that help them get 'unstuck.'  

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(English/Español)

Mr. Alvaro Domenech, LCSW is a Qualified Clinical Supervisor with over 27 years of progressive experience in Clinical Social Work, Management and Leadership. Mr. Domenech earned his Masters Degree in Social Work from Barry University in 1995. In that same year Mr. Domenech was hired as an adjunct professor to teach and subsequently coordinate the Divorce program at Miami Dade College where he taught for over 25 years. He retired from The Institute for Child and Family Health, ICFH (formerly known as Children's Psychiatric Center) after 20 years of service in December of 2015. From January 2016 to present, he is acting Clinical Director of a local Community Mental Health Center in Miami. 

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(English / Mandarin Chinese)

Cindy is a bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and professionally trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She has a Master’s degree (Summa Cum Laude) in Marriage and Family Therapy and is currently a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Couples and Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University.  Cindy believes that each client is comprised of unique yet charismatic components such as personal upbringings, religious beliefs, and cultural backgrounds, that all contribute to narrate a cohesive personal story. This fundamental ideology has cultivated her into offering her clients unconditional positive regard and respect, while tailoring her treatment orientations to better serve each client’s individuality.

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Björn Sveinsson is an RMHC-I born and raised within the community of South Florida. In his time in community mental health, Björn has worked in dynamic settings such as addiction rehabilitation services for women in inpatient settings, Title 1/ETO academic English classrooms for middle school children/faculty, and as a guardian ad litem for displaced youth to develop social-emotional development. 

Since being with Lotus, Björn utilizes the frameworks of EFT, ACT, Gestaltian, Jungian, and TF-CBT to engage individuals, families, and couples ranging from childhood to geriatric lifespan. Björn specializes in working with gender/sexuality, domestic violence, trauma, medication management, personality, comorbidity, esteem building, anxiety, cultural syndromes, depression, OCD, identity formation, psychological Alchemy, and shadow/ego work.

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Gessica (pronounced 'Jessica') Presken is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. 

Gessica is welcoming, genuine, and creates a non-judgmental, compassionate space for all her clients. Gessica believes clients are the experts of their subjective experiences, making them the ones who truly know how a situation may have been felt and understood. Gessica is here to listen, support, and validate her clients experiences and feelings. In addition, Gessica empowers her clients to make decisions and changes in order to progress, reach self-acceptance, and achieve meaningful outcomes. Overall, she believes that the counseling relationship is a collaborative one, in which the counselor and client work together to reach  identified objectives and goals.

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Ziji is a registered clinician from New York who works from a Mind-Body-Spirit approach. Her competencies include Person-Centered therapy, Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Solution-Focused therapy, and couples work. While relying on evidence-based research, Ziji approaches treatment from a holistic perspective often incorporating Mindfulness exercises and tools to empower clients.

Ziji spent fifteen years working in the wellness retreat industry, part of which she built live mental health training workshops for professionals on topics including Mindfulness (MBSR),Acceptance (ACT), Self-compassion (MBSC), and couples therapy with world-renowned leaders in the field.

(English / Español)

Sharon Matson is a bilingual LMFT. Sharon believes that creating a trusting therapeutic relationship is of utmost importance to a positive treatment outcome. Using a collaborative approach, she takes the time to get to know her clients, and appreciates each client for their individuality. Although she tailors therapy to the individuality of each client, her preferred approaches to therapy are Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Mindfulness, and Person-Centered Therapy.
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Miguel Danois is a bilingual, Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been providing services in Miami since 2017. Miguel received his Master’s degree with a specialization in social work and an addictions certificate from Florida International University. He has experience working with depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, addiction/recovery, grief counseling, anger/stress management, parenting training, couples counseling, conflict resolution training, stage of life adjustments, behavioral difficulties, social skills, life coaching, and men’s issues.

Miguel focuses on maintaining a collaborative mindset with his clients and works in a psychodynamic, social learning, and person-in-environment orientation. He states, “My patients are the experts of their lives and I am the expert of therapy; we use our combined expertise to increase the quality of their lives. I’m a big believer in adapting to my clients, so I adjust my therapeutic style according to their individual needs.”

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Addison is an RMFT-I with a double Master’s in Psychology. Addison is a graduate of The University of Miami, Florida State University, and Longwood University. 

Addison is trained in individual, couple, and family therapy. She believes in a dynamic approach to psychotherapy, and she is dedicated to understanding each person in their entirety. 

Through working with Addison, clients will be encouraged to gently investigate their relationships, family dynamics, and their subconscious. 

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(English/Hebrew)

Dana works to create a warm, welcoming and non-judgmental therapeutic rapport with each of her clients, a firm believer that open communication is a healing modality in itself. She is passionate about traveling and has used her personal experiences with people and cultures around the world to foster deep and meaningful connections, what she believes is key to a more fulfilling life. Dana is a bilingual (English/Hebrew) registered clinician with a Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and a Master’s degree from Florida International University. Dana is trained in individual, couple, and group therapies and takes a collaborative, person-centered approach to create impactful goals and fulfilling experiences with her clients. 

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(English/Creole)

Sarah Fleurestil is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Intern trained in individual, couples, and family therapy. Sarah completed her training at the University of Miami with a degree in counseling with a focus in marriage and family therapy. She is committed to instilling hope and serving as catalyst for positive change in her client’s lives. 

Sarah primarily utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, and Narrative Therapy. Sarah approaches each client with intentionality and the goal of individualized personal progress. Sarah is presently completing her second Master’s degree in Health Administration.

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Jennie is a registered clinician from Washington D.C. who received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, and her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Washington University. Jennie has experience in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and community mental health settings.

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Alicia Harrington is a Registered Marriage and Family Therapy Intern with a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Stetson University. Alicia is currently pursuing her Ph.D. degree in Social Welfare at Florida International University.

Alicia has a background working with human trafficking victims, within the child welfare system, and working at an in-patient residential treatment center providing group, individual, and family therapy. She understands the importance of working with individuals, couples, and families from a systemic lens in order to identify areas of holistic and tangible change.

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Elizabeth is originally from Connecticut and moved to Miami where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, as well as her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Miami. 

She has a particular interest in helping those with couple’s issues, including marital conflict, infidelity, communication problems, as well as addressing intimacy issues through a sex-positive lens. She also specializes in individuals struggling with self-esteem, identity, and codependency. Elizabeth is an advocate for boosting already healthy relationships and believes that you don’t need to be having issues in your relationship to come to therapy. She enjoys helping couples take their connection to the next level by creating a safe and warm environment for couples to open and connect. 

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Jessica Reis (she/her) is a Marriage and Family Therapy Student completing her master's degree at Syracuse University while also finishing up her certification in Sex Therapy from Modern Sex Therapy Institute. She also is certified in Gottman Level 1 and 2 Training. Jessica's work as a therapist is guided by empathy, respect, and a genuine desire to empower her clients to discover their inherent strengths and resilience. She believes every individual and couple has unique strengths and  resources to be harnessed to overcome obstacles and foster meaningful connections. As an advocate for comprehensive and inclusive care, Jessica takes an individualized approach to each client's treatment plan, including collaboration.

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Talia Renner is a practicum student from the University of Miami's Master's in Mental Health Counseling program. Her Mexican and American heritage blend allows her to communicate fluently in Spanish and English, guaranteeing genuine connections with diverse groups. Having engaged with underserved communities across Mexico, Israel, and the USA, Talia remains committed to empowering and helping individuals achieve their goals. Her approach is rooted in empathy and compassion while incorporating spiritual and artistic elements. By thoughtfully incorporating dance, art, and music elements into her practice, she offers clients a unique channel for nonverbal expression.

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For over 30 years, my zeal for Meditation has seeped out into my professional and personal life as I have taught clients, friends and family to meditate while using calming breathing techniques during stressful moments.  I became a Life Coach in order to help people discover and practice the Meditation and Mindful Living lifestyle in a broader, more 'Wholistic' way.  

In our coaching together, I use Meditative Techniques and Mindful Living Strategies in a practical way to enhance your Awareness and help you achieve and live a more peaceful and  harmonious life.

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